Beginner home workout, no equipment

The workout (Mon, Wed, Fri)

• Squats: 3 sets of 10
• Incline or knee push-ups: 3 sets of 6 to 10
• Reverse lunges: 2 sets of 8 each leg
• Sit-ups or crunches: 2 sets of 10
• Jumping jacks or marching: 2 sets of 30 seconds
• Plank: 2 holds of 20 seconds

Warm-up (3 to 5 minutes)

1. March or jog on the spot. 1 minute, getting gradually quicker.
2. Arm circles. 10 forward, 10 back.
3. Bodyweight good mornings. Hands on hips, hinge forward with a flat back, stand up. 10 reps.
4. Easy squats. 10 slow, shallow squats.

Making it harder over time

• Add one rep per set each week until you reach 15.
• Slow down: take three seconds to lower on squats, push-ups and lunges.
• Add a set once you reach the top of the rep range.
• Swap in harder versions: full push-ups instead of incline, split squats instead of squats.
• Shorten your rest from 90 to 60 seconds.

Cool-down and recovery

• Walk around for a couple of minutes to bring your heart rate down.
• Gentle stretches for the calves, thighs and chest, 20 to 30 seconds each.
• Expect some muscle soreness for a day or two after your first sessions. It fades as you get used to it.
• Sleep and regular meals do more for your progress than any supplement.

Staying consistent

The first month is about building the habit more than the perfect program. Pick three fixed times each week, keep the sessions short, and track something simple like total reps. Seeing the number go up is motivating.

Apex One can count your squats, push-ups, lunges, sit-ups, jumping jacks and high knees with the camera, so you can keep your attention on form. It also builds an adaptive Today's plan that progresses or eases off based on how your sessions go.

A 20-minute session, start to finish

Here's how a typical session runs once you're settled in: 4 minutes of warm-up, then three rounds of the main circuit with 60 to 90 seconds rest between exercises, then a 3-minute cool-down. Write down your reps for each exercise. Next session, try to beat one of those numbers by a rep or two. That's all progress needs to be at the start.

Common beginner mistakes

• Doing too much in the first week and being too sore to train again.
• Rushing reps to finish quickly.
• Skipping the warm-up.
• Changing the plan every few days instead of giving it a month.
• Comparing yourself with people who've trained for years.

Exercise swaps

If something doesn't suit you, swap it rather than skip it. Push-ups too hard: do them on a counter. Squats sore on the knees: use a chair and a smaller range. Lunges wobbly: hold a wall or do split squats with the back foot staying put. Jumping jacks too noisy: step out to the side instead of jumping.

No equipment? A backpack with books or full water bottles makes a good weight once bodyweight gets easy.

What to expect week by week

Week 1: muscles feel sore a day or two after; this fades. Week 2: the movements feel more familiar and you can do a few more reps. Weeks 3 to 4: you can see your rep counts going up, and daily tasks like stairs start to feel easier.

If you're very sore, rest an extra day. If you're not at all challenged, add reps or move to harder versions.

Combining with walking

Strength sessions three times a week plus walking on most days is a well-rounded beginner plan. Walking helps recovery, adds to your overall activity and is easy to fit in. Aim to build towards 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking on your non-strength days.

Your first four weeks

• Week 1: two sessions. Learn the moves, stop every set with two or three reps left in the tank.
• Week 2: three sessions. Same moves, add one rep per set where form holds.
• Week 3: three sessions. Add a fourth round, or swap incline push-ups for knee push-ups.
• Week 4: three sessions. Re-test how many clean squats and push-ups you can do and compare with week 1.

Swaps when something doesn't suit you

• Knees grumpy with squats: squat to a higher chair or shorten the range.
• Wrists sore with push-ups: do them against a counter, or on your fists.
• No room for lunges: do split squats in place, holding a wall.
• Jumping jacks too much: step-jacks, one foot out at a time.

How Apex One helps beginners

Apex One counts squats, push-ups, lunges, sit-ups, jumping jacks and high knees with your phone camera, speaks each rep out loud and gives a form score. You don't need to count in your head, and reps that aren't fully tracked aren't counted, so your numbers stay honest. Video stays on your phone.

Fitting it into a busy week

If a full session won't fit, do one round of the circuit, which takes about seven minutes. Short sessions done regularly beat long ones done rarely. Pair it with something you already do, like right after work, so it becomes routine.

Your first month

• Week 1: learn the moves, stop every set with 2 or 3 reps left.
• Weeks 2 and 3: add 1 or 2 reps per set.
• Week 4: add a set to squats and push-ups.

Count every rep with your phone

Questions

Keep exploring

• Beginner home workoutApex One
• 10-minute full-body workoutApex One
• How many squats should I do a day?Guide
• Plank progressionGuide
• How many reps and sets should I do?Guide