HOW TO START EXERCISE? A TRAINING GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS. Exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for your health.
Soon after you start exercising, you will begin to see and feel the benefits of physical activity on your body and well-being.
However, exercising according to your routine takes a lot of determination and sticking to it in the long run takes discipline.
If you’re thinking about starting exercise but don’t know where to start, this article is for you. Here’s everything you need to know about starting a routine and sticking to it.
WHY EXERCISE? HOW TO START EXERCISE?
Regular exercise has been shown to significantly improve your health. Among its greatest benefits are helping you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, preserve muscle mass, and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
Additionally, research has shown that exercise can lift your mood, boost your mental health, help you sleep better, and even improve your sex life. And that’s not all – it can also help you maintain good energy levels. In short, exercise is powerful and can change your life.
Summary: Exercise can improve mental function, reduce your risk of chronic disease, and help you lose weight.
COMMON TYPES OF EXERCISE
There are several types of exercise, including:
- Aerobics: Often the core of any fitness program includes periods of sustained movement. Examples are swimming, running, and dancing.
- Hardness: Helps increase muscle strength and power. Examples of resistance training, plyometrics, weight lifting, and sprinting.
- Calisthenic: Basic body movements performed without gym equipment and at a moderate aerobic pace. For example, lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups.
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT): It involves repetitions of low-intensity exercise or rest periods followed by short bursts of high-intensity exercise.
- Training camps: Time-based, high-intensity circuits combining aerobic and resistance exercises.
- Balance or stability: Strengthens muscles and improves body coordination. Examples include Pilates, tai chi poses, and core strengthening exercises.
- Flexibility: Aids muscle recovery, maintains a range of motion, and prevents injuries. Examples include yoga or individual muscle stretching movements.
- The above activities can be done separately or combined. The important thing is to do what suits you best and have fun with it.
Summary: Common types of exercise include aerobics, strength, gymnastics, HIIT, training camps, flexibility and stability. You can do them separately or in combination.
1. CHECK YOUR HEALTH
It’s important to consult your doctor and have a physical medical exam before starting an exercise routine.
This is especially important for those who are not accustomed to heavy physical activities and those aged 45 and over.
An early checkup can detect health problems or conditions that may put you at risk for injury during exercise.
It can also help you optimize your training, making it easier for you and your personal trainer to understand your limitations and create an exercise plan tailored to your specific needs.
2. MAKE A PLAN AND SET REALISTIC GOALS
Once you decide to exercise regularly, try to create a plan with achievable steps and goals.
One way to do this is to start with an easy-to-follow plan of steps. You can then continue to work on it as your fitness level rises.
For example, if your goal is to finish a five-mile run, you can start by creating a plan that includes shorter runs. Once you can finish these short runs, increase the distance until you can run the five kilometers continuously. Starting with small goals will not only increase your chances of success but will also motivate you every step of the way.
3. MAKE A HABIT
Another important component of exercise success is sticking to your routine.
It seems easier for people to maintain an exercise routine in the long run if they make it a habit and do it regularly. A review of habits concluded that replacing an unhealthy behavior with a new healthy habit is a great approach to maintain over the long term. Also, doing a schedule or exercising at the same time every day is a good way to maintain and maintain your routine.
For example, you can make exercise a habit by planning to exercise right after work every day.
Summary: Before you start working out, do a checkup and make a plan with realistic goals. Then, make exercise a habit by incorporating it into your daily routine.
HOW MANY EXERCISES SHOULD YOU DO? HOW TO START EXERCISE?
You don’t have to be a high-performance athlete or get used to working hours to start exercising today.
Current recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine for physical activity include at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week.
These 150 minutes can be configured as you wish. For example, you could do a 30-minute workout five times a week or a 35 to 40-minute workout every day.
However, recent studies have shown that packing this minimum requirement into one or two training sessions per week can be just as beneficial as spreading the sessions throughout the week. In general, it’s important to start slowly and increase the intensity when increasing your fitness level.
Finally, while some daily physical activity is necessary for good health, it is also important to allow your body to rest. Not allowing your body to recover from the stress of exercise increases the risk of injury, such as muscle strains and stress fractures, and can lead to overtraining syndrome (OTS).
Exercising too much can weaken your immune system and increase your risk of infection, hormonal imbalances, depressed mood and chronic fatigue.
Summary: The minimum recommendation for exercise is at least 150 minutes per week. However, it’s important to start slowly and allow your body to rest from time to time.
ONE WEEK SAMPLE PRACTICE PROGRAM HOW TO START EXERCISE
Below is an easy-to-follow weekly workout program that requires no equipment and will only take 30-45 minutes a day.
This program can be adjusted to your fitness level and made as challenging as you want.
- Monday: 40 minutes of moderate jog or brisk walking.
- Tuesday: Rest day.
- Wednesday: Walk briskly for 10 minutes. Then complete the circuits below, resting for 1 minute. After each set but not between exercises. Get back later.
- Circuit #1: 3 sets 10 lunges, 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups for each leg
Circuit #2: 3 sets of 10 chair-dips, 10 jumping jacks, 10 air-squats
Thursday: Rest day. - Friday: 30-minute bike ride or moderate jog.
- Saturday: rest day.
- Sunday: Run, jog or take a long 40-minute walk.
The one-week schedule above is a simple example to get you started. For more workout ideas and plans, check out the links below:
- 9 quick total body workouts you can do anywhere (no equipment needed)
- Workout plans targeting specific body parts and for various skill levels
- 7 beginner workouts for various targets and body parts
- Exercise program for your specific body type
Summary: There are a variety of exercises you can do, and the plan above is just one example to help you get started.
A FEW TIPS FOR BEGINNERS HOW TO START EXERCISE
1. STAY WATER
Drinking fluids throughout the day is essential to maintaining healthy hydration levels.
Replenishing fluids during exercise is important to maintain optimal performance, especially when exercising in hot temperatures.
What’s more, hydrating after a workout can help you recover and prepare for your next training session.
2. OPTIMIZE YOUR NUTRITION
Be sure to eat a balanced diet to support your fitness program.
All food groups are essential for maintaining healthy food levels and getting the most out of your workout. Carbs are especially important before exercise as they can fuel your muscles.
Carbs are also important for replenishing glycogen stores after exercise and helping your muscles absorb amino acids during recovery.
In addition, protein improves muscle recovery after exercise, repairs tissue damage and builds muscle mass.
Finally, it has been shown that regularly consuming healthy fats helps burn body fat and preserve muscle fuel during exercise, making your energy last longer.
3. WARM-UP
It is important to warm up before your workout. Doing so can help prevent injuries and improve your athletic performance.
It can also increase your flexibility and help reduce pain after exercise.
Begin your workout with aerobic exercises like arm swings, leg swings, and walking lunges. Alternatively, you can warm up by doing the easy moves of the exercise you plan to do. For example, walk before running.
4. COOL
Cooling is also important because it helps your body return to its normal state.
Taking a few minutes to cool down can help restore normal blood circulation and breathing habits and may even reduce the chance of muscle pain. Some cool down ideas include light walking after aerobic exercise or stretching after resistance training.
5. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
If you’re not used to exercising every day, watch your limits.
If you experience pain or discomfort while exercising, stop and rest before continuing. It’s not a good idea to go through the pain because it can cause injury.
Also, remember that working harder and faster is not necessarily better.
Taking time to progress in your fitness program can help you maintain your routine long-term and get the most out of it.
Summary: Make sure you stay hydrated, eat a balanced diet, warm up before exercising, cool down afterward, and listen to your body.
HOW TO BE MOTIVATED HOW TO START EXERCISE
The key to staying motivated and making exercise a habit is to have fun doing it. This allows you not to be afraid to exercise.
Like the sample workout shown above, you can mix activities while keeping them fun for you.
Joining a gym or group fitness class like yoga or Pilates, hiring a personal trainer, or doing team sports are also good ideas for increasing motivation and enjoyment.
Working as a group or with a friend can also help maintain accountability and motivate you to keep up your good work.
Also, tracking your progress, such as logging your weight or logging your run times, can help keep you motivated to improve your personal records.
Summary: Mix up your workouts, join a gym or team sport, and track your progress to stay motivated.
UNDERLINE
Starting a new exercise routine can be difficult. However, having real goals can help you maintain a fitness program in the long run. There are many different types of physical activity to choose from. Find a few that work for you and be sure to change them occasionally. The goal is to start slow, increase your fitness level and allow your body to rest from time to time. Tracking your progress or joining a fitness group can help you stay motivated and reach your goals. It’s also important to eat a healthy diet and hydrate regularly. Why are you waiting? Start exercising today!