10 Workout Plans for Women At-Home (Beginner-Friendly!)
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Each week, we share a variety of 15-minute and 30-minute strength training workout plans to help you build muscle, burn calories, and get that heart rate up! Many of our free at-home workouts require no equipment, which makes these workout videos perfect for living room workouts or when you don’t want to go to the gym.
This week, we’re sharing 10 of our favorite at-home workout programs to give you inspiration if you’re struggling with motivation to workout at home. Use these individual workouts to plan your weekly workout routine, focusing on challenging a variety of muscles groups, including: upper body, lower body, abs and core!
See our full workout series here.
These 10 Workout Plans For Women At-Home Are Beginner-Friendly
These free workout plans are each designed with all levels in mind. If you are a beginner just starting to workout, you will find modifications for each exercise until you grow stronger. If you’re an intermediate or advanced gym goer, you’ll find bonus challenges during many exercises to increase the difficulty and challenge your strength, balance, and flexibility.
What Do You Need to Exercise at Home?
The best workout programs include exercises that are fun to do at home and strength training workouts that help you stay consistent. Many of our workouts can be done with bodyweight only, which means that they’re equipment free! If you want to increase the difficulty, challenge yourself by trying one of our mini resistance band, dumbbell, or core slider workouts. Each of these pieces are minimalist gym equipment that can be stored easily and put away when you’re done with your workout—ideal for those in small spaces.
The only home gym essential that we suggest you absolutely need is a yoga mat or soft surface to protect your body during the strength training circuits!
Does 30 Minutes of Exercise A Day Really Work?
Yes! Working out at home can be a highly effective way of getting in a quality workout without having to go to the gym. If you frequently find that you have no time to workout, these easy at-home workout circuits can be the answer for busy schedules. Do you struggle with choosing which things to do for a workout? These workout videos take the guesswork out of planning a workout—simply choose the workout that is right for you. Fitness at home does not have to be unpleasant!
How do I plan my weekly workouts?
Beginners: If you are new to strength training, we recommend starting with 1-2 workouts a week. This could be divided into one upper body and one lower body workout. You could also do a full body, no-weights workout and add in a total body dumbbell workout for your second workout each week. Allow yourself 1-2 days between the workouts to rest and recover and allow the muscles to repair. Muscle hypertrophy (the act of gaining muscle) happens through a series of tiny micro tears during your workout. This isn’t a bad thing—after the workout, as the muscle repairs itself, it grows stronger and larger! This is why recovery post-workout is crucial to maximizing the effect of the workout. Simply put: let your body rest. Doing too many workouts too soon can cause overuse injuries or muscle tears!
Intermediate: Add in 3-4 strength training workouts each week, spacing the workouts at least one day apart. This might be one upper body workout, one lower body, and one full body workout each week. Optionally, add in two 30-minute workouts and one 15-minute workout into your week.
Advanced: Advanced exercisers can add 4+ strength training workouts in per week. Increase the weight used in each workout or use a higher resistance band for each exercise. Optionally, add in a cardio component to each workout for an added calorie burn.
Note: All of these 30-minute workouts include a warmup! Make sure that you are including at least a 3-5 minute warmup to get your muscles ready before starting any workout!
10 At-Home Workouts To Try This Month
Equipment-Free Lower Body Workout
Workout exercises include: Sumo squats, deadlifts, and curtsy lunges
This workout is focused on hitting the muscles of the whole posterior chain, which means incorporating lunges, pulses, lifts and thrusts to target even the smallest muscle. You’re going to feel the burn in your hamstrings, thighs, calves and, especially, your booty during this workout!
All you need for this at-home workout is a chair or flat, stable surface. Increase the difficulty by using a mini loop band or a set of dumbbells.
Full workout details: At-Home 30 Minute Lower Body Workout (No Equipment Needed!)
The Best Booty Workout
Workout exercises include: Glute bridges, leg lifts, and clamshells
This 30-minute butt workout is focused on a series of glute exercises that you can do at home with weights, mini bands, or bodyweight options. This intense booty workout is an ideal way to focus on glute isolation exercises and tighten the muscles of the lower body. With ab and core stabilization exercises included, this workout is sure to get those muscles burning!
Full workout details: The Best Booty Workout - 30 Minutes To A Better Butt + Stronger Glutes
Ultimate Full Body Dumbbell Workout
Workout exercises include: Tricep extensions, bent-over rows, and chest fly
Only have 30 minutes and looking for the best full body workout? This dumbbell workout features exercises to target your favorite muscles—arms, abs, and glutes—with dumbbells and/or resistance bands. Your best choice to strengthen and tone muscles of your entire body in just 30 minutes.
Full workout details: The Ultimate Full-Body Dumbbell Workout (In Just 30 Minutes!)
Gym-Free Bodyweight Workout
Workout exercises include: Planks, pushups, and lunges
No weights? No problem! A common belief is that if you aren’t using heavy weights or resistance bands, then your workout will not be effective. Adding these bodyweight exercises into your routine is a great way to build strength, improved posture, and prevent injury. Using your own bodyweight for at-home workouts is also a great option to ensure full range of motion in each movement and increase flexibility.
Full workout details: A 30-Minute Gym-Free Bodyweight Workout You Should Try This Week
15-Minute Full Body Mini Band Workout
Workout exercises include: Bicep curls, chest presses, and sit-ups
One of our favorite pieces of home gym equipment is the small and portable mini resistance band. These mini loop band exercises are a unique way to challenge your upper body and abs when you are bored with traditional upper body exercises. Plus, this is a great workout to do at home or when you’re unable to get to a gym, since it can be done from your yoga mat!
Full workout details: A Full Body Mini Band Workout In Just 15 Minutes
15-Minute Fast + Effective Total Core Workout
Workout exercises include: Planks, hollow body holds, and obliques
Short on time? This core-focused workout is sure to be a new favorite! Daily exercise for your abs can be done by performing workouts that challenge the strength and stabilization of your lower transverse abdominals. Your core is more than just your abs, too—the core is essential in your everyday life, since it engages during most daily activity, such as: walking, twisting, bending, balance and posture. A weak core can lead to injury, back pain, or poor posture. Correct or prevent these issues with this simple, 15-minute workout.
Full workout details: The 15-Minute Fast + Effective Total Core Workout We Swear By
10 Shoulder + Arm Toning Exercises For Your Next Workout
Workout exercises include: Shoulder presses, hammer curls, and dead bugs
This weight lifting circuit is a great option for your weekly weight training routine if you’re looking to strengthen the muscles of the shoulders, arms and core! These shoulder and arm exercises are meant to be done with light weights (such as 2-5 pound dumbbells) but can easily be done with no weights at all. Optional: get creative and use household items, such as canned goods or water bottles.
Full workout details: The 10 Best Shoulder + Arm Toning Exercises For Your Next Workout
15 Minute Full Body Slider Workout
Workout exercises include: Glute slide outs, Spiderman pushups, and knee tucks
Core sliders—also known as glider plates, sliding discs, or exercise sliders—are a great way to challenge your core and add a balance and stability test to any exercise. Sliders are the ideal home gym equipment for slow tempo workouts and isometric holds to reach deep muscles of the shoulders, chest, and core. Sliders are small and portable, making them ideal for use on various surfaces, such as carpet, tile, or hardwood.
Full workout details: Try This 15 Minute Full Body Slider Workout
No Equipment At-Home Upper Body HIIT Workout
Workout exercises include: Plank jacks, mountain climbers, Superman reach backs
This beginner-friendly bodyweight, high intensity interval workout is a great way to work your upper body with no weights. All you need to work the muscles of the chest, biceps, shoulders, and core in a complete upper body workout is any chair, bench, or flat surface you have in your home. This workout also includes short cardio bursts that are low-impact, meaning you will get your heart rate up, burn calories, and make this workout extra sweaty, all while being safe on joints.
Full workout details: No Equipment At Home Upper Body HIIT Workout In 20 Minutes
15-Minute Full Body Stretch Yoga for Beginners and Runners
Workout exercises include: Downward facing dog, pigeon pose, and shoulder rolls
No weekly workout routine would be complete without incorporating a cool down stretch. Stretching is important to keep muscles strong and healthy, as well as increasing flexibility and range of motion. Incorporate these midday stretches into your life to prevent slouching posture (which can lead to back pain) and stiffness in your joints. This beginner-friendly stretching routine is also ideal for athletes post-workout to prevent injury as muscles cool down.
Full workout details: The 15 Minute Beginner-Friendly Stretch Routine You Need To Do Everyday