Back to the Gym on Day 5 of your body changing resolution already feels like you have achieved a lot and moving towards a positive change, doesn’t it?
There is still a long way to go and it actually needs about 21-40 days to develop a pattern, but this already feels like it is falling into place. You have been following Week One Gym Routine for Beginners diligently and it is showing results.
Either way, I believe you have rested well on day 4 of the gym routine for beginners and are ready with new energy to workout today. Today it is more like day 2 of the gym under gym routine for beginners where we did some amazing weight lifting exercises.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into the workout.
Exercises
- Cardio – Walking or Cycling
- Legs – Free-weight Squats
- Legs – Lunges
- Back – Lat Pulldown
- Chest – Seated Chest Press
- Shoulder – Overhead Press
- Biceps – Bicep Curl
- Triceps – Pulley Bar down
- Biceps – Hammer Curls
- Calves – Standing Calf Raise
- Stretching – Full Body Floormat Stretching
Exercise 1 – Cardio – Walking or Cycling
I know you hate doing this part of the day, and I know we promote the fact that yes, we cannot cardio, but let’s face it, for a major part of the gym routine as a beginner, this is an important phase and there is no escaping from cardio even when you are in the big league.
If you don’t focus on cardio sessions, at least once a week, in the later stages, your body will become very stiff. You will look rock-solid on the outside, but you won’t have any real strength because your heart gives out on one punch.
So let’s not waste a lot of time explaining why do we need cardio – but if you want you can read it here Why do we need to do Cardio – Explained – and let’s just do 15 minutes of slow to moderate intensity cycling or walking. Cycling is always preferred over the treadmill.
Exercise 2 – Legs – Free-weight Squats
Even if you don’t follow gym routine for beginners, always start your workout with the core workouts and the moving towards the laterals. So we always start off with legs and back on a full-body workout day. Never the other way round.
So let’s start off with some free-weight or no-weight squats. If you feel you want to add one some weight then use an empty bar. If you want to add less weight then grab a dumbbell and hold it from the weight and not from the bar. Hold it close to your chest and start squatting. For starters, no-weight works completely fine.
You are aiming for 3 sets of 15 reps each.
Or alternatively, 1 weighted set, and 2 no-weight sets, with 15 reps each.
Exercise 3 – Legs – Lunges
Let’s add another leg variation to the workout today. Squats focus on your glutes while lunges focus on your longitudinal glutes.
For lunges, it is almost like walking, just that for every step you walk you almost touch your hind knee to the floor and straighten up again. Don’t take steps that are too long or too short, just the normal walking step distance. A good way to measure it is, your hind knee should reach right behind your front foot. You can either walk or do it on one spot.
If in one set you feel you are comfortable with the posture and you think you can pull off 3 sets of easily, then go and grab some dumbbells in either hand. Don’t get too fancy but stick to small weights, leg variations are not as easy as they look.
We are aiming for 3 sets with 15 reps on each leg.
Exercise 4 – Back – Lat Pulldown
We have already done a little bit of workout for back, let’s change a little bit from day 2 from gym routine for beginners and take a different workout of back today.
Lat pull downs is a version of pull-ups. Instead of pulling up your weight, you pull the bar down. For starters, we will take regular lat pulldown, so keep your arms just a little wide from your shoulders, your palms facing away from you and pull the bar down.
Pull the bar down until it goes a little under your chin and let it go up completely and then repeat the variation.
We are aiming for 3 sets with 15 reps in each set.
Exercise 5 – Chest – Bench Press
The seated chest press in the beginner stage is generally done on the machine, and that’s what we did the last time we did a weights day.
But if you don’t have a machine for chest press at your gym and you shied away from it on the previous weights day im the gym routine for beginners, then today you can’t and you don’t need too. Pick up the dumbbells and get on the bench. Just lie down, hold the dumbbells right next to the centre of your chest and push them up. Bring them down until they are aligned to your chest, you will feel a pull on your chest, counter it and push the dumbbells up again.
If you think you need some help, then ask a bro or a broette to help you out.
Try aiming for 12 reps in 3 sets on the bench press or 15 reps in 3 sets on machine press.
Exercise 6 – Shoulder – Overhead Press
Shoulders are going to be one of the first things someone notices in you when you eventually start getting in to shape.
The overhead press is a simple variation for the shoulders. You can do it either on the machine or using dumbbells. Just hold the dumbbells or the bar a little over your shoulders and push it up until your arms are straight. If you are using the machine, then make sure the weights don’t touch the base until you are done with the set.
This variation is almost like lat pull downs, just reversed.
Try aiming for 12 reps in 3 sets on dumbbell variation or 15 reps in 3 sets on shoulder press.
Exercise 7 – Biceps – Bicep Curl
The bicep curl is the most basic variation of the biceps, every other variation for biceps is a just differently done or a revision of the bicep curl, in some variations the focus section changes, while in others the strength or the pressure needed changes.
For the bicep curl, just hold the dumbbell right next to your hips, and then pull them up to your chest. It sounds easy but it is not because the elbow should not move, whatsoever. Try to get the bicep curl correct as soon as possible becasue we are goign to do a lot of them, even after we are done with the gym routine for beginners.
Try aiming for 3 sets with 15 reps each.
Exercise 8 – Triceps – Pulley Bar down
The pulley bar down variation for triceps focuses on the hind triceps and you will soon see the muscles in your arms moving. If you want your arms to look big, biceps don’t bring in a lot of bulk, just shape, most of the bulk in arms comes from triceps.
For the pulley bar down, just keep your hands on the bar and pull it down. Don’t stand straight, don’t lean too much, just a little bit. Push down and bring them up till your forearms make a 90-degree bend at the elbow. Don’t use your body weight to push it down, all motion should come from arms.
For gym routine for beginners, we will do 3 sets with 12-15 reps each.
Exercise 9 – Biceps – Hammer Curls
The hammer curls are a twisted arm version of the basic bicep curls. They are more focused on the long head biceps. These though seem easy most of the times make it difficult for you to move your arms freely and are should be done at the end of the gym routine.
Do not move your elbows, don’t take up heavy weights. Put yourself against the wall and touch your elbows too, this would make sure you don’t arch your back or move your elbows during the variation.
Aim for 3 sets of 15 reps each.
Exercise 10 – Calves – Standing Calf Raise
The calf raises are just as important as leg presses. These don’t really add a lot of muscles and shape for a very long time, but each time you do calf raises your get more endurance for running, cycling or any other sports.
Besides, calf raises help increase your ability to maintain your balance while carrying heavier weights. So just stand on a platform or a sturdy bar, and keep half of your foot dangling. Now stand on your toes and then leave until your heels reach a little lower than the platform.
If you think the variation is running easy for you, you can use the smith machine, or alternatively hold a dumbbell or a plate in your arms are then do it. Later on, we will be carrying a bar on the shoulders while we do calf raises.
Repeat these a few time, say 15-25 reps in each of 3 sets
Exercise 11 – Stretching – Full Body Floormat Stretching
Before you leave don’t forget to stretch your body. Even though it is mentioned in the gym routine for beginners, most of the bros and broettes try to skip out on these. But stretching brings your blood flow to normal and aids muscle repair.
Make sure you stretch your arms, chest, back, shoulders, legs, and calves. Any other stretch, that you think will help you, do that tool.
Okay, Bros and Broettes, that is it for day 5. Enjoy a fit and healthy life and follow Cannot Cardio for more fitness posts! Remember to Stay Awesome!
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