Celebrity Trainer Jeanette Jenkins Gives Us a Simple Workout Schedule For Beginners

Updated on March 3, 2020 at 5:20 PM

Jeanette Jenkins

Jeanette Jenkins knows a thing or two about creating great workouts — this full-body circuit was low-impact but left me unexpectedly sore the next day. With almost three decades of experience in the fitness field, she's trained A-list clients like Alicia Keys, Pink, and Serena Williams. Jenkins, founder of The Hollywood Trainer Club, told POPSUGAR via email that the one piece of workout advice she'd give to those new to exercise is to allow themselves time to be a beginner.

"We all started as beginners and we all have to put in the work to achieve our goals," Jenkins said. "Allow yourself to progress one day at a time, one step at a time, and one rep at a time. Stay committed and consistent and you will achieve your goals."

Staying on track with our goals often requires accessible workout equipment, and some of her favorites come from in-store buys at Marshalls. These include a yoga mat, a foam roller, resistance bands, and a set of dumbbells three to 10 pounds, not to mention activewear that brings the comfort.

Other than that, it's all about mindset and structure. Jenkins went on to explain that she believes beginners should aim to exercise four to five times a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes. "It's important to build up the consistency so working out becomes part of your daily regimen just like brushing your teeth," she said. "I think beginners should mix it up with various methods of training so they work all the components of fitness and they don't get overuse issues."

Ahead, check out Jenkins's suggested five-day schedule for beginners. We've included links to workouts you can try that align with her general suggestions as well. Go get moving!

Day 1: Cardio

Jenkins recommends kickboxing, jogging, and any other kind of aerobic activity. Here is a 30-minute boxing and kickboxing workout from Class FitSugar you can do right at home. You can also try this 30-minute beginner treadmill workout that alternates from walking to jogging, depending on the length of your strides.

Here is an elliptical workout that will last you 20 minutes and another one on the elliptical that takes 35 minutes (five minutes longer than Jenkins's suggested guidelines for beginners, so if you're not up it, stop after half an hour). A 34-minute beginner walking workout is another option, and if you're looking for more sweat sessions to try, this 20-minute low-impact cardio workout is a good place to start.

Day 2: Strength Training

Jenkins suggests starting with total-body strength workouts (breaking up muscle groups might get a little overwhelming if you're new to fitness anyway). She also said you can use weights — five to 10 pounds should suffice, but here's how to choose the right dumbbells — or simply do bodyweight sessions.

Here is a beginner weightlifting workout you can try that consists of six different moves, and here's another strength-training session from trainer Corey Phelps fit for those with minimal experience working out (or for those easing back into a routine). This 30-minute video from Class FitSugar makes for a solid bodyweight option. And if you only have 10 minutes (or need to fill up more time in your workout), this beginner Class FitSugar workout does the trick using just one dumbbell.

Day 3: HIIT Workout

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) — exercise defined by going all out for short periods of time, then taking rest periods — is a great way to build endurance and strength, get your heart rate up, and burn calories. You can try this five-move bodyweight HIIT workout from ISSA-certified personal trainer Melissa Kendter. It'll take you around 15 minutes, so tack on a quick warmup and cooldown as well.

More beginner HIIT workouts include this 20-minute one as well as this simple three-move Tabata session you can repeat twice to add up to Jenkins's suggested half-hour time frame. Tabata, by the way, is a specific kind of HIIT that follows a "20 seconds on, 10 seconds off" format (typically, each round is four minutes long). Here's a 15-minute Tabata workout you can repeat two times through as well as a 20-minute Tabata session, both from Class FitSugar. Make sure you're doing the modifications demonstrated if the moves are too difficult. Listen to your body!

Day 4: Pilates or Abs

Jenkins posts ab exercise inspo on her Instagram often. As for your core-focused workout, check out this beginner at-home ab session courtesy of Kayla Itsines. It's set up in a seven-minute round format, so you can repeat it at least one more time through. Or you can line up a few of these beginner ab workouts from YouTube.

When it comes to Pilates, you can check out this 25-minute session from Class FitSugar and WundaBar creator Amy Jordan. Here's another Class FitSugar Pilates workout lasting 30 minutes. Plus, check out moves that Pilates instructors love most and essential exercises to build up foundational core strength.

Day 5: Yoga

We're big fans of yoga here at POPSUGAR. There's yoga to relieve back pain, manage stress, ease symptoms when you're feeling under the weather, and even help you focus more on self-care. So whatever your mood, take your pick.

We highly suggest checking out Adriene Mishler's Yoga With Adriene YouTube channel, because she posts a wide variety of flows for all levels, beginners included. This 30-minute power yoga video from Class FitSugar, on the other hand, might be something you graduate to once you feel like you've built up your strength and gotten better experience with your yoga practice. Listen to your body!