Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice. Now this week, we are talking to those of you who are new to exercise. You are brand new. You have never worked out before. What things do you need to keep in mind to make sure you have a safe, effective, and fun exercise experience?
1) Move At Half The Speed As Everybody Else
Tip number one if you are new to exercising – when you go to the gym and are about to tackle your first resistance training workout, make sure you are moving at about half the speed as everyone else you see in the gym. Almost every single person that we see in the gym is moving WAY too fast. This can lead to a lot of soreness and achiness, neither of which are really enjoyable. Make sure you move really slow when you lift your weights.
Action Step: Try starting off moving at a tempo of 5 seconds up, 5 seconds down, with a 2-second pause at the top and bottom of each of your exercises. This will help to ensure that you are not moving too fast when you are exercising.
Related: Are you a first-time exerciser? Read this.
2) Remember Why You Are Exercising
Tip number two if you are new to exercising – make sure to remember why you are going to the gym. In other words, when you are working out, instead of focusing on moving the weights, keep your focus on what is going on within your body. You are going to the gym to help improve the function and health of your body. That is where your focus needs to be while you are exercising – how your body is functioning and how your body is feeling.
Action Step: When you are doing your exercises, keep your focus on what is going on within your body. Think about trying to feel your muscles squeeze and your joints move – not on trying to move the weights up and down.
Related: 3 Exercise Myths That Are Holding You Back
3) Give Yourself Rest Days
Tip number three if you are new to exercising – make sure you give yourself some rest days. Often, people are really excited when they first start working out so they try to workout every single day. Make sure, especially in the beginning, to give yourself at least one rest day between each workout. That way you can monitor how you feel after your workout and make better decisions on what to do during your next workout.
Action Step: Put your workouts into your calendar in pen and make sure to have at least one day between each scheduled workout. This will give your body the chance to recover after you exercise. If you find that one day between each workout is not enough time for you to go back to the gym feeling fresh and ready to go, re-evaluate what you are doing during your workouts. Consider cutting your workouts in half until you can feel completely recovered after one full rest day.