Looking for workout routine examples to add to your rotation? You’ll find 9 of the best, most effective ones here!
In 2024, most of us lead sedentary lives. Due to the nature of office jobs, taking transportation, and opting for entertainment on our devices over other activities, we don’t move our bodies much. As much as you probably hear other people say it, it really is so true that movement makes us feel better. When you exercise consistently, you not only notice positive physical changes, but emotional and mental ones too.
When it’s been a while, it can feel extremely hard to get back into exercising. In this blog post, I am sharing 9 workout routine examples that will get you excited about working out again. As someone who recently started her own fitness journey, I have curated a lot of great workout routine examples over the past year. I know that I feel so much better when I move my body, and I know you will too.
Let’s dive in to the best workout routine examples!
Best gym workout routine
The best gym workout routine consists of a combination of strength training and cardio. It doesn’t matter which order you do it in, but if you are looking to lose weight or gain muscle, it is recommended to do strength training first and cardio second. (Check out this article for more information on workout type and timing!)
If you are a beginner at the gym, I recommend you start out on the strength training machines. They are much less intimidating than using free weights, squat racks, or cable machines. The more comfortable you get in the gym, the more you will want to branch out and try new things! Pick 2-3 machines each for both your arms and legs. You could also try out a few machines that focus on your core and/or glutes. The seated leg press, leg extension, tricep pushdown and lateral pulldown machines are my favorites!
When it comes to cardio, pick something that you enjoy. Some ideas are walking or jogging on the treadmill, stepping on a Stairmaster, or riding on a stationary bike.
Keep in mind that this type of gym workout routine will probably take you anywhere around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Best home workout routine
You can have an effective home workout routine with the help of YouTube videos. There are a TON of great workout routines out there. I’ve tried out a few myself and have a few favorite ones that I always find myself going back to. You should definitely check them out!
- 15 Min DUMBBELL ARMS & SHOULDER WORKOUT at Home | No Repeat by Caroline Girvan / This is the best arm workout I’ve found on YouTube! You get to use the hand weights of your choice, and the moves are timed and never repeated. It’s super quick and effective!
Best full body workout routine
If you only want to work out a few times a week, following a full body workout routine will be the best for you. This way, you’ll work all your major muscle groups all at once. Ideally, you’ll have a day or two off in between your exercise days to recover.
Here’s the best full body workout routine to follow:
Everything listed below follows a sequence of 3 sets with 8-10 reps.
- Overhead press
- Single arm row
- Deadlifts
- Squats
- Leg lifts
Best cardio workout routine
When it comes to cardio, some people love going on jogs or runs. If that’s not quite your speed, the best cardio routine out there for you is the 12/3/30 walk. Once a super popular trend on social media, many people still swear by this method. The idea is basically walking uphill at a moderate pace for a solid 30 minutes. To do it, hop on a treadmill and set the incline to 12 and the speed to 3 MPH. It may feel slow at first, but walking at such an angle for a half hour really gets your heart pumping! If it feels too difficult, feel free to start off at a lesser incline or a slower speed. I’ve found that doing 6/2.5/30 is still pretty challenging.
If you want to learn more, check out this article from Men’s Health for more info about the 12/3/30 method.
Best strength training routine
If you like the idea of moving your body daily, you can split up your strength training throughout the week. Following a push/pull/legs routine lets you workout six days of the week with one rest day. For example, you might have a push day Monday, a pull day Tuesday, a leg day Wednesday, and then repeat that pattern Thursday-Saturday. This is the schedule my husband follows and swears by! Below are specific exercises he says are the most effective.
Keep in mind that each exercise should have 3 sets with 8-10 reps.
-
- Push exercises
- Barbell bench press
- Barbell overhead press
- Pushups
- Dumbbell lateral raises
- Triceps rope pushdowns
- Pull exercises
- Barbell deadlifts
- Barbell bent over rows
- Pull ups OR lateral pulldowns
- Barbell bicep curls
- Dumbbell hammer curls
- Leg exercises
- Barbell squats
- Barbell Romanian deadlifts
- Bulgarian split squats
- Standing calf raises
- Push exercises
Best beginner workout routine
When I joined my gym last year, I felt like a total beginner. One thing I’ve always wanted to be able to do is be a jogger/runner. I found this “couch to 5k” training program post on Pinterest years ago, but never gave it a good try until recently. Let me tell you, it works! I haven’t even finished the program yet — I’ve taken it extra slow, but have gotten up to Week 8. I was even able to jog a solid 20 minutes one time! That’s HUGE for someone who never thought running was in the cards for her. I will absolutely participate in a 5k race someday and be able to run the entire way! If you have any desire to be a runner, start here and take it at your own pace. Repeat the weeks as many times as you need before you move up. Trust me, you won’t regret giving this a shot!
Best quick workout routine
Only have a few minutes in your day that you can devote to a workout? This 10-minute HIIT workout by MadFit is intense, but it gets the job done!
If you’re looking something a bit more relaxed to do with your precious minutes, this 5-minute yoga flow by Yoga With Adriene can still do wonders for your body.
Best weight loss workout routine
A few years ago, I read the book called The Insulin Resistance Solution by Rob Thompson, and it was life changing. One of the main takeaways from the book is that walking is the absolute best form of exercise for weight loss. In many cases, excess insulin is the culprit behind weight gain. Simply put, the act of walking helps our bodies to burn off extra insulin rather than just store it as fat. (I highly recommend that you read the book for a more in-depth explanation, but that’s the gist of it.)
If you can commit to walking for at least 30 minutes a day, you are partaking in the best weight loss workout routine. If you walk as much as you can and stay in a reasonable caloric deficit, you will definitely shed some pounds.
Best compound movement workout routine
Ever wonder what the single best exercise move was? Enter: squats. Squats are the absolute best compound movement there is. Why? Because they help us to keep our mobility up and allow us to move easily through our day-to-day lives. According to this article from AARP, “…(s)quats strengthen all of the muscle groups in your legs, including your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, as well as muscles in your lower back and core. Those muscles provide the foundation for most activities of daily living.” If you think about it, we “squat” on a daily basis: going from standing to sitting in a chair, getting up out of bed, bending down to pick something up, etc. Keeping our core and lower half strong with the help of squats is the best insurance for staying fit and mobile.
If you want to start a squat routine, be sure to check out this program that will have you squatting on a consistent basis.
Bonus: Best rest day routine
After all that exercise, you are bound to take a rest day. Whether you have a few off days each week or just one, it’s still a good idea to get some gentle movement in. I recommend the following activities on your rest days:
- Long walks. Try to get outside on a nice 45 minute to 1 hour walk. Don’t speed walk on these days — take a nice leisurely pace enjoying the fresh air and your surroundings.
- Stretching. If you’re not the best about stretching before workouts like me, take your recovery day(s) to stretch out your muscles. This stretching routine by MadFit is my favorite one to follow.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I hope these workout routine examples have inspired your very own exercise regiment. Which ones are you going to try out? What are your favorite workout routine examples that I didn’t include here? Let me know in the comments below!
This blog post shared the best workout routine examples.
RELATED: Want to curate your perfect workout routine? Read Daily Routines Examples | 17+ Inspiring Ideas for more inspiration!
Exercise is known to be a great stress reliever. Still struggle with anxiety? My blog post Routine For Anxiety | 3 Important Reasons Why You Need It will help you move with your difficult feelings.
Want to supplement your workout routine? This meal prep routine is exactly what you need!
Leave a Reply