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Exercises

Warm-up exercises for beginners: an easy routine to start every workout

Published October 24, 2026

A beginner warm-up is 4 minutes of brisk walking or easy cycling, then 10 arm circles each way, 10 ankle circles per foot, 10 side leg raises per leg, 10 glute bridges, 10 bodyweight squats and 10 incline push-ups against a bench or wall, followed by 1 or 2 light sets of your first machine or exercise. It takes about 8 minutes, every move is done standing or lying down, and none of it needs jumping.

  1. Brisk Walk Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
  2. Arm Circles Shoulders
  3. Ankle Circles Calves
  4. Glute Bridge Glutes
  5. Bodyweight Squat Quads
  6. Incline Push-Up Chest

Four minutes of walking or easy cycling

Start with something you already know how to do: a brisk walk, on a treadmill or around the block, or an easy ride on a stationary bike. Go at a pace where you can still talk. When you feel warmer and are breathing a bit faster, move on.

Warm up, easiest start

Brisk Walk

Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves

Walking briskly raises your heart rate gently and needs no skill, so it is the simplest way to begin any workout.

How to do it

  1. Walk at a pace a little faster than normal.
  2. Swing your arms naturally.
  3. Keep going for 4 minutes.

Cues

  • Talk-test pace
  • Arms swing

Common mistakes

  • Strolling too slowly to get warm.
  • Starting so fast you are out of breath.

Swap for: Treadmill Walk, Stationary Bike, Elliptical

Build a session with Brisk Walk

Warm up, seated

Stationary Bike

Quads, Hamstrings

An easy ride warms your legs while you sit, so it suits anyone whose knees or feet complain about walking.

How to do it

  1. Adjust the seat to hip height when standing next to the bike.
  2. Pedal at the lowest or second-lowest resistance.
  3. Four minutes at a comfortable pace.

Cues

  • Easy resistance
  • Smooth pedaling

Common mistakes

  • A seat set too low.
  • Pushing hard on the pedals.

Swap for: Brisk Walk, Elliptical, Treadmill Walk

Build a session with Stationary Bike

Loosen the joints

Arm circles for the shoulders, ankle circles for the ankles and side leg raises for the hips. Ten slow reps of each, holding a wall or chair for balance if you need it.

Loosen, shoulders

Arm Circles

Shoulders

Arm circles get the shoulders moving before pushing or pulling.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your arms out to the sides.
  2. Circle forward slowly, small then bigger.
  3. Ten forward, ten backward.

Cues

  • Slow and smooth
  • Shoulders relaxed

Common mistakes

  • Swinging fast.
  • Shrugging.

Swap for: Band Pull-Apart, Plate Halo, Push-Up Plus

Build a session with Arm Circles

Loosen, ankles

Ankle Circles

Calves

Ankle circles loosen the ankles before squats and walking.

How to do it

  1. Hold a chair for balance and lift one foot.
  2. Draw slow circles with your toes.
  3. Ten each way, each foot.

Cues

  • Big circles
  • Hold on if you need

Common mistakes

  • Rushing.
  • Moving the whole leg.

Swap for: Standing Calf Raise, Leg Swings, Brisk Walk

Build a session with Ankle Circles

Loosen, hips

Standing Side Leg Raise

Abductors

Raising one leg sideways warms the hips gently and helps your balance.

How to do it

  1. Stand next to a wall or chair and hold it.
  2. Raise the outer leg sideways a few inches, toes pointing forward.
  3. Lower slowly. Ten per leg.

Cues

  • Toes forward
  • Stand tall

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away to lift higher.
  • Swinging the leg.

Swap for: Clamshell, Lateral Band Walk, Leg Swings

Build a session with Standing Side Leg Raise

Three easy strength moves

Glute bridges, bodyweight squats and incline push-ups use your own bodyweight to wake up your legs, hips, chest and arms. Ten each, slow and controlled. They also teach the basic squat and push-up shapes you will use with weights later.

Strength move, hips

Glute Bridge

Glutes

Bridges wake up the glutes and are easy to learn lying on the floor; add a barbell across the hips only once the bodyweight version is easy.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat.
  2. Lift your hips by pressing through your heels.
  3. Lower slowly. Ten reps.

Cues

  • Heels press down
  • Squeeze your glutes

Common mistakes

  • Arching your back.
  • Lifting on your toes.

Swap for: Single-Leg Glute Bridge, Kettlebell Glute Bridge, Hip Thrust

Build a session with Glute Bridge

Strength move, legs

Bodyweight Squat

Quads

Squats with your bodyweight warm your legs and teach the squat before you add weight.

How to do it

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Sit back and down as if to a chair, as deep as is comfortable.
  3. Stand. Ten reps, using a chair behind you if you like.

Cues

  • Sit back
  • Knees out over toes

Common mistakes

  • Heels lifting.
  • Knees caving in.

Swap for: Box Squat, Goblet Squat, Wall Sit

Build a session with Bodyweight Squat

Strength move, chest and arms

Incline Push-Up

Chest

Push-ups with your hands on a bench or wall are easy enough for anyone and warm the chest, shoulders and arms.

How to do it

  1. Put your hands on a bench or wall a little wider than your shoulders.
  2. Step back so your body is straight.
  3. Bend your elbows to bring your chest close, then push away. Ten reps.

Cues

  • Straight body
  • Elbows angle back

Common mistakes

  • Hips sticking out.
  • Half reps.

Swap for: Kneeling Push-Up, Push-Up, Machine Chest Press

Build a session with Incline Push-Up

One or two light sets of your first exercise

Before your first real set, do one set of 10 to 12 with about half the weight you plan to use, and a second set of 6 at a bit more if the weight is heavy for you. On machines, this also lets you check the seat and pad positions.

First exercise, legs

Leg Press

Quads, Glutes

On a leg day, a light set on the leg press warms the legs and lets you set the seat before your working sets.

How to do it

  1. Sit in the machine feet about hip-width apart on the platform.
  2. Release the safety and lower until your knees bend about 90 degrees.
  3. Press back up without locking your knees.
  4. Warm-up: one set of 12 with half your working weight.

Cues

  • Knees follow your toes
  • Lower back stays on the pad

Common mistakes

  • Lowering so deep your hips curl up.
  • Locking your knees at the top.

Swap for: Bodyweight Squat, Goblet Squat, 45-Degree Leg Press

Build a session with Leg Press

First exercise, upper body

Machine Chest Press

Chest

A light set on the chest press warms your chest and lets you check the seat height.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles line up with your mid-chest.
  2. Press the handles forward until your arms are almost straight.
  3. Bring them back slowly.
  4. Warm-up: one set of 12 with half your working weight.

Cues

  • Shoulders back
  • Slow return

Common mistakes

  • Seat too low or too high.
  • Letting the weights slam.

Swap for: Incline Push-Up, Flat Dumbbell Press, Smith Machine Bench Press

Build a session with Machine Chest Press

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

First weeks at the gym

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets42 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentExercise Bike, Barbells, Leg Press, Chest Press

You are new to the gym and use machines.

The routine warms up every part of your body, and a light set on each machine lets you check the setup. Working sets stop 2 to 3 reps short of failure, which is enough to make progress while you learn the movements.

Gym Workout
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Stationary BikeSeconds. Easy. 4 × 60 4 0 s
Arm CirclesEach direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Ankle CirclesEach direction, per foot. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Standing Side Leg RaisePer leg. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Glute Bridge 1 × 10 4 0 s
Leg Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–15 3 90 s
Machine Chest Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–15 3 90 s
How to run it
Walk or bike, then the six moves, then your machines.
How to progress
Add a rep each week; when you reach 15, add a little weight.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home workout with no equipment

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets42 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentBarbells

You train at home.

A walk and the joint moves warm you up, and squats and incline push-ups become the workout after the warm-up sets. Sets end 2 to 3 reps short of failure.

Home Workout
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Brisk WalkSeconds. 4 × 60 4 0 s
Arm CirclesEach direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Standing Side Leg RaisePer leg. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Glute Bridge 2 × 10–15 3 45 s
Bodyweight Squat1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–20 3 1 min
Incline Push-Up1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–15 3 1 min
How to run it
Walk, joints, then easy sets of squats and push-ups, then working sets.
How to progress
Add reps each week up to 20.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Short gym visit

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentLeg Press

You have 30 minutes.

Two minutes of walking and three quick moves keep the warm-up short, and one light set on the leg press finishes it.

Quick Workout
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Brisk WalkSeconds. 2 × 60 4 0 s
Arm CirclesEach direction. 1 × 10 4 0 s
Bodyweight Squat 1 × 10 4 0 s
Leg Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–15 3 90 s
Incline Push-Up 3 × 8–15 3 1 min
How to run it
Walk, then bridges, squats and arm circles, then the leg press.
How to progress
Add weight when every set reaches 15 reps.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is a good warm-up for beginners?

Four minutes of walking or cycling, arm and ankle circles, side leg raises, bridges, squats and incline push-ups, then one light set of your first exercise. About 8 minutes.

What is a good 5-minute warm-up?

Two minutes of brisk walking, then a minute each of arm circles, squats and incline push-ups.

What is a general warm-up?

Easy movement that warms your whole body, such as walking or cycling, before exercises that prepare specific joints and muscles.

What are 10 basic warm-up exercises?

Brisk walking, cycling, arm circles, ankle circles, side leg raises, glute bridges, squats, incline push-ups, and light sets on the leg press and chest press.

Do beginners need warm-up sets?

One light set of your first exercise is enough, and it doubles as a check of the machine setup.