6-Week Beginner Gym Workout Program

by Johnny Jacks

If you haven’t exercised in a long time or are just starting out and looking for a moderate exercise routine, the 6-week beginner gym program might be ideal for you. This program includes simple, progressively intensified exercises to help you establish a regular workout habit.

Preparation before starting the exercise program

Before commencing the program, consider the following preparations for optimal results:

  • Consult a doctor if you have health issues or a previous injury.
  • Gather equipment: For home endurance exercises, gather equipment such as dumbbells, exercise balls, resistance bands, a step platform, and workout mats. Select appropriate dumbbells, especially when starting out.
  • Track your metrics: Keep a record of your training progress to monitor your development.

Week 1: Familiarize Yourself with the Beginner’s Gym Program

Your objective for the initial week of the beginner’s gym program is to monitor the intensity of your workouts.

Intensity is a crucial factor to consider during strength training. Tracking your intensity allows you to gauge your body’s response to various exercises. You can monitor your training intensity using methods such as:

  • Observing your breathing and ability to communicate during exercises
  • Using a heart rate monitor

Following each set of cardio exercises, employ one of the methods mentioned above to assess your condition and adjust the exercise intensity based on your capability.

Most workouts will be of moderate intensity, leading to slight discomfort and fatigue, but not complete exhaustion. Refer to the week 1 training schedule below for further insight into the training intensity during the first week.

Day 1: Integration of Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching

This exercise routine is straightforward and typically takes only 35-45 minutes to complete:

Exercise 1: Basic beginner-level cardio workout, lasting approximately 20 minutes.

Exercise 2: Fundamental strength training. You’ll require light dumbbells, an exercise ball, a chair, and a mat. This session should take 10-15 minutes.

Exercise 3: Gentle muscle-stretching routine.

Day 2: Walking and Stretching

For day 2, there’s no need for a specific exercise plan. Instead, opt for a leisurely walk and perform stretches to loosen the muscles in your shoulders, neck, and back.

Exercise 1: Engage in a brisk 10-minute walk.

Exercise 2: Dedicate a brief period to stretching your muscles.

You can walk outside or on a treadmill for 10 minutes.

You can walk outside or on a treadmill for 10 minutes.

Day 3: Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching

Today’s workout plan mirrors your first day’s routine. However, you’ll substitute the previous cardio sequence with either a 10-minute cycling session or a 13-minute walk. Feel free to incorporate additional cardio exercises to extend your workout duration if desired.

Exercise 1: Walk for 13 minutes or cycle for 10 minutes.

Exercise 2: Foundational strength training. Prepare a light dumbbell, an exercise mat, an exercise ball, or a chair. This session lasts between 10 and 15 minutes.

Exercise 3: Stretching exercises for overall body flexibility.

Day 4: Active Rest

Use this time to aid your body’s recovery. Engage in light activities during rest periods, such as walking, stretching, or easy exercises. Consider the following activities:

Sit on an exercise ball while watching TV. Ascend and descend the stairs at least three times. Utilize your lunch break for a 10-minute walk. Extend your walking duration by 5 minutes.

Day 5: Walking and Stretching

Exercise 1: Briskly walk for approximately 10 minutes.

Exercise 2: Perform seated stretching exercises for 5-10 minutes.

Day 6: Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching

Exercise 1: Complete basic cardio exercises for 20 minutes.

Exercise 2: Engage in strength exercises for 10-15 minutes using light weights, exercise balls, chairs, and mats.

Exercise 3: Execute simple stretching routines.

Week 2: Focus on FITT

In the second week, slight adjustments are implemented to facilitate gradual progress. You’ll engage in longer, new cardio exercises and incorporate an extended set of strengthening exercises during your strength training sessions. Modify and personalize the exercises to align with your fitness level, overall health, and desired objectives. Embracing the FITT principle is crucial for customizing your workout regimen based on your perceived performance and effectiveness.

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Emphasizing the FITT Principle

During week 2, your training focus centers on the FITT principle, guiding the development of an appropriate beginner gym program, which involves:

Frequency: Incorporate 3 cardio and 3 strength training sessions this week, adhering to fundamental training guidelines to enhance your physical fitness. Gradually introduce additional exercises as you become more accustomed to the routine.

Intensity: Aim for moderate intensity in the initial weeks, aiming for a level 5-6 on the Exertion Scale. As you progress, consider gradually intensifying your workouts through interval training and other applicable techniques.

Time: Initially, your workouts will span roughly 10-20 minutes. With each passing week, gradually extend the duration of your exercises to boost endurance and promote greater calorie expenditure.

Type of Exercise: Ensure that you incorporate activities you enjoy to foster a comfortable workout experience. Simultaneously, diversify your exercise routine to sustain the desired intensity and efficacy of the overall program.

By training at an appropriate intensity, duration, and frequency, you’ll start noticing changes in your weight, body fat percentage, endurance levels, and overall well-being. As your body adjusts to the current FITT regimen, it’s essential to recalibrate and elevate your training parameters.

Day 1: Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching

This week’s cardio routine will be an extension of the basic workout from last week, adding an extra 5 minutes. Likewise, the strength training will remain similar to last week, but you’ll complete 2 sets of each exercise with a rest period between sets.

  • Exercise 1: Engage in a 25-minute cardio session.
  • Exercise 2: Begin the basic strength training, utilizing light weights, an exercise mat, an elastic ball, or a chair. Execute 2 sets for each exercise, maintaining the workout duration between 10-20 minutes.
  • Exercise 3: Perform a series of stretching exercises to promote relaxation.

Day 2: Walking and Stretching

Increase your walking duration by 5 minutes and follow up with a series of back, neck, and shoulder stretches.

  • Exercise 1: Walk briskly for 15 minutes.
  • Exercise 2: Conduct back, neck, and shoulder stretches in a seated position.

Day 3: Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching

Introduce a new cardio routine with interval training, utilizing machines or any other activity that piques your interest.

  • Exercise 1: Perform basic interval training for 21 minutes.
  • Exercise 2: Engage in basic strength training exercises using light weights, an exercise mat, an elastic ball, or a chair.
  • Exercise 3: Conclude with a set of stretching exercises to induce a sense of calm in the body.

Day 4: Active Rest

Similar to last week, you have a break on Wednesday this week. However, aim to stay active by incorporating light activities such as walking, stretching, or engaging in minor exercises. Consider the following ideas:

Perform sit-ups or push-ups while watching TV. Dedicate a few minutes to stretching before bedtime. Extend your dog’s walk by an additional 5 minutes.

Day 5: Walking and Stretching

  • Exercise 1: Walk briskly for 15 minutes.
  • Exercise 2: Execute back, neck, and shoulder stretches in a seated position.

Day 6: Cardio, Strength Training, and Stretching

  • Exercise 1: Participate in a 25-minute cardio workout.
  • Exercise 2: Perform fundamental strength exercises with light weights, an exercise mat, an elastic ball, or a chair for 10-20 minutes, completing 2 sets of each exercise.
  • Exercise 3: Conclude with a set of stretching exercises to induce a sense of calm in the body.

Week 3: Focusing on Progress

This week, you’ll notice significant changes in your training schedule. By separating cardio and strength training, you’ll have 3 days dedicated to cardio and 2 days for strength training. This restructuring allows you to concentrate more energy on each workout sequence, enhancing your overall training performance.

Emphasize Tracking Your Progress

Monitoring your progress is crucial during your workout routine. You must establish where you are, identify areas for improvement, and sustain your motivation, ensuring you’re on the right track. Consider the following aspects:

Health Improvement: Apart from weight loss, exercising can substantially enhance your overall health. Evaluate goals like climbing stairs without getting winded, engaging in activities with your children or grandchildren effortlessly, and maintaining a journal to track your achievements weekly.

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Strength and Endurance: Monitoring the number of sets, reps, and weights you use every week can serve as a potent motivator as you witness your strength and endurance levels increasing. With improved fitness, you’ll find the exercises becoming more manageable.

Weight Loss: Though weight loss can be a prominent fitness goal, it often occurs gradually. Keep in mind that seeing significant changes might take several weeks or months. Weighing yourself, measuring body fat, or assessing the fit of your clothes can help you effectively monitor your progress.

Accomplished Goals: Rather than solely focusing on the outcomes, dedicate attention to your fitness journey itself. Setting specific exercise targets will help you concentrate more effectively on your training.

Day 1: Cardio and Stretching

This week’s cardio session will be an extension of the previous workouts, with an increased duration.

  • Exercise 1: Engage in 30 minutes of cardio exercises.
  • Exercise 2: Stretch using elastic bands.

Day 2: Strength Training and Yoga

You’ll focus more on strength training this week, resulting in a significant intensification of your workout routine.

  • Exercise 1: Full-body exercises using dumbbells, a barbell, a platform, an exercise ball, or an elastic band. Perform each exercise for 2 sets, with 15 repetitions in each set, totaling a workout time of 30-45 minutes.
  • Exercise 2: Yoga for 10 minutes.
You can choose gentle yoga exercises to balance out the intensity of your workout.

You can choose gentle yoga exercises to balance out the intensity of your workout.

Day 3: Active Rest

As with other active rest days, no structured workout is planned for today. However, staying active is encouraged through activities like walking, stretching, or engaging in light exercises. You can:

Walk around the house. Take two laps around the parking lot before heading to work. Take your pet for an extra 5-minute walk. Wear a pedometer and aim for at least 5,000 steps throughout the day.

Day 4: Cardio and Stretching

Today’s new series of interval cardio exercises will increase the workout duration by 25 minutes and raise the intensity slightly.

Exercise 1: Complete a 25-minute interval cardio session.

Exercise 2: Stretch using an elastic band.

Day 5: Full-Body Workout

Exercise 1: Utilize dumbbells, a barbell, a wooden platform, an exercise ball, and an elastic band. Perform this set of exercises for 30-45 minutes, with 2 sets for each exercise.

Day 6: Cardio and Stretching

Exercise 1: Engage in 30 minutes of cardio.

Exercise 2: Stretch using an elastic band.

Week 4: Ease Up

This week, the intensity of your workouts will remain the same as last week to allow for a more relaxed approach in preparation for the upcoming training schedule. Take this time to focus on controlling the exercises and establishing a workout routine that works best for you.

Maintaining Motivation

Staying motivated to exercise can sometimes be challenging. Consider rewarding yourself each time you achieve a goal in your beginner gym program. This week, set goals for yourself and find ways to reward your progress. Some ideas might include:

Planning an outing with family or friends. Treating yourself to a relaxing massage or a social gathering. Engaging in activities you enjoy, such as listening to music or reading books.

Training Schedule

Your training routine for this week will be similar to that of the previous week.

Day 1: Cardio and Stretching

Exercise 1: Engage in 30 minutes of cardio.

Exercise 2: Stretch using elastic bands.

Day 2: Full-Body Workout

Exercise 1: Perform full-body exercises with dumbbells, barbells, wooden platforms, balls, and elastic bands for 30-45 minutes, completing 2 sets of each exercise, 15 repetitions per set.

Day 3: Active Rest

Combine gentle activities with your rest day, such as:

Participating in movement games with family. Using an elastic ball while watching TV or working on the computer. Taking a leisurely 20-minute walk.

Day 4: Interval Cardio and Stretching

Exercise 1: Engage in interval cardio exercises.

Exercise 2: Stretch using elastic bands.

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Day 5: Full-Body Workout

Exercise 1: Perform full-body exercises with dumbbells, barbells, wooden platforms, balls, and elastic bands for 30-45 minutes, completing 2 sets of each exercise, 15 repetitions per set.

Day 6: Interval Cardio and Stretching

Exercise 1: Participate in interval cardio exercises.

Exercise 2: Stretch using elastic bands.

Week 5: Stress Relief

You’ve reached the final week of your beginner’s gym program. After a week of “cooling off,” you’ll continue to ramp up the intensity of your training with new exercises. Additionally, you’ll be practicing 6 days a week instead of the previous 5.

Focus on Stress Relief

This week, prioritize stress relief through exercise. Whether engaging in light cardio or stretching, exercise can help reduce stress, enhance focus, and provide you with the energy to accomplish more.

How do you feel after each day of practice? If you’re feeling exhausted, it might be an indication of overtraining, and you may need more rest.

Day 1: Cardio and Stretching Routine

Exercise 1: Perform a 40-minute cardio routine.

Exercise 2: Engage in a series of simple stretching exercises.

You can perform a series of cardio exercises on a treadmill or an exercise bike.

You can perform a series of cardio exercises on a treadmill or an exercise bike.

Day 2: Full-Body Superset and Yoga

Today’s workout session will challenge you with more intense exercises, helping to elevate your fitness level while shortening your training time.

Exercise 1: Complete a 40-60 minute full-body superset sequence. Prepare a barbell, dumbbells of various weights, a wooden platform, and an exercise ball.

Exercise 2: Practice yoga both in the morning and evening.

Day 3: Active Rest Day

You have a break from training today. However, maintain light activity such as walking or stretching to keep your body active.

Day 4: Interval Cardio and Stretching

Engage in a new set of interval cardio exercises, including hill and sprint exercises, increasing the intensity to level 8 on the Stress Scale.

Exercise 1: Perform 30 minutes of interval cardio exercises.

Exercise 2: Stretching exercises while seated.

Day 5: Full-Body Superset Routine

Complete a 40-60 minute full-body superset sequence. Make sure you have a barbell, dumbbells of varying weights, a wooden platform, and an exercise ball.

Day 6: Cardio and Stretching

Take your simple cardio exercises from level 5 to level 6.

Exercise 1: Endurance-focused cardio training.

Exercise 2: Stretching using an elastic band.

Day 7: Cardio Booster

Add an extra cardio session this week. Choose any exercise or activity and maintain a moderate, steady pace for at least 20 minutes.

Week 6: Final Stretch for Beginner’s Gym Program

It’s crucial to sustain the intensity of training established in the preceding weeks. You can maintain the same routine or modify your workouts to amplify the intensity and efficacy of this beginner’s gym program.

Day 1: Cardio Strengthening and Stretching

Exercise 1: Engage in a series of cardio exercises on a treadmill or exercise bike for 40 minutes.

Exercise 2: Perform simple stretching exercises.

You can perform simple stretching exercises using elastic bands.

You can perform simple stretching exercises using elastic bands.

Day 2: Full-Body Superset and Yoga Series

Exercise 1: Perform a 40-60 minute full-body superset sequence. You may need equipment such as a barbell, dumbbells of various weights, a wooden platform, and an exercise ball.

Exercise 2: Practice yoga in the morning and evening.

Day 3: Active Rest

You don’t need to exercise today. However, try to engage in light activities while resting.

Day 4: Interval Cardio and Stretching

Exercise 1: Engage in 30 minutes of interval cardio exercises.

Exercise 2: Perform stretching exercises while sitting.

Day 5: Full-Body Superset Session

Exercise 1: Complete a 40-60 minute full-body superset sequence. You may need a barbell, dumbbells of varying weights, a wooden platform, and an exercise ball.

Day 6: Endurance Cardio and Stretching

Exercise 1: Perform 35 minutes of cardio exercises for endurance training.

Exercise 2: Stretch using an elastic band.

Day 7: Cardio Boost

You can repeat the cardio exercises from last week or try different exercises, maintaining a moderate, steady pace for at least 20 minutes.

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Congratulations on completing your 6-week beginner gym program. We hope this article has helped you establish a moderate exercise routine. If you encounter challenges during your workouts, download We immediately, sign up to train with our professional coaches, and experience the difference.

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