Fitness Isn't Just Lifting Weights: 3 Easy Beginner Workouts

With a new year having just begun, the season of writing resolutions is officially in full swing, and exercise is at the top of many people's lists. By now, you've probably heard time and time again about the upside of working out more, from physical benefits like improved sleep and better energy levels to cognitive ones like enhanced focus. Yet what's such a great habit to pick up can also prove quite difficult to start.

From entering the gym and seeing experienced lifters bench-pressing two plates to stepping on the track to see a group of seasoned runners sprint by like it's nothing, starting a fitness journey of your own can feel intimidating. But you don't need to be the next Olympic trials qualifier to put your health first, and you can actually enjoy the benefits of exercise with as little as fifteen minutes a day.

So if you want to get in shape but don't know where to start, here are three beginner-friendly workouts to try out.

1. Circuit Training

If you want to burn calories and build strength without going to the gym, circuit training is a great option. To start your first session, pick 5 or 6 of your favorite bodyweight exercises to do. Try to target all the muscle groups, from arms and core to the lower body. An example circuit could consist of push-ups, sumo squats, lunges, flutter kicks, and Russian twists.

Then, pick an amount of time to do each exercise for, per set. For starters, a good idea would be 30 to 45 seconds. You'd ideally want very little to no rest between exercises while circuit training, but as a beginner, don't be afraid to take a short break between reps.

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After you've finished that full circuit, doing each of the exercises you've picked for the amount of time chosen, take a longer break of a minute or two before repeating the circuit. On day one, you can go through the circuit twice, and once you're comfortable with that, you can increase how many times you repeat the circuit in a single workout.

Since circuit training is so fast-paced with its short rests, it's perfect if you're limited on time, as you can still get a solid session done with only 15 or 20 minutes.

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2. HIIT

Want an exciting, fast-paced workout that's still manageable to do? Try HIIT, or high-intensity interval training. The name sounds quite extreme, but it's a pretty simple way to work out that can easily be adjusted to your fitness level.

The basic idea of HIIT is alternating between short "on" periods of intense exercise, typically 15 to 45 seconds long, and "off" periods of rest. Since the "on" periods aren't too long, during them you'll want to be putting in at least 80% of your maximum effort. It's called "high-intensity" for a reason, after all.

For the rest periods, they can be the same length as your "on" periods, or longer depending on what exercise you're doing and the time you have available.

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What's best about the HIIT method is that you can apply it to all sorts of activities, meaning you can choose whatever form of exercise you like the most. While weights are often used in HIIT training, bodyweight exercises are great too, like squats and burpees. If you like running, sprinting is a great choice; you can do short, fast sprints during "on" periods and take a break when you're "off." Stationary biking and rowing are also popular choices. Just make sure with whatever method you pick, you do a quick warmup before ramping up the intensity, followed by a cooldown after you're done.

Since both the "on" and "off" periods are relatively short, you can get a good workout done with HIIT in just half an hour. Plus, the short, intense bursts of activity make it a lot more interesting than staying confined to the stair machine or treadmill for the entire workout.

3. Run-Walk-Run

If timing rest periods and handpicking exercises feels like a little too much, you can always employ a simple Run-Walk-Run method to get in plenty of steps and some solid cardio. Simply alternate between running at a manageable pace and taking short walk breaks in between.

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You can set the amount of time for each, like running for 3 minutes followed by a minute of walking, or just run until you're tired, then walk until you feel refreshed enough to go again.

There are many benefits to this method, first popularized by Olympian Jeff Galloway. Continuing to move during walk breaks keeps your momentum up, and it's easy to track your progress as you're slowly able to run farther and farther each time before needing a breather.

If you stick with it, soon a 20-minute session of "Run-Walk-Run" could turn into you finishing a 5K or being able to run a mile every day. Running may be tough, but by adding just the right amount of rest, it's not so hard to get started.

A Quick Reminder

Starting a fitness journey is a difficult task, but if you have the right mindset and are willing to put in the work to improve, you can achieve results that you once thought of as impossible. The most important thing to remember is to stay consistent with your goals. It's better to stick with three 30-minute workouts a week than a single two-hour session that takes all afternoon, so try to set aside a little time for exercise every day.

Progress isn't linear, so don't be discouraged if you aren't immediately seeing your desired results. In reality, it'll take some time to reap the rewards of your hard work. But once you do, it'll just be that much more rewarding. So, let's make this new year one where you put your goals first—your future self will thank you!