Exercise Guides

Standing Calf Raise

The standing calf raise is one of the friendliest first exercises for a beginner, a no-equipment move that builds stronger lower legs by rising onto the balls of your feet and lowering under control.

Lying Toe Touches

Lying toe touches are one of the friendliest first core exercises for a beginner, a no-equipment floor move that trains the top of your abs by reaching up toward your toes.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Row

The single-arm dumbbell row is one of the friendliest first back exercises for a beginner, using a bench for support so you can learn to pull with your back one side at a time.

Inverted Row

The inverted row is the best self-scaling back exercise for a beginner, a bodyweight pull you can make easier or harder by moving the bar to build your lats, upper back, and arms while working toward your first pull-up.

Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge is one of the friendliest ways for a beginner to start training one leg at a time, using a backward step that keeps you balanced while it builds your thighs, glutes, and hamstrings.

Roman Chair Back Extension

The Roman chair back extension is a beginner-friendly way to strengthen your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings by hinging at the hips on a padded bench, with no heavy weight needed to start.

Lying Leg Raise

The lying leg raise trains the lower part of your abs by lifting your straight legs off the floor, with an easy bent-knee version any beginner can start with today.

Machine Assisted Pull-Up

The machine assisted pull-up lets a beginner train the exact pulling movement of a real pull-up, using a counterweight to lift part of your bodyweight so you can build the strength to do one on your own.

Standard Plank

The standard plank, also called the high plank, is one of the most beginner-friendly core exercises there is, teaching your whole midsection to stay strong and steady with no equipment at all.

Standard Hollow Body Hold

The hollow body hold is a foundational bodyweight core exercise that teaches a beginner to brace and keep the spine steady, with easy versions you can scale to your level today.

Incline Push-Up

The incline push-up is the friendliest way for a beginner to start building a real push-up, using a raised surface to make the movement easier while you get strong.

Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are one of the friendliest no-equipment core moves for a beginner, a slow-motion running motion held in a plank that trains your abs to stay steady while your legs move.

Bodyweight Squat

The bodyweight squat is the most beginner-friendly way to learn the squat, using just your own body to build your legs, glutes, and core with no equipment at all.

Shoulders

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

The dumbbell lateral raise is one of the friendliest shoulder exercises for a beginner, a simple standing move that lifts two light dumbbells out to the sides to build the caps of your shoulders.

Standard Reverse Crunches

The reverse crunch is one of the friendliest first core exercises for a beginner, a no-equipment floor move that trains your lower abs by curling your hips instead of straining your neck.

Triceps

Cable Overhead Tricep Extension

The cable overhead tricep extension is one of the friendliest ways for a beginner to train the back of the arm, using a smooth cable to work all three heads of the triceps with light, easy-to-control weight.

Hamstrings

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

The dumbbell Romanian deadlift is the friendliest way for a beginner to learn the hip hinge, the movement behind every deadlift, with just two dumbbells and no rack.

Shoulders

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The seated dumbbell shoulder press is one of the friendliest first overhead presses for a beginner, done sitting with back support so you can focus on pushing two light dumbbells straight up with clean form.

Lying Heel Touches

Lying heel touches are one of the friendliest first core exercises for a beginner, a no-equipment floor move that trains the sides of your waist with a simple side-to-side reach.

Standard Sit-Up

The sit-up is one of the friendliest first core exercises for a beginner, a no-equipment floor move that teaches you to lift with your abs and control your spine.

Glutes

Standard Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is one of the friendliest first exercises for a beginner, a simple no-equipment floor move that wakes up your glutes and teaches the hip drive behind every squat and deadlift.

Biceps

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

The dumbbell bicep curl is one of the simplest first exercises for a beginner, a friendly way to learn to control a weight while training the front of your upper arm.

Forearm Side Plank

The forearm side plank is one of the best first core exercises for a beginner, a simple bodyweight hold that trains the muscles along the sides of your waist to keep your spine steady.

Seated Cable Row

The seated cable row is one of the best first back exercises for a beginner, teaching you to pull with your back instead of your arms on a safe, fixed machine path.

Bent Over Dumbbell Row

The bent over dumbbell row is one of the best first back exercises for a beginner, teaching you to hinge at the hips and pull with your back instead of just your arms.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

The dumbbell goblet squat is the easiest way for a beginner to learn to squat, holding one dumbbell at your chest to keep your torso upright and hit clean depth.

Standard Push-Up

Learn how to do a proper push-up as a total beginner, including hand placement, body line, and elbow angle, plus muscles worked, easier variations, and the common mistakes to fix.

Half-Kneeling Cable Pallof Press

Learn how to perform the half-kneeling cable Pallof press with correct anti-rotation setup, bracing cues, and pressing path, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Forearm Plank

Learn how to perform the forearm plank with correct alignment, bracing, and breathing cues, plus muscles worked, hold-time programming, and the common mistakes that make the plank useless.

Standard Dead Bug

Learn how to perform the dead bug with correct tabletop setup, lower-back pressure, and slow contralateral movement, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Standard Crunches

Learn how to perform standard crunches with correct setup, controlled range of motion, and breathing cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Glutes

Barbell Hip Thrust

Learn how to perform the barbell hip thrust with correct setup, hip extension, and lockout cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Barbell Back Lunge

Learn the barbell back lunge with correct step length, torso angle, and knee tracking, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Machine Leg Press

Learn the machine leg press with correct seat setup, foot placement, and knee tracking, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Standard Lat Pulldown

Learn how to perform the standard lat pulldown with correct grip, seat setup, and pulling cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Dumbbell Bench Press

Learn how to perform the dumbbell bench press with correct setup, pressing path, and bracing cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Hard

Barbell Front Squat

Learn how to perform the barbell front squat with correct front-rack setup, upright torso cues, and depth, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Hamstrings

Barbell Romanian Deadlift

Learn how to perform the barbell Romanian deadlift with correct hip hinge setup, bracing cues, and bar path, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Bent Over Barbell Row

Learn how to perform the bent over barbell row with correct hinge setup, rowing path, and bracing cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Shoulders

Overhead Barbell Press

Learn how to perform the overhead barbell press with correct front-rack setup, pressing path, and bracing cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to fix.

Hard

Standard Pull-Up

Master the standard pull-up with correct grip, scapular setup, and pulling cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and the most common mistakes to fix.

Glutes

Barbell Deadlift

Master the barbell deadlift with correct setup, hip hinge mechanics, and bracing cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common technique errors to avoid.

Barbell Bench Press

Master the barbell bench press with correct setup, grip, and bar path cues, plus muscles worked, programming ranges, and common mistakes to avoid.