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A personal trainer says this is the workout to do if you’re brand new to strength training—here are my thoughts
Strength training is one of the best things you can do for your health, fitness and longevity.
Like everything, though, learning how to do it properly is essential, especially when you’re starting out, or like me, starting over after a break.
Personal trainer Jennifer Martin recently shared a beginner-level dumbbell workout on Instagram saying, “if I was brand new to strength training, here’s a workout I would start.”
I’m a personal trainer, so I’m definitely not new to strength training, but I took a two-month break from exercise after having a baby.
Once I was cleared to work out again, I decided to get back to basics. Martin’s workout seemed like a good place to start so I gave it a go.
Here’s what I thought of it.
How to do the workout
You’ll need an exercise mat and two moderately heavy dumbbells. If you have multiple weights at home, have a lighter and a heavier option to hand so you can switch depending on the move.
There are six exercises in this workout, each performed for 10 to 12 repetitions, three times around.
The moves are:
- Goblet squat
- Hammer curl
- Chest press
- Deadlift
- Tabletop row
- Glute bridge
Martin suggests working through the moves in a circuit and taking 30-60 seconds of rest between each round.
What I thought of the workout
Most of the moves are beginner-friendly
All of the exercises in this routine are ones I’d introduce to beginner-level clients. They’re compound movements that work multiple muscle groups at once including larger muscles like your quads, glutes and pecs.
This workout was a great way to “wake up” my body after an extended break. I was able to focus on engaging the right muscles while reconnecting to my core throughout.
Squats and deadlifts can feel challenging at first
Squats and deadlifts are both foundational lower-body moves, but it takes time to get the form right. Most of my beginner clients need guidance at first and I don’t add any weight until they’re moving comfortably and safely.
Martin doesn’t offer detailed guidance and some additional cues in the caption would have been helpful. Martin also failed to suggest performing the moves using just your bodyweight, which would have been smart for beginners to know—and it’s what I did for a few of the exercises.
Starting with bodyweight is smart
Beginners can still build strength using just their bodyweight. For new or returning exercisers, adding weight too soon could compromise form and make you more susceptible to injury.
Since I hadn’t picked up a dumbbell in two months, I did the goblet squat and glute bridge without weight—this was the right call as I still felt the effects the next day.
The next time I do this workout, I might be ready to reintroduce some light weights.
