A week-by-week breakdown with links to video clips of the five-week Strength and Flex exercise plan for beginners.
Do each podcast at least three times within a week before moving on to the next podcast.
Once you've finished the programme, you can keep using podcast 5 to keep your activity levels up.
Podcast 1
A gentle workout with music, starting with a warm-up followed by a series of strength and flexibility exercises, finishing off with a cool-down.
Duration: 35:28
Warm up
- check your posture
- 5 shoulder rolls as you walk (both shoulders)
- 10 chest presses as you walk (pushing both hands away from you, then bringing them back in with your elbows pointing out)
- 10 arm rows as you walk (keeping your elbows tucked in while you pull imaginary oars back and forth)
- 10 knee bends as you walk
Watch a video clip of the warm-up routine.
Strength workout
- 10 standing press-ups
- 10 pull-ups
- 10 shallow squats
Flexibility workout
- thigh stretches
- calf stretches
- seated hamstring stretches
- chest stretches
- upper back stretches
Cool down
Podcast 2
We've made some of the podcast 1 exercises a bit more challenging and increased the length of your workout.
Duration: 36:31
Warm up
- check your posture
- 5 shoulder rolls as you walk
- 10 chest presses as you walk
- 10 arm rows as you walk
- 10 knee bends as you walk
Strength workout
- 10 standing press-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 pull-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 deep squats
Flexibility workout
- thigh stretches
- calf stretches
- seated hamstring stretches
- chest stretches
- upper back stretches
- tricep stretches
Cool down
Podcast 3
We've added some new moves and increased the difficulty level of some of the podcast 2 exercises.
Duration: 35:32
Warm up
- check your posture
- 5 shoulder rolls as you walk
- 10 chest presses as you walk
- 10 arm rows as you walk
- 10 knee bends as you walk
Strength workout
- 10 sit-to-stands
- 10 standing press-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 pull-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 wide squats
Flexibility workout
- thigh stretches
- calf stretches
- seated hamstring stretches
- chest stretches
- upper back stretches
- tricep stretches
Cool down
Podcast 4
We've introduced some new exercises and stepped up the intensity and length of your workout.
Duration: 45:12
Warm up
- check your posture
- 5 shoulder rolls as you walk
- 10 chest presses as you walk
- 10 arm rows as you walk
- 10 knee bends as you walk
**
Strength workout
**
- 10 sit-to-stands
- 10 standing press-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 pull-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 wide squats
- 10 bench dips
- 10 wide pull-ups
**
Flexibility workout
**
- thigh stretches
- calf stretches
- seated hamstring stretches – deeper stretch
- chest stretches
- upper back stretches
- tricep stretches
Cool down
Podcast 5
For the last podcast in this series, we've made some of the podcast 4 exercises more challenging.
Duration: 43:32
Warm up
- check your posture
- 5 shoulder rolls as you walk
- 10 chest presses as you walk
- 10 arm rows as you walk
- 10 knee bends as you walk
**
Strength workout
**
- 10 sit-to-stands with calf raises
- 10 standing press-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 pull-ups – option to increase difficulty
- 10 wide squats
- 10 bench dips
- 10 wide pull-ups
**
Flexibility workout
**
- thigh stretches
- calf stretches – deeper stretch
- seated hamstring stretches – deeper stretch
- chest stretches
- upper back stretches
- tricep stretches
**
Cool down
**
Need more tips on how to get active? Try out our 28-day
get fitter plan for all the latest hacks on how to work more exercise into your daily routine. Currently available on iOS only.