5 Best Exercises for Beginner Lifters

If you’re searching for the best exercises for beginner lifters, you’ve come to the right place. These exercises do not focus on adding volume or variation but instead focus on perfecting and controlling the form.

The best exercises for beginner lifters always include the foundation or basic variation of the exercise. It's easier to begin with dumbbells, as they help with engaging both sides and developing a muscle-mind connection.

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Best Exercises for Beginner Lifters

The following are five best exercises for beginner lifters that should be incorporated into their workout routine to help them enter the resistance training side of the fitness industry. Let's get started:

1) Dumbbell Squat

Squats are the king of leg exercises. Under no circumstances should squats be ignored when focusing on resistance training.

You don’t need to immediately begin with dumbbell squats. You can start with bodyweight squats and progress to dumbbell squats.

You can find a guide for doing squats here.

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2) Dumbbell Bench Press

Bench presses are another good exercise for beginner lifters. It focuses on improving the chest and adds stress to the triceps and shoulders as well.

Ideally, dumbbell bench presses enable you to engage both sides and fix any type of muscle or strength imbalance.

You can find a guide for doing dumbbell bench press here.

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3) Overhead Press

The overhead press allows you to work on your lateral and anterior deltoids. While the shoulders, biceps and triceps get worked during compound movements, you need to incorporate exercises that work on the arms separately as well.

You can find a guide for doing overhead presses here.

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4) Prone Dumbbell Row

Prone dumbbell rows work on the lats. However, when you’re working with the best exercises for beginner lifters, you will be working with several compound movements. The prone dumbbell row is one of them.

As it's a compound movement, the prone dumbbell rows work on the lats, biceps, and rear delts.

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5) Dumbbell Deadlift

Dumbbell deadlifts focus on the entire lower body. While it may not be an exercise a beginner is immediately introduced to, it’s important to learn deadlifts at the earliest.

However, you must move at your own pace. If you feel you need more time to strengthen your back and legs, you must do that.

You can find a guide for doing deadlifts here.

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Bottom Line

Exercises for beginner lifters should always be used to fix form. When you’re focusing on form, there are other factors you need to keep in mind as well.

First, while you’re working with lighter weights, start developing a muscle-mind connection. This connection enables you to engage the correct muscle groups during exercises, especially compound movements. A well-established muscle-mind connection will allow you to engage your muscles properly as you move to heavier weights.

Second, it’s important to warm up before lifting. That gets the blood flowing and allows the muscles to prepare for resistance training. If you start with heavy weights without doing any warm-up, you will be putting yourself at risk of injury.

Finally, always hydrate yourself during your workout session, even if you don’t feel thirsty.