Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays. This week we are talking to those of you who are brand new to exercise. Or maybe for you, it has been so long since your last workout that you are basically brand new to exercise. What things do you need to keep in mind as you start to exercise again to make sure your body stays safe and you can continue to workout on a regular basis?
1) Increase Your Intensity Slowly
The first thing to keep in mind if you are new to exercise is to increase your intensity slowly. So often people feel like they need to jump right into the deep end when they start working out. Instead, imagine like you are dipping your toes into a pool that starts off very shallow and gradually gets deeper. Start with workouts and exercises that you know your body can do, whether it is walking for 10 minutes or doing one set of a resistance training exercise, and gradually build from there.
Action Step: What are some physical activities that you know you can do? Can you walk? Can you ride a bike? Can you do pushups? Start with the things you know you can do in the amount that you know your body can tolerate and slowly build from there. Looking for guidance with this? Register for our One Workout Away Challenge here!
2) Prioritize Recovery
The second thing to keep in mind if you are new to exercise is to prioritize your recovery. You might be thinking, “Well I’ve spent my entire life recovering, now it is time to work!” While exercise is about challenging your body, you still need to make sure you are able to recover from the challenge in order to go back and do it the next day. Remember, exercising is a lifelong process, so make sure how you are exercising now is something your body can continue to do for the foreseeable future.
Action Step: Build in at least one day each week where you do a lighter recovery workout. This can be 20 minutes of aerobic exercise at a pace where you can still hold a conversation. It can also be a resistance training workout where you use 50-70% of your normal weight. If you would like some examples of how to build in recovery workouts, download The MAS At-Home Workout Program here!
3) Focus On Form & Listen To Your Body
The third thing to keep in mind if you are new to exercise is to focus on your form and listen to your body. Your form is how you execute each exercise, which is going to be a large determinant in how likely you are to not feel well from your workout. You also need to listen to your body while you are exercising so you can be mindful of things that may not be feeling 100% and make changes before they become bigger issues.
Action Step: You are one workout away from feeling stronger, functioning better, and living healthier. Make sure to listen to your body and keep your form intact while you exercise so you can achieve that! Want to learn how? Enroll in our One Workout Away Challenge!