Strength Training for Beginners: An Easy-to-Follow Guide

Looking for tips and guidance on strength training for beginners? We got you.

Strength training is a critical component of a healthy lifestyle. It’s particularly beneficial if you’re looking to lose weight. Research shows that combining strength training with cardio can lead to more effective weight and fat loss than either type of exercise alone.

Now, let’s be real: Strength training can be intimidating if you’ve never done it. Maybe it’s those seemingly complex machines and hardcore terms like “deadlift.” But don’t worry! With the right information, it’s more straightforward than it seems.

Consider this your trusty beginner’s guide on how to build strength. We’ll explore the best strength training exercises for beginners and their many benefits. Whether you’re planning to hit the gym or prefer a home workout, we’ll help you get started.

Strength training is a form of exercise that uses resistance to make muscles contract. It’s also sometimes called resistance training.

There are lots of ways you can do this type of workout, making it accessible for everyone, regardless of fitness level. It can include bodyweight exercises, meaning you don’t use any equipment and just use your own body (push-ups are a classic example. Strength training can also involve using resistance bands, free weights, and machines.

Here are the key steps for a successful and safe strength training session:

1. Warm up and stretch to prep your muscles.

2. Start slow and gradually build up to heavier weights or other equipment as you improve. This will ensure a safe and effective strength training routine.

3. Get enough reps per session and have enough sessions (a couple of times a week is best, but even one day a week can be adequate).

4. Include rest periods between sets (two to five minutes).

Strength training has tons of benefits. For starters, it helps you build muscle mass and lose body fat, which can significantly improve your body composition. This improvement raises your resting metabolic rate (RMR), meaning you’ll burn more calories even when resting.

So incorporating weight training for beginners in your routine can be key to weight loss and how to get stronger.

Beyond helping with weight management, the health benefits of strength training include:

• Improving bone density

• Bettering joint function

• Lowering the risk of injury

• Building muscle strength and muscular endurance

• Reducing the risk of chronic conditions like osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease

• Lowering blood pressure

And if you’re currently on a weight loss journey, it’s especially important to do some muscle-building routines. Specifically, if you’re eating at a calorie deficit to lose weight, strength training can help prevent losing lean muscle mass (which can happen with weight loss). Focusing on fiber and protein-rich foods can also help.

For a beginner weight lifting routine, you’ll want to focus on a few crucial elements when you start:

• Proper form. To nail your form when lifting weights, pay extra attention to posture. Stand tall and straight with your chest puffed out and your abs engaged. You’ll also want to move slowly during your exercises and pace them with your breathing.

• Progressive overload. As your fitness level increases, you can increase your repetitions, sets, and weights — but start slow and low. For the exercises we’ll outline ahead, you can aim for three to six sets of six to 12 reps.

• Adequate recovery. Giving your muscles time to recover helps maximize results and minimize the risk of injury.

One of the best things about strength training — and bodyweight exercises in particular — is that you can do them at home without any special equipment.

That said, here are some helpful things to keep on deck:

• A thick exercise mat for stretching, push-ups, and abdominal work on the floor

• Dumbbells and a set of resistance bands or a kettlebell

• A stability ball for core workouts

Keep scrolling for exercises involving weight lifting for beginners to try.

Before we dive into basic weight lifting exercises, remember that some of these moves may be challenging for beginners. Starting with fewer reps and sets is perfectly okay — you can gradually increase as you get more comfortable.

We’ll also include easier variations for many moves to help you ease in if you need a workout for beginners. Don’t overexert yourself, and work on strong posture to prevent injury.

Now, let’s jump into some beginner moves for a full-body workout. We’ll start with upper-body moves and then go over some lower-body moves.

1. Push-Ups

Push-ups are excellent for building chest and tricep strength — they’re also a good full-body workout. Remember to keep your back straight and your booty tucked to engage your core and glutes.

Get into position:

• Lay face down on the floor or a mat.

• Place your hands palm down on the floor, a little wider than shoulder-width apart.

• Position yourself on your tippy toes.

Do the push-up:

• Engage your core by keeping your back straight and tucking your glutes — your body should form a straight line from head to heels.

• Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle.

• Lower yourself until your upper body is parallel to the floor (or lower if you’re more advanced).

• Press through your palms to raise your body back to the starting position.

Beginners can keep their knees on the ground for extra support instead of just their toes. Or, stand facing a wall, lean forward, and perform push-ups against the wall for additional support.

2. Bicep Curls

Bicep curls are a very workout that tones the front of the arms.

Get into starting position:

• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms at your sides.

• Keep your elbows close to your torso and your palms facing forward.

Do the curl:

• Squeeze your biceps and lift the dumbbells toward your shoulders.

• Only your forearms should move — keep your upper arms stationary.

• Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position by extending your arms.

3. Dumbbell Single-Arm Rows

You can do this move with or without a bench. Let’s start with the latter.

Set up and position your body:

• Grab a dumbbell with your right hand.

• Place your left knee and left hand on a chair or bench for support.

• Ensure your left hand is directly under your shoulder.

• Keep your right foot planted on the ground for stability.

• Engage your core to maintain a straight back.

Do the row:

• Pull the dumbbell inward by bending your elbow and bringing your upper arm back.

• Focus on keeping your midsection stable (avoid twisting your torso).

• Slowly extend your arm back to the starting position.

If you don’t have a bench, do the same move but in a staggered stance. This means your feet will be hip-width apart, and then you’ll put one foot in front of the other and make sure the toe of your back foot is behind the heel of the front foot with your back foot and your back bent forward.

4. Chest Press

You can do this on a bench or on the floor.

Get into position:

• Lie on your back on a bench or on the floor.

• Bend your knees and keep your feet planted flat on the ground.

• Hold a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your feet.

• Raise your arm straight up toward the ceiling, keeping your elbow locked straight.

Do the press:

• Raise the dumbbell until it’s in line with your shoulder.

• Keeping your elbow close to your torso, slowly bring the dumbbell down toward your chest.

• Let your arm touch the ground if you’re on the floor.

• Briefly pause when the dumbbell is hovering above your chest.

• Press the dumbbell back up to the starting position, straight above your shoulder.

Eventually, once you’ve built enough strength and nailed proper form, you can explore barbell bench presses — with a trainer or workout buddy present to spot you!

5. Tricep Dips

Get into position:

• Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair.

• Grip the seat of the chair with your hands, fingers pointing down.

• Slide your hips off the edge of the chair.

• Extend your legs in front of you, resting only your heels on the floor.

Do the dip:

• Bend your elbows to lower your body.

• Keep your back close to the chair as you lower down until your elbows are at 90 degrees.

• Press through your palms to straighten your arms.

• Lift your body back to the starting position.

If you’re a beginner, bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor while doing the same movements.

6. Resistance Band Pull-Aparts

This move is especially great for strengthening your back and promoting good posture.

Position the band:

• Stand on the center of the resistance band with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Hold each end of the band in your hands with your arms at your sides.

Do the raise:

• Slowly raise your arms straight out to the sides.

• Continue lifting until your arms reach a 90-degree angle.

7. Plank

Begin in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your legs straight back. Hold it for 30 seconds.

If you’re a beginner, you can keep your knees on the ground or do it leaning against a wall with your arms on an elevated surface so your body is more inclined.

8. Crunches

Crunches are a classic ab-strengthening move for beginners.

Get into starting position:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

• Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.

Do the crunch:

• Engage your core and lift your head, neck, and shoulders toward your knees.

• Keep your lower back pressed against the floor.

• Slowly lower your upper body back to the floor.

• Focus on controlled movements.

If you want to add a little support, put your hand on your thighs and slide them up and down as you crunch forward and backward.

Try to do as many crunches as you can in 30 seconds.

9. Glute Bridge

This move strengthens your backside, including your lower back, butt, and hamstrings.

Get into starting position:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

• Place your arms at your sides for support.

Do the bridge:

• Press through your heels to lift your pelvis up toward the ceiling.

• Keep your shoulders and upper back on the ground, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.

• Hold the bridge position for a moment, engaging your core and glutes.

• Slowly lower your pelvis back down to the starting position.

10. Doorway Row

Here’s another good back strengthener for beginners.

Get into position:

• Stand in a doorway with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Hold onto the sides of the doorway at about shoulder height.

Do the row:

• Keep your body straight while leaning back slightly, and engage your core for stability.

• Pull yourself forward towards the doorway, using your arms to assist your movement.

• Slowly return to the starting position by leaning back again.

11. Forward Lunges

Lunges are a fairly simple exercise, and they’re a killer for sculpting your legs and glutes.

Get into starting position:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.

• Place your hands on your hips or let them hang at your sides.

Do the lunge:

• Take a big step forward with one foot.

• Bend both knees to lower your body until they’re at about a 90-degree angle. Make sure your back knee hovers just above the floor.

• Push through the heel of your front foot to return to the starting position.

For beginners, take a smaller step forward and lower your body only part way.

12. Lateral Lunges

Lateral lunges work your legs and glutes while improving your balance.

Get into starting position:

• Stand with your feet together.

• Place your hands on your hips or in front of you.

Do the lunge:

• Take a big step to the side with one foot.

• Bend the knee of the stepping leg while keeping the other leg straight.

• Lower your hips back and down as you bend.

• Push through the heel of your bent leg to return to the starting position.

If you’d like a little variation as a beginner, do the same move but take a smaller step to the side, bending your knee only slightly and lowering your hips just a touch.

13. Squats

Squats are a timeless muscle-building exercise for beginners. They’re fairly easy, but if you have proper form, you’ll get noticeable results.

Get into starting position:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Extend your hands in front of you for balance.

Do the squat:

• Bend your knees and hips to lower your body as if sitting back in a chair.

• Keep your chest up and ensure your knees stay over your toes.

• Push through your heels to stand back up to the starting position.

If you’re a beginner, do the same move, but with a chair behind you that you lightly tap your bottom on at the end of the squat. To bump it up, consider doing calf raises each time you go back to the starting position.

Building muscle through strength training is vital for physical health. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends adults incorporate it into their routine at least a couple times a week.

Jumping into a beginner strength training routine can feel a bit daunting. But Everyone starts somewhere! And you’re already taking a big step forward by learning how to strength train.

Here’s what to remember about strength training for beginners:

• Strength training can support weight loss and overall health. It’s all about using resistance to strengthen your muscles, and there are countless ways to do it — whether with your body weight, resistance bands, or free weights.

• It’s accessible. No equipment? That’s totally fine. You can do lots of moves with nothing more than your own body weight.

• Start slow. Focus on form, and begin with less weight or resistance. It’s about progress, not perfection.

• Do a variety of moves. You can mix and match any of the exercises we went over to customize your routine. Make sure to include workouts that target various major muscle groups for a well-rounded strength training program.

• Consistency is key. Aim for a couple of sessions each week. Even just one day can make a difference. Also, if you’re unsure where to start, you could always work with a certified personal trainer who can give customized guidance, a personalized workout plan, and support.

Want more at-home strength training workouts? There are loads of ideas in our guide to at-home workouts to lose weight.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.