Starting your fitness journey at the gym can be overwhelming for beginners, especially when faced with uncertainty about which exercises to perform, how to gauge the intensity of your training, and how to make the most of your time.
To enhance your experience and results at the gym, it’s essential to approach each session with a clear plan. Before your workout, determine the exercises you’ll be performing, the number of sets and reps, and your intended intensity. Once at the gym, consider silencing your phone to eliminate distractions and fully concentrate on your training. This focus not only helps improve workout efficiency but also boosts the overall quality of your session.
Additionally, what you do outside the gym plays a significant role in achieving your fitness goals. Proper diet, sufficient sleep, and recovery are key factors that contribute to muscle growth, strength improvement, and overall progress.
As a personal trainer with experience guiding hundreds of beginners through their fitness journeys, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges newcomers face. From navigating equipment to maintaining consistency, I’ve helped many overcome these hurdles and find success in the gym.
Warm Up Before Exercising
Warming up is an essential step in preparing your body for exercise and reducing the risk of injury.
Engaging in cardio exercises or dynamic stretches prior to your workout helps increase your range of motion and promotes blood flow to your muscles.
Additionally, some fitness programs, like those offered by the Sweat app, provide guided warm-up routines that can be followed for convenience.
Incorporate Strength Training
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends incorporating strength training into your fitness routine two to three times a week.
Strength training enhances your overall fitness by building muscle and improving endurance, which complements aerobic exercises.
In addition to boosting strength, it supports bone health and helps prevent injuries.
Bodyweight exercises, such as push-ups, step-ups, squats, planks, pull-ups, and lunges, can be performed anywhere, making them a flexible option for those on the go.
These exercises can be added after a morning walk or run to ensure a well-rounded workout.
Fueling with Carbohydrates Before Exercise
Carbohydrates serve as the primary fuel source for many workouts. A study by Queensland University of
Technology in 2017 found that consuming carbs, such as bananas or smoothies, before and after high-intensity workouts improves endurance, enhances recovery, and minimizes exercise-related immune disturbances.
Pre-workout snacks like apple slices with peanut butter or eggs on toast provide the energy needed for an effective workout.
However, it is important to keep the snack light if consumed close to workout time to avoid discomfort during exercise.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration plays a crucial role in maintaining muscle function, as muscles are composed of over 70% water. It’s essential to stay hydrated not only before and during your workout but also afterward to aid in recovery.
If you often forget to drink water throughout the day, carrying a water bottle can serve as a helpful reminder to sip regularly.
For those who don’t enjoy plain water, consider infusing it with fresh fruit or opt for herbal teas to stay hydrated in a more enjoyable way.
Prioritize Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is vital for overall health and fitness.
A good night’s rest leaves you feeling energized and alert, while also giving your body the time it needs to repair and recover, especially after exercise.
Train with a Friend
Exercising with a friend can make workouts more enjoyable and help you stay accountable.
If your friends aren’t interested in fitness, joining a gym or participating in local running or walking groups can help you find like-minded people.
Remember, your workout partner doesn’t have to be local—sometimes, encouragement from a distance is all you need to stay motivated.
Consider Your Macros
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), protein is essential for those who exercise regularly, as it supports recovery and muscle growth.
While protein powders can be beneficial, especially for vegetarians and vegans, many people can meet their protein needs through high-protein foods.
Carbohydrates are another key macronutrient, providing the energy necessary for workouts, while healthy fats support energy levels and promote vitamin and mineral absorption.
The Mayo Clinic recommends including unsaturated fats in your diet, such as those found in avocados, olive oil, and nuts.
Prioritize Rest and Recovery
Listening to your body is essential to avoid burnout and injury.
Rest days and active recovery sessions are just as important as intense workouts.
Incorporating these into your routine allows your muscles to repair and grow, preventing overtraining.
Be Consistent
You don’t need a long workout every day to stay on track. Even short sessions can be beneficial. The key is consistency.
Regular exercise, even in shorter bursts, creates a habit, making it easier to stick with your routine. Over time, this consistency leads to noticeable progress.
For example, if you start lifting weights, you may begin with lighter loads and gradually increase as your strength improves.
A 2019 systematic review and analysis by the University of New South Wales showed that women aged 18-50 who exercised two to four times a week experienced significant improvements.
On average, after 15 weeks, they saw a 3.3% increase in lean muscle mass, a 25% increase in upper body strength, and a 27% increase in lower body strength, regardless of the training method.
Wear the Right Clothing
Comfortable and functional workout clothing is crucial for performance.
Choose attire that aligns with your activity. For example, yoga requires flexible clothing, while high-intensity interval training (HIIT) demands a supportive sports bra.
Similarly, wearing the correct footwear is essential—running shoes need extra cushioning, cross-training shoes need grip, and weightlifting shoes benefit from a flatter, sturdy sole.
Understand Your Cycle
Hormonal changes throughout your menstrual cycle can affect your energy levels and workout performance.
During your period, you might feel fatigued, and it’s okay to rest if needed. However, if you feel up to it, continuing your exercise routine is fine.
Understanding your cycle stages and adjusting your workouts accordingly can help you manage your energy and training effectively.
Always listen to your body and allow it to guide your exercise choices during this time.
Cardio Workout Tips: Maximizing Your Sessions
Cardiovascular exercise is essential for overall fitness, and with the right approach, you can overcome barriers and make the most of every workout. Here are some tips to enhance your cardio routine.
1. Opt for Low-Impact Exercises
If high-impact moves like box jumps and burpees seem daunting, don’t worry—cardio doesn’t have to be harsh on your joints.
Low-impact workouts can be just as effective while being gentler on your body.
Training styles like barre offer a high-intensity workout without the joint strain, while activities like cycling and swimming provide excellent low-impact cardio options.
2. Build Your Fitness with Low-Intensity Cardio
For beginners or those returning to exercise, low-intensity cardio is an excellent way to build fitness gradually.
Engaging in steady, sustained movement not only improves circulation but also helps regulate heart rate after more strenuous workouts, making it an ideal form of active recovery.
Low-intensity cardio activities like walking, swimming, or cycling are great options. As your endurance improves, you can increase the challenge by slightly raising your speed or adding an incline.
The key is to maintain a steady pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation.
3. Take Your Workout Outdoors
Walking is a widely practiced form of cardio that doubles as an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s a long beach walk or a stroll through the park, exercising in nature provides more than just physical benefits.
A 2013 review by the University of Essex found that outdoor exercise enhances feelings of revitalization and positive engagement.
In fact, just five minutes of exercise in a natural environment can improve mood and provide immediate psychological benefits.
Try incorporating outdoor cardio into your routine with activities like cycling to work or scheduling a lunchtime walk.
4. Try Skipping for an Intense Workout
Looking for a quick and effective cardio workout? Grab a jump rope! Skipping is an affordable and portable option that delivers numerous benefits. It’s easy to do at home, in the gym, or even while traveling—all you need is a flat surface.
A basic jump rope workout could include 30 seconds of skipping, followed by 10 bodyweight exercises like push-ups, crunches, mountain climbers, and planks.
Repeat this cycle until you’ve completed a 10-20 minute workout. If you’re new to skipping, start with air skips to practice coordination before progressing to the rope.
5. Incorporate Interval Training
To take your cardio to the next level, try interval training, also known as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This method alternates between high-intensity bursts and lower-intensity recovery periods, allowing you to maintain maximum effort over a longer period than with continuous exercise.
HIIT can be applied to any form of exercise, including running, rowing, cycling, swimming, and even walking. For outdoor workouts, choose routes with stairs or hills to naturally increase intensity without extra planning.
6. Don’t Forget to Cool Down
After any workout, especially a high-intensity one, it’s crucial to take 5-10 minutes to cool down with stretching.
This helps your heart rate return to normal and can reduce the risk of injury, ensuring you stay on track with your fitness goals.
Strength Training Tips
Getting Started with Strength Training
You don’t need fancy equipment to start strength training. You can begin right at home using basic equipment or just your body weight.
If you prefer exercising at home or aren’t ready for the gym, consider using an adjustable barbell and dumbbells. In the absence of these, household items like water bottles or a heavy backpack can serve as effective substitutes.
Mastering Form
Proper form is crucial in strength training to ensure you’re working the correct muscles and reducing the risk of injury. Focus on controlled movements, particularly when lowering weights, known as “eccentric training.” Kelsey Wells’ PWR program includes negative-style exercises to enhance this technique.
Selecting the Right Weight
To choose appropriate weights, ensure you can complete the recommended reps while still feeling challenged by the end of each set.
Weights that are too light may undermine your results, while weights that are too heavy can jeopardize your technique and increase injury risk.
Consider working towards your one-rep max (1RM) and use your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to gauge the right weight for your experience level.
Cardio and Strength Training
It’s advisable to perform strength training before engaging in low-intensity cardio on the same day. This approach helps preserve your energy for lifting weights and ensures optimal performance and safety.
Breathing Techniques
Proper breathing can enhance your strength training. Exhale during the most strenuous part of the lift and inhale as you return to the starting position. Controlled breathing aids in core engagement, stability, and muscle oxygenation.
Incorporating Supersets
Supersets involve performing two exercises targeting specific muscle groups with minimal rest between them.
For instance, you might do 12 reps of bench press followed by 10 reps of bent-over reverse fly. Supersets are featured in programs like Kelsey’s PWR and Chontel’s FIERCE.
Overcoming Plateaus
If you hit a plateau or struggle to increase weights, try incorporating variable resistance such as resistance bands.
This technique adjusts resistance throughout different phases of the lift, potentially boosting strength and progression.
Yoga Tips
Choosing the Right Style
Select a yoga style that aligns with your goals, whether it’s strengthening your back, improving posture, or relieving stress.
Understanding various styles helps you choose the most suitable practice for your needs.
Investing in a Quality Mat
A good yoga mat provides grip and stability during your practice. Choose a mat that offers the right thickness and material for your comfort and needs.
Finding Comfort in Discomfort
Embrace discomfort in poses as a way to deepen your practice and enhance body-mind connection. Discomfort can signal areas for improvement but differentiate between discomfort and pain.
Use slow, deep breaths to help adjust and improve your form.
Familiarizing Yourself with Yoga Cues
Being familiar with common poses and terminology can make your practice smoother, especially as a beginner. Take time to learn basic poses and cues used by your instructor.
High-Intensity Workout Tips
Effective Short Workouts
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is effective even with shorter sessions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.
HIIT workouts two to three times a week can yield significant results.
Building Confidence
You might find high-intensity exercises challenging at first, but with consistent practice, you’ll improve and be able to perform more complex movements.
Start with modified versions of exercises and gradually progress to more advanced variations.
Variety in Training
Prevent fitness plateaus by mixing different training styles, such as AMRAP, Tabata, and EMOM. High-intensity programs like FIERCE, HIIT with Monica, and Cass’ High Intensity Strength offer a range of styles to keep your workouts varied and engaging.
Incorporating Weights
Enhance your HIIT workouts by adding weights. Exercises with kettlebells or medicine balls can intensify the workout and increase its effectiveness.
Monitoring Intensity
Gauge workout intensity using heart rate zones or the sing/talk test. During high-intensity intervals, you should find it hard to talk.
Active Recovery
Incorporate active recovery during rest periods, such as planks or squats, to maintain your heart rate and challenge yourself further.
Rest Between HIIT Sessions
Allow adequate recovery between HIIT workouts to prevent overtraining. Alternate HIIT days with strength or low-intensity cardio sessions to balance your routine and reduce muscle soreness.
Barre Tips
1. Utilize a Chair
To start barre workouts at home, use a chair or another stable surface as a substitute for a traditional barre. Additionally, have a yoga mat, resistance band, and light weights ready for your session.
2. Prioritize Stretching
The small, intense movements in barre workouts can lead to soreness. Be sure to stretch after each class to prevent stiffness and aid recovery.
Pilates Tips
1. Exercise Patience
Pilates may appear simpler than it is. Focus on mastering the basics and perfecting your form rather than rushing through exercises. Pilates emphasizes control and precision.
2. Modify as Needed
In Pilates, you’ll engage in repetitive, subtle movements. Beginners or older adults should make modifications to suit their needs, ensuring they get the most out of each session.
3. Choose the Right Program
Sara Colquhon offers two Pilates programs on the Sweat app:
– Pilates with Sara: Aimed at building core strength, improving muscle definition, enhancing posture, increasing flexibility, and fostering mind-body connection.
– Core & Body Connection Challenge: Ideal for those at a beginner to intermediate fitness level seeking a comprehensive Pilates challenge focusing on core strength.
At-Home Workout Tips
1. Designate a Workout Space
Whether it’s a small area behind the couch or a dedicated room, create a workout space free from distractions. Prepare a water bottle and set up your area before starting.
2. Target Various Muscle Groups
For a balanced routine, incorporate exercises that target all muscle groups. Consider alternating exercises or focusing on different muscle groups each day for variety and effectiveness.
3. Adapt Equipment
If you lack specific equipment, use bodyweight exercises or household items as substitutes. For example, use a water bottle instead of dumbbells or a towel instead of a yoga mat.
4. Be Mindful of Noise
In an apartment or shared space, keep noise to a minimum. Use mats to reduce sound and consider wireless headphones to avoid disturbing others.
5. Reduce Distractions
If you don’t have a dedicated workout space, clear away any distractions in the room, such as turning off the TV or removing obstacles.
6. Ensure Proper Ventilation
Maintain a well-ventilated workout space. Use a fan or open a window to prevent overheating during intense workouts.
Gym Workout Tips
1. Use a Variety of Weights:
Incorporate both gym machines and free weights into your routine. Machines offer safety and exercise variety, while free weights build stability and engage multiple muscle groups.
2. Track Your Progress
Record your one-rep max (1RM) and aim to improve over time. Use the Sweat app’s weight tracking feature to monitor your progress and adjust weights as needed.
3. Understand Gym Terminology
Familiarize yourself with common fitness terms to better understand gym instructions and communicate effectively with others.
4. Learn Equipment Usage
If unsure about how to use gym equipment, seek assistance from a trainer or refer to instructional videos in the Sweat app to ensure proper form and safety.
5. Celebrate Your Achievements
Reflect on your progress and celebrate milestones. Consider rewarding yourself with a fun activity or sharing your success with the Sweat Community.
