Weighted Monday Workout Routine You Can Do Both at Home and at the Gym

The best investment you can make in your life is to work out using weights, and the best day to kick-start your training is Monday. Why? Because practically everyone, including you, swears to start something new or life-changing from this day. 

This weighted Monday workout routine that you can do both at home and at the gym emphasizes strength-building exercises and is particularly important for women. As you age, your muscles weaken, leading to reduced strength, balance, and mobility. 

Daily activities seem harder; it feels like you’re no longer in full control of your body. 

You can change that today with a powerful Monday workout routine for weight loss and strength. 

Keep reading this article to find out everything about killer exercises to do on Monday and the best workout schedule. 

Is Monday a Good Day to Go to the Gym?

That will depend on each individual. Gym goers who follow a 5-day workout routine for weight loss and muscle gain may often start their training on Monday. If you’re also an avid trainee, but you’re deciding whether or not to trek to the gym on this day, you need to compare all the pros and cons: 

Pros of going to the gym on Monday:

• You prepare your mind and body for the start of your routine: Kicking off Monday workouts creates a mental reset, signaling your body that a new week has begun, and helping you feel focused and organized.
• You’re more motivated to train after a busy weekend: after the weekend break, you may feel more energized to commit to your Monday sessions and set the week up for success.
• You build up your routine: showing up at the gym on Monday creates discipline, which increases your chances of sticking with your workouts on the other days.
• You’ll shake off all the sluggishness after the weekend: everyone’s weekends differ – some meet with friends, others celebrate birthday parties, or go to dazzling concerts. Anyway, no matter what you did, it could make you feel slightly tired, so trekking to the gym and moving your body could boost your energy levels.

Cons of going to the gym on Monday:

• Mondays can be crowded: it’s one of the busiest gym days, particularly during peak hours, so Monday could slow down your training – you might have to wait for equipment or adjust your routine. In this case, a morning exercise routine is a real win-win solution as gyms are emptier at the beginning of the day.
• Mondays aren’t suitable for everyone: some people aren’t quite ready to hit the training after the weekend.

What Should I Work Out on Monday?

A Monday workout routine for beginners and more experienced trainees can vary. You can either train your: 

1. Upper body: complete exercises such as push-ups, tricep dips, and chest flies.
2. Lower body: perform deadlifts, lunges, hip thrusts, etc.
3. Total body: do planks, lunges, squats, etc.

or include a mix of cardio and core-strengthening moves (mountain climbers, burpees, bear planks). 

It doesn’t really matter what you’re training today. What truly counts is using proper form, staying consistent, and challenging yourself over time. Some Mondays, you’ll feel strong enough to tackle the whole-body session, while other weeks, you may only feel up to a lower-body workout, and that’s okay. 

Note: if you’re a menstruating woman, your energy levels may drop during certain cycle periods. For example, a study showed that fitness performance can be reduced during the early follicular phase (the first phase of the menstrual cycle, starting on the first day of your period and ending with ovulation) compared to other phases (1). 

In this case, a personalized approach should be taken into account when structuring a workout program for women.

If you’re curious about Pilates weekly workout plan, check out our earlier article.

Which Exercise Should Be Done on Monday?

There are no specific exercises to do only on Monday. Instead, choose the movements that tick the primary boxes: your goals, fitness level, and how your body feels that day. 

Everyone is different. Depending on your weekly split, you can focus on full-body, upper-body, or lower-body sessions. Starting with strength training might feel less taxing than jumping into vigorous cardio right away. 

In the next section, you’ll be introduced to an effective Monday workout routine at home with dumbbells. Those not ready to lift weights at the beginning of the new week can do exercises without weights, or additionally use a bodyweight workout app, piling up top moves for better strength and mobility. The BetterMe app offers different exercises for people who want to train from home without weights, using their bodies as the main resistance. 

Read more: Your Go-To Intermediate Workout Routine for Full-Body Progress

What Is an Energizing Monday Workout Routine?

From the title of this article, you’re expecting to cover the energizing Monday training session. This routine starts with an active warm-up to get your body moving, followed by primary resistance training exercises, includes a short burst of cardio for extra energy, and wraps up with a gentle cool-down session to help your body recover. 

You’ll need:

• A fitness mat
• Comfy clothes
• Dumbbells (if you’re working out at home without access to traditional weights, make them on your own by filling water bottles with grains).

Let’s get to the invigorating Monday strength-building routine. 

Short Warm-Up

• Walk quickly on the spot
• Turn your head to the right, then to the left
• Do arm circles
• Do fast side steps
• Jog on the spot
• Do lunges
• Do squats (2)

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Main Workout

This training includes 6 exercises with dumbbells. Beginners can start with 2 sets of 7-15 reps, while more skilled practitioners can do 3 sets. Rest between each exercise for at least 20 seconds, and for 60-90 seconds between sets. 

Ideally, you should own different weighted dumbbells that are suitable for particular exercises. 

1. Romanian deadlifts
2. Thruster
3. Chest press
4. Upright rows
5. Squats to lateral raises
6. Calf raises

Romanian Deadlifts

Perform the move: 

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms down by your thighs. This is your starting position.
• Hinge forward at your hips, bending your knees slightly. Push your hips back with your spine flat as your torso lowers until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Both dumbbells should go down toward your shins.
• Engage your core, drive through your heels, and return to standing, keeping the weights close to your legs as you rise.
• Pause at the top and squeeze your glutes. This is one rep. Complete 15 repetitions.

Thruster

Perform the move: 

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
• Bend your knees and push your hips back, lowering into a squat.
• Press through your heels and rise back to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
• As you come up, move straight to an overhead press, extending your arms fully while keeping your core tight and your hips tucked.
• Bend your elbows slowly and bring the weights back down to shoulder height.
• That’s one rep. Complete 7-9 repetitions.

Chest Press

Perform the move: 

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand, your elbows bent, and your upper arms resting on the floor so the weights are lifted above you. This is your starting position.
• Press the weights toward the ceiling, fully extending your elbows while keeping your palms facing each other. Pause at the top for a second.
• Then slowly bend your elbows and lower the weights down until your arms touch the floor at your sides. This is one rep. Complete 15 reps.

Upright Rows

Perform the move: 

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, dumbbells in each hand in front of your body with your palms facing inward.
• With your back straight, your core tight, and your chest lifted, raise the weights to shoulder height, allowing your elbows to lift out to the sides.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top and pause for a second.
• Slowly lower the weights down to the starting position.
• This is one rep. Complete 10-12 reps.

Squats to Lateral Raises

Perform the move: 

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and your toes turned out a bit. Hold dumbbells in each hand at shoulder height.
• Keeping your chest lifted and maintaining a flat back, bend your knees and lower into a squat.
• Press through your heels to stand, then lift your right leg out to the side, keeping it straight. Lower your right leg back down. This is one rep.
• Perform 8-12 reps, then switch sides.

Calf Raises

Perform the move: 

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart with dumbbells in each hand at your sides.
• Slowly lift your heels off the ground, rising onto your toes.
• Pause at the top and lower your heels back down with control.
• Perform 15 reps.

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A Short Cardio Burnout

You won’t need weights for your quick cardio session. 

Burpees

Perform the move: 

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Drop into a squat and place your hands on the floor.
• Jump your feet back into a high plank position.
• Do a quick push-up (if you can).
• Jump your feet toward your hands to return to a low squat.
• Drive through your legs to jump into the air with your arms reaching overhead.
• Do burpees for 30 seconds

Mountain Climbers

Perform the move: 

• Get in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your core tight.
• Drive your knees toward your chest, alternating legs quickly in a running motion.
• Keep your hips low and back straight.
• Continue for 30 seconds.

Cool-Down Session

1. Walk slowly in place for 1 minute.
2. Cat-cow stretch: On your fours, alternate arching and rounding your back to release spine tension.
3. Seated hamstring stretch: Extend one leg, reach toward your toes, and keep your chest lifted.
4. Tosto twists: Sit tall with your feet flat and core engaged. Twist your upper body side to side, keeping your hips forward.
5. Child’s pose: Kneel back, stretch your arms forward, and relax your back.

Note: Weightlifting is beneficial for both men and women. 

A great study emphasized the importance of weightlifting for women. It concluded that resistance training improves: 

• Strength
• Mobility
• Bone health
• Mental health
• Heart health
• Self-esteem (3)

Be proud of yourself after completing this weighted Monday workout routine. 

Read more: Workouts for the Week: All Your Biggest Questions Answered

What Is the Best Schedule for Working Out?

What constitutes a good workout schedule will depend on your goals and fitness levels. If you’re aiming to generally enhance your health and fitness, it should include a blend of strength training and cardio.

Strength Training: 2-3 Times per Week: Strength training is essential for long-term functionality. Sources emphasize the importance of resistance training: it boosts your strength and muscle tone, builds up balance, strengthens your bones, helps with weight management, protects your brain, decreases the risk of heart failure and injuries, and generally improves your quality of life (4).

Aim to work each muscle group if you want to build muscle – glutes, hamstrings, quads, chest, back, shoulders, arms, and core. 

A strength training schedule can look like this:

• Monday: full-body training session
• Tuesday: active recovery
• Wednesday: upper-body + core workouts
• Thursday: lower body exercises + short cardio
• Friday: active recovery
• Saturday: cardio + core exercises
• Sunday: rest or active recovery in the form of gentle cardio (cycling, dancing, brisk walking, running errands, etc.).

Cardio: Twice a Week: Cardio is lauded for its heart-protecting qualities. It also benefits your brain, joints, muscles, and skin, and is good for your immune system and digestion (5). You’ve got many options for cardio: swimming, cycling, brisk walking, jogging, dancing, and certain exercises (burpees or mountain climbers, for example). 

Rest Day: Twice per Week: Rest allows proper muscle recovery. It prevents injuries and promotes muscle growth (6). Active recovery, such as stretching, walking, or simple Pilates moves, could be beneficial. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• How should I split gym days?

You can split gym days by muscle groups or type of workout to balance intensity and recovery. Common splits include upper/lower body split, alternate upper-body and lower-body days, push/pull/legs (push = chest, shoulders, and triceps, and pull = back and biceps), full-body (train all major muscles 2-3 times per week), and strength/cardio (alternate strength training and cardio days).

• Can I go to the gym 5 days in a row?

It’s possible to work out at the gym 5 days in a row as long as you vary the intensity and target different muscle groups. However, including rest days between your sessions is still essential for proper muscle recovery and growth.

• What's the best exercise to do every day?

The best exercise you can do every day without harming your body or overtraining your muscles is brisk walking. Walk for at least 20 minutes and your body will thank you. 

The Bottom Line

Here, we’ve covered a simple weighted Monday workout routine you can do both at home and at the gym. Dumbbells, overall, are essential props for each resistance training, helping you tone up and strengthen your muscles. 

There are different workout splits to alternate during the week – just make sure you target different muscle groups, vary the intensity, and challenge yourself to reap more benefits.