Getting used to or resuming physical activity can be difficult. Whether you are slowly recovering from an injury, ending a long period of inactivity, or starting to exercise for the first time, it's important to take your time. If you hurry and try hard, you risk getting hurt or feeling so sore that you won't be able to have the right consistency. It is important to take your time, choose your workouts carefully, and decide how long to do them. In this way you will be able to implement a good routine, be consistent and reap all the benefits that only regular physical activity can give.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Start Training
Step 1. Talk to your doctor
Before you start exercising, you should discuss this with your primary care physician.
- If you've never practiced any sport before, or are starting to train again after a week or month break, talk to your doctor first so that they authorize you to start.
- Ask him if there are any exercises you should avoid, how long you can train and at what intensity.
- For example, ask the following questions: "What exercises should I avoid? How long can I exercise? How many times a week?".
Step 2. Talk to a personal trainer
To make sure you are on the right path, try to see a personal trainer as well. It can give you tips on how to safely start training again.
- After talking to your doctor and being cleared, book a few sessions with a personal trainer. Make sure you give him all the doctor's instructions, so that he understands how to best set up your workout.
- You may want to book just a few sessions, just enough to get you used to exercising again.
- A personal trainer will verify that you are performing the exercises correctly, with adequate posture and variety that does not strain the body.
Step 3. Develop a training plan
To have a well-structured program and be consistent, prepare a training schedule. It can be useful to have a general overview and a path to follow as you get used to exercising.
- To understand how much physical activity to do, when to rest and how long to train, prepare a training schedule. It will help you stay consistent and make sure you have time to train throughout the week.
- According to some studies, people who schedule weekly workouts are more likely to be consistent.
- Write which exercises you intend to do, for how long, at what time and where. Get organized with the help of an agenda or calendar, planning at least a week in advance.
Step 4. Choose activities that are actually to your liking
When planning your schedule, try to opt for activities or exercises that you really enjoy. This is important as it will allow you to be constant over time.
- When evaluating the possibility of physical activity, consider the types of training you want to dedicate yourself to.
- For example, do you want to run? Do you want to sign up for an aerobics class? Do you want to ride a bike?
- If you choose unconvincing activities, excessively expensive or too difficult, you run a greater risk of quitting or giving up over time.
- Try to be realistic and consider what you really like; in this way you will be able to get used to regular physical activity and you will be constant.
Step 5. Don't overdo it
When you start exercising, the excitement is great. However, you need to make sure you proceed calmly and don't overdo it at first.
- As you get used to exercise, it's important to take things slow. This way, while exercising, you can focus better on your posture and really listen to your body.
- The quality of the exercise is much more important than the quantity.
- If you train for too long or at a high intensity at first, you risk getting hurt or feeling excessively sore. This is vital for getting used to a training schedule.
- For example, prefer low-intensity, low-impact exercises (like walking), doing them for only 15-20 minutes. If you plan to start weight lifting again, use a 2kg dumbbell instead of the ones you used before.
Step 6. Listen to your body
When you start exercising, it is essential that you listen to your body's signals. With this new lifestyle, you have to pay attention to all the sensations you perceive on a physical level and protect your safety.
- If you are just starting out, it is vital to pay attention to how you feel during physical activity and after.
- If you are overdoing it or trying too hard, your body will tell you.
- Watch for signs such as nausea, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, shooting pains, excessive soreness, or extreme fatigue.
- If you notice any of these symptoms, it is quite possible that you have tried too hard. Decrease the duration or intensity of your workout until you get stronger.
- If you experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness or pain that does not go away, call your doctor immediately and do not start exercising again until he has given you the all clear.
Step 7. Invite a friend to accompany you
When you start playing sports, it can be difficult to be consistent. It takes a while to get used to an exercise program, but a friend can be of great help.
- According to some studies, planning workouts with a friend or relative makes it possible to be consistent over the long term.
- Ask friends, family or colleagues if they are interested in playing sports with you two or three times a week.
- Try to invite someone who, like you, is considering starting physical activity. It will be fun to share this experience.
Step 8. Get enough sleep
When you start playing sports, you don't have to think only about physical activity itself. It is certainly important to choose the right exercises and protect your safety, but you must also sleep well.
- Exercise tires and stresses the body. It offers benefits and is healthy, but it is still an effort, so the body needs to rest well after exercising.
- When you start exercising, your body will burn more calories, use more energy and engage muscles with greater vigor.
- Make sure you get at least seven to nine hours of sleep a night. If there are days when you feel more tired, go to bed earlier or get up a little later.
Part 2 of 3: Finding the Right Business to Start
Step 1. To get started, try to have a more active lifestyle
If you haven't moved in a long time or have always had a sedentary lifestyle, you should initially focus on this aspect first. You can make a lot of changes without worrying about overdoing it.
- Having a more active lifestyle means integrating or intensifying typical daily exercises, including: parking a little further than usual, taking the stairs to reach your office, doing household chores or lifting the laundry basket.
- These activities are not exhausting, at least in general, and are not carried out for prolonged periods. They are therefore safe to have a more active lifestyle without worrying about getting hurt or overdoing it.
- Think about your typical day and consider when you can move around a little more. Can you take a few more steps? Can you take the stairs more often? Could you stand up instead of sitting?
Step 2. Include a warm-up and a cool-down
As you try to find a combination of activities that are right for you or the right types of exercise, don't forget to warm up and cool down. It is essential to start exercising properly.
- The warm-up and cool-down are designed to prepare the body for physical activity and help it recover at the end of the training session. If you don't include them, you can increase the risk of getting hurt, especially in the beginning.
- The warm-up should be done immediately before starting to train. In general, do some slow, light movements for about five minutes.
- For example, you could go for a short walk or use the elliptical without resistance.
- Once your workout is complete, finish with a cool-down. Gradually slow down the intensity of the exercises and finish with stretching. Again, you should do this for about five to ten minutes.
Step 3. Try walking
It is one of the oldest forms of exercise in the world, perfect for getting used to physical activity. Start walking more often to strengthen and prepare your body.
- Walking is a low-intensity, low-impact exercise. It is perfect for various levels of fitness and age.
- If you're just starting out, try taking a 10-minute walk around your neighborhood or on the treadmill.
- Once you start making progress, gradually increase the distance or time. Try to increase it by 10% every week.
Step 4. Go to the pool to try your hand at water aerobics or swimming
These are other low-impact exercises that can make you accustomed to physical activity more easily.
- Water aerobics and swimming are great cardiovascular workouts. Since the body floats, the weight will not affect the joints, so you will avoid straining it and weighing it down too much.
- If other types of physical activity are causing you joint or other pain, this option may be for you.
- Many water aerobics classes last 45-60 minutes. If you are a beginner, talk to the instructor and tell him that you intend to attend until the middle of the class or until you are tired.
Step 5. Take a bike ride
It's another fun cardiovascular activity that you can definitely try. It does not stress the joints and also allows you to fully control the resistance and the degree of difficulty of the exercise.
- Pedaling is considered a good exercise for beginners as it does not weigh down the joints. It is also recommended for those who are getting used to physical activity.
- You can ride outdoors or sign up for a spinning class. Biking outdoors allows you to proceed at a relaxed pace.
- Spinning lessons, on the other hand, have a greater degree of intensity. However, you can sign up for a class and explain to the instructor that you won't use a lot of resistance or that you will skip the more intense exercises because you have just resumed physical activity.
Step 6. Try yoga, a notoriously low-impact, low-intensity activity
It is ideal for getting started, especially for those looking to improve strength, balance and flexibility.
- Just like walking, yoga is suitable for a wide variety of people. You don't have to be in shape, strong or particularly elastic. It is perfect for varying degrees of athletic training.
- To get started, sign up for a course for beginners or for people with arthritis. These easier variations will engage the body without speeding up the heart rate or exposing it to advanced postures.
Step 7. To get used to weight lifting, use light weight dumbbells
If you want to start exercising, the weights may be a little intimidating. Some people opt for machines because they seem easier to use, but it may be preferable to use a lightweight pair of dumbbells at first.
- Both dumbbells and machines offer benefits, but dumbbells lend themselves to a greater variety of exercises and movements, helping to perform a more effective workout.
- Try using a pair of light dumbbells to do simple weight lifting exercises, such as bicep curls, shoulder presses, and triceps presses. You can work out at home or in the gym.
- If you don't know how to train with dumbbells and feel safer with machines, that's no problem. Just remember that it's important to use them correctly so you don't get hurt. If in doubt, ask an instructor.
Part 3 of 3: Training Guidelines
Step 1. Try to get enough cardiovascular activity during the week
Once your doctor gives you the green light and you start exercising, set aside some time for aerobics.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that healthy adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity per week.
- To achieve this, the exercises should be practiced for at least 10 minutes at a time.
- Moderate-intensity exercises are those that slightly speed up your heart rate and raise your blood pressure. You should be able to speak as you practice them, but only utter short sentences before taking a breath.
- Remember that you may not be able to meet this goal initially. It's not a problem. You can offer it as a short or long term goal.
Step 2. Dedicate a few days to weight lifting
In addition to cardiovascular activities, it is important to develop muscle mass. These exercises offer other benefits and should be done throughout the week.
- According to CDC recommendations, healthy adults should do a day or two of weight lifting per week.
- These exercises should be done for at least 20 minutes in total and should work all major muscle groups in the body.
- It is also not recommended to train the same muscles or muscle groups for two days in a row. Between one workout and the next, always insert a day of rest or one to be dedicated exclusively to cardiovascular activity.
- If you can't train at this level at first, you can make it your long-term goal.
Step 3. Add some stretching and elasticity exercises
They are essential for having a complete training schedule, especially if you have recently started doing sports.
- Don't stretch before you start exercising. It's best to stretch after your muscles have warmed up well, so take care of that at the end of your workout.
- Stretching helps you become more elastic. Also, when you start exercising, it's normal to feel stiff and sore, so stretching at the end of your workout can help relieve these symptoms.
Step 4. Don't neglect your rest days
In addition to training properly and improving your elasticity, you also need to rest your body.
- When you start playing sports, it is essential to take your time and take your time. This means, among other things, scheduling rest days.
- In fact, at the beginning it may be necessary to include more days of rest, and then decrease them over time.
- Your body and muscles heal right when you rest. Muscle mass grows and strengthens as the body performs repair functions.
- In the beginning, include two or three days off per week. Once you have progressed and strengthened, you can move on to one or two rest days per week.
Advice
- Before you start exercising again, ask your doctor for permission, especially if you are recovering from an injury.
- Always try to be cautious. Go slow, take your time, and don't overdo the stamina. It is easier to progressively intensify activities than to be forced to decrease them because you have exaggerated.
- Try to be patient with yourself. It takes time to develop good training habits.
