Learning something new as an adult can feel daunting. You may feel awkward and clumsy, and maybe even uncertain of your own capacity. Not being competent at new things can be so agonizing that most people simply avoid the process.
Being a beginner is an act of bravery. It requires a certain degree of self-confidence and a willingness to do something NOT well, at least for a period of time — a novel concept for most grown-ups.
Every human being, at every stage of life, needs to find ways to be physically active — for their physical, as well as their mental and emotional, health. Exercise is not something you can afford not to do.
Attending a fitness class or training at the gym is a great way to get familiar with different exercises. However, if you are a newbie, it’s best to start with an outline of how often to exercise, for how long, and what movements are best.
In this article, you will learn all about the best beginner workout routines and how to approach exercise safely!
Best Workout Routines — First Steps for Beginners
Before you get to your club or fitness center, make a plan for the weeks ahead. Being a beginner does not mean going from zero to one hundred in five minutes. Design a system that is attainable and sustainable.
Frequency
As a beginner to physical fitness, start with attending classes or performing workouts in the gym only two to three times a week. Work out on alternating days so you have rest days built into your week.
Trying to decide whether you want to go to a strength training class at the end of a long workday is a recipe for skipping. Scheduling your workouts helps you stay committed. Block it out on your monthly calendar and go whether you want to or not.
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Duration
If you have never exercised, or if it has been a long time since you have exercised, begin with training only 20-30 minutes per session. Go slowly and accustom your body to exertion and new movements. That is not only hard work for your body, but it also taxes your brain.
One of the most essential steps to changing your habits is to feel successful when you do the new activity. If you go to the gym every day for 90 minutes, you may feel exhausted, sore, and disappointed. However, if you go three times per week for 20 minutes, you are more likely to feel energized and triumphant, which drastically increases the likelihood you will continue to work out!
Full Body Exercise
In the old days, gym enthusiasts made elaborate exercise charts, marking when it was leg day, when it was upper arm day, and then there was core day… It was a complex science that ultimately did not yield better results than doing full-body training at every session.
Beginners can (and should) find physical activities that incorporate all major muscle groups as much as they can. It may sound complicated, but it’s actually not that hard. Most exercise classes automatically do this — weight training, HIIT, Zumba, Barre, yoga, Pilates, and water aerobics. If you are training on your own at the gym, make sure to do exercises or use machines that target the upper body, the lower body, and the core. One example is dumbbell curls and overhead presses for arms and back, air squats for legs and glutes, and sit-ups for core.
Rest and Recovery
The pressure to lose weight and get toned can feel immense. That stress can push you to make decisions that hurt you in the end, affecting your health and self-esteem.
Going slow is the name of the game. Exercise. Rest. Exercise. Rest. Recovery is as important as exercising. Recovery gets you back to baseline, so your body is able to exert again at your next workout. If you don’t rest, according to Jessica Yeaton, a physical therapist at UCHealth SportsMed Clinic, it negatively impacts your health, including injury, illness, and strength production.
Celebrate the little successes and build in duration and intensity over time. If you want to be active on your rest days, consider something low-impact and low-exertion, such as stretching, a walk, or a mellow bike ride.
Starting your fitness journey in Santa Clarita
Seek support to develop a consistent workout habit. Help can look like accountability partners, classes you attend, and/or a private trainer to exercise with.
If you are in the Santa Clarita area, you can receive all of that help and more at The Paseo Club. The Paseo Club has over 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor gym space, group fitness classes, small group training programs, and several personal trainers to choose from. You can select from over 60 fitness classes per week, so you never get bored.
The Paseo Club is also a social club. Enjoy meeting people and making friends over a bite at the cafe, while relaxing in the sauna, or poolside as you work. There are several social events to enjoy every month, including Trivia Night, Wine Down Wednesday, and the Professional Mixer.
Schedule a tour today and discover all eight acres of the club. If you are ready to live your best life, you can become a member instantly. We can’t wait to see you!
