When you are starting an exercise programs or changing your current exercise program it is important to tailor the exercises to your specific needs.

This can be done best with a personal trainer, but not everybody has the means to hire one, so the following programs are a good start for most of the general population.

A simple walking program for beginners

If you are brand new to exercise and you have been cleared to exercise by your doctor, this program is a great, basic start.

Start by taking a brisk walk every day for just 20 minutes. You’ll find this walk will begin to get easier and you’ll be able to increase the length of the walk and its difficulty level.

To challenge your body further, walk up hills, increase your pace every five minutes, or walk up a stair case for part of the walk. Studies have shown that interval training like this is most effective for fast fitness improvement. Aim to start walking for 60 minutes 5-6 times a week for optimum results.

Also Read : 5+ Ways to do Aerobics Exercises at Home

A beginning strength-training program

Strength training has been proven to increase bone density, lower your body fat content and improve your overall fitness level.

If you don’t belong to a health club or have access to weights, don’t worry. You can do a simple strength workout with no weights at all. Pushups, lunges and sit-ups are all you need to strengthen and tone every muscle you have.

Pushups – Exercise Programs

You can start with modified pushups on your knees and work your way up to normal plank pushups. Aim to do 50 pushups per day. You can break them down to five sets of 10 pushups. This will tone your entire upper body as well as your abdominal muscles.

Lunges – Exercise Programs

Lunges are basically taking steps while bending each knee down to the ground. You should try to do ten lunges on each leg when you first start. As you advance over time, you’ll be able to do three sets of 25 lunges per leg.

This exercise tones and strengthens your gluteus maximus, quadriceps, calves and hamstrings.

Sit-ups – Exercise Programs

There are several levels of sit-ups. The most basic sit-up has been proven effective for most people, though. Simply anchor your feet under a bed or table and sit up touching your hands to your feet for the best benefit.

In the beginning, try to do as many sit-ups as you can in one minute. Try to do this every day and track your progress after a month. You’ll be doing 50 sit-ups in one minute in no time at all.

Advancing your sit-ups Exercise Program

Once this type of sit up becomes too easy for you, you can advance by suspending your feet off the ground while pulling yourself up. Eventually you’ll be able to do v-sits, which means your feet are off the ground and your head and neck are of the ground while you pull yourself in and out of the v position.

These exercises tone your abdominal muscles and your quadriceps.

A strength and cardio exercise programs

Once you have been exercising for several months, your body should be ready to do both strength and cardio workouts, which will provide the best combination for good heart health, bone density, weight loss and overall fitness levels.

Fitness experts and personal trainers recommend exercising 5 to 6 days per week for at least 30 minutes for the best results. 3 of these days should involve a strength routine of some kind and cardio can be done on all days.

An example of a good week would be:

Monday – 30 minutes of running at 5.0 on a treadmill or running at an easy pace outside.

Tuesday – 20 minutes of uphill walking on a treadmill or outside followed by a circuit of five sets of 20 pushups, sit-ups and lunges.

Wednesday – 30 minutes of biking, running or walking fast.

Thursday – 20 minutes of elliptical training on a medium setting or brisk walking followed by a weight circuit of 3 sets of 20 lunges per leg, 50 sit ups and 30 push ups.

Friday – 45 minutes of running, walking, biking or elliptical training at the fastest pace you can handle.

Saturday – 60 minutes of easy walking followed by 50 sit-ups, 50 push-ups and 50 lunges.

Mix it up

The key to success in any exercise programs is to keep your body guessing. There are many alternatives to the exercises mentioned but these will work great for keeping your body moving and working all of your muscles.

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