Contrary to popular belief, running for hours on end is not the best way to lose weight. There are some workouts which are extraordinarily beneficial for beginners, and some which might be a waste of time for people looking to drop weight and embrace a healthy lifestyle quickly and safely. Newcomers to the gym, or people just starting a weight loss journey might find themselves overwhelmed with the plethora of workouts boasting to give them a trim waist with the least effort. Despite all the billboards, personal trainers, and magazine ads, no one really knows better than the weight loss experts. We’re here to share the five best workouts for newcomers!
1. Lunges
Lunges are one of the best workouts for newcomers can do because it engages multiple muscle groups at once. They manage to work out all your leg muscles, your glutes, and your core in one move. Once you master the classic 90 degree angles needed for the basic lunge, you can move on to reverse lunges, adding weights, and side lunges.
2. Rowing
Have you ever seen an Olympic rower? They’re in crazy good shape. This is because rowing uses nearly the entire body in one fluid motion. Your leg muscles work during the pushing stage of the row, your arms work to pull your body in the correct direction, and your core keeps everything stable. Once you get up to a solid speed, either through the actual sport or on a rowing machine at the gym, you’ll find you’re double dipping and getting a muscular and cardio workout at once.
3. Zumba
For newcomers, very little is more fun and engaging than taking a Zumba class. The hit dance class exploded onto the scene in the 2000s, and is still extremely popular in gyms across the world. By combining energetic music with wide, challenging movements that incorporate the entire body, you’ll be having so much fun you won’t notice how much of a workout it is.
4. Interval Running
Ever heard of the Couch to 5k program? It’s a fancy name for interval running, which has been shown in multiple studies to give incredible health and weight loss benefits. It’s simple – you run for a set period of time, and walk for a set period of time. By alternating the high-energy and low-energy sets, you keep your body engaged with the workout and burn more calories.
5. Squats
Squats are sort of the miracle workout. While they can be intimidating, with their large racks and heavy weights, they’re actually one of the easiest things to complete. You can begin with bodyweight squats (trust us, you’ll still feel the burn!) and move onto weighted if you’re a true beginner, but starting with just the bar could give added benefits to your workout. Pay attention to your form when you’re squatting; to get the maximum benefit, your feet should stay flat on the ground, hip width apart, while you lower your body and the bar on your shoulders. Bring yourself up to work out the core, shoulders, glutes, and legs!
