A gentle bodyweight workout for beginners, geared toward developing overall muscular endurance and physical fitness.
Actor and fitness enthusiast Arnold Schwarzenegger has recently released a 25-minute bodyweight workout that can be done at home. For those interested, signing up to his website newsletter provides access to smarter living tips straight to your inbox, including the latest news, reviews, deals, and buying guides on tech, home, and active products.
In the meantime, let's focus on James Stirling's low-impact, five-move workout designed for beginners and returning exercisers. This workout, also known as The London Fitness Guy's workout, consists of the following exercises, each performed for 30 seconds with rests of 30 seconds between moves:
- Hollow Hold – This exercise engages the core, holding the body in a hollow position to target the abdominals.
- Back Extension – This move strengthens the lower back muscles, helping to improve posture and reduce the risk of injury.
- Leg Lifts – This exercise targets the lower abdominals, providing a great core workout.
- Shoulder Taps – This move engages the core and shoulder stability, improving balance and coordination.
- Copenhagen Plank – This side plank variation strengthens the obliques, providing a well-rounded core workout.
To perform this workout, a mat or something soft is advised for comfort. If you desire a more challenging workout, a pair of dumbbells can be incorporated, but household items or a filled backpack can also be used as alternatives when dumbbells are not available.
To make this workout more challenging without equipment, you can increase the duration of each hold or movement beyond 30 seconds, add more rounds of the circuit, slow down the tempo for each exercise to increase time under tension, incorporate pulses or small controlled movements within each hold, or reduce rest time between exercises to keep the heart rate elevated.
This progression keeps the workout accessible while increasing intensity, all without requiring weights or machines. Progressive overload can be achieved by reducing rest time or increasing exercise time. The focus is on nailing form rather than completing a set amount of reps, and compound exercises are great for building full-body strength and providing a cardio boost.
The workout is structured such that each exercise is performed for 30 seconds, followed by a one-minute rest, and the circuit is repeated four times. So, grab a mat, find some space, and give it a go!
Science can reveal the benefits of low-impact workouts in promoting health-and-wellness by improving cardiovascular function, increasing strength, and boosting endurance. Integrating regular fitness-and-exercise routines, such as James Stirling's beginner-friendly workout, can contribute positively to overall fitness levels, enhancing daily life and physical ability.
