You Don’t Need an Hour-Long Workout to Get Stronger

A lot of people come to strength training with goals that sound pretty simple.

I want more energy.
I want to get up and down off the floor more easily.
I want everyday life to feel a little less exhausting.

When we’re creating a strength training program for those reasons, we don’t need anything fancy. We need functional movement.

That means squatting, hinging at the hips, pushing, pulling, adding in a bit of single-leg work, some rotation, and some core support. These are the movements your body already uses every day.

This is exactly what I focus on when I work with beginners.

In the workout above, I take you through four simple strength movements you can do right at home. All you need is a couple of dumbbells, or household items like soup cans or water bottles.

We start with a compound movement that combines a squat and a pressing action, then move into a supported row, a glute bridge, and finish with some core work

Everything is explained clearly, with options, so you can move at your own pace and stop when you need to.

How Much Is Enough?

Each movement can be done for 8 to 12 repetitions, and you can repeat the sequence three to four times if you’d like.

But here’s the important part: you don’t have to do all of it for it to count.

I often tell people that a seven out of ten effort is a really good place to be. Enough to feel like you worked, but not so much that you’re wiped out or dreading the next time.

This is what sustainable strength training actually looks like.

Why This Matters for Beginners

When strength training feels overwhelming, people don’t usually quit because they don’t care.

They stop because the plan didn’t fit their life.

Simple, functional movement works because it’s adaptable. If something feels off, we adjust. If energy is low, we scale back. There’s always a way to keep moving forward.

This is the foundation I use when working with personal training clients, both in-studio and online.