Real-world examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners

The best examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners

Let’s start with the good stuff: real examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners that hit all your major muscle groups. These are simple, repeatable, and beginner-friendly, but still effective enough to build real strength.

1. Bodyweight squat

If you only learned one example of a basic strength training exercise for beginners, the bodyweight squat would be a strong contender. It trains your quads, glutes, and core, and it teaches you how to sit and stand with control.

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
• Brace your core like you’re about to cough.
• Push your hips back as if you’re sitting into a chair.
• Bend your knees and lower your body until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor (or as low as you can comfortably go).
• Drive through your heels to stand back up.

If your knees cave in, think about gently pushing them out as you stand. If balance is an issue, you can hold onto the back of a sturdy chair or a countertop.

2. Wall push-up or incline push-up

Push-ups are one of the classic examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners, but full floor push-ups can feel intimidating. That’s where wall or incline push-ups come in.

Wall push-up:

• Stand facing a wall, arms straight, hands on the wall at chest height.
• Step your feet back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows and bring your chest toward the wall.
• Push back to the starting position.

Incline push-up:

• Place your hands on a sturdy surface like a bench, table, or couch.
• Walk your feet back so your body forms a straight line.
• Lower your chest toward the edge, then push back up.

As you get stronger, you can lower the incline until you’re doing push-ups on the floor.

3. Dumbbell or backpack row

You don’t need a full rack of weights to train your back. A pair of light dumbbells or even a loaded backpack can do the trick. Rows are great examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners because they improve posture and balance out all the pressing we do (typing, texting, pushing, etc.).

How to do it:

• Hold a dumbbell (or backpack) in one hand.
• Place your opposite hand and knee on a bench, couch, or sturdy surface.
• Keep your back flat and your chest slightly lifted.
• Pull the weight toward your hip, squeezing your shoulder blade toward your spine.
• Lower it with control.

Swap sides and repeat. Focus on moving from your back and shoulder, not just your arm.

4. Glute bridge

The glute bridge is a gentle but powerful exercise for your hips, glutes, and lower back. It’s a great example of a basic strength training exercise for beginners who sit a lot during the day.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Place your arms by your sides, palms down.
• Press your heels into the floor and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips.
• Pause when your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Lower your hips back down with control.

To progress, you can hold a dumbbell or backpack across your hips.

5. Standing overhead press (with light dumbbells)

For shoulders and upper body strength, the standing overhead press is one of the best examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners. It also challenges your core because you have to stabilize your spine while you press.

How to do it:

• Stand tall with feet about hip-width apart.
• Hold a pair of light dumbbells at shoulder height, palms facing forward or slightly in.
• Brace your core and keep your ribs from flaring out.
• Press the weights overhead until your arms are straight but not locked.
• Lower back down to shoulder height.

If you feel strain in your lower back, reduce the weight or sit on a chair with your back supported.

6. Dead bug (core stability)

Instead of endless crunches, the dead bug teaches your core to stabilize your spine while your arms and legs move. It’s a fantastic example of basic strength training for beginners who want safer core work.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms straight up toward the ceiling.
• Bend your hips and knees to 90 degrees, knees over hips.
• Press your lower back gently into the floor.
• Slowly extend your right arm overhead and your left leg out straight, hovering above the floor.
• Return to the starting position and switch sides.

Move slowly and keep your lower back from arching off the floor.

7. Step-up (with or without weights)

Step-ups are a very practical example of a basic strength training exercise for beginners because they mimic going up stairs. They target your quads, glutes, and balance.

How to do it:

• Stand in front of a sturdy step, bench, or low box.
• Place one foot flat on the step.
• Press through your whole foot to stand up on the step, bringing the other foot up.
• Step back down with control.

Start with a low step and bodyweight only. As you get stronger, hold light weights at your sides.

8. Farmer’s carry (grip and total-body stability)

The farmer’s carry is one of the simplest real examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners—and one of the most useful. It trains your grip, shoulders, core, and legs all at once.

How to do it:

• Pick up a pair of dumbbells or heavy grocery bags.
• Stand tall with your shoulders back and chest open.
• Walk slowly for 20–30 seconds while keeping your core braced.
• Set the weights down safely, rest, and repeat.

This exercise translates directly to daily life: carrying groceries, luggage, or even a toddler.

How to put these examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners into a simple routine

Knowing individual moves is helpful, but the real magic happens when you organize them into a routine you can repeat 2–3 times per week.

Here’s a simple full-body beginner workout using the examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners we just covered. You can do this at home or in a gym.

Warm-up (5–8 minutes):

• Easy walking or marching in place
• Gentle arm circles
• Bodyweight squats with a smaller range of motion

Full-body beginner circuit:

• Squat
• Wall or incline push-up
• Dumbbell or backpack row
• Glute bridge
• Standing overhead press
• Dead bug
• Step-up
• Farmer’s carry

Do each exercise for 8–12 reps (for the farmer’s carry, walk for 20–30 seconds). Rest 30–60 seconds between exercises. Once you’ve done them all, rest 1–2 minutes and repeat the circuit 1–2 more times.

That’s your workout: short, simple, and built entirely from real examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners.

How often should beginners do these basic strength exercises?

Most major health organizations agree that adults benefit from doing strength training at least two days per week.

For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week as part of overall physical activity guidelines.

You can read their guidelines here:

• CDC Physical Activity Guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm

For a beginner, a good starting point is:

• 2 days per week of full-body strength training using the examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners listed above.
• At least 1 day of rest between strength sessions (for example, Monday and Thursday).

As you adapt, you can move to 3 days per week (such as Monday, Wednesday, Friday), keeping at least one rest or light-movement day between sessions.

How to choose the right weight and reps as a beginner

The weight you use should feel challenging but not scary. A simple rule of thumb:

• You should finish your set with 1–3 reps left in the tank. That means if you’re doing 10 reps, you could maybe do 11 or 12, but not 20.
• If you breeze through your set and feel like you could do it all day, the weight is probably too light.
• If your form falls apart halfway through, the weight is likely too heavy.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the NIH, suggests starting with lighter weights and gradually increasing as your strength improves.
You can see their guidance here:

• NIA Strength Training Tips: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-physical-activity

For most beginners, a good starting point is:

• 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps for each exercise.

This rep range is widely recommended for building a mix of strength and muscle while staying beginner-friendly.

Common beginner mistakes (and how to avoid them)

When people first try these examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners, a few patterns show up again and again. Here’s how to sidestep them.

Going too hard, too fast

You do not need to “earn” your workout by crawling out of the gym. Soreness is normal, but pain that changes how you walk, move, or sleep is a sign you did too much.

Fix it:

• Start with 1–2 sets instead of 3.
• Use lighter weights and focus on smooth, controlled movement.
• Add volume gradually, week by week.

Ignoring form to chase heavier weights

It’s tempting to grab the heaviest dumbbells you can hold. But if your back is rounding, your knees are collapsing, or your shoulders are shrugging up to your ears, you’re not getting the benefits you think you are.

Fix it:

• Use a mirror or record a quick video on your phone to check your form.
• Slow down each rep; control the way down, not just the way up.
• If form breaks, reduce the weight or the range of motion.

Skipping warm-up and cool-down

Jumping straight into heavy squats after sitting all day is like flooring the gas in a cold car. It might work, but it’s not ideal for the long term.

Fix it:

• Spend 5–8 minutes warming up with light movement.
• After your workout, walk around for a few minutes and do gentle stretching for the muscles you trained.

Mayo Clinic has a helpful overview of why warming up and cooling down matter:

• Mayo Clinic – Warm-up and Cool-down: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20045517

How to progress these basic strength training examples over time

Once the examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners feel easier, that’s your cue to progress. You don’t need to overhaul your whole routine; small tweaks go a long way.

You can progress by:

• Adding weight: Heavier dumbbells, a more loaded backpack, or holding weights during squats and step-ups.
• Adding reps: Move from 8 reps to 10 or 12 while keeping good form.
• Adding sets: Start with 2 sets, then move to 3 when you feel ready.
• Changing leverage: Move from wall push-ups to incline push-ups, then to floor push-ups.
• Slowing the tempo: Take 3 seconds to lower, 1–2 seconds to lift.

Think of your training like turning up the volume slowly on a stereo, not flipping it from mute to max.

FAQs about examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners

What are some simple examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners I can do at home?

You can build a full-body routine at home with bodyweight squats, wall or incline push-ups, glute bridges, dead bugs, step-ups onto a sturdy step, and farmer’s carries with grocery bags or water jugs. These examples include all the main movement patterns you need to get stronger: squatting, pushing, pulling, hinging, and carrying.

What is the best example of a single beginner strength exercise if I’m very out of shape?

If you’re very deconditioned or nervous about starting, the sit-to-stand (standing up from a chair and sitting back down) is one of the best examples of a truly accessible exercise. It’s a modified squat that trains your legs and balance with support. Start by using your hands on the chair if needed, then work toward using just your legs.

How long should a beginner strength workout last?

Most beginners do well with 20–40 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down, using the examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners listed earlier. You don’t need marathon sessions; consistency over weeks and months matters far more than any single workout.

Can I combine walking or cardio with these strength training examples?

Absolutely. In fact, combining moderate cardio (like walking) with strength training is recommended by many health organizations, including the CDC and the American Heart Association. You might walk on most days of the week and do strength training 2–3 days using the examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners in this guide.

Do I need a gym membership to start strength training?

No. Many of the best examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners use only your bodyweight or simple household items. A gym can offer more options, but it’s not a requirement to get stronger, feel better, and move with more confidence.

If you start with just a handful of these examples of basic strength training exercises for beginners, keep your workouts short, and show up a couple of times a week, you’re doing it right. You don’t need perfection; you just need to keep coming back and giving your body regular practice at moving with purpose and strength.