Weekly Workout: Moderate Your Workout with Options

Some people see a workout online with exercises like pull-ups or weightlifting and shut it down immediately due to their current level of fitness.

The workout below has several options and descriptions of exercise options for any level of fitness. See below for a full-body workout routine that you can do at home (with dumbbells, a cardio machine or a place to walk or bike).

The main thing to remember is to get creative so you can mold your workout to your level of fitness:

Full body: Push, pull, leg, full body, cardio and core

Repeat three times.

Walk or bike for five minutes: If you have no place to walk or no bike to use, try walking around the house or up and down a flight of stairs several times or just do jumping jacks or run in place for a two-minute set.

Squats 10-20: You can do half-squats where you just go down halfway from a full squat or sit down in a chair and simply stand up. Try not to use your hands, but it is OK if you need to.

Push-ups 10-15: You can do knee push-ups, chair (sturdy) push-ups or even wall push-ups. If you have a hard time with any push-ups, try the Reverse Pushup and flex the upper back and stretch the chest muscles.

Pull-ups max: If you have a pull-up or dip bar device, you can do pull-ups on the dip bar or low bars with your feet on the ground, doing less than 50% of your body weight. Or just skip and move onto dumbbell rows.

Dumbbell rows 10/arms: This can be done with water bottles or very light dumbbells.

Sit-ups or crunches 20: Reduce the repetitions and do crunches, as compared to sit-ups, or a plank pose on your knees if you need a way to work the core without movement.

Push-up/move pyramid 1-5: One push-up, run 25 yards; two push-ups, run 25 yards ... up to five reps. It is fine to walk or do jumping jacks between these push-ups. This is a great one if done in the yard, driveway, local park, football field, etc.

Lightweight shoulders 5#: You can do these with water bottles or no weight at all and still feel it in the shoulders. This workout series is meant to be very light. (video)

Repeat three times.

MJDB#2  10: This is a great way to replace barbell lifts, such as weighted squats, deadlifts and even hang cleans, by breaking up these exercises into dumbbell squats, followed by a biceps curl, military press and triceps extension.

Lunges 5/leg: If lunges hurt the joints, you can try to bend the knees on a flight of steps in a lunge fashion or hold on to something and drop to a knee in a lunge position and use your arms to help you stand up each repetition.

Farmer walks: Carry a weight (light or heavy) in one hand and walk for about one minute. Try to focus on keeping your core tight and walking as upright and straight as possible.

Crunches 20: Replace with fewer repetitions or a plank pose for 20-30 seconds. Use your knees to plank pose if needed.

Cardio cooldown or intermittent cardio through the day

Walk/jog or bike for 20 minutes: You can break this 20-minute routine into a series of five- to 10-minute walks if you prefer. Consider a five- to 10-minute walk after every meal in your day.

The goal of this article is to give you ideas to continue with a workout and eliminate excuses to skip a workout because several exercises are out of your range.

"You will not see a difference, until you try something different." 

Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.

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