However, for some of us, this may be a sufficient reason that could eventually grow into enjoying the exercise itself, along with efforts towards a healthier lifestyle. The first training sessions, however, are usually full of mistakes. Especially if there is no fitness trainer nearby to help you get through the basics. If you are just starting out in fitness, this article will come in handy. Here are 10 tips that will help you make it easier for yourself without unnecessary mistakes and keep the will and motivation to continue exercising not just for one day, but for a month or even a whole year.
The health benefits of exercise are more than obvious and take effect regardless of age, gender or physical fitness. The first thing to know is that regular exercise does not only bring a slim figure or bigger muscles. In fact, you can get a lot more out of it.
1. More effective weight loss - exercising can prevent you from gaining too much weight and increase your ability to lose the extra pounds you have already gained. The simple fact is that as long as you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense your training, the more calories you will burn, and any physical activity is generally better than none. This is what makes strength training especially popular - it can make you burn more energy even a few hours after your workout. This phenomenon is known as EPOC or excess oxygen consumption after exercise.
2. Higher chances for a longer life - physical activities of any kind (such as sports) can help you prolong your life. This is due to the fact that it improves cardiovascular health and helps reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. It also has a positive effect on sleep, strengthens the immune system and lowers cholesterol levels. All these benefits together have an impact on your general health and life expectancy.
3. More pleasure - thanks to the increased production of endorphins in your body, exercise improves your mood and reduces the feeling of anxiety and stress. It also has a positive effect on the production of the hormones serotonin and nor epinephrine (nor epinephrine), which can alleviate the feeling of depression.
4. More energy - one study found that within 6 weeks, regular exercise helped participants overcome the excessive fatigue they had previously suffered from. Exercise has positive effects on the mitochondria of our body's cells - also known as power plants, which transform the energy our body needs to function. This can ultimately affect our overall sense of energy levels and reduce feelings of fatigue.
5. Exercise improves sleep quality - Research that used senior citizens as participants has shown that a regular training program can improve sleep quality and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. Another study gave similar results, where after sixteen weeks of aerobic physical activity, participants who had previously suffered from sleep disorders were observed to sleep better and longer, and themselves reported feeling less tired after waking up.
6. Exercise improves the health of your heart - one of the great possible benefits of exercise is that it improves cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, as well as the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. The WHO extends this recommended time to 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity and applies this recommendation to anyone between the ages of 18 and 64. In case of higher intensity of activities, the recommendation is 75-150 minutes.
7. Improving bone health - It is common knowledge that playing sports improves bone health. This is because it helps increase bone density, strengthen bones and slow down bone loss, which is a natural part of aging. That is why it is important to exercise regularly, preferably several times a week, instead of exercising only once a month. Bone health has the special benefits of strength training, hiking, walking, tennis or dancing.
The beginnings are often full of mistakes. Many of us have a job where we mostly just sit at the computer in the office all day. We often go to the gym after work and get to it right away without proper warm-up. It is common to see beginners reach for heavy weights right after entering the gym. In addition, many often underestimate proper regeneration and fluid intake, investing all their energy in trying to make up for the weekend they spent drinking and consuming larger amounts of food, which often leads to frustration due to lack of results. Another common complaint is the amount of time you need to spend training without even realizing how much time is often spent on mindless browsing through apps on our smartphones while you are at the gym.
A particularly insidious enemy of beginners can be found in excessive motivation, which leads to the use of excessively large weights and neglect of the appropriate exercise technique. This is especially dangerous and can easily lead to injury.
To help you avoid unnecessary problems from the beginning and make sure you are headed in the right direction, we have prepared these ten tips to help you start your trip to the gym easier.
As soon as you enter the world of the gym, try to set your goals as clearly as possible. Your goals should cover several key criteria. That way, you will stay motivated and achieve the desired result. When planning, it is best to adhere to a well-established SMART method, which will incorporate these important criteria into your goals. Your goals must be:
1. Certain - it is not enough to say that you just want to lose weight or lift heavy weights. Set your goals with certain numbers, for example: I want to lose 10 kilograms, run 10 kilometers on the track or lift 50 kilograms on the bench.
2. Measurable - if you can't set your goal with a number, you won't be able to say how far you've come. If your goal is to lose 5 kg, you will need to know what your current body weight is and regularly monitor your progress by measuring your weight regularly. Partial successes are great for maintaining motivation and moving toward ultimate goals.
3. Achievable - if you aim high or try to do too many things at the same time, there is a high probability that you will not succeed in achieving your goals in the end. Be realistic, know your limits and stick to one goal. If this is your first time exercising at the gym and you are not in the best shape, it is not appropriate to expect that you will lift 100 kg on the bench, or that you will immediately become a champion in squats, surpassing all those who go to the gym for years. One example of a realistic goal is the expectation that you will be able to do 20 push-ups with your own body weight within 2 months. In order for your goals to be achievable, it is also desirable to divide them into smaller, partial goals. Losing 4 kg in 2 months may seem like a lot, but only 0.5 kg per week is not so bad, and sticking to it will eventually take you to the four kilograms you planned.
4. Realistic - whenever you choose a goal, you really have to think about why it is what you want. Are you preparing for a specific competition? Are you trying to lose weight because you want to fit into that elegant dress you chose for your friend's wedding? Do you want to be healthier and in better shape? All of these reasons are reasons to stay physically active. Everyone has to find their own. It’s the only way to make your goals important to you and in the same way sustainable in the long run.
5. Timely - creating some time pressure is not a bad idea. It is not enough to say that you want to lose 5 kg. What you need is to add a time frame that will make you "lose or gain 5 kg in 3 months". To have a better idea of how to set a realistic time frame, the ideal weight loss rate is about 0.5 to 1 kg per week.
If you are afraid of the idea of visiting the gym for the first time, you are not the only one. A recent opinion poll showed that there are people who do not exercise at all, and finally:
· They find the idea of visiting the gym scary
· I'd rather sit in a dark room with a spider than go to the gym alone.
· They would rather get an injection than visit the gym.
· You’d rather give up the phone for a day than go to the gym.
· They are not sure about going to the gym because there will be people in better shape than themselves.
· They think of the squat stand as the scariest exercise in the gym because they don't know how much weight to put on.
· They are afraid to ask for help from the gym staff.
Many beginners are simply afraid that they will make fools of themselves when going to the gym. This is often because they do not know how to use various machines or do not have the appropriate exercise technique. The simple solution to this problem is to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask the gym staff or trainer for help. They will be happy to show you how to use any equipment. That's why they're here, and you can be sure that you won't be the first or last person to ask them about it. In fact, you will be surprised to find that many more experienced gym exercisers will be willing to help you during the break between sets.
The community of those who train in the gym is, in fact, very open and practically everyone with experience will be happy to help you and give you some advice. That is why it is completely pointless to think about someone watching you from the side. Focus on your goal, on every move you make, and if you feel like it, take advantage of additional support through headphones with music from the list of selected songs.
If you are under stress due to the first joint training, talk to your coach beforehand. Another thing you can do is go watch some of the training or classes as an observer. In any case, introduce yourself to the coach and don't be afraid to ask him about anything that you may not understand. In addition, you should be well aware of any possible health restrictions you may have and pass them on to your coach. Remember, he is the person whose job it is to answer all your questions and guide you on your sports trip. To overcome the initial fear of the gym, you may also want to try to go to less frequent times, when there is no crowd.
Approach the reception and ask what time is usually the busiest time, and what time is less busy. Most people go to the gym between 4 and 7 pm, after work or school day. The least visited hours are often just before noon, during the lunch break or later at night. Another great strategy is to come with a friend whom you managed to persuade to go to trainings with you.
Finally, you can prepare by checking the website and social media of the gym you have chosen. They often offer many pictures showing what the gym looks like. You can see what equipment he uses and prepare to use various machines at home by looking at YouTube on how they should be used. In addition, the gym's website can provide you with a lot of useful information that includes trainings, its staff, etc. However, despite all this, the most important step for a beginner remains to spend your first workouts under the supervision of an experienced fitness trainer.
You can find it based on references or directly in the gym you go to. The fitness trainers are mostly employed in the gym, and the reception staff will be happy to introduce them to you. An experienced instructor will help you overcome fear quickly, and more importantly - he will teach you the correct exercise techniques. Hiring a trainer can be a little more expensive than going to the gym on your own, but it's worth the extra cost, at least for a few initial workouts. Otherwise, you risk months of inefficient and painful visits to the gym that do not show progress, and what is worse, endanger your health with an injury caused by improper exercise technique.
When it comes to exercise, get started easily. Make sure you go twice a week and stick to it. Mark the planned trainings on the wall calendar and mark them on the go. The pleasure of it will add motivation to you. You will slowly be able to add more training. One fantastically effective tool for creating new habits is the so-called two- minute rule. This rule says that whenever you try to choose a new habit, it is more than enough to perform the desired activity for only two minutes at a time, as long as it happens in a consistent and regular way.
In practice, each new habit you try to acquire can be summed up in a short, two-minute learning session. Here is an example:
· I want to start reading books before going to bed → Start reading one page every night.
· I want to do yoga for half an hour every day → Take your yoga mat and put it on the floor.
· I want to start practicing → Grab a skipping rope and make ten jumps.
· I want to start preparing meals the day in advance → Put some yogurt and a few pieces of fruit in the lunch box for later.
· I want to start running → Put on your sneakers and tie them well.
The purpose of this method is to make it easier to accept your habits. Anyone can meditate for a minute, read one page of a book or tie shoelaces. The strategy is based on the idea that when you start doing something good for yourself, it becomes easier and easier to continue. As you continue, what you need to do will be harder, but you stand on a solid footing. This will make it easier for you to manage. These strategies are effective because they gradually strengthen the identity you are trying to build for yourself.
This is one of the most common problems. We live in a world where we can reach for anything and grab almost anything we can imagine. And of course, we want that now. If the website we are looking for does not load within a split second, we become impatient and nervous. We hate waiting in line to see a GP, we hate waiting for lunch delivery or delivery from an e-shop that just seems to last forever. The desire for ever-increasing instant gratification has become so strong that we are losing patience.
Patience and discipline play a key role in this process. Nothing worth having comes overnight. Building a good physical condition, gaining muscle mass or a dream body is something that can take months, if not years, depending on the point of departure. If you are a few pounds overweight, they didn’t come from just one meal you’ve consumed before. Similarly, you can't expect to wake up 10 kg lighter after dinner with the salad you had the night before.
Remember: what comes easily goes easily. Current results may disappear immediately.
Clearly, this is not something you want to hear, but it is a simple fact of life that needs to be accepted. In the end, it is much more efficient to introduce all changes slowly, gradually and at the speed at which they are sustainable. You can't just change course 180 degrees overnight. Patience and discipline are your best friends on the way to your goals, and if you stick to them, your journey will be much easier.
Follow the warm-up with some dynamic stretching consisting of circular movements of the joints all over the body, from head to toe. You may remember this from physical education classes at school. The purpose of this is to improve joint mobility and prevent any potential risk of injury during training. When you're done with the main part of the workout, don't forget to spend some time cooling down, which helps your body return to normal. When you're done exercising, do a few minutes on a treadmill, stepper, or exercise bike. Stretch your whole body well and enjoy a warm shower.
However, regardless of standard procedures, you must, above all, listen to your own body. Most beginners are not used to intense physical exertion every day, so it is very important to keep in mind your limits. If you feel any pain during exercise, it is recommended that you stop and rest for a minute. Exercises with pain are never a good idea. You can easily inflict an unpleasant injury on yourself, which will prevent you from continuing for a while. Higher intensity does not always mean better and more efficient training.
Many beginners start by learning from training videos. This is not necessarily a bad idea, but you could run into some problems if you copy someone more experienced in an improper way. This can be seen in the gym whenever a beginner tries to lift too much weight too early, trying to get closer to his idols. What's more, this usually leads to the wrong technique and movements that load the body without proper muscle contraction, which is necessary for muscle growth.
The key to success here is the appropriate technique, which strategically involves muscle groups, training them using different movements at different angles. The better your technique, the sooner you will achieve the right results. Lifting heavier weights can wait. The most important thing is to adopt an appropriate technique that will be successful on the target muscle groups. Always focus completely on the exercise you are doing, keep as much control over your muscle work as possible, contracting and relaxing. This will allow you to develop much better control over your own body, thanks to the strengthening of the neuromuscular connection between your body and your brain. Once again, it is really important that one of the experienced instructors teaches you the right technique, instead of copying someone.
It's easy to confuse beginners with intricate workout plans full of isolated exercises that you can often see in fitness magazines and online guides. If you have never been to a gym before, such plans may not be of any use to you. So which exercises are best? First of all, choose the ones that you can report correctly, with the appropriate technique that works together with your mobility and biomechanics. The best exercises you can choose from are complex . You will often hear that the golden triangle of strength training is squats, bench press and deadlifts.
These exercises require the involvement of several muscle groups at the same time. Thanks to that, you will eventually be able to lift more weights, speed up your metabolism and achieve your goals. The next step is to distribute the exercises of individual muscle groups into separate parts of your training plan. For a start, it is enough to set a training plan with three exercises for large muscle groups and two for small ones.
These foods are the best source of proteins:
· meat , fish , seafood, milk, dairy products and cheese, eggs , legumes (peas, beans, all kinds of lentils, chickpeas, edamame), pseudo cereals (buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa), nuts and seeds, vegetable meat substitutes bases ( tofu , tempeh , seitan ), nutritional yeast, whey protein supplements, plant-based protein supplements , or protein bars .
Foods that give you a good source of carbohydrates:
· whole grains and other cereals (porridge, flour, rice, pasta, bread and pastries), pseudo cereals, potatoes and sweet potatoes, legumes, fruits and vegetables.
And last but not least, there are healthy fats , which supply energy during less intense exercise. In addition, they strengthen your immune system, improve brain function, regulate cholesterol levels and provide your body with many more health benefits.
Among the best sources of healthy fats are:
· nuts and seeds, oils , olives, avocados, butter and fat as a natural component of animal proteins.
Another key component here is to remember the correct intake of water (30 - 45 ml of fluid per 1 kg of body weight per day), which is necessary to maintain proper hydration. Providing your body with enough fluids during exercise has a huge impact on the quality of your performance. Getting enough fluids can also help you regenerate faster after your workout. This is especially true of functional drinks , whose purpose is to replenish the supply of sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium and other important vitamins and minerals, which are lost through sweating during intense exercise. When you finish training, a proper supply of minerals
What you consume should be properly adjusted to your goals. Whether you are trying to lose weight or gain muscle mass, your eating habits and macronutrient intake should reflect the goal. To this end, we have developed this handy grid calculator for energy and macronutrient intake.
A good place to start is choosing the right sports shoes, depending on the type of activity you are doing. Tight footwear is especially important in endurance sports such as running, (running) walking or cycling. One big advantage of running shoes is that they are designed to weigh less than ordinary shoes. On the other hand, if you go to strength training with weights, it is recommended to use shoes that provide more stable support, which you will appreciate during strenuous squats or deadlifts. Using functional clothes can also be useful in the gym. Sports clothes are usually designed to absorb sweat and are made of light and comfortable materials that will not interfere with your movement during exercise. Ladies will especially appreciate the variety sports bras designed to provide extra support to the chest.
Beginners' palms are not used to handling dumbbells and can develop unpleasant blisters in the first workout. This can be avoided by using training gloves , which should include proper ventilation and a firm wrist rest. If you are planning to invest in your own home gym, start by choosing equipment that is easy and fun to use, such as load bars or screws . It is always a good idea to try the item you plan to buy at a local gym beforehand so you can know what works best for you.
Without basic knowledge of exercise and diet, your journey will be much more difficult than it should be. In addition to adhering to the above principles, it is an advantage if you continue to educate yourself in this area. Don't be afraid to ask more experienced athletes for advice, and always remember to look for information in relevant and credible sources, such as professional articles based on peer-reviewed scientific publications. Keep in mind that not every pseudo-celebrity is a good source of knowledge and that not every poorly trained fitness bikini model on Instagram necessarily knows about proper exercise techniques.
If you don't read at a given time, you can also contact some podcasts or check out our YouTube channel . You can also learn a lot by browsing our articles, many of which offer useful tips for beginners:
· Conclusion
Before you take your first steps in the gym, keep in mind that everyone started somewhere. Not even the most defined guy in your local gym or the hottest bikini fitness model you know was born with the shape they are in. Everyone had to go through their journey and at some point in their lives, everyone made their first steps in the gym. So don't be afraid to feel helpless and look like a fool. The fitness community is full of open and helpful people who have the same goal as you - to become a better version of yourself.
It is up to you how you will face the challenge of your goals. However, if you follow all the above tips, you will surely have much more success to actually achieve them at some point.
