{"id":587073,"date":"2026-05-16T09:33:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T09:33:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/587073\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T09:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T09:33:10","slug":"do-these-three-exercises-each-week-to-have-a-healthier-routine-than-68-per-cent-of-brits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/587073\/","title":{"rendered":"Do these three exercises each week to have a healthier routine than 68 per cent of Brits"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s a reason you\u2019re reading this. That reason is probably that you\u2019d like to be fitter and healthier<\/a>, but struggle to find the time and\/or motivation <\/a>to do so. If that is the case, you\u2019re in the right place. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how little you need to do to make some headway with your fitness,<\/a>\u201d says experienced coach Darren Ellis<\/a>, who specialises in helping clients aged 40 and above build strength and boost mobility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re doing a solid two strength training<\/a> sessions per week, getting your 10,000 steps and, ideally, adding one or two slightly harder [aerobic] sessions<\/a> on top of that, you\u2019re crushing it compared to the average person.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is backed up by data from the 2021 NHS Health Survey for England<\/a> which found that while 64 per cent of UK adults met the World Health Organisation\u2019s<\/a> 150-minute prescription for weekly aerobic activity, only 32 per cent hit its twice-weekly recommendation for muscle-strengthening activities. <\/p>\n

Ellis\u2019s minimalist plan, on the other hand, sees you pass with flying colours on both fronts. Here\u2019s what you need to know to give it a go.<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s most straightforward fitness plan<\/p>\n

1. Two full-body strength training sessions per week (15-minute examples below) <\/p>\n

2. Walk 10,000 steps a day <\/p>\n

3. Do an aerobic activity (such as running, cycling, swimming, walking or many other sports) that gets you out of breath twice per week <\/p>\n

In March, the American College of Sports Medicine<\/a> updated its stance on strength training for the first time in 17 years. The headline message: \u201cConsistency beats complexity.\u201d \u201cTraining all major muscle groups at least twice a week matters far more than chasing the idea of a \u2018perfect\u2019 or complex training plan,\u201d says co-author Professor Stuart Phillips. \u201cWhether [you\u2019re training with] barbells, bands or your body weight, consistency and effort drive results.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plan above is as simple as they come. And simplicity can be a significant driver of consistency. \u201cIn life, we squat down, we bend over, we push stuff away from us and we pull stuff towards us,\u201d Ellis says. \u201cFind exercises you feel comfortable doing that meet these criteria, and away you go.\u201d<\/p>\n

By doing this, and meeting the other two criteria on the plan, you increase your ability to \u201clive life fully\u201d. \u201cMobility is freedom and muscle is the organ of longevity,\u201d Ellis says. This plan develops both, allowing you to do more physically. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou might not realise you have eliminated certain activities as you grew older \u2013\u00a0you stop sitting in a chair because it is too low, or you stop going up a set of stairs because you can\u2019t do it anymore,\u201d adds Ellis. \u201cGetting that stuff back is huge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: Scientists share six easy ways to increase the health benefits of your daily walk<\/a><\/p>\n

\"YouYou only need a couple of dumbbells or kettlebells to get an effective full-body workout (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n

Three easy strength training workouts<\/p>\n

A strength training workout does not necessarily mean spending an hour at the gym. It can, if you enjoy it, but there are more efficient and accessible ways to strengthen your body. <\/p>\n

Ellis shares three examples to help you get started, whatever kit you have handy at home. Dumbbells can be used for the kettlebell workout, and vice versa. <\/p>\n

Read more: After 50 you need to train smarter \u2013 the eight rules for strength training in midlife, according to experts<\/a><\/p>\n

Workout one: ascending bodyweight ladder<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Set a 10-minute clock then work through the sequence of exercises below until the timer runs out.<\/p>\n

A: Perform 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10\u2026 repetitions of squats <\/p>\n

B: Perform 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10\u2026 repetitions of press-ups<\/p>\n

Start by performing one squat, then one press-up. Next, perform two squats and two press-ups. Continue this sequence until the clock hits zero. <\/p>\n

\u201cA catchphrase of mine is that anything beats nothing,\u201d says Ellis. \u201cI speak to a lot of people who, if they can\u2019t get to the gym or do their scheduled 60-minute session, they won\u2019t do a workout. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith this session, you can get something done \u2013\u00a0you just need to find some space on the floor and 10 minutes after work before the family jumps on you. It\u2019s a mental win, as much as anything. You did something, and you didn\u2019t fail to do a workout that day, so you\u2019re primed to do your next session.\u201d<\/p>\n

The warm-up is woven with the low-rep starting sets, and the workout is limited to 10 minutes, making it easier to schedule into a busy day. All you need to do is get started. <\/p>\n

If you cannot perform a full squat, swap it for sit-to-stands, where you sit in a chair then stand up again. If you cannot do a press-up, swap it for a kneeling press-up or wall press-up<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Workout two: Dumbbell couplet<\/p>\n

Set a 10-minute timer. During odd minutes, perform exercise A. During even minutes, perform exercise B.<\/p>\n

A: Dumbbell overhead press<\/a> x8-12 <\/p>\n

B: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift<\/a> x8-12<\/p>\n

\u201cIn minute one, perform eight reps of the first movement and rest for the remainder of the minute,\u201d Ellis explains. \u201cIn minute two, perform eight reps of the second movement, rest for the remainder of the minute, then continue going back and forth for 10 total minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once eight repetitions feel fairly comfortable for all 10 minutes, you can start aiming for nine repetitions per minute to progress the workout, then 10, 11 and later 12. Another progression option is increasing the length of the workout in two-minute increments, Ellis suggests.<\/p>\n

\u201cStart with less weight than you think,\u201d he advises. \u201cThe shorter rests are deceptive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Workout three: three-move kettlebell density block <\/p>\n

Set a 15-minute timer then perform the exercises below as a circuit until the clock hits zero. <\/p>\n

A: Kettlebell single-arm overhead press<\/a> x6 each side<\/p>\n

B: Kettlebell single-arm bent-over row<\/a> x8 each side<\/p>\n

C: Alternating goblet lunge<\/a> x12 each side<\/p>\n

\u201cThis should not be a race,\u201d says Ellis. \u201cFor an effective strength stimulus, select challenging loads and move them with control, such that you generate enough muscular fatigue that you need to take short breaks throughout the session.<\/p>\n

\u201cProgress the workout by simply completing more reps than last time within the 15-minute window, or by using a heavier load than last time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: I specialise in coaching people aged 40-plus \u2013 do these six things for immediate results<\/a><\/p>\n

\"WhenWhen strength training, and exercising in general, consistency usually beats complexity (Alamy\/PA)<\/p>\n

Do what\u2019s right for you<\/p>\n

Exercise is not one-size-fits-all. The body adapts to better handle the things we consistently ask it to do, so while veteran exercisers might need more of a stimulus to see continued fitness progress, beginners can see impressive results from a startlingly small amount of training. As such, the plan above can be tweaked to suit your individual needs. <\/p>\n

An aerobic activity that gets you breathing hard will look very different for different people. An Olympian may need to hare around a track or cycle up a steep incline, whereas newer or older exercisers might be sufficiently challenged by a brisk walk, hilly hike or short swim. <\/p>\n

The same relativity applies to your daily step count. If your phone\u2019s health app says you currently walk an average of 2,500 steps per day, immediately upping this to 10,000 is likely unrealistic. <\/p>\n

But increasing your daily step count by 500 has been shown to deliver tangible health benefits. Very gradually increasing your daily step count by 500 at a time will soon see you arrive at 7,000, which \u201cis where most benefits are seen\u201d regarding minimising heart disease risk, according to a 2023 study<\/a> from the University of Granada.<\/p>\n

And finally, in Ellis\u2019s words: \u201cWhen you\u2019re new to strength training, anything is going to work.\u201d Two weekly full-body workouts \u2013 executed with good technique and intent \u2013 will deliver phenomenal results. Whereas, if you are a seasoned gym-goer or simply enjoy strength training, you might look to bump this up to three, four or even five workouts, focussing on different muscles and attributes across the week. <\/p>\n

Read more: Scientists followed women through midlife for 15 years \u2013 this activity was linked to longer, better lives<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\u2018Anything\u2018Anything beats nothing,\u2019 says fitness coach Darren Ellis. Home workouts can help you build strength, muscle and consistency (iStock)<\/p>\n

The secret to success<\/p>\n

\u201cSet a floor, not a ceiling,\u201d Ellis advises. \u201cPeople often come to me saying they want to train every day when they\u2019re currently not training at all. If that\u2019s the case, I advise starting by trying for two sessions per week.\u201d<\/p>\n

A year of doing two strength training sessions per week will deliver far greater health gains than a month of daily workouts followed by an unceremonious fall from the fitness bandwagon. <\/p>\n

In the past, Ellis has also enjoyed great success by telling new clients they can only exercise for 10 minutes per day. <\/p>\n

\u201cForcing them to do this seemed to flick a switch in their brain,\u201d he says. \u201cAfter a few weeks of doing that, they were fired up and they never missed a session \u2013 unlike people who start with 90-minute workouts, who soon tend to start missing days.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, after we had the consistency and the frequency locked in, we could start bumping up the length of their sessions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most people try to bite off more than they can chew when starting an exercise plan and promptly \u201ccook themselves\u201d. Doing less leaves the body feeling good and preserves motivation, Ellis says, easing you into a regular exercise routine. And if you can consistently tick the three boxes in this minimalist plan, your health and fitness will likely skyrocket. <\/p>\n

Read more: The simple exercise rules that can make you fitter, stronger and healthier<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There\u2019s a reason you\u2019re reading this. That reason is probably that you\u2019d like to be fitter and healthier,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":587074,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-587073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=587073"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/587073\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/587074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=587073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=587073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=587073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}