If you are looking to get into strength training but are not sure where to start, this one is for you. Earlier this year we learned some of the basics about Strength and Resistance Training. This forms the foundation of what I discuss with patients and clients when it comes to ways to build and maintain muscle. Many folks ask me for a workout plan or a guide to help them. Although I am not a personal trainer, there are several great options for starting out. I will cover my favourite starting point in depth below, and we will learn about a few other plans and strategies over the coming months.

(Short on time? Click here for The Bottom Line)

Strength and Resistance Training is a critical part of optimal health and enhancing your quality of life. Generally speaking, the more muscle you have, the healthier you will be. Muscle helps with maintaining your weight, keeping excess adipose tissue (fat tissue) off the body, the experience of menopause, the recovery after a fall or fracture, preventing injury, rehab post injury, osteoarthritis management, and much more.

More importantly, your quality of life improves. Think about your daily activities. Lifting grocery bags and laundry baskets, going up and down stairs, squatting to pick something up (rather than bending down/over), and getting up off the floor or a chair, all become much easier.

So, where do you start? My favourite approach is free, requires no equipment, and can be done anytime, anywhere, in any outfit. It is centered around 4 core exercises:

  • Squats
  • Lunges
  • Push Ups
  • Planks

Why is this my favourite starting point for strength training? Because it is accessible to everyone, inherently involves the low bar principle, and is adaptable to your lifestyle and environment. Also, these 4 exercises are compound movements. Well, technically 3 of them are and one is compound-adjacent. Let me explain.

Compound exercises refer to movements you can do when you are using multiple joints and large muscles or groups of muscles simultaneously. These are foundational when it comes to strength training because they provide an efficient and effective way to build muscle. Compound movements also help you build strength and balance, enhance functional workouts, and foster improved coordination.

So, squats, lunges, and push-ups are considered compound movements. Here are the multiple muscles involved in each:

  • Squats & Lunges
    • Front of Thighs (quadriceps aka “quads”)
    • Buttocks (glutes)
    • Back of Thighs (hamstrings)
    • Inner Thighs (adductors)
    • Calves (gastrocnemius/soleus)
    • Core (abdominal and stabilizing muscles)
  • Push-Ups
    • Chest (pectorals aka “pecs”)
    • Back of Upper Arms (triceps)
    • Front of Shoulders (anterior deltoids)
    • Sides of Ribs (serratus anterior)
    • Core (abdominal and stabilizing muscles)

Let’s move on to planks. Similar to the exercises above, planks also work multiple parts of the body and multiple muscle groups together. However, planks do not have repetitive motions or repetitions the way that squats or push ups do. Instead, when you go into a plank position, you are contracting many muscles at the same time for stability. This makes it a compound isometric exercise. The muscles involved when you do a plank are:

  • Planks
    • Front of Abdomen (rectus abdominis/”abs”)
    • Deeper Abdomen (transverse abdominis)
    • Sides of Abdomen (obliques)
    • Lower Back and Spinal Muscles (erector spinae)
    • Buttocks (glutes)
    • Shoulders (deltoids and stabilisers)

Technicalities aside, these 4 exercises are excellent starting points to help you wade into the world of strength and resistance training. We will get into the direct and specific benefits of planks, as well as benefits of the other 3 compound movements in another blog post.

For now, and as always, here is your action plan to put this into practice:

  1. Choose any 1 of the above 4 exercises to start as a daily routine.
  2. Aim for 10 repetitions (reps) of that specific movement, at least once per day. These can be done all at once (suggested), or spaced out throughout the day.
  3. Repeat daily. If you miss a day or two (life happens, we miss days, it’s okay), get back on your 10 reps the next day.

That’s it. I get that it’s not much. But that’s the point. By lowering the requirements, you are more likely to show up consistently. This way, you can start building a fitness habit as a part of your lifestyle.

A quick note on planks. While they are great for your core, stability, and endurance, they are not necessarily going to maximize growing muscle. The other 3 exercises we discussed will definitely move the needle forward on your muscle growth.

Now, are these movements going to turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger or The Rock? Unlikely. But they will compound in your favour over time.

10 squats per day, for 30 days, means you have done 300 squats in a month… that you otherwise may not have done at all. That’s 3600 squats per year! Same idea for lunges or push ups.

Remember, this is your starting point. Once you master the basics, you will be ready for gradual progression and further challenges, which we will also cover down the road.

Take it one rep at a time. You got this.

As always, chase progress, not perfection.

I believe in you,


Dr. Khimji


This Week’s Challenge

Do 10 squats immediately after brushing your teeth, right at the bathroom counter, at least 3 times this week. 


The Bottom Line

Strength and Resistance Training matters greatly for your health and your quality of life. From lifting groceries and laundry, to climbing stairs and getting up from a chair, muscle changes your day-to-day experience entirely. Part of becoming your healthiest self involves building and maintaining muscle, whether it’s for improving metabolic health, helping with menopause, preventing or recovering from injury, lowering osteoarthritis pain, and more. My favourite starting point to get into muscle building involves 4 core exercises that use multiple muscles at the same time for maximum efficiency and more bang for your buck. Squats, Lunges, Push Ups, Planks. These are available to everyone, anywhere, anytime, in any outfit. No purchase necessary! Choose one of these four options. Aim for 10 reps at least once per day. Do it everyday. If you miss a day, all good, get back to it the day after that. That’s it. Lower the bar. Show up consistently and make this a part of your lifestyle, not just some trend to try. You might not turn into The Rock, but you will experience compounding in your favour. 10 squats per day, for 30 days, means you have done 300 squats in a month… that you otherwise may not have done at all. Same goes for lunges or push ups. Start here. Take it one rep at a time. You got this.