The 4-Week Beginner Home Workout Plan: Where & How to Start
Joe
6/13/20262 min read
Start.
That’s it. You don't have to start fast. You don't have to start hard. Just start.
Whether you are a rookie or a seasoned veteran who has been out of the game for a while, we tend to think that if we don’t have the best gym membership, the best training videos, or top-of-the-line fitness equipment, we can't get a good workout. We look at the latest and greatest gear online and think that is the missing piece.
Unless you are training for some sort of professional competition, let me clarify: you do not need the best. I am not advising anyone to go after the cheapest piece of junk out there, but top-of-the-line gear rarely determines a person's health. Some of the fittest people in the world have nothing more than a good pair of workout shoes, a low-level gym membership, and a decent piece of equipment—maybe a basic bench or a bicycle. Conversely, I have seen and heard of many people who have the most expensive equipment sitting in their bedroom right now, gathering dust.
Don't rush out and spend your hard-earned dollars before thinking of realistic goals. You don't need a crowded commercial gym at 5:00 PM to make a change. You can do this exactly where you are, with what you have.
Something is better than nothing. Five minutes. Ten minutes. That is all it takes to start a new life at the beginning. The point is to begin the habit, then you can add later.
Here is your simple, no-nonsense blueprint for the next four weeks.
The 4-Week "Just Start" Routine
You don’t need a complicated list of what you can’t do. Concentrate on what you can do. For the next four weeks, we are focusing entirely on basic bodyweight movements to wake the muscles up and protect the joints.
The Movement Routine: 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), set a timer for just 10 to 15 minutes.
The Exercises: Alternate slowly between three basic movements. Take your time.
Wall Push-ups or Incline Push-ups: (Using a sturdy counter or bench)
Body Squats: (Sit back into a chair if your knees are rusty)
A Solid Walk: (Around the block or down the street)
If you feel like you're moving slow at first, that’s fine. If you have a buddy, push each other slowly, then pick it up later.
The Battle is Won the Night Before
Doing the right thing can be exhausting, and let's face it—sometimes pure laziness or fatigue wins. To keep your ego from talking you out of it, you have to remove the friction before your feet even hit the floor in the morning.
Don't check your phone first thing in the A.M. Checking your phone immediately robs your workout time. Even worse, it can cause a spike in stress right at the beginning of your day before you've even had a chance to breathe.
Instead, get everything ready the night before. Put your workout clothes and shoes directly in the bathroom you’ll be using in the morning. When you wake up, you walk in, put them on, and the decision is already made. Have your food prepared. Start small with your nutrition too—eat an apple today instead of the chips. Make one good meal rather than going for that fast-food mixture of grease, carbs, and sodium.
You don't need to overcomplicate this, and you don't need to be perfect. You just have to show up for yourself. Put the phone down, put the shoes on, and just start.