Strength and Flex exercise plan: week by week

4 min read

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

in-app
get fitter plan for all the latest hacks on how to work more exercise into your daily routine. Currently available on iOS only.

Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.