Simple Strength Exercises Beginners Can Do At Home

Strength training isn’t just for athletes and bodybuilders, it needn’t consume hours of your life and it certainly doesn’t require a gym. Outlined below are 4 simple exercises (complete with pictures and videos) which you can do at home to strengthen your legs, chest, back, arms and hips even if you are a complete beginner.

WALL SITS

The wall sit is great for building a foundation of strength and endurance in the legs, particularly the quads. All you need is a secure surface to lean against.

Simple Strength Exercises Beginners Can Do At Home - Wall Sit

Performance Tips:

  • Press your back into a wall

  • Place your feet approximately shoulder width apart, toes pointing forwards

  • Slide down until your hips and knees are at 90 degree angles

  • Shins should be vertical and thighs should be parallel with the floor

  • Hold for as long as possible (slide down the wall if you can no longer stand)

  • Hold weights in each hand to increase the challenge

INCLINE PUSH UP

This variation of the push up shifts more weight to your feet so the resistance your arms and chest must overcome is reduced. Perfect for beginners!

Simple Strength Exercises Beginners Can Do At Home - Incline Push Up

Performance Tips:

  • Find a sturdy elevated surface, the higher the surface the easier the movement

  • Place your hands on this surface underneath your shoulders

  • Fingers pointing forwards

  • Squeeze your glutes and brace your midsection

  • Descend until your chest is close to the surface

  • Pause then push back to the start position

  • Keep your elbows tucked in close to the body during the movement

  • Aim to move your body as one single straight line

  • Don’t let your hips drop or rise quicker than your shoulders

  • As you get stronger practice the same move from lower and lower surfaces

WEIGHTED ROW

Scalable from beginner to advanced this is a great indoor (or garden) exercise for strengthening your arms and upper back muscles. If you don’t have a dumbbell, kettlebell or weight to lift you can improvise with a heavy bag or something similar!

Simple Strength Exercises Beginners Can Do At Home - Weighted Row

Performance Tips:

  • Adopt a wide stance and hinge forward from your hips

  • Support your body with one arm placed on a stable and elevated surface

  • For example a chair or table

  • Keep a long, straight back throughout

  • Grip a weight in your working hand

  • Once in position the weight should not be touching the floor

  • Smoothly lift the weight vertically upwards

  • Pull your elbow back past your torso

  • Pause in the top position

  • Slowly release the weight down and repeat

  • Don’t let your spine twist or hunch at any point (if it does the weight is too heavy!)

  • An alternative setup is demonstrated in the video below

GLUTE BRIDGE

This simple move awakens, activates and strengthens your glutes and posterior chain muscles. Excellent for balancing out the quad dominant wall sit described above!

Simple Strength Exercises Beginners Can Do At Home - Glute Bridge

Performance Tips:

  • Lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor

  • Squeeze your glutes (butt cheeks) to lift your hips off the floor

  • Pause at the top of the movement and hold for a few seconds

  • Actively try to recruit as many muscle fibres in your glutes as possible

  • Imagine trying to pull your arms down through the floor

  • Imagine trying to pull your heels back towards you

  • This will help light up all the muscles running down the back of your body

  • Hold for a few seconds focusing on a deep muscle contraction

  • Relax and lower down until your hips tap the floor before beginning a new rep

  • This exercise can be performed with a hip width, narrow or wide stance

  • Hold the top position for longer to increase the intensity

Thanks for reading! For lots more simple strength exercises you can do at home grab a copy of my lovingly crafted gymless exercise program by clicking on the button below.