Exercise Essentials – 5 Things To Check Off Your List Before Starting A New Fitness Routine

Trying out a brave new fitness routine? Exercise is important for good health and strong bones. Though we know this to be true, it’s still not the easiest venture to launch into. Apart from motivational challenges, on a practical level, some exercise styles aren’t safe for everyone to take up without training. Here are five things to check off your list before you start a new fit lifestyle.

1. Map Out Your Goals

Most likely, you already have a reason for wanting to visit the gym. Perhaps you need to take control of your health, maybe you have a new fitness goal, or the doctor might have recommended that you shed some weight. What you wish to achieve in the gym will play a role in the exercises you do. Take some time with a qualified personal trainer to discuss your goals and break them down into realistic steps that are manageable. 

2. Build Your Routine

Now that you have your goals mapped out, you can decide which exercises to do. You will have to consider your limitations when you draw up your plan. Do you have back problems? An old knee injury? The exercises you do and the equipment you use will impact these limitations. There are many variations of the same exercise. Some are high impact while others are low impact. Build a routine that accounts for your limitations while helping you gradually and safely overcome them (where possible). 

3. Get Your Doctor’s Approval

If you have any health conditions, you should also get consent from your doctor to exercise. Your physician should evaluate the type of exercise you want to do and give you a breakdown of how that might affect the health of your body. You might be limited to light exercise, only certain movements, or you might have to limit the duration for which you exercise. While you are in the gym, it is important to listen to your body. If you feel strained, lightheaded, or out of breath, it might be a sign that you are getting too ambitious too early. 

4. Look At Your Recovery Tactics

Exercise, especially resistance training, is the process of breaking down your muscles and rebuilding them to be stronger each time. So, recovery during the rebuilding phase is vital. Nourish your body after exercise and make sure you have enough electrolytes. Supplements like L-Glutamine also help with the rebuilding process. Having stiff muscles after exercise is normal but painful. Warm your muscles with light exercise to get the blood flowing to that area, or if you’re after something more passive, try a hot bath. 

5. Be Prepared For Change

After about 12 weeks, your body will adapt to the routine you’ve been following. The exercises will feel easier. This means it’s time to start all over again with a new and more challenging routine. Have this updated routine ready before you hit the 12-week mark. Then, it’s ticked off your list and ready for you to take on seamlessly when the time comes. 

A new fitness routine is exciting. It means you are about to transform your body and take your health into your own hands. An important part of staying responsible for your health lies in knowing when to put lots of effort into it, and when to rest. If you battle to get motivated, remember, the hardest part is simply turning up at the gym. Once you have mastered that, it’s surprisingly easy to get active and achieve your goals.