Now that winter is saying its goodbyes, many of us are looking forward to the summer and dreaming of that beach body. If you’re in that boat, but haven’t really pursued fitness before, getting started isn’t so complicated.
Start Slow
The worst thing you can do is dive right in at the deep end and try to keep up with your fitness freak friends. If you are new to working out this will be a disaster for your body. Working out too aggressively will only lead to misery and an urge to quit. Instead, start off with low-intensity activities that feel good. Walking, swimming, dancing, and beginner classes are a great idea. Try a variety of options and increase your time, intensity and frequency at a gradual pace, giving your body the time to adapt.
Stretch
It’s a common misconception that you should stretch at the START of your workout. Ideally, you should complete a small warm up and THEN stretch for a few seconds before you get into your main workout. The reason for this is that your muscles are less likely to tear if they have already started to warm up. Your best stretch for gains in flexibility will always come at the very END of your workouts when your body is extremely warm and at it’s most pliable.
Mix it Up
Variety is necessary to continuously challenge your bodies in a variety of ways, bringing you closer to an overall athleticism and hard curvy shape. You should target different parts of the body throughout the week to get a well-rounded results from your workouts. In order to be truly fit, one must pursue strength, cardio, balance and flexibility training. ONLY walking or ONLY doing yoga will not accomplish all four aspects of fitness. Be bold and creative and you’ll find the right balance.
Have The Right Equipment
There’s no use in walking into a store like Reebok and simply picking up every sport item you can see. You’ll go a lot further with a game plan for what you actually need for your planned workouts. For example, if you exercise at home, you’ll go far with a set of kettlebells, a yoga mat and some weights. Take time to ask what type of weights you need for the exercise you plan to do.
Take a Break
It is easy to think that your body is invincible. Most of the time when people start working out they feel much more alive and energised, and they mistake this for being able to do more than their body is capable of. Instead of ruining yourself by working out for two hours straight, start with a reasonable 30-40 minutes and then go home. Increase frequency, intensity and time as you go. Your body will need time to rest, recover and repair as you go on. So while we want you to make progress, do so at a reasonable pace to avoid consequences that make you want to or force you to give up.
