21-Day Get In Shape Program for Beginners

If you have never trained before, the starting might be rather hard for you. You haven`t enough skills and may be not ready to perform the exercises all by yourself. But if you are ready to make efforts, you`ll manage this issue.

Today we have 3-week workout plan for those, who decided to get in shape but don`t know where to start. These exercises are not difficult. But they are great to prepare your muscles and heart for harder workouts later.

You should perform the exercises given below four days and after each of them there will be the rest days ( one week in common). So, one day you have to train and one day you`ll have a rest. During the recovery days you should perform stretching. It will help to reduce pain in muscles and will prevent injuries in future.

You need just light dumbbells (8 pounds) and a gym mat.

---

---

Here is a list of exercises.

Squat

Place your feet at shoulder width apart while keeping your chest up and your abdominals braced.

Begin the movement by swinging your arms up towards your shoulders. At the same time, bend at the knees and drive your hips back like you’re sitting in a chair.

Once your upper thighs are parallel with the ground, pause, then drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.

Sumo Squat

Stand with your feet in a wide stance, with your toes slightly pointed outwards – like a sumo wrestler. Hold your hands together in front of your chest.

Keeping your back straight, lower your body towards the ground by bending your knees.

As you reach a fully squatting position (legs are bent at a 90-degree angle), hold the pose for 1 second before driving your feet into the floor and slowly push your body back up to the starting position.

For a bonus, tense your glutes at the top of the movement.

---

---

Walking Lunges

Holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides, stand tall with your chest up and abdominals contracted. Begin the movement by stepping forward with the left foot.

Drop the back right knee towards the floor and keep the left knee bent. Drive yourself up and take a step forward with your right foot.

The left knee will go towards the floor and you’ll bend the right knee. Continue this back and forth pattern. Be sure to keep the abdominals braced during the entire movement.

Toe Touches

Lie flat on an exercise mat, extending your arms straight back behind your head.

Fully extend your legs also.This is the start position.

Bend at your waist and at the same time, raise your legs and arms to meet in a closed jackknife position. Exhale as you do this.

At this point, your legs should remain fully extended at between 35-45 degrees from the floor.

Your arms should be fully extended, parallel to your legs.

Your upper body should be raised off the floor.

Return to the start position by lowering your arms and legs back to the floor, exhaling as you do so.

Repeat

Plank Hip Twist

Lie face down on the ground with your legs together and your arms at your sides. Position your hands beneath your shoulders.

Tighten your core and elevate your upper body off the ground, stabilizing yourself with your forearms. Your feet, shins, and knees will remain on the ground.

Do not allow your hips to drop down. Hold the tension in your core for the prescribed amount of time. Slowly release back to the starting position.

Bicycle Crunch

Lie flat on an exercise mat on the floor keeping your lower back straight with no arching of your spine and with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

Place your hands lightly on the sides of your head.

Curl your torso upwards so your shoulders are slightly raised off the floor..

Raise your knees until your thighs are at a right angle to the floor and your calves are parallel to the floor. This is the start position.

Slowly move your legs in a pedaling action as if you are riding a bicycle.

As you do so, exhale and bring your opposing elbow close to each knee by crunching to one side. Left elbow to right knee. Right elbow to left knee.

After each crunch, return to the start position inhaling as you do so.

Without pausing, repeat the movement to the other side.

Repeat without pausing for the desired number of repetitions to each side.

Push-Up

Get into position by placing your hands flat on the floor, directly below your shoulders.

Extend your legs out behind you, with only your toes and balls of your feet touching the floor.

Hold your body up and keep your back straight by tightening your abdominal muscles.

Your neck and head should be bent slightly back.

Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows until your chest is just above the ground or you feel a stretching of your chest and shoulders. Hold for a count of one.

Press upwards from your chest and shoulders, straightening your arms as you return to the starting position. Hold for a count of one.

Repeat.

---

---

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.

Place your right knee on the end of the bench.

Bend your torso from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, while placing your right hand on the bench in front of you for support.

With your left hand, pick up the dumbbell with an overhand grip. The palm of your hand should be facing into you.

Keep your lower back straight. This is the start position.

Using your back muscles, pull the dumbbell straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side. Exhale as you do so.

At the top of the movement, hold for a count of one and squeeze your back muscles.

Return to the start position inhaling as you do so. Repeat.

Complete all repetitions for one side before switching sides.

---

---

Donkey Kicks

Position yourself on all fours on a mat.

Position your hands underneath your shoulders and place your knees under your hips.

Keep your right knee bent at 90 degrees and flex the foot as you lift the knee until it is level with the hip.

Lower the knee without touching the floor and repeat the lift.

Once you’ve completed the reps on the right leg, switch legs.

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Lie on an exercise mat with your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the floor.

Raise one leg off the floor and bend your knee up towards your chest. Yhis is the start position.

Perform the exercise by pushing down through your other heel and pushing your hips up, raising your glutes off the mat. Continue until your hips are in a straight line with your torso. Hold for a count of one.

Return to the start position by lowering your hip to the floor.

Complete all the repetitions for one set before changing legs.

Perform 10-12 reps (for both sides, depending on the exercise) of each exercise, 2 sets. Keep this program for 3 weeks.