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Fitness Fundamentals: 5 Essential Exercises for Beginners

Welcome to Fitness Fundamentals, your go-to resource for beginner-friendly exercises to kickstart your fitness journey. Whether you're new to working out or looking to refresh your routine, mastering these five essential exercises will lay a solid foundation for building strength and improving overall fitness.

Bodyweight Squats

Bodyweight squats are a fundamental lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended in front of you or placed on your hips.

  2. Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, keeping your chest up and your back straight.

  3. Aim to lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are a classic compound exercise that primarily works the chest, shoulders, and triceps, while also engaging the core muscles.

  1. Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from head to heels.

  2. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, keeping your core engaged and your elbows close to your body.

  3. Push yourself back up to the starting position, maintaining a straight line from head to heels throughout the movement.

Plank

The plank is an isometric exercise that targets the core muscles, including the abdominals, obliques, and lower back.

  1. Begin in a push-up position, then lower yourself onto your forearms, keeping your elbows directly beneath your shoulders.

  2. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core muscles to hold the position.

  3. Aim to hold the plank for 30 seconds to a minute, focusing on maintaining proper form and breathing steadily.

Lunges

Lunges are a unilateral lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, while also improving balance and coordination.

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.

  2. Step forward with one leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, with your front thigh parallel to the ground and your back knee hovering just above the floor.

  3. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.

Dumbbell Rows

Dumbbell rows are a compound exercise that primarily targets the muscles of the upper back, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and traps, while also engaging the biceps and forearms.

  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back flat and your core engaged.

  2. Let the dumbbells hang straight down toward the floor.

  3. Pull the dumbbells up toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.

  4. Lower the dumbbells back down with control and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Thank you for visiting Fitness Fundamentals! Remember to consult with a fitness professional before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions or concerns. Stay tuned for more beginner-friendly workouts and tips to help you reach your fitness goals.

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