Balanced Workout Plan: Simple Exercises for Beginners: Aerobic, Strength, and Flexibility Training

by: Grace Li

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’m possible.” – Audrey Hepburn.

Have you ever opened your television and saw news about people with huge muscles lifting weights or passed a gym with people on the treadmills? That is called working out. Workout is a practice or exercise to test or improve one’s fitness for athletic competition, ability, or performance (Merriam Webster) For some people, working out is simple exercises that helps them to burn calories and stay fit; for others, it may mean intense trainings in a particular area.

Basic Elements to Fitness

There are 3 main and basic elements to fitness: aerobic activity, strength training, and flexibility training. They form a balanced workout routine.

Aerobic Activities

Aerobic activities are cardiovascular exercises that get your heart pumping. During an aerobic exercise, your blood pumps quicker and your lungs breathe in more oxygen. A good example of an aerobic exercise would be running. Aerobic activities help the health of your body by reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high-blood pressure, high cholesterol. A fun fact may be that the word “aerobic” itself means “with oxygen”.

Strength Training

Strength training is a type of exercise that is designed to improve strength and endurance. This training works by increasing the strength of the muscles, using equipments like weights. Strength training improves joint functions, increase muscle strength, and reduce the risk of injury in elders. It is also a central foundation for athletes and many sports.

Flexibility Training

Though this may sound more like gymnastics and dances, flexibility training (also another word for stretching) is actually essential in life. It involves activities that stretch your muscles so they are loosen. This could happen before and after a workout/sport, or even at home. Flexibility training helps decrease the risk of injury, increase muscle blood flow, and help your joints to move at full range.

Here are multi options of a workout plan.

Simple Balanced Workout

If you don’t have a specific area to work on, this simple workout will suit you the most.

Monday: (Aerobic Activity)

Starting the week off, why don’t we have some aerobic activity to boost up our blood flow and lungs?

You can go to the gym, walk on the treadmill or bike on the stationary bicycle. Put your calories and heart rate on to observe. If you like, earbuds/headphones would help if you want some music to help you concentrate and hyped up.

(Even better) go to a park and walk along the trail or ride your bicycle around town. Enjoy the green nature while working out in the park or discover a new caffe shop in town. There is always something new to discover. Smile for a photo!

After all this hard work, have some rest, do a 5 minute flexibility training just to get your muscles loose and ready for another day of workout tomorrow. Those activities can include a seated hamstring, a quad stretch, a knee to chest, and a standing calf stretch. Remember, those poses are just examples and you can do any exercise that you think will help relieve your body.

Tuesday: (Strength Training)

First, let’s do a 5 minute stretching/flexibility training. This is mainly to warm up your muscles and stretch them out as far as possible to decrease the risks of getting hurt or spraining something during strength training
This is a great time to use some of the machines in the gym. Each of the machines will probably have a diagram of what parts of muscles it trains and instructions on how to use it. Choose 3 of the machineries and do the exercise for 10-15 minutes. Remember, there are weights on the machine. This is important. DO NOT struggle with the weights. If you are struggling too much with one of the weights, that means it is TOO HEAVY. If you feel pain or numbness, or uncomfortable, change a machine. SAFETY FIRST!
Flexibility training for some more. Though people might want to skip this part, it is very important and again will help your muscles loosen up. 5 minutes at least, and more if you like.

Wednesday: (Aerobic Activity)

If you liked the Monday routine, do the same thing. If you didn’t like it that much, here are some more options:
If you have a dog, take it on a walk. It would be a great time to celebrate with your dog. Walking them would make both of you jovial! Maybe drop by Starbucks and get it a puppuccino!
If you prefer to be inside, which is reasonable because it may be too hot in the summer and cold in the winter, go to the gym. There are bicycles and treadmills and stairs-steppers all used for cardio/aerobic training.

Thursday: (Flexibility Training)

This day is special because it is about flexibility training. It is the middle of the week, and is a time for reflection and rest. Yoga would be the best for this. If you know yoga poses yourself, you can do them. Or the best option would be to browse in google “Yoga Practices”. In doing so, you can find the best yoga practice that would work for you.
Another option is to just lie in bed and listen to calm relaxing music for half an hour. Really close your eyes and breathe in and out. Feel serene, and think about good memories that come to mind.
Set some goals for yourself. If this is your first time doing fitness, set some goals. What’s something you have want to accomplish throughout the next 3 days? Is there anything you want to improve on? Did you notice somethings that you have not performed well during exercises? Write them down in a notebook and try to accomplish the goals you’ve set. You got this!

Friday: (Strength Training)

This is similar to the Tuesday training. You have to stretch for 5 minutes first. You could do some exercises next. Wall pushups, sit-ups, squats, planks. Then you can lift some weights. At last do some more stretching.

Saturday: (Strength or Aerobic):

This is the day in which you have two choices: Strength or Aerobic. You can choose based on what part you want to work on more or just flip a coin. Turn to Monday and Tuesday. Repeat some of the activities. Stay fit!

Sunday: (Flexibility Training):

Sunday, the perfect time to sleep in. Do some stretches in the morning, afternoon, and before bed. This is your day off. Enjoy and write a reflection of your workout. Anything to improve? Remember the goals you set for yourself on Thursday? Are you nearly there yet? Or even better, have you accomplished some goals?

Conclusion and Reminders:

Working out is a good way to build your muscles, get more confident, as well as spend your idle time.

+ Something you might consider bringing to the gym is a water bottle. You can also bring head phones or AirPods to listen to music or watch a movie while you are on the treadmill.

HAVE FUN!