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The Perfect 10-Minute Low-Intensity Workout for Beginners

Kickstart your fitness journey with this simple yet effective routine.
FACT CHECKED BY Alexa Mellardo

Kickstarting your fitness journey doesn't have to feel intimidating. It should be an exciting process that eases you into a solid routine you'll want to stick with. To help you out, we've put together the perfect 10-minute low-intensity workout for beginners. Use this regimen as the motivation you need to make moves in the right direction!

If you didn't already know, low-intensity workouts are chock-full of benefits. According to WebMD, this form of exercise is safe and effective. It gives your mobility, mood, well-being, recovery time, and overall physical fitness a boost. And if you don't feel like hitting up the gym quite yet, you'll be happy to hear that low-intensity workouts can usually always be performed right at home. Choosing a workout that's more your speed and not too advanced—especially if you're a beginner—can also help you avoid injury.

Check out the below low-intensity workout for beginners that will take up just 10 minutes of your day. Set a timer for 10 minutes, and perform as many sets of the following exercises with proper form. Rest in between each move for as long as you need.

Keep reading to learn more, and next, check out The Perfect 10-Minute Weight Loss Workout for Beginners.

Dumbbell Goblet Squats

woman at gym demonstrating goblet squat exercises to shrink pot belly fat
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This first exercise begins with you holding a dumbbell vertically in front of your heart's center. Your core should remain tight as you hinge your hips back and lower down into a squat. Then, rise up ¼ of the way before lowering back down. Push through your heels to come up to stand. Flex those glutes! Perform as many sets as you can of 10 reps.

Incline Pushups

woman doing incline pushups on stairs
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Incline pushups start by placing your palms shoulder-width distance apart from each other on a raised surface. Keep your core tight and squeeze your glutes as you lower down. Drive through your palms to push yourself back up. Flex your chest and triceps to finish the motion.

When lowering down and rising back up, keep your neck straight, and make sure your chest reaches the pad/floor before your chin does. Your elbows should be at 45-degree angles.

If this exercise is a little too easy, feel free to perform traditional floor pushups. Complete as many sets as you can of five to 10 reps.

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Bodyweight Split Squats

woman doing dumbbell lunges at the gym, exercises to lose face fat
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The bodyweight split squat will have you placing one foot forward and the other foot behind you. Keep your core tight and your chest tall as you lower into a split squat. Your back knee should touch the floor. Then, push through your front heel to rise back up, and flex your glutes and quads to finish. Perform as many sets as you can of 10 reps for each leg.

If using your body weight alone is too easy, you can also do this movement with a pair of dumbbells.

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Dumbbell Rows

woman doing dumbbell row as part of low-intensity workout
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Last but not least, grab a dumbbell for dumbbell rows. Your body should be parallel to a workout bench or stable surface with one knee and hand planted for balance. The dumbbell should be in your opposite hand, with that arm extending down toward the floor. Pull the weight up toward your hip, squeezing your upper back and lats. Then, straighten your arm back down, and perform the next rep. Complete as many sets as you can of 10 to 12 reps for each arm.

Tim Liu, C.S.C.S., CSCS
Tim Liu, CSCS, is an online fitness and nutrition coach based in Los Angeles Read more about Tim
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