7 Fundamental Movements To Master For Beginners
For beginners, mastering fundamental movements lays a solid foundation for various physical activities and exercises.
Here are seven fundamental movements to focus on AND detailed breakdown of each fundamental
movement along with suggested sets and reps:
Squat
The squat is a foundational movement that works your lower body muscles, including quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Proper squat form involves ⤵️
Keep your chest up, back straight, and core engaged.
Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, as if you're sitting back into a chair.
Aim to lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
Beginners: Start with 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
Lunge
Lunges target your legs and hips, helping to improve lower body strength and stability.
Perform lunges by ⤵️
Take a step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles.
Keep your front knee aligned with your ankle and your back knee close to the ground.
Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
Beginners: Start with 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg.
Push-Up
Push-ups are excellent for building upper body strength, particularly in the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
start IN ⤵️
a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
Keep your core engaged and your body in a straight line.
Push through your palms to return to the starting position.
Beginners: Start with 3 sets of 5-8 reps.
Pull-Up/Chin-Up
Pull-ups and chin-ups strengthen your back, arms, and shoulders. ⤵️
Grip an overhead bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart (for pull-ups) or closer together (for chin-ups).
Hang with your arms fully extended.
Pull your body upward until your chin is above the bar.
Lower yourself back down with control.
Beginners: If unable to do a full pull-up/chin-up, start with assisted variations or negative reps (lowering yourself slowly from the top position). Aim for 3 sets of 5-8 reps.
Hinge
The hip hinge movement pattern is crucial for exercises like deadlifts and kettlebell swings.
It involves ⤵️
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs.
Keep your back straight, chest up, and core engaged.
Hinge at your hips, pushing your hips back while keeping a slight bend in your knees.
Lower the weight towards the ground while maintaining a neutral spine.
Drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.
Beginners: Start with 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
Plank
Planks are essential for core strength and stability.
Start in ⤵️
a push-up position with your hands directly beneath your shoulders.
Engage your core muscles and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Hold this position, focusing on keeping your core tight and avoiding sagging or arching.
Beginners: Aim to hold the plank for 20-30 seconds initially, gradually increasing to 60 seconds or more.
Twist
Rotation exercises, such as Russian twists or wood chops, help improve core strength and rotational power.
These movements involve ⤵️
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat.
Lean back slightly, engaging your core muscles.
Hold a weight (dumbbell, kettlebell, or medicine ball) with both hands.
Rotate your torso to one side, touching the weight to the ground beside you.
Return to the center and then rotate to the other side.
Beginners: Start with 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side.
Mastering these fundamental movements will provide a solid foundation for further strength and conditioning exercises, as well as improving overall functional fitness. Start with proper form and gradually increase intensity and complexity as you progress.
