You've decided to start fitness. Great! But how do you actually begin? In this blog post, we'll give you some examples of the best exercises for beginners.
The very first exercise you should start with is the push-up. This exercise strengthens your triceps, shoulders, and especially your chest muscles. You don't have to go too hard on your first workout. 5 sets of 10 push-ups are enough to activate your muscles. If regular push-ups are still a bit difficult, you can switch to push-ups from your knees.
After a few workouts, you'll already build up a lot of strength, especially if you've just started training. You can then switch to weights. An exercise that is often done for the chest muscles is the dumbbell press. You can just lie on the floor and push the dumbbells upwards (a barbell with weight plates is of course also an option). If you are not comfortable on the floor, or want a deeper range of motion, we recommend doing these exercises on a fitness bench.
A nice alternative to dumbbells is the Powerblock, which allows you to quickly change weights and save a lot of space!
When you start fitness, your priority should be strengthening your core. This will make it easier to perform other exercises. The best thing you can do is try variations of crunches. After your workout, it's also important to do planks. Planks are not only for the abdominal muscles but for your entire body. Planks are often called a "fitness hack" by fitness gurus, and there's a clear reason why: you build more stability and strength by doing just 3 to 5 sets of 30 seconds. You won't get a six-pack right away, but never give up!
Now we come to the most neglected aspect of fitness: legs. Most beginners make the mistake of training them less than their upper body, resulting in "chicken-leg syndrome." This only occurs in people who train their legs infrequently and focus too much on their personal record on the bench press.
The moral of the story: Don't. Skip. Leg Day.
Squats are the single best way for beginners to develop stronger legs. If bodyweight squats are too easy, you can switch to the dumbbell squat. It's not rocket science, just hold a pair of dumbbells and squat!
The dumbbell row is the ideal beginner's exercise for the back muscles. This targets the lats, traps, and lower back muscles. All you need are dumbbells and something to support yourself. Here too, a fitness bench is very useful.