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You may wonder where to start if you're new to exercising or if it's been a while since you last worked out.

Your first step is learning how to create a workout program. Luckily, you don't have to figure it out yourself. Experts have already developed the most important components of quality exercise routines involving the frequency, intensity, timing, and type of exercise, also known as the FITT principle, that guides exercisers in setting up a complete workout program—whether you're doing cardio, strength training, or both. Using this principle, you can manipulate aspects of your workout to make changes, progress to higher levels, and keep things interesting.

FITT

These are the elements of FITT and how to change them for your workout program:

• Frequency: This refers to how often you exercise. If you check out the program below, you'll notice you're doing cardio three times and strength training three times, which follows the basic exercise guidelines for getting started and improving your health. Over time, you can add more frequency to your cardio workouts as you build endurance and get more comfortable with exercise.
• Intensity: This is how hard you're working. As you get started, your focus will be on cardio workouts at a moderate intensity, or about a level 5 to 6 on a 10-point perceived exertion scale. As you progress, you can gradually change the intensity levels of your workouts with interval training.
• Time: This refers to the length of your workouts. Your cardio workouts start at 20 to 25 minutes. Each week, add a few minutes to your workouts to progress without overdoing it. 
• Type: The type of exercise can be walking, running, cycling, weight training, Pilates, etc. It's important to start with activities you enjoy, but it's also important to cross-train and mix things up to keep your body and mind engaged. Once you establish an exercise habit, consider trying multiple activities to keep things interesting.

When you work out at a sufficient intensity, time, and frequency, you'll start to see changes in your weight, body fat, endurance, and strength. When your body adjusts to your current FITT levels, it's time to manipulate one or more.

The workouts are only suggestions and won't work for everyone, so modify them as needed to fit your fitness level, schedule, and preferences.

Cardio for Beginners

You can use any cardio machine or activity for this workout. Cardio machines include the treadmill, elliptical trainer, stationary bicycle, rowing machine, ski machine, and stair-stepper. Cardio activities include brisk walking, running, cycling, and swimming.

Complete each segment of the workout, setting speed, incline, resistance, or ramps to match the suggested perceived exertion levels. This is subjective and it may take you a few workouts to match how you're feeling with how hard you're working.

Your baseline should feel harder than your warmup, taking you out of your comfort zone. Remember your settings may change as you get deeper into the workout and start to get tired. 

The idea is to find your baseline, even if you have to reduce your speed, incline, resistance, etc. Modify the workout as needed to fit your fitness level. Slow down or stop the workout if you feel pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath.

1. Warm up at an easy-moderate pace (5 minutes). You should feel comfortable and be able to talk easily. Allow your heart rate to rise gradually by slowly increasing your pace, resistance. and incline throughout the warmup. This is a perceived exertion of 4.
2. Baseline (5 minutes): Increase speed, incline, or resistance (or a combination) to find your baseline. In this phase, you should be slightly out of your comfort zone and feel you're working but able to talk. this is a perceived exertion of 5.
3. Increase your incline, resistance, or ramps (2 minutes): Start with one to two increments at a time and go until you feel you're working a little harder than baseline. This is a perceived exertion of 6.
4. Reduce your incline, resistance, ramps, or speed (3 minutes): Return to your baseline level.
5. Increase your incline, resistance, or ramps (1 minute) until you feel you're working harder than baseline.
6. Return to baseline (3 minutes). Reduce incline, resistance, ramps and/or speed to baseline.
7. Increase your incline, resistance, or ramps (1 minute) until you feel you're working a little harder than baseline.
8. Return to baseline (3 minutes). Reduce incline, resistance, ramps and/or speed.
9. Cooldown (2 minutes): Reduce incline, resistance, ramps, or speed until you're working at a comfortable level to end your workout.

Beginner Workout Plan

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5	Day 6
Cardio	25 min. machine	15 min. walk	21 min. machine	Active rest	15 min. brisk walk	25 min. machine
Strength	2 sets of each exercise, 10-20 min.		2 sets of each exercise, 10-20 min.			2 sets of each exercise, 10-20 min.
Stretch	5 min.	5 to 10 min.	5 min.		5 to 10 min.	5 min.

Your cardio workout on days one and six is 25 minutes long, but you should work out at your fitness level. If you need to start with 10 or 15 minutes to see how things feel, do that.

You'll also have a basic strength workout that you'll do either before or after your cardio workout. It's your choice. The strength workout involves two sets with a brief rest in between.

You'll end with a relaxing 5-minute stretch. You may be tempted to skip it, but the stretch is as important as cardio and strength training. It eases tension and allows your body to return to its pre-exercise state.

8 Full-Body Stretches

Day 1: Cardio, Strength, and Stretch

• Workout 1: 25-Minute Basic Cardio Workout
  Type: Cardio
• Length: 25 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: Any cardio machine
• Workout 2: Basic Strength
  Type: Strength Training
• Length: 2 sets of each exercise, 10-20 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: Light dumbbells, an exercise ball or chair, and a mat
• Workout 3: Basic Stretch
  Type: Flexibility
• Length: 5 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: None

Day 2: Walking and Stretch

Today is like a recovery day and a chance to do light cardio. While structured exercise is great for you, moving more daily can contribute to your overall calorie burn. Today you'll do that and finish with a seated stretch for the back, neck, and shoulders.

• Workout 1: At least a 15-minute brisk walk.
• Workout 2: Seated Stretch
• Type: Flexibility
• Length: 5-10 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: None

Day 3: Cardio, Strength, and Stretch

You have a different cardio workout today that involves light interval training. This pushes you out of your comfort zone, but not too far. Just enough to start to test your limits.

You can do this on any machine or activity, including an air walker or glider. As before, your strength workout stays the same as the previous workout and, of course, don't forget to end with a stretch.

• Workout 1: Basic Intervals: This is similar to the basic cardio routine but a slightly shorter and more intense workout.
  Type: Cardio
• Length: 21 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: Any cardio machine
• Workout 2: Basic Strength
  Type: Strength Training
• Length: 2 sets of each exercise, 10-20 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: Light dumbbells, an exercise ball or chair, and a mat
• Workout 3: Basic Stretch
  Type: Flexibility
• Length: 5 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: None

Day 4: Active Rest

There's nothing on your workout schedule today, but stay active by taking breaks, walking, stretching, and moving. Some ideas:

• Play an active exergame such as Wii Fit or anything that gets you moving.
• Do crunches, push-ups, or jump on a recumbent exercise bike while you watch TV.
• Turn off the TV early and stretch for a few minutes before bed.
• Walk the dog for an extra 5 minutes.
• Roll around on an exercise ball.

Day 5: Walking and Stretch

Again, today is like an active recovery. You'll simply find time to walk, all at once or spread throughout the day, and then stretch.

• Workout 1: Find at least 15 minutes for a brisk walk today.
• Workout 2: Seated Stretch
  • Type: Flexibility
  • Length: 5-10 Minutes
  • Level: Beginner
  • Equipment Required: None

Day 6: Cardio, Strength, and Stretch

Your workouts today are the same as your first day. If you're feeling sore, take an extra rest day or only do two days of cardio and strength training. This is where the experimentation comes in as you figure out what your body can and can't do.

• Workout 1: 25-Minute Cardio
  Type: Cardio
• Length: 25 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: Any cardio machine
• Workout 2: Basic Strength
  Type: Strength Training
• Length: 2 sets of each exercise, 10-20 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: Light dumbbells, an exercise ball or chair, and a mat
• Workout 3: Basic Stretch
  Type: Strength Training
• Length: 5 Minutes
• Level: Beginner
• Equipment Required: None

Full Body Strength Workout for Beginners

A Word From Verywell

This is an optimal basic structure to follow for your beginner workout plan. Customize your plan to your body's needs and personal fitness goals. Use the FITT principle to progress each week, adding more frequency, higher intensity, heavier weights, longer workouts, or different workouts.

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3 Sources

Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: Guidance for prescribing exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(7):1334-59. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb

2. Herbert RD, de Noronha M, Kamper SJ. Stretching to Prevent or Reduce Muscle Soreness After Exercise. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011. 2011 Jul 6;(7):CD004577. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004577.pub3.

3. von Loeffelholz C, Birkenfeld A. The role of non-exercise activity thermogenesis in human obesity. Endotext [Internet]. 2018 Apr 9. MDText. com, Inc.

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