After 15 years as a certified personal trainer & even more time as a dedicated gym enthusiast I would never call myself a beginner when it comes to exercise. But after nine months of pregnancy and a difficult postpartum recovery I have been reducing my normal intense workouts. Leaving the house to go to the gym has been difficult so I usually turn to YouTube workouts to stay active each day. During one search I discovered trainer Maddie Lymburner who goes by MadFit and her recent routine designed for total beginners. She said it was simple and required no equipment which seemed perfect for what I needed right now. I decided to get my yoga mat and try it out.
Master Maddie Lymburner’s 20-Min Beginner Workout
The workout starts with a four-move cardio warm-up and then moves into a sequence of exercises that last 40 seconds each. Most movements include 20 seconds of rest afterward and there are a few 30-second breaks between different sections.
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– The exercise list includes squats & good mornings & lunges.
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– You will also do sumo squats with heel raises and sumo squats with “W” arm raises.
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– The routine continues with arm circles and birddogs and planks.
– It finishes with crunches and glute bridges.
Lymburner ends the session by repeating the cardio warm-up from the beginning. I already knew all of the exercises that Lymburner included in this workout. However the routine showed me that going back to basic movements can be really valuable. Here are my thoughts on the experience.
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Simple Exercises Worth Perfecting
When I work with beginner clients I always start with exercises like glute bridges and birddogs first. After they develop some strength I teach them movements like squats and lunges and good mornings. I was pleased that Lymburner included all these exercises in this beginner workout. She also adds helpful modifications and gives clear form instructions that are easy to follow. Spending time on the basics was useful. When I did a heavier lower-body workout the next day my form improved and I felt more in control of each movement. I will probably use this workout as an extended warm-up going forward.
Clear and Helpful Verbal Guidance
Most fitness influencers stay quiet during their videos. I actually like this since I would rather listen to music than talking. But clear instructions are really important when you are just starting out because it is easy to do basic exercises incorrectly and this can lead to bad habits and injuries. Lymburner provides excellent instructions during the whole workout. She explains proper form for each exercise in a clear and detailed way that even helped me improve my positioning for some movements. If you are new to working out regularly then Lymburner’s clear instructions make this workout a solid choice for exercising at home.
Slowing Down Makes It Tough
Most fitness influencers stay quiet during workouts. I actually like this since I would rather listen to music than talking. But clear instructions matter a lot when you are just starting out because it is easy to mess up basic exercises and develop bad habits that could lead to injuries. Lymburner provides excellent instructions from start to finish. She explains the correct form for each movement in a way that is both clear and detailed. Her guidance even helped me improve my positioning on some exercises I thought I already knew. If you are new to working out regularly then Lymburner’s clear instructions make this a solid choice for exercising at home.
Cardio Finisher That Pushes Limits
I appreciated that Lynburner decided to repeat the cardio exercises at the end of the session. She offers you the choice to increase the intensity by adding jumps to specific movements or by moving faster. The first cardio round felt relatively easy for me so I took her advice and pushed harder. When we got to the last exercise I found myself much more out of breath than anticipated. My Apple Watch showed my heart rate had reached 148 beats per minute. Timed intervals are great because you control your own speed and challenge level. This means the workout can be tailored to suit your needs. People just starting out can adjust the movements to make them easier while experienced exercisers can increase difficulty by moving faster or incorporating explosive movements. The workout adapts well to different fitness levels and works for most people.
