The gym can be a pretty daunting place, particularly for beginners. But you don’t need dumbbells, barbells, or even a gym membership to pack on size and strength. Bodyweight workouts are a powerful and convenient way to improve strength, endurance and aid muscle growth, that can be done practically anywhere. Keen to get going? This workout from Steve Albon, Regional Gym Manager for the North-West at Ultimate Performance will set you up on the path to success.
“It’s true that getting into good shape does not need to be limited to the confines of the gym,” says Albon. “The fact of the matter is, using our bodies to improve our physiques is far too underrated, and the benefits of moving your body through space are vast in terms of helping you hone a powerful and lean physique.” Research and studies also support the effectiveness of bodyweight exercises, so if you thought you wouldn’t be able to achieve either without stepping foot in the iron jungle, think again!
Bodyweight workout for beginners
You’ve got two circuits from Albon to work through. Start on circuit 1, performing each exercise back-to-back, with no rest. Then, at the end of the last exercise, rest for 60 seconds, before repeating the entire circuit, anywhere between two to five more times. When you have completed all your rounds of circuit 1, move onto circuit 2 and follow the same format. Here are your circuits:
| Exercise | Reps | Tempo |
| Press-ups | 8-10 | Lower for three seconds, pause at the bottom for one |
| Squats | 8-10 | Lower for three seconds, pause at the bottom for one |
| Tricep dips | 8-10 | Lower your body for three seconds, pause at the bottom of the movement, and then push upwards explosively. |
| Split squats | 8-10 (per leg) | N/A |
| Exercise | Reps | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
| Reverse lunges | 8-10 (per leg) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
| Mountain climbers | 16-20 | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
| Diamond press ups | 8-10 | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
| Plank | 30-seconds | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
“As you get fitter, you can increase reps, sets, decrease rest time, or extend time under tension, or a combination of everything,” says Albon. “This will make the workouts progressively more difficult, challenging your body to work harder, which will stop your muscle growth and fat burn from plateauing.” If you are looking for something slightly more challenging, you can always give this beginner dumbbell workout or, if you're after another bodyweight burner, this 30-minute one will leave your muscles burning.
