Everyone starts somewhere- even in the world of health and fitness. Every bodybuilder, professional athlete, and olympian started from square one, just like you. All that to say, there’s no shame in being a fitness beginner. However, as a Certified Personal Trainer, there are a few pieces of beginner fitness advice that I wish I knew when I started my fitness journey.
Beginner Fitness Advice
If I could go back to the first days of my fitness journey, I would give myself the following fitness advice:
- Don’t Forget to Warm Up: Warming up might seem trivial, yet it’s an influential part of any workout routine. Adequately warming up your muscular and cardiovascular system primes the body for activity by increasing blood flow. Simultaneously, it prevents injury to muscles, ligaments, joints, and bones. Participating in a dynamic warmup is optimal (as opposed to a static warm up), as it involves continuous muscular movement.
- Avoid Hopping from Program-to-Program- It might be tempting to switch workout programs after a week or two without seeing progress, but have heart. Progress takes time. More so, you’re more likely to experience more long-term success by sticking to one workout program for minimally 6-8 weeks, as opposed to trying new programs each week.
- Focus on Form, First- Proper form is the foundation of every fitness journey. Without proper exercise form, you’re less likely to see progress and more likely to experience injury. Also, it’s always important to nail down perfect form before increasing weight. For this reason, I highly recommend all beginners work with a certified personal trainer to learn the correct form for basic exercises. For more information on my personal training services, visit my website.
- Start Slow- Small steps add up. Focus on starting slow and carrying your momentum long-term. It can be easy to feel overly excited and pressured to go from zero to 100 from day one. However, overdoing it from the get-go reduces the likelihood of long-term follow-through. Once again, it’s important to follow a progressive plan that encourages you to reach your goals in the short-term and long-term.
The Best Fitness Programs for a Beginner
If you’re new to fitness, it can be challenging to know which workout program is right for you. There are so many options: crossfit, running, kickboxing, yoga, swimming, cycling, strength training, pilates, zumba.. the list goes on. To help you make the best informed decision, consider these questions:
1. What is my fitness goal? Are you aiming to build muscle, lose fat, increase endurance, train for a fitness event, etc?
2. What activities do I enjoy? In the past, have you tried a fitness program that you enjoyed? Do you know if you prefer strength training or running or both? Or maybe yoga is more your style. Try new activities to help determine which workouts you most enjoy.
3. What is my fitness budget? All gyms, training programs, and sports activities will vary in cost. Set your budget, then do some research. Which training programs are within your budget? Often, online programs will be the most affordable.
The fitness realm can feel like a whole new world to any beginner. With these beginner tips in mind, it’s time to courageously take the first step. You can do it!
For custom training programs, suited to help you reach your fitness goals, learn more about my online and in-person training programs, here. My passion is helping other women gain confidence in their own skin, while reaching their fitness goals. I would love to walk alongside you in your fitness journey!
