Tag: fitness

It’s time to learn how to get fit without leaving your home:

Maybe you’re practicing a self-quarantine. 

Maybe you work from your apartment and are avoiding the gym.

Or maybe you just like living like a house cat.

Either way, you’ve come to the right place, because I put together a practical guide for rational people to help you get fit or stay fit, even if you can’t leave the house.

We’ve had incredible success with no-gym workouts for our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program, allowing our clients to train from any part of the world…or an underground bunker.

No gym? No problem! Let our coaches build a home routine for you.

Here’s what we’ll cover in our guide, How to Stay in Shape Without Leaving the House: 

• How to stay in shape (while staying inside) 
• 11 Workouts you can do at home
• Building a Temporary Home Gym: What Equipment to Buy
• The Nerd Fitness “Stuck in the House” Game
• Tips and tricks for staying fit inside
• How to get fit from home (Next steps)

Note: this is not prescriptive, nor guidance about protecting against the coronavirus – see the PS. 

Let’s jump right in!

How to Stay in Shape (While Staying Inside)

So you’re stuck inside eh? 

Here’s the best advice I can give you: treat this as your new normal, and recognize the fact that nutrition is still 90% of the health and fitness equation!

Seriously. 90%. 

That means the most important thing you can do to stay in shape:

Focus on your nutrition!

It’s really easy for our brains to think: “Well, I can’t work out like I used to, who cares what I eat.”

This is the EXACT opposite of how we should be thinking.

Whether you rarely leave the house or bike to work every day, what (and how much) you eat will largely determine your overall weight.

Here’s a telling story from our community: one of our coaching clients, Kyle, rides his bike EVERYWHERE, which meant he was incredibly active.

He only started seeing results when his coach helped him switch up his diet. 

That’s why Rule #4 of the Nerd Fitness Rebellion states “You can’t outrun your fork.”

When you stock up your kitchen, pantry, or panic room with food, make sure the choices match with your fitness goals. 

Step #1) Use our Daily Calorie Calculator to determine how much you should be eating each day based on your goals.

Step #2) Learn about portion sizes of different foods! If you are largely eating meals composed of rice, pasta, oatmeal, cereal, etc. during your quarantine, it’s important to know the correct portion sizes.

These are the foods that are the easiest to accidentally overeat.

As we share in our Healthy Eating Guide and over on @Nerd_Fitness Instagram, here’s how to eyeball your portion sizes correctly:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nerd Fitness | Steve Kamb (@nerd_fitness) on Aug 14, 2019 at 5:20am PDT

Step #3) Do the best you can. You might be stuck eating less than optimal meals for a few weeks or longer, which means controlling your calorie intake is the best step you can take to keep your weight in order.

Here are 5 resources to help you focus on nutrition while living inside:

1. How to Start Eating Healthy. If you have no idea what a healthy meal looks like, start here. We’ll explain ideal macronutrient ratios for weight loss, proper portion sizes, and putting it all together to build a healthy plate. 
2. 5 Rules of Weight Loss. Losing weight and keeping it off is tough stuff. Whether this is the first time you’ve embarked on a diet, or the 17th, read our guide for the exact rules to follow for sustainable weight loss. 
3. 10 Ways to Make Vegetables Taste Good. If you want to be healthy, you need to eat your vegetables. Vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories, making them ideal for a healthy plate. But what if you don’t like veggies? Have no fear! Read our guide on how to turn any “picky eater” into a “vegetable lover.”
4. The Nerd Fitness Calorie Calculator. Losing weight comes down to eating fewer calories than you burn. But how many calories do you need to eat? What should be your calorie target for weight loss? Read our guide to discover your requirements!
5. Which Diet is Right for Me? There are a LOT of diets in the fitness world. However, not all of them are created equal. We explore the pros and cons of today’s most popular diets, plus strategies for determining which one is right for you.

11 Workouts You Can Do at Home

One challenge of staying in shape while staying inside comes down to movement, and actually STICKING with a routine. 

If you don’t have a home gym, how are you supposed to workout when confined to your house?

This is especially challenging if you’re a gym rat and used to a very specific gym routine!

So what’s a rational, level headed person to do in this situation?

In a nutshell here’s what we recommend:

• Schedule your workouts in your calendar, and treat them as you would a gym workout. 
• Have a specific routine to follow, or set a time to make sure you are getting enough fun movement! 

As for what’s possible, meet Jimmy, an aeronautical engineer who got in great shape without ever stepping foot in a gym.

Through our online coaching program – we developed a routine that Jimmy could do in his home with just bodyweight exercises, some dumbbells, and gymnastic rings:

Bodyweight training and gymnastics can build muscle, it just needs to be done with the right intention and intensity! Meaning you just need to have the right plan in place.

Like these types of plans!

Here are 10 workout routines you can do at home:

#1) Beginner Bodyweight Workout

This is the Beginner Bodyweight Workout (3 Circuits): 

• 20 Bodyweight squats.
• 10 Push-ups.
• 10 Walking lunges (each leg).
• 10 Dumbbell rows (use a milk jug or other weight).
• 15 Second Plank.
• 30 Jumping jacks

If you’re unfamiliar with any of these moves, check out the main post for a breakdown of each exercise.

This bodyweight routine has helped many a Nerd Fitness Rebel jumpstart their strength training journey. 

#2) Advanced Bodyweight Workout

If the Beginner Bodyweight Workout above seems too easy, try this advanced routine on for size.

This is the Advanced Bodyweight Workout (Do 3 Circuits):

• 10 One-Legged Squats – each side
• 20 Bodyweight Squats
• 20 Walking Lunges (10 each leg)
• 20 Jump Step-Ups (10 each leg)
• 10 Pull-Ups (or inverted bodyweight rows using your kitchen table)
• 10 Dips – Bar Stools
• 10 Chin-Ups (or inverted bodyweight rows with an underhand grip)
• 10 Push-Ups
• 30 Second Plank

Again, if any of these moves are unfamiliar, head to The Advanced Bodyweight Workout for a complete tutorial. 

#3) Do a Bodyweight Exercise Everyday

Strength training comes down to challenging your muscles more and more each workout. 

This can 100% be done with your own body’s weight, meaning you can train from the comfort and safety of your home. 

The trick is picking an exercise for each major muscle group (focusing on compound exercises to get the most bang for our buck) and making it more challenging as you begin to grow strength and muscle. 

So we’ll want to pick a bodyweight exercise for each major muscle group:

• Lower Body
• Upper Body – Push
• Upper Body – Pull
• Core

The lower body exercise can be a bodyweight squat:

The upper body “push” exercise can be, you guessed it, a push-up!

An inverted bodyweight row would be a great way to train your “pull” muscles, which can be done on a sturdy table in your dining room:

Alternatively, you could do doorframe rows:

To strengthen your core, you can perform some reverse crunches:

If these moves seem too tough, you can check out The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises for easier (and more difficult) variations. 

If you’re stuck at home, try and do at least one of these moves every single day. 

You can also try “exercise snacking”: doing just a few reps of an exercise on the hour: 5 push-ups and squats every hour, for example.

Up for a real test? Consider the “PLP60 Challenge:” every day, you add ONE more rep of a push-up, pull-up, and a lunge, and do them in as many sets as you need:

• Day 1: 10 push-ups, 10 pull-ups, 10 lunges.
• Day 2: 11 push-ups, 11 pull-ups, 11 lunges.
• Day 3: 12 push-ups, 12 pull-ups, 12 lunges.
• And so on.

There’s a benefit to doing one of these bodyweight exercises every single day: 

Not only will you build muscle, but training can also remind us we’re trying to be healthy, which can remind us to eat healthier (remember our lesson on the importance of nutrition).

#4) Get a Kettlebell, follow our Kettlebell workout.

Right now, you can order a 30 pound kettlebell on Amazon for $40.  It doesn’t take up much room, and you can do dozens of exercises with a single kettlebell to stay strong!

Watch our Beginner Kettlebell Workout video below, and follow along with the workout:

• 8 Halos (each side)
• 10 Goblet Squats
• 8 Overhead Presses (each side)
• 15 Kettlebell Swings
• 8 Bent Over Rows (each side)
• 6 Front Rack Reverse Lunge (per side)

This Beginner Kettlebell Workout is what’s called a circuit (you can learn all about circuit training here). That’s just a fancy term for doing a workout like so:

• 1 set of exercise A, go immediately to
• 1 set of exercise B, go immediately to
• 1 set of exercise C, and so on…
• Repeat from the top!

Your long term goal should be to do 3 full circuits back to back for a complete workout.

#5) Get Your 10,000 Steps In!

Movement of any kind is beneficial for human health. 

That’s why we often recommend people starting their fitness journey begin by simply going for a walk. 

But this can be more difficult if you’re trapped in your house or apartment. 

That’s why you should create a walking path through your home.

Maybe it’s up the stairs, going around a perimeter of each bedroom (ask permission if it’s not yours), back through the kitchen and then out to the patio.

Or maybe it’s outside, walking circles around your backyard. 

The longer the walking path the better, and don’t be afraid to go one direction and then turn around to reverse.

A cheap pedometer, FitBit, or even just the pedometer feature of your watch/phone could help a lot here. 

Try to accumulate 10,000 steps per day if possible. 

#6) Create an In-Door Obstacle Course.

Just because you’re trapped inside, doesn’t mean you can’t play!

How about creating a fun obstacle course out of furniture? 

Of course, the floor is always made of lava.

This video might give you some ideas:

No one says you can’t do parkour in your apartment. 

We discuss obstacle courses, parkour, and much more in our guide 40 ways to exercise without realizing it. 

#7) Do Mobility Drills to Stay Limber

Here’s a great 5-minute drill from trainer (and great Instagram follow) Jack Hanrahan!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jack Hanrahan, CSCS. (@jackhanrahanfitness) on Jan 19, 2020 at 7:46am PST

Even in just a few minutes, it’s possible to do a full-body mobility drill.

You don’t even have to follow a pre-made routine. Just get moving, find what feels good, and give yourself permission to get creative.

However, if you are more of a “follow the blueprint” type of person, check out our guide How to Stretch for some pre-made mobility drills. 

#8) Complete a HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) Workout.

You don’t have to head to the gym to do High-Intensity Interval Training. You can do a complete routine right in your own home!

HIIT is just following a specific regimen where you vary your speeds and intensity throughout a shorter run, swim, bike, or row.

Unless you have a giant backyard, running at home might be tough.

But you know what doesn’t require a lot of room?

Burpees!

To complete a burpee:

• Start standing up, then squat down and kick your legs out.
• Do a push-up, bring your legs back in, and explode up into a jump.
• For a HIIT workout, try to do 20 repetitions, then rest for two minutes.
• Repeat until you hate yourself.

Check out our full guide on How to Start Interval Training for some more ideas on HIIT workouts.

You can also check out our post “The 20-Min HIIT Workout for Home” for another living-room-friendly interval routine!

Don’t have 20 minutes? What about a 4-minute tabata workout?

#9) Try A Yoga Routine!

You don’t have to head to a group class to do yoga. No “namaste” or “ohmmmmm” required either.

Here’s a 20-minute yoga routine, specifically designed for newbies, that you can do in your dorm room:

No idea what a downward dog is?

Check out 21 Yoga Poses for Beginners, where we cover each and every move covered in this video. 

#10) Practice Your Handstands (or Work Up to One)!

On the one hand, handstands are really tough. On the other hand, the amount of strength and balance required to perform a handstand will get you in great shape.

Plus, you don’t need to leave your home to practice. 

Never done a handstand before? No problem! Check out our guide on getting your first handstand to begin. 

#11) Train like Batman. Because, Batman.

We love the Caped Crusader here at Nerd Fitness, so naturally we have The Batman Bodyweight Workout for you to try!

This workout is separated into two days for you:

Batman Home Workout Day 1:

• Rolling squat tuck-up jumps: 5 reps
• Side to side push-ups: 5 reps
• Modified headstand push-ups: 5 reps
• Jump pull-up with tuck / Pull-up with Tuck-up: 5 reps
• Handstands against wall: 8 seconds

Batman Home Workout Day 2:

• ‘180 Degree’ jump turns: 5 reps
• Tuck front lever hold: 8 seconds
• Tuck back lever hold: 8 seconds
• Low frog hold: 8 seconds

This is a relatively advanced workout already, but if you want to progress to the next level, check out the main Batman Bodyweight Workout for tips on how to do just that.

Outside of all these super-sweet workouts we covered, there’s more!

If you want a more customized approach for your exact situation (kids, an old injury, you turn into a werewolf once a month), then check out NF Coaching. 

We know exactly how to get people into shape without ever leaving the house.

Want a coach to help every step of the way? Learn more here!

Building a Temporary Home Gym: What Equipment Should I buy?

If you’re going to be stuck in the house, some essential equipment might help you stay fit and healthy without breaking the back.

As somebody who trains in a gym four days per week, I’m going to be avoiding the gym for the upcoming few weeks.

In addition to plenty of bodyweight training (push-ups, pistol squats, and handstands), this is the equipment I’m using to create an inexpensive mini-gym in my apartment:

#1) A 30 lb Kettlebell. While you don’t need any equipment to grow strong, if you were going to buy anything, a kettlebell would offer you a lot of versatility. 

If you do end up picking one up, make sure you check out our 20-minute beginner kettlebell workout, which can be done with one single bell in your living room.

#2) A Door Frame Pull-Up Bar. With this one piece of equipment, you’ll have all you need to build a complete bodyweight workout.

If you’re serious about fitness, and you’re trying to get your first pull-up, a pull-up bar is a must.

I also will be hooking up gymnastic rings to the pull-up bar so I can stick with my ring training!

Here’s NF Coach Jim playing with his setup:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jim Bathurst (@beastskills) on Sep 29, 2016 at 11:48am PDT

Honestly, if you have access to a kettlebell to help with some lower body strength training, and then a pull-up bar to do upper-body pull movements, you can build one heck of a workout!

#3) Resistance Bands. Exercise bands don’t take up a lot of room and can be a great way to increase the difficulty of normal bodyweight moves.

For example, you could start doing band squats:

You have a few different options on bands to purchase, so check out our guide to exercise bands for tips on what to secure.

If strength training isn’t your bag, consider these other two options:

#4) Healthy Gaming – Ring Fit Adventure

I’ve heard from multiple coaches and clients that Ring Fit Adventure provides a way to train in your living room that isn’t monotonous.

Do you have experience with Ring Fit Adventure? Please share in the comments below!

#5) Beat Saber: Come on, this is a no brainer! IT IS a video game to get you moving and THIS IS Nerd Fitness.

If you’re trapped inside and you can afford it, YOLO. 

You can also check out our guide “How to Build a Home Gym” for more ideas on how to create a fitness room in your house or apartment. 

The Nerd Fitness “Stuck in the House” Game

To play today’s game, you’ll need a twenty-sided die like you would use in Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons.

To play our game, simply roll one die. 

Then do the activity that matches it:

MOVEMENT

1. Walk the complete perimeter of your house or apartment, reverse, and do it again.
2. Strike a yoga pose.
3. Do a 60-second workout (pick any bodyweight movement).
4. Balance on one leg for a total of 60 seconds, then switch.
5. Dance like no one’s watching, to something with a fast pace.
6. Try to read a chapter in a static pose (plank, wall sit, deep squat, etc).

NUTRITION

7. Eat a meal with protein and veggies.
8. Take a picture of a meal to share.
9. Skip the snack or eat a piece of fruit.
10. Make a 10-minute meal at home (try one from here).
11. Eat slowly and stop at 80% full.
12. Drink zero-calorie beverages today.
13. Skip a meal (a la intermittent fasting).

LIFESTYLE

14. Go to bed 30 (or 5) minutes earlier.
15. Take a 5-minute break to breathe, meditate, de-stress.
16. Pamper in the shower with a brush and special body wash instead of soap and washcloth.
17. Send Steve a message about your day (reach me on Instagram!)
18. Go outside for 5 minutes.
19. Work on a puzzle (jigsaw, sudoku, crossword).
20. Give the cat a thorough brushing (or dog, or child, or creepy doll).

Feel free to edit The Nerd Fitness “Stuck in the House” Game to make it your own!

(Oh, and share your favorite additional missions in the comments below!) 

Although this game seems very simple, don’t underrate its value.

One of our coaches plays this game with his clients, and they utilize it as an easy trigger for daily self-care.

Other Tips and Tricks for Getting Fit at Home

#1) Find ANY WAY to move more. 

Did you know ‘fidgeting’ (aka “small micromovements”) can account for up to 350 additional calories burned per day? It’s called NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis).

Per the New York Times^[1]:

“Overweight people have a tendency to sit, while lean ones have trouble holding still and spend two hours more a day on their feet, pacing around and fidgeting, researchers are reporting in findings published today.

The difference translates into about 350 calories a day…” 

350 extra calories burned per day ain’t no joke!

As we cover in our “How many calories should I eat every day?” guide, burning an extra 350 calories per day can result in sustainable weight loss and maintenance over time for many.

Here are some ways to increase NEAT at home:

• Watch TV standing up.
• Pace while talking on the phone.
• Sit on the floor and actively stretch while reading.
• Air drum like Dave Grohl. 

#2) Prioritize sleep!

When you never leave the house, you can really get off track with your schedule if you’re not careful.

You might be able to wake up tomorrow whenever. Why prioritize sleep if you no longer need to commute?

Well, because poor sleep can really mess with your immune system. 

Depending on why you’re isolating yourself (like a quarantine from a nasty virus), a hampered immune system can really be harmful.

Here’s how to build healthy sleep habits. 

#3) Wash Your Hands.

This hopefully goes without saying, but you should be washing your hands all the time, even without the threat of a virus or flu.

But I’m going to say it anyways. Wash your dang hands! Here’s exactly how to wash your hands:

Good hygiene is always important, but even more so if you’re trying to avoid sickness and have spent time in public.

#4) Consider a Vitamin D supplement. 

While most supplements are garbage, there are a few few that are worth considering (protein, creatine if you are focused on building muscle).

Another one to consider, especially if you are now living like a vampire and avoiding sunlight…

Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium and also plays a critical role in our immune system.^[2] 

We normally get our Vitamin D from sunlight, or from animals (who also get it from sunlight). In the absence of the sun, taking a Vitamin D supplement is the best we can do.

This brand is a well-reviewed option that I take personally.

#5) Fake Human Contact.

We are social creatures. Meaning if you aren’t careful, never leaving the house might give us cabin fever. 

Prioritize human connection, even if it’s not face-to-face:

• Call a friend (use Facetime, Skype, or Google Hangouts). Meeting a friend in person is preferred, but whether because of a mandatory quarantine (or you just live far apart) a phone call can be a great way to break the loneliness. Bonus points if you use FaceTime or a video service, which makes it seem like you’re closer than you are.
• Write a letter. You can go the other way with technology, and use some pen and paper to write a friend a letter. Yeah, you can just use email, but actual letters are becoming scarce in the 21st century (especially amongst friends) so you’ll set yourself apart by pulling out some stamps and saying “hello” to your mailperson.
• Message Boards. Digital communities can make one feel connected with people from all over the world. Many Rebels in our forums have become friends in real life. Go pick out a user handle and get going!
• Daily Check-In so People Know You Haven’t Gone Feral. It can be incredibly valuable to have an accountability buddy. An “accountabilibuddy” if you will. You can check in with each other to make sure you’re both training, or even compete against each other “I get 5 pull-ups today!” Personally, I have an online coach in my life to fill this role, because I value an expert who can build me a new workout program when the situation changes. 

#6) Look out the window!

Constantly glaring at computers and objects right in front of you isn’t exactly great for your eyes.

Solution: The 20-20-20 Rule!

For every 20 minutes spent looking at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

There is some evidence it will help with eye strain, so it’s an easy enough rule to help your peepers stay healthy.^[3]

If you want some help here, the app Eye Care 20 20 20 will offer a reminder every 20 minutes to go look outside. 

How to Get Fit From Home (Next Steps)

Whether you’re only quarantined for a couple of weeks, or you’re somebody who works from home, the most important thing you do: 

• Schedule workouts in your calendar.
• Know your calorie intake.
• Move daily.
• Stay strong.
• Eat your vegetables.
• Get plenty of sleep.

It’s time to build a new routine, and it starts by treating your new life at home seriously. 

It’s easy to say “I’ll work out later” when your training takes place in the next room over. So easy in fact, that it’s easy to push out until tomorrow. 

Then the next day. 

Then the next. 

Before you know it, you realize you just don’t exercise anymore.

So, no matter how long you’re practicing extreme social distancing, KEEP up your momentum, train aggressively, and take care of yourself indoors.

This will allow you to get back on track without having lost all of your progress.

Note: it doesn’t really matter what time of day you train. Pick a time that works best for you. Just be consistent with it!

Our coaching clients who have the most success training at home are those that place working out in their calendar. 

Then at the end of the week, ask yourself “Did I complete this week’s training?” 

• If “yes”, that’s awesome. Keep at it.
• If “no,” don’t fret. Pick a smaller workout (5 minutes vs 10 minutes) and try again.

We discuss this throughout our guide on tracking your fitness progress. If you want to see results, make sure you’re hitting your goals. If you aren’t, pick smaller goals. 

The goals themselves aren’t so important at first. What is important is picking one, crushing it, then picking another.

This really is the quickest path to getting in shape. We’ve seen it time and time again throughout the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

So pick a goal (or roll a die) and get going!

Want a little help? The perfect next step on how to start getting in shape at home?

No problemo!

Here are 3 options on how to continue with Nerd Fitness:

Option #1) If you want step-by-step guidance on how to get strong, lose weight, and level up your life, check out our online coaching program:

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

Option #2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Have questions you need answered? Join Nerd Fitness Prime!

Nerd Fitness Prime is our premium membership program that contains at-home exercise routines, live-streamed workouts with NF Coaches, a supportive online community, group challenges, and much more! 

Learn more about Nerd Fitness Prime!

Option #3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign-up below and receive our free guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It includes step-by-step instructions for all the exercises covered in today’s guide. 

Alright, enough from me. Your turn:

How do you plan on staying active at home?

Stuck at home with kids? How are you getting them involved?

Do you have any tips or tricks for training without a gym?

Are you currently reading this from an abandoned missile silo?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Check out The 7 Best At-Home Workouts for more tips on how to train without a gym. 

PPS: Hopefully this goes without saying, but getting healthy and building a strong immune system is one of the best defenses one can have against getting sick. 

PPPS: Be careful where you are getting your medical news from with regards to this virus! If you are looking for the most up to date information on the CoronaVirus situation in your country, please refer to actual experts over at Johns Hopkins.

###

GIF Source: Mario dance, 

Photo Source: Home Sweet Home, Visiting Friends, Home Sweet Home II, Wizard, Strobist with the Hazmat Guy

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Winter is approaching and with it comes SAD.

No, I don’t mean the emotion (although that’s part of it).

I’m talking about Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Luckily, we have some tips and tricks for treating SAD that our Online Coaching Clients use. Today, we’ll share them with you too.

You don’t have to take this journey alone. Learn more by clicking here.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
• How do I know if I have SAD?
• What is the best treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder? (Slaying the SAD Beast)
• Moving forward with SAD (This too shall pass)

Disclaimer: We’re going to be discussing some issues that may be difficult for some going through a tough time. If you (or someone you know) aren’t coping so well, PLEASE see the links at the bottom of this article with some resources from all around the world. Obviously, we recommend discussing this information with your health professional – none of this is a diagnosis, but rather a starting point for discussion.

BUT, armed with the right weapons, we can ward off the winter monster, or even keep it in full hibernation.

From here, mental health wizard and resident NF Family Rebel Correspondent, Dan Schmidt, will take it away:

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

As Coach Jim mentions in the video above, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder that, spoiler alert, has a seasonal pattern. 

(Plus, it’s a really clever acronym.)

It’s also known as:

• Winter depression
• Winter blues
• Seasonal depression.

In a nutshell, SAD makes people with ‘normal’ mental health experience depressive symptoms at a specific time each year – most often winter.

SAD can be a cruel, powerful, and damaging arctic foe.

But armed with the right weapons, we can ward off the winter monster, or even keep it in full hibernation.

How Do I Know if I have SAD?

Most of us feel a little glum in winter…it’s natural to feel a little down.

Cold mornings, less time outside, and often it’s not as easy to get out and do our favorite things:

So for a lot of us, winter just sucks a little. 

We’ve known something was up since the 6th century, but SAD remained a mythical creature until the 1980s in the West when it became officially recognized as a mood disorder. While we’re still not 100% sure of how it works; it’s pretty clear to see that SAD especially thrives in cooler, darker climates.

For example, studies show^[1] SAD’s prevalence in the U.S. ranges from around 1% in Florida to 9% in Alaska. Looking around the world, in Oslo, Norway, around 14% of the population will be impacted by SAD,^[2] while us lucky buggers Down Under are barely impacted at all, with estimates that only around 1 in 300 Aussies (0.33%)^[3] will experience SAD during the “winter.”

Yes, SAD can occur for some people during summer and other seasons, but this is particularly rare compared to winter prevalence.

Common SAD symptoms include:

• low mood for most of the day.
• loss of interest in your usual activities.
• drowsiness and low energy (lethargy).
• fatigue, irritability, and severe mood swings.
• Irregular sleep patterns (too much and/or too little)
• eating more than usual, especially craving sugar and carbohydrates, leading to weight gain.
• loss of interest in things you normally enjoy doing.
• intrusive or disturbing thoughts.

Depression is not just a fancy word for feeling “bummed out”, and SAD is just as serious as any other depression and needs to be dealt with promptly and effectively. (See the end of the article for a list of mental health services links.)

“But how do I know the difference between general winter glumness, or if I’m being mauled by the SAD beast like Leo in the Revenant?”

Ask yourself these questions:

• “Do you feel like you can’t get yourself out of this rut?”
• “Have you lost an interest in things that you usually enjoy?”
• “Have you felt this way for more than two weeks?”

If so, then it could be time to have a chat with a professional and perhaps seek treatment. Once again, SAD is just as real and can be just as devastating as Major Depressive Disorder; the only difference is the yearly regular onset.

This bitter beast can take over someone’s entire well-being, and if left untreated, the consequences can be devastating.

So let’s learn how we can slay the SAD, or even better, keep it in hibernation this year, so we nerds can continue to conquer all year round.

What is the best treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder? (Slaying the SAD Beast)

As with any injury or illness boss battle, you need to use the right medicine weapon to save the day. And there are many weapons you can equip yourself with to slay SAD.

Here is how to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder: 

#1) GET SOME LIGHT

Light helps the body produce serotonin (hormone that affects mood) and reduces the production of melatonin (hormone that makes you sleepy).^[4]

Starting with natural light is best, even though it’s not always easy. If the sun happens to be peeking out from the clouds, try and get outside for a nice walk. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help, particularly in the morning. Just make sure you bundle up properly. The Norwegians have a saying “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing!”

Also, making your work and home environments as light and airy as possible and sitting near windows can help too. 

If you feel you’re just simply not able to get enough natural light, ‘Light Therapy’ is generally one of the first weapons picked up to slay SAD.^[5] It can start alleviating symptoms in just a few days. It’s incredibly simple, and sitting under bright fluorescent globes or in front of a therapy lamp (again, particularly in the morning) has shown to be effective against SAD^[6] (Anecdotal, but I once met a young woman who started to feel better just by increasing the wattage of her bedroom light globes).

Be forewarned that Light Therapy is not appropriate for everyone, including people with bipolar disorder – talk to a professional if this is a route you want to take.

#2) EXERCISE AND DIET

Surprise, surprise, our old friends come to the rescue once again. It’s clear^[7] that exercise is key in keeping the blues at bay, so rug up and take a long walk, and be sure to work out when possible.

Exercise and other types of physical activity help relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can increase SAD symptoms.

If you’re really keen to take on winter, try the Winter Is Coming Workout, and start building that summer body early. For those who don’t like the freezing weather, that’s cool (get it?), you can always do Steve’s 20-minute hotel room workout (pro tip: you don’t actually need to be staying in a hotel room to do the workout… that was $250 I’ll never get back).

As for nutrition – while there is no well-established link between healthy nutritional practices and a reduction in SAD symptoms. BUT, studies HAVE shown links between healthy eating – like the Mediterranean diet – and a decrease in general depression.^[8]

So anything we can do to eat healthy this time of year may certainly help.

Plus, Steve has already highlighted that if you’re going to eat unhealthy foods during winter, let’s at least be smart about it and negate the impact the holidays have on our waistlines. Try your best to provide a counterbalance to those comfort foods, and keep your diet as close as you can to what it is the rest of the year.

#3) GET SOME VITAMIN D

When exposure to sunlight is low, your body makes less Vitamin D.^[9] According to this study,^[10] Vitamin D deficiency affects nearly HALF of the world population. It is important for overall health. Our friends over at Examine say that if your diet is decent and there’s only one supplement you’re taking, it should probably be Vitamin D during these upcoming months.

The research is a little mixed when it comes to Vitamin D’s effectiveness in battling SAD,^[11] but some studies^[12] do show an improvement to everyone’s depression scale scores (those with or without SAD). Overall, if you aren’t getting enough sunlight in the winter, consider picking up some Vitamin D!

Recommendations differ for the amount of Vitamin D needed – or if you even need it – so further blood work and a talk with your doctor is a good choice here.

#4) MEDITATE

Meditation has been shown to help alleviate symptoms of depression.^[13] Now, you don’t have to shed all your worldly possessions and go live in the mountains:

But if you’re suffering from the winter blues, a simple mindfulness practice may help. Even just a few minutes a day can go a long way.

If you want, Nerd Fitness Journey has a meditation adventure to help you build up the habit.

It’s free to try, right here:

#5) EMBRACE THE SEASON

Going back to foreign sayings – there’s a Danish concept of “hygge.”

While there’s no direct English translation, it essentially means coziness and comfort

Things like:

• Wrapping yourself up in a blanket.
• Enjoying a good book.
• Or sitting by a warm fire.

So instead of lamenting the change of seasons – EMBRACE these other experiences that we get to enjoy.

#6) THERAPY

Talk Therapy (Psychotherapy) and cognitive behavioral therapy sound scary but really aren’t.

Psychotherapy focuses on helping you to build skills to deal with the stresses in your life, along with identifying and changing negative thinking patterns.

Therapies such as these assist with relearning some of the patterns and thoughts in your life that aren’t doing you any good.

(You can read the Nerd Fitness Guide to Mental Health for more info.)

It can feel daunting and really weird ‘opening up’ to a stranger at first.

But having a coach to talk through your negative thoughts and feelings, someone who can teach you to manage those better, is generally quite effective.

Most people will notice an improvement in as little as two weeks. Really, the “weird” stigma is usually the biggest barrier to even doing the thing in the first place!

#7) MEDICATION

Finally, some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatment, especially if symptoms are severe. We’re not here to offer any medical advice, so please see your doctor if you think medication may assist you.

Moving forward with SAD (This too shall pass)

It’s normal to have some days when you feel down, and the holiday season can be especially hard for some.

When short days and miserable weather are piled on top of this, it’s easy to see why ‘winter blues’ is so common. But if you feel down for days at a time and you can’t get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, please speak to someone and see your doctor. This is especially important if your sleep patterns and appetite have changed, you feel a sense of hopelessness, you have intrusive thoughts, or you turn to alcohol/substances for comfort or relaxation.

Above all, take care of yourself this winter: 

• Be sure to get enough rest, and take the time to relax.
• Participate in an exercise program or engage in another form of regular physical activity.
• Get outside when you can.
• Make healthy choices for meals and snacks when possible.
• Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or health professional if you feel you’re having a tough time.

And if someone reaches out to you, remember: We are Rebels, we fight conventional wisdom and smash stigmas. Never leave a fellow nerd behind.

If you feel the bitter, arctic beast starting to rise from its summer slumber, remember that you are not alone, and there are ways to slay the frosty fiend. You are strong enough to beat this, and the entire Rebellion has your back.

Want a little more from us?

If you want to continue your journey with Nerd Fitness, we have three great ways for you to do so:

#1) Our Online Coaching Program: a coaching program for busy people to help them make better food choices, stay accountable, and get healthier, permanently.

You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you. Just click on the button below for more details:

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

#2) If you want an exact roadmap for getting fit, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, we have Missions specifically designed to help you stay active, no matter what the weather is like outside.

Try your free trial right here:

#3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out at home” guides, the Nerd Fitness Diet Cheat Sheet, and much more!

Alright, that does it for me. Rebels, take care of yourself and each other.

Do you have your own secret weapon to slay the SAD? We’d love to hear from all you Rebels about how you keep your mind healthy during winter; the more ideas we all have, the better! Let us know in the comments!

– Dan

PS – If you, or someone you know, would like further support, here are some excellent links and services that will get you started in the right direction:

• North America – Suicide Prevention Lifeline, List of Mental Health hotlines
• Canada – Suicide Prevention Service, List of Mental Health services
• Great Britain & Ireland – Samaritans, List of services via Mental Health Foundation
• Australia – National helplines and websites, Lifeline, headspace
• New Zealand – Lifeline, Mental Health helplines
• India – SNEHA
• Norway – Suicide hotline
• Worldwide – Worldwide mental health hotlines, Worldwide suicide hotlines, Befrienders Worldwide

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Today I’m going to teach how you to appear more confident.

Why? Because confidence is one of the most important skills in life that you can acquire (other than learning to use the Force, obviously).

I know how important even a little bit of confidence can be in everyday situations, whether it’s negotiating with your boss for a raise, buying a car, giving a presentation, or meeting your fiance’s parents.

We’re naturally attracted to and will have our opinions swayed by those who have (or appear to have) a lot of confidence.

Nerds usually get the short end of the stick in the “naturally confident” department, but that doesn’t mean we can’t acquire it like a new skill, Matrix-style!

So today we’ll discuss five steps that you can take to start seeing a difference in self-confidence immediately.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• #1) The importance of good posture
• #2) Slowing down
• #3) When (and how) to smile
• #4) Winning the starring contest
• #5) Getting out of our head

Wanna know something interesting? Many of our coaching clients report “increased confidence” as a consequence of our program. It’s because once you’ve changed your nutrition strategy, lost some weight, and learned to pick up a barbell, you start to understand what you’re truly capable of. That’s a huge confidence boost!

If you’d like to learn if our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program would be a good fit for you, you can click on the image below for more info:

#1) Stop slouching

If you can develop good posture (a trait that can bypass us nerds), you’ll appear approximately 145% more confident within seconds.

I definitely made up that stat, by the way.

I used to have awful posture throughout most of my life (which caused lots of lower back pain). It wasn’t until I made a conscious effort to focus on standing up straight and strengthening my lower back that the pain went away.

In order to stay on target, I actually hung a “POSTURE!” post-it on my bedroom door so I wouldn’t forget each morning.

Here’s how you can improve your posture:

1. Stand up as TALL as you can, like you’re a puppet and somebody just pulled the string that’s attached to the top of your noggin.
2. Pull your shoulder blades down and back as far as possible – This will feel really weird if you spend a lot of time hunched over a desk.
3. Pick your chin up and look straight ahead – stop looking down while walking around, there’s a whole world out there for you to see.

So not this:

If you have trouble pulling your shoulder blades back, a couple of back exercises might help.

#1) Lat Pull-Downs:

#2) Dumbbell Rows: 

This will build up the muscles in your upper back and allow you to actually pull those shoulder blades back together.

Want something easier?

Try standing with your heels, butt, and head against a wall, and then pull your shoulder blades back until they’re touching the wall too. Do this daily and increase the length of the stretch each time.

If you spend all day in a chair, try this: sit down in your chair, and then stand back up WITHOUT having to rock forward. If you have to lean forward even slightly, you’re doing it wrong.

Sit straight up like you’re always ready to stand without having to lean forward. Your lower back will probably get tired as hell sitting like this because it’s not used to the new position – work on it.

Do planks every other day (working your way up to two minutes), and you’ll have a rock-solid core and incredibly strong lower back.

This is probably the hardest step of all, as many of us have spent years and years developing poor posture without even thinking about it. But if we spend a month making a concerted effort to have better posture, we’ll be well on our way to a more confident appearance. Pretty soon we won’t even have to think about it!

I mentioned earlier that back exercises like pull-ups and inverted rows can help a lot with posture. If you have no clue where to start on your strength training journey, make sure you download our guide: Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know.

It walks you through every aspect of starting a strength training practice, from equipment, and specific workouts, and how to know when you should progress to lifting more weight. You can grab it for free when you join the Rebellion below!

#2) Slow down

I am terrified of public speaking. Seriously, I hate being in front of even a small crowd. However, you would never know this, given all the speeches I’ve presented over the years.

You know how I did it?

By taking a deep breath, slowing down, and practicing. I still get nervous, but I’ve learned to manage it so well that nobody notices.

What’s the importance of slowing down? When you get nervous, your voice tends to go up a few notes and you’ll talk faster than you realize. These are two dead ringers for “scaredy cat.”

It’s a lesson I learned in wayyy back in college while presenting my senior business proposal.

It’s now time for a flashback…

About thirty seconds into my college presentation – which I thought was going well – I noticed my friend Deepa in the back of the room frantically waving her arms at me, mouthing “SLOOOWWW DOWNNNN.”

I quickly readjusted my speech, talked WAY slower than I thought I needed to, and took long breaths between sentences. She later told me that she couldn’t understand the beginning at all but the rest of it came out perfectly.

The rest of that class was molded by that presentation, so thanks Deepa for saving me!

If you get nervous in front of people no matter how big or small the group, talk slower than you think you need to, and don’t forget to breathe. In your head, it might seem way too slow, but out loud it’s just right.

#3) Smile

People don’t smile enough these days, so we’re bringing it back. 

When dealing with any situation or scenario where we’re uncomfortable, it’s easy to get caught up in our heads. We might be frowning without even realizing it.

The solution: smile.

Not a fake smile, not a creepy smile, but a genuine smile.

We’ll work on it. 

Don’t know how to smile correctly? Stand in front of a mirror, close your eyes, and look down. Look up, smile, and open your eyes at the same time.

See that smile right there?

THAT’S a genuine smile.

#4) Win the staring contest

Many of us now work from home, hanging out in our underwear and only interacting with our dogs (or maybe this is just me).

But we’ll still come across people like:

• The person behind the counter at CVS.
• Your waitress at lunch.
• Random strangers that you pass on the street.

When was the last time you looked somebody in the eye until THEY looked away first? If you’re like me, you’ve probably always been the first to “flinch.”

I’m not very good at staring contests:

I say no more!

Starting right now, we’re going to be the person that doesn’t look away.

Think of each interaction as a mini-battle – our eyes against theirs.

As long as we’re smiling and blinking, it’ll come across as friendly and warming.

If we’ve always been shy, the first few times doing this will be absolutely nerve-wracking. Try and power through it.

When practicing, you’ll find that lots of folks will ignore your welcoming glance. They’re probably just nervous too.

#5) Get out of your head

If you feel out of place in a situation, remember this: everybody around you probably does too. We all have our own insecurities; just some of us can exist outside of our brains and project confidence.

As a fellow nerd and chronic over-thinker, I know this is tough to do: stop thinking so dang much and just go for it.

Here are some tips for getting out of your head in a social setting:

• Once you spot somebody you’re interested in, don’t give yourself more than three seconds before approaching them. Anything beyond that will cause you to over-analyze the situation in your head and probably end up doing nothing. You’ll quickly learn that “if you don’t ask, the answer is always no,” so you have nothing to lose.
• Introduce yourself immediately to strangers at a party – get the awkwardness out of the way immediately, and you’ll come across as cool and collected.
• Once you have your speech or presentation prepared, don’t give yourself hours to get nervous – concentrate on something else to occupy your mind until it’s time to present. Don’t overthink, just follow the plan and talk slowly.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said:

He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.

I bet those three things listed above seem scary to 95% of the population (they all scare the bejeezus out of me, which is precisely why I force myself to do them).

Part of building confidence is taking risks and having the ability (and the guts) to do stuff that scares you. Around here we call it “20 Seconds of Courage.”

Your mission: Build Confidence Today

As you follow these five steps, you’ll start to appear more confident. That can make some of your encounters more successful…which will instill more confidence in you. Then this will make even MORE of your encounters successful. And so on.

Think of your confidence like a giant snowball with lots of inertia – tough to get started, but once it’s rolling the momentum will take over.

Your homework – while walking down the street with your head held high, shoulders back, and a big smile on your face, make direct eye contact with at least five strangers that walk by and give them a simple “hi.” Remember, they have to be the ones to look away first, not you.

The first few times will feel really awkward, but who cares – you’ll probably never see them again. As you get more “missions” under your belt, you can progress to other more challenging objectives, like striking up a conversation with a stranger, giving a speech, robbing a bank, etc.

One last thing: with great power comes great responsibility.

There is a fine line between having confidence and being cocky – nobody likes the cocky person who is full of themselves. Remember to be humble.

If you’re trying to figure out how to develop true confidence and apply it to your life, I’d check out Mark Manson’s The Confidence Conundrum:

Confidence is not necessarily linked to any external marker. Rather, our confidence is rooted in our perception of ourselves regardless of any tangible external reality.

The obvious and most common answer to the confidence conundrum is to simply believe that you lack nothing. That you already have, or at least deserve, whatever you feel you would need to make you confident.

In other words: Don’t change what you are, just learn to be more confident in who you are.

So, what tips did I miss or mess up? Any other words of wisdom to pass along? Us nerds need all the help we can get!

-Steve

PS: If you’re looking to boost your confidence, I’ll again remind you of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. We work with busy nerds just like you to complete life overhauls, from adjusting nutrition strategies for weight loss to learning how to strength train.

And as I mentioned earlier, many of our clients report increased confidence as a result of our program. Click below to learn more:

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All photo sources can be read right here.^[1]

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I get multiple emails and messages per day asking:

“Steve, what should I do for a workout?”

Well, partner, today is your lucky day.

I’m gonna help build you a custom workout program, step-by-step! 

After all, a workout should be developed around a person’s age, goals, nutritional strategy, free time, etc.

Not only that, but it’s easy to overcomplicate this process – there are an infinite number of exercises, sets, reps, and programs to choose from.

Now, if you’re somebody that wants to skip all of that, and JUST want to be told what exactly to do: 

We build customized workouts for our Online Coaching Clients and would love to have you. We get to know your story and struggles, your goals, and your lifestyle, and develop a workout plan that fits your schedule.

Want a customized workout plan you’ll ACTUALLY do? Learn more:

Now, if you’re more of a “figure this stuff out on my own” kind of person – we’re going to dig into how to build your own workout plan today!

We’ve also created a free resource for folks who want to build their own workout but would love some more specific direction and instruction.

You can download our free guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know, which covers all of this stuff in a single guide:

OKAY! Are you ready to start building your own routine and want to know how it’s done?

Great! Let’s do this:

• Step #1: Determine your “Get in Shape” situation!
• Step #2: “What exercises should I do to lose weight (or build muscle)?”
• Step #3: “How many sets and reps should I do per exercise?”
• Step #4: “How long should I wait between sets?”
• Step #5: “How much weight should I lift?”
• Step #6: “How long should I exercise for?“
• Step #7: How to create supersets and circuit training workouts.
• Step #8: “How many days per week should I train?”
• Step #9: How to record your workouts and progress.
• “Steve, just BUILD a workout for me!”

Step #1: Determine Your “Get in Shape” Situation

As Coach Staci lays out in the video above, we need to answer a few key questions when designing a workout:

QUESTION 1: What are your goals?

• Are you trying to lose weight? Awesome.
• Are you trying to bulk up or build muscle? Great.
• Are you preparing for your first 5k? Swell.

Whatever your goals are, it’s good to write them down and be aware of what you’re trying to accomplish.

These goals will shape HOW you build your workout.

An effective way to create goals is by using the SMART method, which stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.^[1]

• Specific – Your goals must specifically state what is to be accomplished.  They must be clear and easy to understand.
• Measurable – Your goals must be measurable so you can tell if you’re making progress or not.  For example, I want to gain 5 pounds of muscle.  To track your progress you will need body composition equipment that is designed to assess your fat and muscle mass.
• Attainable – Your goals should be realistically attainable.  Remember, a realistic amount of muscle mass to gain per week is about 0.5 pounds.  For example, gaining 5 pounds of muscle should realistically take about 10 weeks
• Relevant – Your goals must be relevant to your particular interests, needs, likes/dislikes, and abilities.  Another thing to remember is that your goals need to be generated by you and you alone!
• Timely – Your goals must have a timeline for completion.  If your goal is to gain 5 pounds of muscle then a reasonable end-point should be at minimum 10 weeks.

A SMART goal is a good goal.

QUESTION 2: How much time can you devote to exercise?

If you can do an hour a day, that’s fantastic.

But maybe you have a wife or husband, three kids, a dog, two jobs, and no robot butler…

…then maybe you only have thirty minutes, twice a week.

That’s fine too!

Also, break up your workout! According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), if you accumulate three 10-minute bouts of exercise throughout the day to total 30-minutes of exercise, then that is as effective as someone who does one 30-minute bout of exercise.^[2]

Now, no matter how much time you have, developing the most efficient workout is crucial.

Why spend two hours in a gym when you can get just as much accomplished in 30 minutes, right?

Here’s the good news: weight training is the fat-burning prize fight victor, and efficiency rules all.

So whether you are building muscle or looking to lose weight, a strength training workout will get you the results you’re after (when combined with the right eating strategy!)

While we’re talking about time, let me quickly mention something important:

Proper expectations!

As we cover “How Fast Can I Get the Body I Want,” make sure you are thinking about your journey with a realistic timeline:

As we mention in that guide, here are some realistic timeframes for weight loss or muscle gain:^[3]

• If you are trying to lose weight it is recommended that you seek a calorie deficit by consuming 250-500 fewer calories per day below your typical calorie intake.  This will result in a realistic weight loss goal of 1-2 pounds per week
• If you’re trying to gain muscle mass, then it is recommended that you seek a calorie surplus by consuming 250-500 additional calories above your typical calorie intake. This will result in a realistic gain in lean muscle mass of about 0.5 pounds per week.

QUESTION 3: WHERE do you want to work out?

• At a gym? Here’s a Beginner’s Gym Guide with 6 levels of workouts.
• At home? Have you tried our Beginner Bodyweight Workout?
• In a park? Try our park workout.

Where you work out will largely determine if you are going to train with your body’s weight, or if you can start doing gym strength training.

If you’re paying attention here, you may notice I’m setting you up to work out no matter what your current situation is.

Why?

Because according to ACSM, the #1 reason people don’t exercise is:^[4]

They don’t have time for it.

All of us, all the time. 

BUT, with the information I’m hitting you with, technically you should have no excuse for not exercising unless (you’re injured or sick).

After all, your workout:

• Can be accumulated with just 10-minute bouts of exercise throughout the day.
• Doesn’t need to be done with a gym membership.
• Can be done with exercises in the comfort of your own home or while outside (weather permitting).

Cool?

Cool.

RECAP OF QUESTIONS – At this point, we should have:

• Determined your “get in shape” goals.
• Decided how much time you have to train.
• Picked WHERE you want to work out.

We can now start to build your workout routine, your daily workout plan, and your monthly workout schedule!

Let’s do it.

Step #2: What Exercises Should I do to lose weight (or build muscle?)

I like to follow the motto of “Keep it simple, stupid.”

(Note: I am not calling you stupid. You’re reading Nerd Fitness, which means you’re intelligent, good-looking, really funny, and most of all, modest.)

The best workout is the one that you actually stick with, and people make things FAR too complicated and try to target a bazillion different individual muscles with six types of exercises for each body part.

It’s exhausting, unnecessary, inefficient, and intimidating.

So keep it simple!

We’re going to pick 5 exercises and get really strong with those movements.

This is the ENTIRE philosophy behind our Strength 101 series.

Unless you’ve been strength training for years and know what you’re doing, we recommend that you pick a full-body routine that you can do 2-3 times a week.

You want a workout routine that has at least one exercise for your:

• Quads (front of your legs).
• Butt and hamstrings (back of your legs).
• Chest, shoulders, and triceps: (“push” muscles).
• Back, biceps, and grip ( “pull” muscles).
• Core (abdominals and lower back).

I have a trick for you: by targeting compound movements that recruit multiple muscles at the same time, you can build a full-body routine that uses only four or five exercises.

How’s THAT for efficiency!?!

A compound exercise would be the yin to the yang of the isolation exercise.

Think of a push-up (compound):

Compared to bicep curls through a machine (isolation):

Compound exercises have been found to result in improvements in aerobic endurance, muscular fitness, and flexibility, since you’re recruiting all sorts of muscle groups at once.^[5]

Where an isolation exercise would be a single-joint movement involving only one single muscle group, like the biceps, in our example above.

I will say, there is a time and place for implementing compound and isolation exercises.

We cover all this in our The 12 Best Compound Exercises For Beginners (How To Train Efficiently) guide.

Here is a quick breakdown of which compound exercises will work for each of those muscle groups:

• Quads – squats, lunges, one-legged squats, box jumps.
• Butt and Hamstrings – deadlifts, hip raises, straight leg deadlifts, good mornings, step-ups.
• Push (chest, shoulders, and triceps) – overhead press, bench press, incline dumbbell press, push-ups, dips.
• Pull (back, biceps, and forearms) – chin-ups, pull-ups, bodyweight rows, bent-over rows.
• Core (abs and lower back) – planks, side planks, exercise ball crunches, mountain climbers, jumping knee tucks, hanging leg raises.

Not sure how to do any of these movements? Want more examples?

Then check out:

The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere!

Pick one exercise from each category above for your workout, and you’ll work almost every single muscle in your body. 

Get stronger with each movement each week, and you have yourself a recipe for a great physique.

Here is an example of a great, effective simple gym workout:

• Barbell squats: 5 sets of 5 reps.
• Barbell Deadlifts: 3 sets of 3 reps.
• Push-ups (or dips): 3 sets of 15 reps.
• Pull-ups (or Inverted Rows): 3 sets of 8 reps.
• Planks: 3 sets, 1 minute hold each.

You don’t need to make things more complicated than this!

(Not that we humans have a tendency to overcomplicate things to the point of paralysis and inaction…)

Ahem.

If you’re not sure how to do any of the movements above, click on their links for thorough write-ups and video demonstrations.

Pick one exercise from EACH category above, specifically ones that scare you the least, and that will be your workout every other day for the next week.

The great news: the above workout routine will work whether you’re looking to bulk up and build muscle OR if you’re trying to lose weight.

You simply adjust your calories consumed – which is 80% of the equation – and that’s how you’ll start to change your physique.^[5]

Oh, and you’ll also need to think about macronutrient breakdowns (carbs, fats, proteins), like in our Nerd Fitness Balanced Plate:

But you can check out our Guide to Healthy Eating for more info on that.

STEVE’S BIG PIECE OF ADVICE: GET STRONG.

Get really good at these basic movements and focus on getting stronger each week (I’ll cover how below).

If you get really strong at squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, and push-ups, you will build an incredible physique to be proud of.

Plus, building strength with these exercises will also help in other areas such as improving your performance in sports, decreasing your risk of chronic diseases (e.g., CVD) and premature mortality (an early death).^[6]

*mic drop*

**picks up mic**

Then, once you get confident in those movements, feel free to add some variety.

Why?

If you do the same exact routine, three days a week, for months and months, you might get bored, and start slacking…

Or you might hit a workout plateau.^[7] 

So if you find yourself getting bored, feel free to stick with the above ‘formula,’ but change the ingredients:

• If you do bench presses on Monday, go with overhead presses on Wednesday and dips on Friday.
• Squats on Monday? Try lunges on Wednesday and front squats on Friday.
• Do deadlifts every Wednesday, but change up the sets and reps you pick!

If you hit a plateau or find yourself getting bored, pick a different exercise to improve so you’ll stay challenged, and you’ll actually DO the workout!

Then, focus on getting stronger!^[8] (You are writing down your workouts, right?).

I know it’s really easy to overcomplicate this process as there’s an infinite number of exercises, sets, reps, and programs to choose from.

And yes, we have a solution for people that JUST want to be told what exactly to do: our uber-popular 1-on-1 coaching program pairs you with your own Nerd Fitness Coach who will get to know you, your goals, and your lifestyle, and develop a workout plan that’s specific to not only your body, but also to your schedule and life:

Our Coaching will change your life. Learn how!

Step #3: How Many Sets And Reps Should I Do?

SIMPLE ANSWER: Not including a warm-up set or two, I recommend:

• 3 to 5 sets per exercise.
• 8 to 10 reps per set when starting out.^[9]

LONGER ANSWER – watch this video:

As we cover in our “How Many Sets and Reps?” guide, a “set” is a series of repetitions that you complete without stopping.

For example, if you drop down and do 10 push-ups right now, you just did 1 SET of 10 REPETITIONS (or REPS) of push-ups.

Got it? Cool.

Some general rules on repetitions you can follow as you’re starting to build your workout plan:

1. If you’re looking to burn fat while building muscle, keep your number of repetitions per set in the 8-15 range per set.
2. If you can do more than 15 reps without much of a challenge, consider increasing the weight or the difficulty of the movement. This is true for things like lunges, bodyweight squats, push-ups, pull-ups, etc.

There are some other generally accepted ‘rules’ – as pointed out in Starting Strength – about how to determine how many reps you should target per set, based on your goals:

• Reps in the 1-5 range build super dense muscle and strength (called myofibrillar hypertrophy).
• Reps in the 6-12 range build a somewhat equal amount of muscular strength and muscular size (this is called sarcoplasmic hypertrophy).
• Reps in the 12+ range build muscular endurance.

A 2015 study ^[10] called into question the best rep strategy for building muscle or size:

It appears that high-intensity resistance (sets of 3-5 reps) training stimulates greater improvements in some measures of strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men during a short-term training period [compared to sets of 8-10 reps].

What this means: Do not freak yourself out by worrying if you should do 4 sets or 5 sets of 8 reps or 10 reps. 

Our advice would be to START with lighter weight and more reps as you learn the movement, and then decide if you want to stay at higher reps and lower weight or vice versa.

You do you, because either way will get you results!

The only thing you need to worry about: get stronger the next time you do that movement.

Either pick up a heavier weight, or do 1 more repetition than last time.

“JUST GIVE ME THE ANSWER!”

Keep your TOTAL (all exercises combined) workout number of sets for all exercises in the 15-25 set range, with 8-10 reps per set:

5 exercises total, each with 4 “work sets” is a good start.

Remember, the most important part is to get started – you’ll learn how your body responds and you can adapt as you go.

What you DON’T need to do: multiple exercises for each body part with 10 sets.

This will result in significant fatigue during your workout increasing your risk for sustaining an injury. It can also result in overtraining, in which you will experience a decrease in performance and plateauing (will not see muscular improvements).^[11]

So calm down you eager beaver.

A BIG CAVEAT: How you eat will determine if you get bigger or stronger. Nutrition is 80-90% of the equation. So pick a range that feels good, and then focus on nutrition.

And if you don’t want to figure any of this out and just want to be told exactly how what exercises, sets, and reps to do, our online coaches can take care of that for you.

Our NF Coaches can build a workout you’ll actually do! Learn more here.

Step #4: How Long Should I Wait Between Sets?

Keep it simple, you “smart, good-looking, funny, modest person” you.

Below is a basic formula for you to determine how long you should wait between sets, but this can be adjusted based on your level of health.

The goal is to wait the least amount of time you need, but still rest enough that you can perform all reps of the next set safely and properly!

Here’s why that’s important:^[12]

Adequate rest in-between sets will allow your body to regenerate energy, so you can execute the next set of reps with good form and technique, therefore, decreasing your risk of injury.

I’ll provide some guidelines for how long to rest based on how heavy you’re lifting (not rules set in stone!):

• 1-3 Reps (lifting heavy for strength/power): Rest for 3 to 5 minutes between sets.
• 4-7 Reps (lifting for strength): Rest for 2 to 3 minutes between sets.
• 8-12 Reps (lifting for size/strength): Rest for 1 to 2 minutes between sets.
• 13 Reps+ (lifting for endurance): Rest long enough to recover to allow you to do the next long-ass set!

If you need more or less rest than the above recommendations, that’s fine.^[13]

Do the best you can, record how long it takes you to rest between sets, and try to rest for shorter periods in the future.

Your body will adjust as you get stronger and healthier!

If you want more information on how much you should lift, how many reps, and when to scale certain movements or adjust your workout, check out our Strength 101: Everything You Need to Know.

It’s free when you join the Rebellion with your email in the box below:

Step #5: How Much Weight Should I Lift?

We have a FULL resource on how to determine your starting weight for lifting, but I’ll give you the gist here.

The simple-to-learn but tough-to-implement answer:

Lift enough so that you can get through the set, but not too much that you have NO fuel left in the tank at the end.

How do you determine how much that is?

Trial and error.

ALWAYS err on the side of “too light” versus “too heavy” when starting out.

It’s better to say “I bet I could have done more!” instead of “that was too much, and now I need to go to the hospital!”

Plus, when you start working out, you’re actually programming your neuromuscular systems to do the movement correctly.^[14] You can’t rush this, so it’s best not to start off too heavy.^[15]

When is it time to move up in resistance?

The NSCA has a 2-for-2 rule that recommends:^[16]

If a person can do two reps (or more) over their set goal, then they should increase the load.

How much should you increase weight by?

• For less trained people (i.e., beginners), it is recommended that for upper body exercises you increase the load by 2 – 5 pounds and by 5 – 10 pounds for lower body exercises.
• For more trained people (i.e., advanced), it is recommended that for upper body exercises you increase the load by 5 – 10 pounds or more and by 10 – 15 pounds or more for lower body exercises

I will say, if you’re doing exercises with just your body weight, you need to make each exercise more difficult as you get in shape – once you get past 20 reps for a particular exercise and you’re not gassed, it’s time to mix things up.

That’s the key to “Progressive Overload,” as Coach Jim explains in this video:

Can you do 20 push-ups no problem? It’s time to start mixing them up to be more challenging. Pick a variation from this article and make yourself work for it!

20 bodyweight squats too easy? Hold some weights high above your head as you do the next set. Eventually, you can scale up to do exercises like the pistol squat:

Looking for more bodyweight exercises? Check out the list of our favorite 42 bodyweight exercises you can do anywhere.

And if you’re not sure how to scale bodyweight movements, or you are interested in mixing things up and want guidance…

Our Online Coaching will change your life! Learn how here:

Step #6: How Long Should I Exercise For? How Long Should My Workout Be?

Easy answer: 45 minutes to an hour.

Longer answer: If you’re doing 15-25 sets of total exercise (3-5 sets for your 5 exercises), you should be able to get everything done within that 45-minute block.^[17]

Now, factor in a five or ten-minute warm-up, and then some stretching afterward, and the workout can go a little bit longer.^[18]

If you can go for over an hour and you’re not completely worn out, try increasing the intensity.

Less time, more intensity, better results.

What if you don’t have 45 minutes?

Do the best you can!^[19]

What’s that? You want to build some cardio into your weight training.

That’s where this next section comes in.

Step #7: How to Create Supersets and Circuit Training Workouts

Strength training in a circuit training workout is the most efficient way to burn fat when exercising:^[20]

• You’re getting a cardiovascular workout by consistently moving from exercise to exercise.
• You’re exercising different muscles back to back, giving each muscle group a chance to recover, but in a condensed amount of time. Efficiency for the win!

If you’re familiar with CrossFit, many of the workouts are built on circuit principles.

This is also the most effective way to make you involuntarily swear at inanimate objects because you’re so tired and beat up.

We’re going to cover TWO things here:

• Supersets (or alternating sets).
• Workout circuits.

#1) SUPERSETS

The NSCA defines it as:^[21]

A superset is performing two exercises in a row on two different muscle groups.

For example, a superset could look like:

• Performing a set of squats
• Waiting one minute
• Performing a set of dumbbell presses
• Waiting one minute
• Then doing your next set of squats

And so on.

Because you’re exercising two completely different muscle groups, you can exercise one while the other is “resting.”

You’re now getting the same workout done in half the time.

Also, because you’re resting less, your body has to work harder so your heart is getting a workout too. Jackpot.

Let’s see how this would play out in a sample workout:

• Lunges alternating with incline dumbbell presses, four sets each, one minute between sets.
• Wait a few minutes to catch your breath and get set for your next two exercises.
• Straight leg deadlifts alternating with wide-grip pull-ups, four sets each, one minute between sets.
• 3 Sets of planks, stretch, and get the hell out of there!

#2) CIRCUIT TRAINING

A circuit requires you to do one set for EVERY exercise, one after the other, without stopping.

Our very own Coach Lauren explains it here:

After you’ve done one set of each exercise in succession, you then repeat the process two, or three, or four more times.^[22]

I’ve written about multiple bodyweight circuits here on the site:

• Beginner Body Weight Circuit
• Advanced Body Weight Circuit
• Beginner Kettlebell Circuit

You can download our Beginner Bodyweight Worksheet too to help you get started:

We have also 15 FREE circuits you can follow in our big Circuit Training roundup guide!

And lastly, we love building circuit training routines for our Coaching Clients – and we’d love to build them for you too:

Let our coaches build a program for you!

Step #8: How Many Days per Week Should I Train?

We get this question quite a bit, usually from overeager beavers who decide they are going to go from “sitting on the couch watching The Office on repeat” to “exercising 7 days per week.”

I would advise something different.

I mean you can still watch The Office…

…but you don’t need to be training 7 days a week!

We don’t want you burning out quickly and falling back to square one, a concern we mention in our guide “How Often Should I Work Out?“

Instead, focus on building proper habits and set a goal of 2-3 full-body workouts per week.^[23]

For starters, your muscles don’t get built in the gym.

They actually get broken down in the gym, and then get rebuilt stronger while you’re resting…watching The Office.^[24]

By giving your muscles 48 hours to recover between workouts, especially when training heavy, you’ll stay injury-free and get stronger.^[25]

A Monday-Wednesday-Friday workout routine works well to ensure enough time to recover, especially when you are just getting started.

If you want to do Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday, or Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday, great.

Personally, I stuck with a Monday-Wednesday-Friday full day routine for nearly 10 years and just focused on getting stronger with each movement.

These days, I train on Monday-Wednesday-Thursday-Saturday (my workouts on Wednesday and Thursday don’t work the same muscles!)

“But Steve, what if I WANT to exercise on my off days?” That’s fine!

Just pick “exercise” that’s fun for you and that won’t exhaust your muscles.^[26][[26]]However, don’t forget that recovery is key to preventing injuries and allowing the body to rebuild itself after the stress of exercise. If you are looking to exercise on your off days we suggest that you cross-train. Cross-training involves engaging in a training routine or exercises that are different from what you normally would do. For example, if you always run for cardio, we would suggest that you change things up and go on the elliptical or bike. This allows you to stay active on your off days while also allowing the muscles that are always stressed from running to rest and recuperate. (Haff G, Triplett NT. (2016). Essentials of strength training and conditioning. Fourth edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics).[[25]] 

Also, here’s a lifehack: Program your workouts INTO your Google calendar (or Outlook).

You’re much more likely to do a workout that has been planned for in your work week!

Alternatively, you can hire a coach to program your workouts for you, so every day you know exactly what you need to do!

Step #9: Keep Track Of Everything!

Last but not least, keep a workout journal!

As they say, that which gets measured gets improved.

You should be getting stronger, faster, or more fit with each day of exercise.

Around these parts, we say “Level up your life, every single day.”

So track and measure your progress!

Things to track and record for your workout:

• Can lift more weight?
• Can you lift the same amount of weight more times than before?
• Can finish the same routine faster than before?

If you see your numbers improving (more weight, faster times, etc.), then you’re getting stronger and gaining more lean muscle mass!^[27]

Woot.

Personally, I track all of my workouts in Evernote.

I note the sets, reps, weight, and date.

I have over 1,000 workouts in my folder, which makes it super simple to see what I did last month, or even last year, and to make sure I’m improving!

You can use an actual notebook, a bullet journal, an Excel spreadsheet, a workout app, or a Word document.

Don’t overcomplicate it:

1. Write down the date and your sets, reps, and weight for each exercise.
2. Compare yourself to your previous workout with those exercises.
3. Focus on getting stronger (more reps, heavier weight, an additional set, etc.)
4. Repeat.

Do this with a workout you’ve built, and you WILL get results. I promise.^[28]

Here’s how to properly track your progress and set a new personal best every time you train.

Steve, Just Build a Workout For Me!

If you’re looking for sample workouts to build off of, take one of the 6 Workouts in our “Gym 101” guide.

Or if you want a plan to follow, pick one of our 15 Circuit Training Routines!

If you want to build from scratch, great! Let’s break it down into easy chunks with this recap:

• ALWAYS warm up – 5-10 minutes on a bike, rowing machine, jumping jacks, run up and down your stairs, etc. Get the blood flowing and your muscles warm.^[29]
• Pick one exercise for each big muscle group – quads, butt and hamstrings, push, pull, and core.^[30]
• Do 3-5 sets for each exercise.
• Do 5-10 reps per set for each exercise.
• Determine how many reps and how long you’ll wait between sets for each exercise. Keep it simple. 60 seconds.^[31]
• Increase your efficiency and work your heart by doing supersets or circuits. This results in a higher EPOC meaning greater caloric expenditure and weight loss!
• Keep your workout to under an hour.^[32]
• Stretch AFTER your workout.^[33]
• Write everything down!^[34]
  
• Give yourself permission to mess up, learn a little, and keep improving as you train more regularly!

More often than not, when I email people back and tell them how to build their own workout, they generally respond with:

“Steve, can’t you just TELL me what to do? I’m afraid of building a crappy workout.”

Why we built THREE options for people like that:

1) If you are somebody that wants to know they are following a program that is tailor-made for their life and situation and goals, check out our Online Coaching Program.

You’ll work with our certified NF instructors who will get to know you better than you know yourself and program your workouts and nutrition for you.

Want a workout program you’ll ACTUALLY do? Great! Learn more here:

2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!

Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally). Plus, NF Journey will build a workout for you!

Try your free trial right here:

3) Join the Rebellion (our free community) and I’ll send you free guides, workouts, and worksheets that you can read at your leisure.

We need good people like you!

I certainly encourage you to try and build your own workout routine.

It can really help you develop a sense of excitement and pride when you start to get in shape based on your workout!

If you have more questions, or have a workout program you’re really proud of, share it in the comments below!

-Steve

PS: Check out the rest of our beginner content. I promise, it kicks ass 🙂

• Strength Training 101: How to Get Strong
• How to Lose Weight Without Dieting: 5 Rules.
• Beginner Strength Workouts
• 42 Bodyweight Exercises you can do anywhere
• How to Find a Good Trainer
• Beginner Gym Workouts (6 Levels)

###

Photo Sources: mdwombat, joshtasman: Question Finger 6, black.zack00: Yeaaaah…. Surprise ladies!!, Sterling College: Sterling Gym, ako_law: Stopwatch, black.zack00: Boxing a gentleman’s sport, Photographing Travis: Kettlebells. ahockley: DDC Stuff Sheath and EEEK Field Notes, Ivan Kruk © 123RF.com

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Want to get strong like these LEGO lifters but don’t how to start?

In this Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training (part of our Strength 101 series), you’ll have both the confidence to start getting strong with resistance training AND a plan to follow.

These are the exact strategies we use with our Online Coaching Clients to help them start strength training, and I’m excited to cover everything you need.

Let us help you start strength training! Learn more:

We’ll be digging into the following:

• How do I start strength training or resistance training?
• What are some examples of strength training?
• Which strength training program is right for me?
• 5 best strength training workouts for beginners.
• How much weight should I lift?
• The 9 best strength training exercises.
• How to know you’re doing an exercise properly (form checks)
• Strength training for weight loss.
• “Just TELL ME what strength program I should do.”

By the way, we’ve combined this article along with the rest of our strength articles into a “Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know” guide.

Grab it free when you join the Rebellion by putting your email in the box below.

How Do I Start Strength Training?

Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life.

You’ll look back years from now and thank “Past You” for starting strength training today.

And I promise, you WILL strength train today.

After all, strength training or resistance training doesn’t need to be scary or overcomplicated!

Strength training really comes down to two things:

#1) Movement of any weight against “resistance”(including your body weight) – Doing ANY exercise that pushes your muscles outside of their comfort zone, forcing them to rebuild stronger to prepare for the next challenge.

#2) Progressive overload: doing slightly more than last time (lift heavier weight or do 1 more rep) consistently. Your muscles will constantly have to adapt and rebuild themselves. These microscopic tears (that don’t hurt) force your muscles to go through hypertrophy, meaning they grow bigger and stronger so they can meet the demands of the exercise.^[1]

Coach Jim explains the ins and outs of progressive overload in this video:

That’s all there is to it: do some resistance training and attempt to make it more and more challenging, and you’ll grow stronger.^[2]

• This means if you drop down and do ONE knee push-up right now, technically you’ve done a strength training workout.
• It also means if you then do TWO knee push-ups tomorrow, then you are officially following a strength training routine.

In other words…

Now, there are many different “strength training” and “resistance training” paths.

Like a “skill tree” in a video game (with branching paths and progressions), you can progress up one path, and mix and match movements from others depending on the situation.

These paths depend on your goals and what equipment you have available to you.

What Are Some Examples of Strength Training?

Let’s chat about a few different types of strength training.

#1) BODYWEIGHT TRAINING

Bodyweight training is simply doing an exercise in which your own body is the “weight” you are “lifting.”

Duh.

This is the BEST place for anybody – regardless of weight or age – to start their strength training journey.

Why is this the best place to start? Two big reasons:

A) You always have your body with you (unless you are a ghost, in which case, this is awkward). This means you can work out ANYWHERE with bodyweight training:

• Our Beginner Bodyweight Workout Routine in your living room.
• Our Hotel Workout in a hotel (obvi).
• Our Park Workout in a…well, you get the point.

B) Using your body for resistance training is the most “human” thing ever! By learning to push and pull and hang and squat and lunge, you are doing what your body is literally designed to do.

By getting strong with bodyweight movements, you’re making yourself antifragile and less injury-prone.

Now, it’s SCIENCE TIME!

While learning the movements with bodyweight exercises, you are allowing for proper communication to develop between your neuromuscular systems.

More efficient communication between your neuromuscular systems will result in something known as “proper motor unit recruitment.”

You may be asking yourself: what is a motor unit?

That’s okay because I was asking myself this same question.

A motor unit is a single motor neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates.

You can think of two different types of motor units:^[3]

• We all have small motor units, meaning that a single motor neuron innervates relatively few muscle fibers, and these smaller motor units are good for precise and detailed movements (e.g., moving your fingers).
• We all also have large motor units, meaning that a single motor neuron innervates hundreds of muscle fibers, and these larger motor units are good for generating a lot of force (e.g., getting larger muscle groups like the quads to generate a lot of force to help in sprinting).

When you start strength training, you really are helping your muscles communicate better together.^[4] This is why we recommend starting with bodyweight exercises, to help start this process.

However, bodyweight training isn’t as easy to ‘scale’ the difficulty as some of the other strength training methods (“put more weight on barbell”), but you can get REALLY strong with just bodyweight training.

For example, you can start with knee push-ups, then go to regular push-ups, then elevated push-ups, then even up to things like handstands and handstand push-ups.

You just have to know HOW and WHEN to scale up (we can help there too).

Let us create a bodyweight training program for you!

#2) DUMBBELL TRAINING

Dumbbells are a great first step into the world of weight training and strength training:

1. Most gyms will have dumbbells, even if it’s a basic gym in your apartment complex.
2. A set of dumbbells doesn’t take up a lot of room, which means you can have a pair at home without a large footprint.
3. Dumbbells make it easy to add difficulty to a bodyweight movement: holding dumbbells while doing lunges, for example.
4. Dumbbell exercises can be less intimidating than barbell training for some, and are a step towards barbell training.
5. Dumbbells have an added stabilization challenge,^[4] and will point out muscle imbalances pretty easily (“oh my right arm is stronger than my left arm.”).
6. Dumbbells allow for single-arm and single-leg exercises to be performed. This can allow you to strengthen any muscle imbalances and can come in handy especially after an injury.
7. You can scale easily. Once the 10-pound weights become too easy, pick up the 15-pound ones!

#3) KETTLEBELL TRAINING

A kettlebell is essentially a cannonball with a handle on it. They come in any weight imaginable, don’t take up a lot of room, and can be used in dozens of ways for a great compact workout.

Our 20-minute kettlebell workout has 8 simple exercises you can do with just one weight.

Although there are “adjustable kettlebells,” you’ll most likely be working with a single kettlebell, and then adjusting your movements for “progressive overload” (making the workout slightly more difficult each time).

If you are a member of a gym, they’ll probably have multiple kettlebells that you can use to level up.

#4) BARBELL TRAINING

Regardless of sex or gender age, if your goal is to get strong quickly, use 20 seconds of courage and get comfortable training with a barbell (I’ll help you, I promise):

1. “Progressive overload” is easy – you simply add weights to either side of the bar, allowing you to progressively lift more and more weight each week.
2. It’s much easier to go heavy safely – especially for lower body movements like the squat and the deadlift.

The biggest downside to barbell training is that in order to train at home, you need to have purchased a squat rack, a barbell, a bench, and enough weights for your house or garage (which can be an expensive investment, especially when starting out!).

If not, you definitely will need to join a gym.

WHICH RESISTANCE TRAINING PATH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Not sure which path to pick? You’re not alone – this stuff can be overwhelming. Check out our 1-on-1 Coaching Program. We get to know you and your goals, will check your form via video, and make adjustments based on your progress!

Let us build a strength training workout for you that fits your busy life! Learn more:

Which Strength Training Program is Right for Me?

So, what’s the best workout program to start as a beginner?

Realistically, it’s the one that you will ACTUALLY do.

Barbell training might be optimal in terms of building pure strength quickly, but if you don’t see yourself getting to the gym regularly – or you’re too self-conscious to enter the free weight section (for now) – no problem!

Start with bodyweight training.^[5]

Conversely, bodyweight training might seem convenient and easy to start now, but if you can’t motivate yourself to work out at home, you might be better off joining a gym.^[6]

So let’s get you a workout program!

As we cover in our “How to Find the Perfect Workout Plan (for you)”: MOST beginners will be best served by following a “full-body” or “total body” routine, 2 to 3 times per week, with a day of rest in between each workout.^[7]

This full-body workout will have 4-5 big compound movements.

A compound movement is an exercise that recruits LOTS of muscles simultaneously and forces your body to work in unison. These compound exercises are considered multi-joint exercises meaning that they involve more than a single muscle group.^[8]

An example would be the barbell squat, which recruits every muscle in your core, butt, and legs to work together to lift the weight.

This is WAY more efficient – and effective at building pure strength – than doing 5 different isolated leg exercises.^[9]

Why do 5 exercises when 1 exercise will get you better results in 20% of the time?

To answer your next question, let me tell you about how many sets and reps you should do as a beginner!

As we explain in our “How Many Sets and Reps” guide:

• Reps in the 1-5 range build super dense muscle and strength.
• Reps in the 6-12 range build equal amounts of muscular power, strength, and size.
• Reps in the 12+ range primarily build muscular endurance and size and also cardiovascular health.^[10]

If you want more, Coach Jim breaks down different set and rep ranges in this video:

Many beginner strength programs will encourage you to keep things simple, doing just 5 sets of 5 reps for each exercise.

Personally, I encourage people to aim for a weight that they can lift for 8-10 reps. This gives you a chance to really work on your form and lift safely!

The max lifts will come later, my friend. You gotta learn to walk before you can run!

“Staci, which workout plan is best for me?” 

It depends on your goals!

If your main goal is general fitness and fat loss, doing a circuit training workout will likely help you reach your goals (make sure you see our section below for “strength training for weight loss”).^[11]

If your main goal is to get stronger and/or put on muscle, following a more traditional, pure-strength-style gym workout is going to get you there faster.

TRUTH BOMB: ANY strength training workout will help you reach nearly any goal provided you do two things:

1. Eat correctly for your goals too. How you eat will account for 80-90% of your success or failure when it comes to weight loss or bulking up.^[12]
2. Increase the difficulty of your workouts. This is that “progressive overload” stuff we were talking about earlier. Doing 1 more bodyweight squat, lifting 5 more pounds, or completing your circuit 10 seconds faster than last workout. By forcing your body to constantly adapt, your muscles will never get complacent and have to keep burning extra calories and rebuilding themselves stronger.

Depending on your current situation, and how quickly you’re looking to cut through the “trial and error” and get expert guidance, I might have an interesting solution for you.

We have a pretty killer 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program here at Nerd Fitness. You’ll work with a coach that will build a workout program for your body type and goals, check your form to make sure you’re doing them safety, and even help plan out your nutrition too.

We help busy people transform from newbies to strong badasses! Learn more:

The 5 Best Beginner Strength Training Programs

“Alright Staci, are there any ‘out of the box’ beginner workout programs I can start following now?”

Yup! Let me share with you some of our suggestions:

Here are 5 resistance training workouts you can follow TODAY. Pick the level that you feel most comfortable with, and then level up when you feel ready:

#1) BEGINNER BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT:

Our Beginner Bodyweight Workout has a variety of rep ranges to promote endurance, strength, and cardiovascular health.

Complete one set of each exercise and then moving directly to the next exercise:

• 20 bodyweight squats
• 10 push-ups
• 20 walking lunges
• 10 dumbbell rows (using a gallon milk jug)
• 15-second plank
• 30 Jumping Jacks
• Repeat for 3 rounds

Want to stick with bodyweight training? When you’re ready to level up, check out our advanced bodyweight training circuit.^[13]

Otherwise, you can move onto weight training when you feel comfortable!

#2A) BEGINNER NERD FITNESS DUMBBELL WORKOUT

If you are just getting started with dumbbells and you’re looking for a beginner workout program to follow, this is our Level 3 Gym Workout, “Dumbbell Division”:

• 10 goblet squats
• 10 push-ups
• 10 dumbbell rows per side

I knew you’d ask, so here is a Goblet Squat video explanation (from Nerd Fitness Prime):

And here is our video on how to do dumbbell rows:

#2B) BEGINNER NERD FITNESS KETTLEBELL WORKOUT

Our Beginner Kettlebell Routine is a workout you do anywhere you have room to swing a kettlebell.

So, probably not in a phone booth or a closet or a bathroom stall. But other than that, pretty much anywhere else.

Complete 3 Kettlebell Workout Circuits:

• 8 Halos (each side)
• 10 Goblet Squats
• 8 Overhead Presses (each side)
• 15 Kettlebell Swings
• 8 Bent Over Rows (each side)
• 6 Front Rack Reverse Lunge (per side)

#3) BARBELL TRAINING: 2 DAY WORKOUT SPLIT

As we cover in our “How to Train in a Gym” guide (where we take you from “lost sheep” to “barbell badass”), this routine is a much more focused weight training, strength-building workout that gets your feet wet with barbell training. Click on ANY exercise to learn how to do it properly.

NF BEGINNER BARBELL STRENGTH WORKOUT: DAY A

Do 3 rounds of:

• 10 barbell squats
• 10 push-ups
• 10 bodyweight rows

NF BEGINNER BARBELL STRENGTH WORKOUT: DAY B

Do 3 rounds of:

• 5 barbell Romanian deadlifts
• 10 push-ups
• 10 dumbbell rows per arm

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER POPULAR STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAMS?

#1) “Starting Strength” is considered the gold standard beginner barbell weight training program by many. We highly recommend you pick up the actual book if you are serious about barbell training – it’s one of the most important training books you can ever read.

#2) Strong Lifts 5X5: A solid workout program that starts you out very slow, with just the barbell, and helps you master form before you get too heavy. It also keeps things VERY easy with “do 5×5.” Strong Lifts has been around for a long time and is a solid program.

#3) Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1: This program allows you a little more freedom to do exercises that you enjoy, or work on personal weaknesses, because you choose some of the assistance work.

Note: You can modify any of the barbell training programs to be done with dumbbells, if that’s what you have at home!

Lastly, you can always write your own workout plan! I wrote my own workouts for a decade and it taught me a LOT about training and health.

We do have our own 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program where you’ll work with a coach that will build a strength training workout program for your body type and goals, check your form on each exercise via video, and even help you plan out your nutrition too.

Want step-by-step guidance and form checks? Learn more:

How Much Weight Should I lift?

We have a FULL resource on how to determine your starting weight for lifting, but I’ll give you the gist here.

The simple-to-learn but tough-to-implement answer: lift enough so that you can get through the set, but not too much that you have NO fuel left in the tank at the end.

And then, try to lift sliiiightly more than last time.

Here are two common questions on strength training:

#1) How much weight should I start with?

• If you are using dumbbells or a kettlebell, always err on the side of “too light” versus “too heavy.” You want to learn the movement correctly and build correct form.
• If you are training with a barbell, ALWAYS start with JUST the bar, no matter the exercise (By the way, a standard barbell weighs 45 pounds).

#2) How fast should I add weight to the bar?

Here’s what we teach all of our coaching clients: add the minimum amount of weight each week you can, even if you THINK you can lift more. It’s better to finish a workout full of momentum and say “I can do more!” than defeated and saying “that was too much, crapola.”

Think of it this way, even if you are adding just 5 pounds per week to the bar, within a year you would be lifting 300+ pounds!

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recommends a similar approach:^[14]

• For less trained people (i.e., beginners), it is recommended that for upper body exercises you increase the load by 2 – 5 pounds and by 5 – 10 pounds for lower body exercises.
• For more trained people (i.e., advanced), it is recommended that for upper body exercises you increase the load by 5 – 10 pounds or more and by 10 – 15 pounds or more for lower body exercises.

So go SLOW. Even slower than the NSCA recommends if needed.

Team NF’s Steve even bought little half-pound weights and increases many of his lifts by just 1 pound per week. It’s a big part of how he transformed (jokingly) from Steve Rogers to Captain America.

And if you are looking for this content in easily digestible form, make sure you download our free Strength 101 Guide when you join the Rebellion below:

The 9 Best Strength Training Exercises to Learn

If you’re new to all this “strength training” stuff, hopping into a program and going from zero to sixty might be a recipe for failure.

Instead, be patient, and take the time to learn these movements first.

I’m going to share with you the 9 best strength training exercises that every beginner should master (scroll down for full video and explanations!):

• 1. Push-up: uses every push muscle in your body (chest, shoulders, triceps)
• 2. Bodyweight squat: uses every muscle in the lower body (quads, hamstrings, glutes, core)
• 3. Bodyweight row: works every “pull” muscle and helps prepare you for a pull-up!
• 4. Pull-up or chin-up: the best “pull” exercise in history! Everybody should have a goal to get their first pull-up.
• 5. Bodyweight dip: advanced “push” movement that targets your push muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps) in a different way than push-ups.
• 6. Barbell squat: the best bang for your buck on muscle building. recruits nearly every push muscle in your whole body, and great core workout.
• 7. Barbell deadlift: the favorite exercise of every coach at Nerd Fitness. Uses every “pull,” leg, and core muscle in your body.
• 8. Barbell benchpress: as basic and powerful as they come. Uses every “push” movement in your upper body and can get you strong as heck!
• 9. Barbell press: press the bar above your head! Targets shoulders and triceps more than the chest.

All of the exercises listed above are considered functional (closed-chain) exercises. That means they relate to our everyday movements and can be used to predict our success in sports, recreational and occupational activities, and activities of daily living.^[15]

When attempting all of these above-listed exercises, aim to master the movement and perform the exercise through its entire range of motion (ROM).

Why?

Because it will decrease your risk for injury, activate all of the appropriate muscle groups, and result in greater muscle hypertrophy.^[16] 

Let’s go over these now.

Click on any of these exercises to get a FULL explanation of the movement, step-by-step:

1) The Push-Up: The best exercise you could ever do for yourself when it comes to using your bodyweight for push muscles (your chest, shoulders, and triceps):

2) The Bodyweight Squat: This exercise serves a dual purpose: it is the foundation for building strength AND helps build proper mobility. If you are going to ever do barbell squats, you need to work on hitting proper depth with a bodyweight squat first!

3) The Inverted Bodyweight Row: Until you can get your first pull-up or chin-up, these exercises are GREAT to start building your pull-muscle strength: your back, biceps, and forearms.

4) The Pull-Up and Chin-Up: Once you can support your bodyweight above the bar, the world becomes your playground. No strength training routine should be without pull-up or chin-up work! (Click here if you can’t do a pull-up or chin-up yet?)

5) The Bodyweight Dip: As you start to get stronger with push-ups and need to find a way to increase the challenge, consider doing dips – warning: these are very advanced, but incredible strength building exercises.

And now we’re into the best weight training exercises:

6) The Barbell Squat: Probably the best exercise when it comes to building strength and muscle throughout your whole body. It also burns crazy calories and makes life better. This is a MUST:

7) The Barbell Deadlift: Maybe the best exercise of all time. Actually no, it IS the best exercise of all time. It’s certainly the most primal: “pick the weight up off the ground. Done.”

This is a very technical lift, so make sure you read our article on how to do it with proper form:

8) The Barbell Press: Press a barbell above your head. This recruits all of the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms in order for you to lift the weight over your head.

As a bonus, you need to really flex and brace your core, which gets those muscles working too.

9) The Barbell Bench Press. Lie on a bench, and lower a barbell until it almost touches your chest. Pause, and press it back up towards the sky. Repeat! And get strong.

NOTE: All exercises were explained according to the guidelines that have been established by the NSCA.^[17]

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: commit to trying ONE of these movements in the next week. Use 20 seconds of courage, recruit a friend who has lifted or trained before, and try your best.

And if you want somebody to help you put these into a workout program, teach you HOW to do these movements properly, and have the confidence to know you’re training correctly for your goals…

Let us create a workout program that fits your busy life!

How to Know You’re Doing a Strength Training Movement Properly (Form Checks)

Always start out with just your body’s weight and make sure your movement is correct!

• If it’s a barbell movement, use a broomstick (or PVC Pipe).
• If it’s a dumbbell movement, use two sections of PVC or something else that is light and small to simulate a dumbbell.

When it comes to movements like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, bench press, your form is crucial. Develop good habits with lightweight and you will save yourself months of frustration later and will protect you from injury.^[18]

If you’re struggling with certain elements of a movement, don’t get frustrated! Remember, proper communication between your neuromuscular systems needs to develop.

Things will start to improve.^[19] 

How do you know if your movement is correct?

Do regular video form checks! Record yourself and watch the video.

Alternatively, an expert reviewing your specific movement can be invaluable. 

If you’re looking for someone who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on your progress, you can check out our 1-on-1 Online Personal Training!

I’ve had an online coach for 4 years and it’s changed my life.

Never wonder if you’re doing a movement properly! Get form checks from our coaches:

You could also get expert guidance in person: Look around at your local strength and conditioning gyms and see if you could hire a coach (here’s how to find a good personal trainer) for one or two sessions just to go over the basic movements.

If you can’t do either of those two options, no big deal! Videotape yourself and compare it to the videos here in the articles. You can also post your video to the form check section of the Nerd Fitness Forums.

When I started, I really liked practicing all of the movements at home because I could watch a video online at the same time as I was watching myself do it in a mirror. Studies have found this can actually help!^[20]

Strength Training for Weight Loss

So you’re looking to lose weight, and tired of hours of cardio (me too).

And you’re wondering if strength training for weight loss – by following one of the workouts in this guide is a viable solution.

Or, gasp – will strength training make you too bulky? (SPOILER: it won’t)

Yes, Strength training will help you lose weight IF you do two key things for effective weight loss:

• Calorie restriction: eating fewer calories than you burn every day^[21]
• Strength training with progressive overload (picking up heavier stuff)

As we point out in our “Cardio vs Intervals vs Weight Training” article, strength training is the MOST efficient method for weight loss.

Not only that, but you can find study after study after study that shows you the benefits of strength training for weight management when combined with “calorie restriction.”^[22]

As we cover in our “Why Can’t I Lose Weight?” article, here’s why eating a caloric deficit and strength training is SO magical when combined:

When you strength train – by picking up something heavy – your muscles are “broken down” during the exercise itself, and then they rebuild themselves stronger over the next 24-48 hours.

Guess what happens during those 24-48 hours?

Your body will divert as many calories consumed as necessary to “Rebuild Muscle!”^[23]

It also diverts additional calories to “Burn as Fuel” to handle this increased “muscle rebuilding” activity.

This means two amazing things:

• Your metabolism is revved up for this time period, burning more calories than normal.
• Rebuilding muscle is a calorie-taxing activity!

Not only that, but when you eat a caloric deficit, your body doesn’t have enough calories to fuel all the day’s activities. In these instances, your body will pull from your stored fat to make sure all the work still gets done.

This is the trifecta of physical transformation victory:

• You get stronger and keep the muscle you have.
• You burn through the fat you’re trying to get rid of.
• You’re decreasing your body fat percent and keeping your muscle = look good naked.

In other words, strength training + eating right is the BEST path for weight loss out there! And yes, in certain situations, you can actually lose weight AND build muscle at the same time.

Coach Matt explains how to gain muscle WHILE losing fat in this video:

So how do you put this into practice? Pick one of the strength workouts in this article. Calculate your daily caloric needs. Learn about healthy eating. And start.

In other words…

Pick up something heavy, and eat a vegetable.

These are the types of things we work on with our 1-on-1 Coaching Clients: helping them lift weights confidently and eat correctly for their goals! Let us help you:

Let our coaches create a custom strength training and weight loss plan for you!

“Just Tell Me What Strength Training Program to Follow!”

Okay! Unless you are collecting underpants, you should now have a workout program you want to try out!

“Staci, this is a lot, can you just TELL me what to do?”

Okay fine.

Here are the steps again for you:

STEP #1: PICK YOUR WORKOUT PATH:

A) If YOU ARE TRAINING AT HOME. Pick one of these 3 based on what equipment you have:

• Beginner Bodyweight Workout (no equipment)
• Kettlebell Beginner Workout
• Dumbbell Division Workout (Level 3 of Gym Guide)

B) IF YOU ARE TRAINING IN A GYM: Amazing! I love gyms.

Read our “How to train in a gym” guide and go from Level 1 to Level 6 over the next month. Gym closed? Here’s how to build a home gym.

STEP #2: TRY A NEW EXERCISE: In addition to following a workout program, I’m gonna push outside of your comfort zone – that’s where real growth happens.

Learn ONE new movement this week.

Pick one of the exercises below and try it out!

• How to squat
• How to deadlift
• How to bench press
• How to do the overhead press
• How to do a pull-up
• How to do a push-up
• How to do an inverted row

Here are 42 bodyweight exercises you can do too.

STEP #3) HIRE A YODA: If you are somebody that just wants to be told exactly what to, how to train for your goals, and are good at following directions, consider hiring a coach.

I’ve been working with an online coach since 2014 and it has changed my life – and I do this stuff for a living!

• Read our guide on “Is a personal trainer worth it?”
• Consider the NF Online Coaching Program!

STEP #4) JOIN THE REBELLION! If you like how we do things around here at Nerd Fitness, we’d love to have you in our community of misfits, mutants, and rebels!

Sign up in the box below and I’ll send you our free Strength 101 guide:

No matter what you do today:

Don’t be afraid of doing anything wrong – truth be told, the majority of the people in the gym don’t have any idea what they are doing, and are just as nervous as you are!

Muster up your 20 seconds of courage if you need to, and let me know in the comments how it goes!

What questions do you have about getting started?

So, what’s the biggest thing holding you back from starting strength training?

-Staci

PS – Check out the rest of the articles in our Strength Training 101 series:

• Strength Training 101
• Strength Training 101: Finding the Right Gym
• Strength Training 101: How Much Weight Should I Be Lifting?
• Strength Training 101: How to Build Muscle Quickly
• Strength Training 101: How to Squat Properly
• Strength Training 101: How to Deadlift
• Strength Training 101: How to Bench Press
• Strength Training 101: How to Do a Pull-Up
• Strength Training 101: How to Do a Bodyweight Row
• Strength Training 101: How to Do a Dip
• Strength Training 101: How to Overhead Press

photo source: LEGO bench pres, tonobalaguer © 123RF.com, Stormtroopers lifting, Chris Christian:Strongman, W_Minshull: Stormtroopers in Gym, Lego Lifting, Rainstorm, Kristina Alexanderson: Teddy Love, 

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