A 4-week home workout plan for beginners

One of the most common reasons to quit training is a first week that's too hard. This plan starts small and adds a little at a time. The goal of the first month is the habit and the technique. Records can wait.

All you need: a mat, a timer and, from week three, a resistance band if you like.

How the week works

The following week, workouts A and B swap places: B on Monday and Friday, A on Wednesday. You can move the days around; the only rule is at least one day without strength work between strength workouts.

The WHO recommends that adults get 150-300 minutes of moderate activity a week and do muscle-strengthening exercises for the major muscle groups on at least 2 days a week. Three strength workouts cover the second part. The two walks give 60-80 minutes, so top up to 150 minutes with walking on the other days: running errands on foot, taking the stairs, a 20-30 minute walk after work.

Workouts A and B

Before each workout, warm up for 4-5 minutes: marching in place, arm circles, easy squats, cat-cow. The warm-up sequence is in the article on the 20-minute no-equipment workout.

Workout A

1. Squats (or box squats to a chair)
2. Knee push-ups or table push-ups
3. Glute bridge
4. Forearm plank

Workout B

1. Reverse lunges holding a wall
2. Superman lying on your stomach
3. Single-leg glute bridge (or a regular one)
4. Kneeling side plank, each side in turn

The exercises are done as a circuit: each for a set time, rest between exercises, 1 minute of rest after the round. With the warm-up, a workout takes 15 minutes in week one and up to 25 minutes in week four.

How the load grows week by week

Only one or two things change each week. If a week felt hard, repeat it before moving on. Our guide to resistance bands helps you pick a band for week three.

If you miss a workout

• Missed one day. Do the workout the next day and carry on with the plan.
• Missed a week. Repeat the last week you fully completed.
• No time for a full workout. Do the warm-up and one round. Even 10 minutes is better than nothing and keeps the habit going.

How to tell the load is right

The last 10 seconds of each exercise should be hard, but without losing technique. If you can chat without getting out of breath and aren't tired by the end, it's time to make it harder. If your technique breaks down halfway through, take the easier variation.

Mild muscle soreness a day after a workout is normal in the first weeks. Sharp joint pain, or pain that doesn't go away in 3-4 days, is a reason to stop and see a doctor.

What to do after four weeks

After a month you'll have the technique of the basic exercises and the habit of training 3 times a week. From there you can:

1. Keep the same structure with harder exercises: Bulgarian split squats, paused push-ups, banded single-leg bridges.
2. Add dumbbells or kettlebells and switch to sets of 8-12 reps.
3. Set a walking goal: for example, 8-10 thousand steps a day.

And don't forget two things that stall progress when they're missing: enough protein and decent sleep.

This article is general in nature and is not medical advice. If you have a chronic condition, an injury, are pregnant or feel pain during exercise, discuss the load with a doctor first. Learn more