Home and Gym Workouts for Beginners

Lifting with barbells allows you to perform many of the foundational moves, like squats and deadlifts with more weight than you can with dumbbells or kettlebells, making it an important part of many people’s strength training journey.

That said, there is no precondition to how much you can lift before you get started with barbells. You must, however, be dedicated to learning the correct movement for each lift before adding weight.

A clear understanding of what the movement should look like needs to be in place first. Begin with an unweighted bar or trying the move with other tools that you are comfortable with first, for example dumbbells.

Always practice getting the movement (form) to a good level before adding weight to the barbell in low increments.

Tom, British Weight Lifting’s Paralympic Performance Director, explains, “It's vital the load is light to begin with, to create a movement that is more robust to loads that will be lifted in the future.”

As you add weight to your barbell, the movement becomes ‘different’ to compensate for the weight. You learn as you load. This is why, if you are considering barbell lifts with more than a very light load, it’s important to get the advice of a coach or professional.

Kettlebells are a favourite in full-body workouts because they can be used to add weight to so many exercises, due to their shape. This makes the kettlebell a popular choice at gyms and a handy addition to your home workouts.

The below is a ladder workout – this means that you start by doing 4 repetitions (reps) of each of the exercises, in order. You then do another circuit of all the exercises at 8 reps each, and then one more circuit, this time at 12 reps. Once you complete 12, work your way backwards doing a round of 8 reps and then 4. Do as many sequences as you can in 20 minutes.

Kettlebell deadlifts

Targets: This move targets your glutes, hamstrings, core and lower back.

How to:

• Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder width apart, and place the kettlebell between your feet
• Get into a squat position by bending your knees, keeping your back straight, and pick up the kettlebell with both hands
• In one movement, raise your body to a standing position by pushing up through your feet and straightening your legs. Your arms should remain straight and close to your body
• As you lift, make sure to tighten your glutes (buttocks) and core (stomach)
• Bend your knees as you lower the kettlebell back to the ground, keeping your arms extended through the full motion. This is one rep.

Kettlebell swings

Targets: Kettlebell swings target your glutes, hamstrings, hips, core, shoulders and back.

How to:

• Stand with your feet at shoulder width apart
• Begin with the kettlebell on the floor, at the middle point of your feet but slightly in front of you
• Bending slightly at the knees and keeping them ‘soft’, bend your torso forward, hinging mainly at the hips
• Keep your shoulders back and your spine straight so that you don’t hunch, grip the kettlebell and swing it back between your legs
• When momentum swings the kettlebell forwards, push your hips forwards and straighten your back to bring the kettlebell up to shoulder height, keeping engaging your core to strengthen your stomach muscles
• Let the kettlebell return back between your legs, ready to repeat the movement. This is one rep.

Kettlebell Goblet Squats

Targets: This exercise is mostly aimed at your quads, glutes and calves.

How to:

• From a standing position, slightly bent at the knees, position your feet into a wide stance. Your feet should be just further than shoulder width, with your toes pointed slightly out
• Grip your kettlebell with both hands and hold it close to your chest, with your biceps flexed
• Sink your weight backwards into your heels and keep your spine straight as you drop into a squat position by bending your knees
• Focus on keeping your chest lifted and squeeze your shoulders back, not letting your back arch
• Squat as low as you can without letting your heels come off the floor
• Throughout this movement, the kettlebell remains in a static position, held close to your chest
• As you reach the bottom of your squat, allow your knees to point out before pushing back up to the starting position. This is one rep

Kettlebell Front Raise

Targets: This targets the front of the shoulders.

How to:

• Stand up straight and hold the kettlebell with both hands
• The kettlebell should be held down near your waist in front of you
• Throughout this movement, your arms should be extended, whilst keeping them slightly bent at the elbows
• Slowly raise the kettlebell, with your arms in the extended position, until it reaches a little above shoulder level, and your arms are parallel to the floor
• Hold this position for one second
• Slowly lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position. This is one rep

Kettlebell Front Raise

Targets: This targets the front of the shoulders.

How to:

• Stand up straight and hold the kettlebell with both hands
• The kettlebell should be held down near your waist in front of you
• Throughout this movement, your arms should be extended, whilst keeping them slightly bent at the elbows
• Slowly raise the kettlebell, with your arms in the extended position, until it reaches a little above shoulder level, and your arms are parallel to the floor
• Hold this position for one second
• Slowly lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position. This is one rep

Kettlebell workouts are effective as they combine resistance training (muscle-building) with cardiovascular conditioning (fat-burning) in one workout giving you a handy 2-for-1!

And as you advance, this ladder routine can be adapted to your fitness level simply by changing the weight and reps to suit you.

Weight exercises are brilliant at building core strength.

There are plenty of different variations of weighted ab exercises out there so you’ll never get bored and most can be done anywhere, all you need is a floor space and your weights. They are also great to do with a friend or partner. Let’s start with a few moves you can do at home.

It’s always good to start with a low weight that you feel comfortable with, then whenever you’re ready, you can increase weight in small increments.

Seated Russian Twist (with kettlebell or dumbbell)

Targets: This exercise targets your obliques.

How-to:

• Holding a kettlebell or dumbbell with both hands, position yourself on the ground in a sitting position with your legs out in front of you
• Bend your knees slightly and try to make sure your heels are about a foot in front of your bottom
• Keep your back straight and lean slightly back
• Tense your stomach muscles – imagine you are pulling your belly button to your spine, and slowly twist to the right
• As you do this, bring your hands and the weight to the right with you. Focus on rotating your ribs rather than swinging your arms. This is one rep

For an extra challenge: You can advance this move if you feel like you want to by hovering your feet three or four inches off the floor.

Dumbbell Crossover Punch

Targets: This exercise targets both the core and upper body.

How-to:

• Position yourself on the floor, lying down with your legs out in front of you, similarly to the previous Russian twist exercise
• Hold your dumbbells, one in each hand at your chest with your elbows on the floor
• Keeping your hands at your chest, bring yourself up to a sitting position. As you do so, twist your ribs to the right as you "punch" your left hand towards your right knee
• Bring your left hand back to your chest as you untwist, back to the central position and lower yourself back down to the ground
• Repeat the sit-up on the opposite side to complete one rep

For an extra challenge: As you progress, you can repeat the set of 12 reps.

Lying chest fly

Targets: This move is a 3-in-1 as it targets your core, chest and shoulders.

How-to:

• Position yourself on the floor, laying on your back with your knees at a 90-degree angle
• Keep your lower back pressed to the floor with your hands either side of your head, raise your hands to meet above your head towards the ceiling with your palms facing each other
• Extend your arms upwards as you do this but keep the elbow joint slightly bent
• Open and lower your arms back to the original position either side of your head. This will be one rep

For an extra challenge: If you want to challenge yourself further, straighten your legs, keeping your toes pointed to the ceiling. 

If you are looking for a morning routine that’s going to give you a strong start and fill you with energy for the day, or one that you can do on your lunch break, this 7-minute arm workout is for you.

It’s a quick routine that can be done with little equipment so it’s a brilliant place to start.

To complete one circuit, do each of the exercises below for 30 seconds, then rest for 60 seconds, and repeat the circuit a second time.

Remember to warm up before any workout and cool down once you finish.

Bicep Curl

Targets: The bicep curl targets the front part of the arm between the elbow and shoulder.

How-to:

• • • Position yourself in a standing pose holding a dumbbell in each hand down at the side of your body, palms facing forward
    • Raise your hands up to your chest whilst keeping your elbows alongside your body
• Lower the arms back to the starting position, this is one rep

Hammer Curl

Targets: This helps to target additional muscles in the lower and upper arm and has also been known to help with wrist stability and grip strength.

How-to:

• Stand up with your feet positioned hip width apart
• Hold your weights in each hand with your palms facing your thighs
• Lift the weights up by only bending your elbows, until they are at shoulder level
• Hold for a second before lowering back down to your thighs, this is one rep

Tricep Overhead Extension

Targets: This exercise targets the back of your upper arm

How-to:

• Stand and position your feet at hip distance apart
• Holding one dumbbell with both hands, raise it above your head until your arms are stretched out straight
• Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head with a bend in your elbows
• Extend your arms to above your head and lower back to the starting position, this is one rep

Concentration Curl

Targets: The concentration curl targets the biceps and sculpts the front portion of the upper arm.

How-to:

• Sit on a bench or similar, holding the dumbbell in your left hand
• With your left elbow resting on the inside of your left thigh, start with your arm extended so that the weight is close to, but not touching your left shin
• Squeeze your bicep as your raise the dumbbell towards your chest
• Lower the arm back to the starting position, this is one rep
• Repeat this on the other arm

Triceps Dip

Targets: Triceps dips build arm and shoulder strength, especially targeting the back of the upper arms.

How-to:

• From a seated position, perch comfortably near the edge of the chair and place your hands down next to your outer thighs
• Grip the front edge of the chair
• Extend your legs out in front of you. You can do this exercise with straight legs or bent knees. Bent knees is easier if you are doing this for the first time.
• Raise your body, moving your torso forward so that you are using your arms to hold your weight
• Bend your elbows until they are at a 90-degree angle
• Lift your body back up to start position, so that you are still hovering above the chair and feeling the weight in your arms, this is one rep

That’s it. Your 7 minute workout for strong, toned arms.

1. Bicep curls - 30 seconds

2. Hammer curls - 30 seconds

3. Tricep Overhead Extension - 30 seconds

4. Concentration curls - 30 seconds

5. Tricep dips - 30 seconds

Then rest a full 60 seconds before doing the circuit for a second time.

Remember to keep a bottle or a glass of water nearby, rehydrating any time you need to, and a clock or stopwatch to help you keep time.