Perry Adam Lieber Shares Fundamental Workout Movements for Beginners
When people are just beginning a healthy fitness regimen, they are often uncertain about where to start. Fitness can be intimidating, and people new to the discipline sometimes have difficulty deciding which movements to incorporate into their routines.
Fitness expert and entrepreneur Perry Adam Lieber of Santa Barbara, CA, offers several ways that beginners can get moving and begin to build their physical endurance.
Cardiovascular Exercises
1. Walking
Walking can be the foundation of a healthy fitness routine. Walking is one of the best exercises for beginners because it can be done at any level. It is good for the feet, legs, core strength, heart, and lungs.
2. Jogging
After walking has become comfortable and familiar, many people think that it is time to start jogging. A moderate jog has more health benefits than walking and burns more calories. However, it can be hard on the joints, especially if you are obese or overweight. Listen to your body and jog if it is comfortable for you.
3. Swimming
One of the major advantages of swimming over other forms of cardio workouts is that it is a full-body exercise where the upper and lower body are worked together, along with the back and core muscles. It is easy to scale swimming up from a beginner’s measured pace to an expert’s racing swim.
Weight-Bearing Exercises
Perry Adam Lieber notes that weight-bearing exercises are a must for developing a healthy exercise routine. Weight-bearing exercises support bone and joint health and burn more calories than cardio alone. The following are several weight-bearing exercises that can help you build muscle mass and burn fat. In general, complete ten reps of each exercise if you are an absolute beginner, adding sets as you grow more proficient.
1. Hand Weight Raises
This exercise requires a pair of hand weights or dumbbells. To perform this exercise, hold the dumbbells by your sides and stand up with your feet a hip-width apart. Brace your core and keep your arms straight. Then raise your arms straight in front of you to shoulder height, alternating with raising them to your sides.
2. Bending Row
Take your dumbbells and stand with feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly. Fold forward from your hips to lower your chest toward the floor. Extend your arms toward the ground and have your palms face each other. Hold your core steady, pulling the weights up toward your rib cage. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.
3. Squats
Squats are a must for building the thigh muscles and glutes and providing leg strength and stability. Stand up straight and hold your hands in front of your chest. Take a step to the right, ending up with your feet more than hip-width apart. Lower until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Use your glutes and press up through your heels to starting position.
4. Triceps Dip
Sit down in a chair, gripping the front of the seat with your hands. Let your bottom hover just off the seat, forming a 90-degree angle with your legs. Straighten your arms. Lower the body until the angles form a 90-degree angle again. Use the backs of your arms to go back to the start.
Strength and Flexibility Exercises
These exercises help to tone your body using bodyweight and measured repetitive motions. These exercises will tone your arms and legs as well as provide flexibility and endurance. If you want to add more difficulty, use a resistance band for some of these exercises.
1. Leg Lifts
Start on hands and knees. Raise your left leg behind you and flex your foot. Raise to the level where your leg is parallel with your hips. Use your glutes to lift your leg a few inches and then back down to hip height.
2. Planks
Planks are excellent for building back, core, arm, and leg strength. Start on hands and knees, lowering your forearms to the floor. Position your elbows under your shoulders. Let your arms form a 90-degree angle. Lift the hips. Make sure that your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head, and look down at the floor. Using your abs, hold this pose for 30 seconds.
3. Alternate Arm and Leg Raises
Start on all fours. At the same time, raise your left leg behind you and your right arm in front. Make sure that your body is in a straight line. Hold for a moment, then return to starting position. Alternate sides for 30 seconds.
4. Mountain Climbers
Begin in a high plank position. Push your right knee toward your chest and then the left. Pause on your right knee. Do the pattern again, starting with your left knee.
Building a Solid Workout Routine
Perry Adam Lieber recommends combining these exercises with a stretching component like yoga or Pilates. This will help your body stay limber while you develop muscular strength and endurance.
You are doing better than people who stay on the couch, no matter where you start with an exercise routine. Be patient with yourself when expecting a certain level of progress, and make sure that you retain a positive attitude toward your new exercise routine.
