Economy, efficiency and ease...


A lot of people these days do not know where to start when it comes to creating a workout schedule. For them, one of the biggest challenges is in choosing something that should be easy-to-start, as well as cost-effective and capable of producing fast results. The following article clearly outlines some of the most common and basic types of fitness workouts that are simple, economical and most effective for an enthusiastic beginner. The good thing about these exercises is that you don’t even need to go to the gym, as many of these workouts can be easily done in your own home.

Defining your workout goals
Let's start by defining the main objective for your fitness workout program. You should first ask yourself a few questions like, do you want to lose or maintain your weight, enhance your power and body stamina, or just be basically fit and healthy? For a more generalized approach, it can be assumed that you focus on all of the above with a “realistic” approach.

Foundation workouts
These refer to the basic movements that really form the core. Exercises like bird dogs, planks, body weight squats, hip extensions, stability ball back extensions, push-ups, minor twisting, rows, etc., are all considered foundation movements. It is best to perform these workouts 2 to 3 times per week for 2 or 3 weeks before moving on to more intense workouts.

Cardio workouts
Decide on at least two if not three different cardiovascular activities you would enjoy. One of the most popular and easy activities to add to your program is running, because it engages every muscle in your body efficiently. Other activities you may choose include aerobics classes, cycling, elliptical machine work, speed walking, jumping jacks, and swimming, etc. Jump ropes, for example, cost on average less than $20 but are considered efficient calorie burning tools. You can easily burn 10-15 calories a minute while jumping rope. Above all, it can be done anywhere, indoors or out.

Weight / Strength training
If you are not obese and want to get muscle tone and strength, you need to add weights to your routine. Watching exercise videos or DVDs or reading a few popular magazines will give you ideas for these workouts. Some examples include chest fly, seated row, bicep / tricep curl and deltoid raises. Buying some suitable but variable weights or dumbbells will not cost you more than a few bucks and will definitely help you perform these exercises effectively.

Flexibility (Stretching) workouts / Yoga
Flexibility exercises such as stretching improve your performance and reduce your risk of injury. They also reduce muscle soreness and enhance your blood circulation and posture. Adding yoga to your workout routine a few times a week is a great way to stretch your body while also working on balance, endurance and stress relief. Yoga: For a beginner, there is a wide range of yoga resources available on internet e.g. video tutorials, forums, beginners’ guides, e-books and much more. You can easily combine different yoga exercises to achieve your workout goals.
Other types of flexibility workouts are: shoulder & chest stretch, arm across chest, glute (hip) stretch, adductor stretch, standing calf, standing quadriceps etc.

Workout frequency
As a beginner, your complete daily workout should be 30 to 45 minutes long and should be ideally done three days a week for one whole month. Don’t forget to rest at least one day between each session.

Summing up, by following the above-mentioned simple and low-budget beginners’ workouts, you can easily and efficiently improve the productivity of your fitness training program.