A Beginner Strength Training Workout for People on GLP-1s

Millions of Americans are taking GLP-1 agonist medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound to lose weight, treat type 2 diabetes, and manage other chronic health conditions. And while these drugs are generally really effective, they can also bring on some not-so-great side effects, including a big drop in muscle mass for some people.

Losing muscle isn’t just an aesthetic bummer–it can make you more likely to develop sarcopenia down the road. Sarcopenia is a fancy term for low muscle mass, and it can lead to decreased strength, endurance, and mobility, as well as increased risk of falls and injuries later in life, as SELF previously reported. Basically, if you want to live a long, healthy life, you’ll want to avoid sarcopenia as best you can. And one effective way to lower your risk of it? Strength training.

Specifically, lifting heavy weights while taking a GLP-1 can help preserve your lean muscle mass as you lose weight, Gregory Norman, a certified personal trainer and regional personal training manager of Focus Integrated Fitness, tells SELF. Not only does training with heavy loads improve neural efficiency (basically, your body’s ability to effectively engage muscles), it also spurs your muscles to grow bigger and stronger.

With that in mind, Norman developed for SELF a total-body beginner strength workout geared towards people taking GLP-1s. (Important caveat: While this routine is designed to maintain and even grow your muscle mass, it may not be safe for everyone on GLP-1s. Before giving it a go, check with your doctor to understand if it’s the right choice for you.)

This routine features seven exercises that together hit all the basic movement patterns you need to work your entire body, Norman explains.

These include a lower-body push movement (squat); an upper-body horizontal push (hands-elevated push-up); an upper-body horizontal pull (dumbbell bent-over row); a lower-body pull (dumbbell glute bridge); an upper-body vertical push (high plank to downward dog tap); upper-body vertical pull (dumbbell pullover); and a bonus core move (the dead bug).

All of these moves are compound exercises, meaning they work multiple joints at a time. Compared to isolation exercises, where just one joint works at a time (like tricep extensions or hamstring curls, for example), compound moves recruit more muscles, which makes them an efficient, effective choice for maintaining and growing your muscle mass.

Norman recommends doing this full-body workout two to three times per week, with rest days taken in between each session.

Start with the exercises featured below–all of which are beginner-friendly–to build your technique and control. Once you’ve mastered good form and the moves start to feel easy, up the intensity by either picking up heavier weights and/or progressing to a more challenging variation of each exercise (examples of these progressions are listed beneath the directions for each move towards the end of this article). This progression is key: “Higher intensities are going to give us better strength and hypertrophy (muscle growth) adaptations,” Norman explains.

By staying consistent with this routine and gradually progressing the intensity so that your muscles are continually challenged, you can boost your chances of retaining (or even growing) your muscles as you take a GLP-1, while also supporting metabolic health and long-term weight management, Norman says.

Just keep in mind: Eating enough protein is also super important for muscle retention and growth, and since GLP-1s can really suppress your appetite, you’ll want to stay mindful about how much protein you’re getting, Norman adds. As a general rule of thumb, JAMA Internal Medicine recommends people on GLP-1s aim to eat about 1.0 to 1.5 g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.

Now, without further ado, here’s all the info you need to get started with this full-body, beginner-friendly strength workout.

The Workout

What you need: A sturdy elevated surface (like a box, chair, or table) for the push-up. And a set of dumbbells for the bent-over row, as well as a single dumbbell for the glute bridge and pullover. The right weight will vary based on your current strength level and familiarity with these exercises, but as a general rule of thumb, pick ones that are heavy enough that you finish each set feeling like you could only manage a few more reps with good form. You may also want an exercise mat for comfort.

Exercises

• Bodyweight Squat
• Hands-Elevated Push-Up
• Dumbbell Bent-Over Row
• Dumbbell Glute Bridge
• High Plank to Downward Dog Tap
• Dumbbell Pullover
• Dead Bug

Directions

• Do a 5-minute warm-up before starting this routine to reduce injury risk and properly prime your muscles. This can be five minutes of easy effort on a cardio machine, or 5 rounds of 45 seconds of jumping jacks (or alternating step jacks, as a low-impact variation), followed by 15 seconds of rest.
• Once you’re warmed up, complete the following exercises in the order listed below. For the first six moves, perform each for 3 sets of 6 to 12 reps. After you’ve completed all three sets of an exercise, move on to the next one on the list. For the seventh and final move, do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
• For all exercises, rest 90 seconds to 2 minutes between sets.
• Over time, as you progress to heavier weights and more challenging variations, transition to doing each move for 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps, and eventually, 5 sets of 4 to 6 reps. That may sound like a really low volume, but the idea is to use weights that are so heavy you finish each set feeling like you could only manage a few more reps with good form. This intensity will help spur your muscles to grow bigger and stronger.
• As you progress to heavier weights, you will likely need to take more rest in between sets so you can maintain good form throughout.

1. Bodyweight Squat

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
• Lower your hips into a squat as you bend your knees and engage your core to keep your back flat.
  Continue to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as is comfortable).
• Push into the floor through your heels to return to start. This is 1 rep. Do 6 to 12 reps.
• Keep your heels flat and knees aligned with your second toe so they don’t cave in.

The squat is a classic lower-body move that really works your quads, along with the glutes and hamstrings. (As an alternative to squats, you can also use the leg press machine at the gym, Norman says.) If you can easily do all your reps with this bodyweight version, up the intensity by doing a dumbbell goblet squat or a barbell back squat.

2. Hands-Elevated Push-Up

• Place your hands shoulder-width apart on a low box, a chair, or a table and assume a high plank position with your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders in a straight line. Brace your core and keep your elbows tucked in close to the sides of your torso. This is the starting position.
• Bend your elbows and pull shoulder blades together to lower your chest to the box.
• Press through your palms to straighten your arms back to starting position. This is 1 rep. Do 6 to 12 reps.

The push-up is a classic bodyweight exercise that especially works your chest muscles, but if you’re new to strength training, it can be challenging to pull off with good form. Elevating your hands reduces the overall load you’re pushing and allows you to build up your pushing strength in a more beginner-friendly format. As you progress, gradually lower the height of the surface your hands are on until you can do a from-the-floor push-up. In lieu of push-ups, you can also do a dumbbell chest press (which may be more or less challenging than a push-up, depending on how much weight you use). Once you’re comfortable with both push-ups and dumbbell chest presses, advance with the barbell bench press.

3. Dumbbell Bent-Over Row

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides, or with both hands grasping a barbell a bit wider than shoulder-width apart.
• With your core engaged, hinge forward at your hips, pushing your butt back. Bend your knees and make sure you don’t round your shoulders. (Your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility will dictate how far you can bend over.)
• Gaze at the ground a few inches in front of your feet to keep your neck in a comfortable position.
• Do a row by pulling the weight up toward your chest, keeping your elbows hugged close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades at the top of the movement. Your elbows should go past your back as you bring the weight toward your chest.
• Slowly lower the weights by extending your arms toward the floor. This is 1 rep. Do 6 to 12 reps.

This upper-body pulling exercise will really fire up your back and bicep muscles. Start with light weights and hone your form before loading up with heavier dumbbells. If you have access to a weight bench, consider doing dumbbell chest-support rows instead–the bench provides more support and stability, which can be helpful for beginners. Another option is the inverted row, which can be a good choice if you don’t have access to weights. Eventually progress by doing a barbell bent-over row.

4. Dumbbell Glute Bridge

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Place a dumbbell horizontally on your hips, and grip each end in one hand. This is the starting position.
• Squeeze your glutes and abs and push through your heels to lift your hips a few inches off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Hold for a second and then slowly lower your hips to return to the starting position. This is 1 rep. Do 6 to 12 reps.

This is the most beginner-friendly variation of the hip hinge motion, which really works the glutes. If you don’t have a weight, create a different challenge for your glutes by doing single-leg glute bridges, Norman says. Progress it by doing a dumbbell or kettlebell deadlift. Once those moves feel easy, take it to the next level with a barbell or hex bar deadlift, Norman says.

5. High Plank to Downward Dog Tap

• Start in a high plank with your wrists under your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart.
• Push your hips up and back to move into a downward dog, with your heels reaching toward the floor. At the same time, lift your right hand off the floor and gently tap your left ankle (if possible).
• Return your right hand to the floor and shift your weight forward to come back into high plank.
• Now, shift back into downward dog but this time tap your left hand to your right ankle. Return to high plank. This is 1 rep.
• Continue, alternating sides, for 6 to 12 reps.

This move is a bodyweight example of an upper-body vertical press. When you move from high plank into downward dog, you’re essentially pressing your arms overhead, which will challenge your shoulders. Progress by doing a dumbbell overhead press, and then eventually move to a barbell overhead press.

6. Dumbbell Pullover

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent, or on a flat bench with your feet planted on the floor.
• Grip a dumbbell vertically, with both hands around one end. Lift it into the air directly above your chest, keeping your arms straight.
• Slowly bring the dumbbell over your head.
• Bring the weight back to the starting position, engaging your core as you move the weight. This is 1 rep.

Here you’re doing an upper-body vertical pull exercise. The pullover will really engage your back muscles, along with your chest, shoulders, and triceps. If you have access to a gym, progress by doing a wide-grip lat pulldown, and eventually a wide-grip pull-up.

7. Dead Bug

• Lie face up with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your legs in a tabletop position (knees bent 90 degrees and stacked over your hips). This is the starting position.
• Slowly extend your left leg out straight, while simultaneously dropping your right arm overhead. Keep both a few inches from the ground. Squeeze your butt and keep your core engaged the entire time, lower back pressed into the floor.
• Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side, extending your right leg and your left arm. This is 1 rep. Do 8 to 12 reps.

Okay, so the dead bug doesn’t qualify as one of the major movement patterns, but it does deliver a beginner-friendly dose of core strength and stability work. Once you’ve mastered this exercise, increase the intensity by doing a hollow hold (aim for 4 sets of 20 to 40-second holds) before eventually graduating to hollow rocks (shooting for 5 sets of 10 to 20-second holds), Norman says.

Related:

• This Is the Workout That Actually Builds Bone Density
• 5 Chair Exercises That’ll Fire Up Your Abs
• 3 Strength Exercises for Better Knee Stability

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