Everybody knows exercise is crucial. Whether you want to start looking after your health a little bit better or you feel that you need to get your cardio up, an exercise routine isn’t just a great way to get you physically fit but it can give you a lot of mental clarity. There is nothing quite like going out for a long run to clear your mind. But when you decide to embark on a new exercise routine whether you’ve not been able to do it for a while or if this is your first time, what are the key ways to begin?
What Can You Realistically Do?
Not in terms of your physical fitness but firstly you need to look at your life and think about what you can make time for. Many people love the idea of going to the gym three or four times a week but is this feasible? You don’t have to head to the gym in order to be physically fit. If you really don’t have the time there are things you can do at home and without spending a lot of money.
Just because a gym has fancy equipment and charges through the nose for a membership doesn’t mean that it is going to benefit you. You can very easily get a good quality workout with resistance bands and the right YouTube video for a fraction of the cost. You can find discounts on items like resistance bands and dumbbells from websites like NetVoucherCodes.co.uk but you have to remember that your body is unable to tell the difference between a dumbbell, a resistance band, or a sack of potatoes!
Just as long as you are giving your body the stimulus it needs to grow, this is all that matters. If however, you do want to invest in fitness equipment, there are plenty of options. You could try getting a home rowing machine or a set of weights. It all depends on your fitness goals and the space you have available. You can very easily work out at home instead of making sacrifices to go to the gym.
What Is Your Starting Level?
Starting on any workout routine isn’t about going in 110%. A new exercise routine is about understanding where your current level in terms of fitness is. There are ways for you to do this. OpenFit.com is one such website that can point you towards finding your fitness level. Once you understand what your fitness level is you can then implement goals to suit your needs. The most important thing to remember when it comes to setting goals is that they can’t be arbitrary. Many people like to say that they want to lose weight or they just want to get big and strong. But how much weight do you want to lose? And how strong do you want to be? When you put real goals in place you’ve got an idea of the journey that you need to go on.
The Importance Of Slow And Steady
Many people give up their gym memberships almost as soon as they sign on the dotted line. For any exercise regime to stick it’s important that we remember it is not a race. People feel that they’ve got to go hard and fast but this is the quick way to getting in over your head. The most important lesson to learn from starting any exercise routine is to go in at a level you are able to cope with and gradually increase the pressure beyond your capabilities. People feel the temptation to cheat in order to get five more press-ups but the crucial component of any exercise regime is learning the proper form so you don’t injure yourself. We have to remember that it’s not the number of reps we complete but it’s about fatiguing the muscles. From a biomechanical perspective, we have to remember that we’ve evolved to get stronger, such as to run away from a water buffalo or any threats. This means that our body has the tools deeply ingrained. The stimulus we put upon our muscles will send a signal for them to grow back. Remember, your body cannot tell the difference between a resistance band or a heavy object. As long as you do the exercises safely and you push yourself to acquire that stimulus this is all you need. And at the same time, you’ve got to remember the importance of rest. This is especially true at the outset. It’s difficult to do 5 days a week when you have started from nothing. Listen to your body; when it’s completely recovered then you can start again.
An exercise routine can make all the difference in our lives. It’s not just beneficial for our mental health and physical health but when we find the right workouts it’s something we can keep coming back to. But for so many people, starting on an exercise routine is the hardest part. Start right and you won’t give up.
Leave a Reply