Yoga & Pilates
Pilates is another excellent option for beginners, offering maximum results with low-impact exercises. Try Yogalates, which combines Yoga and Pilates for a lean, strong, and flexible body.
Walking, bodyweight exercises, yoga, resistance band exercises, swimming, cycling, and group fitness classes are all great options for beginners who want to get started on their fitness journey. Remember to start slowly, listen to your body, and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts over time.
As a beginner, a good place to start is with a full-body workout, which involves exercises that target all of the major muscle groups in your body. This type of workout will help you build strength. Start with bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, and pull-ups.
Classes are a great way to workout as you get both the guidance of a qualified expert, and the energy and fun of a social group environment. They allow you to learn new moves and exercises you may have never tried before, perfect your technique and expand your range of workouts.
If you are training for a 5K or a marathon, you will want to do cardiovascular training first for maximum performance. If you want to increase your muscle strength, do strength training first when your muscles are not fatigued from cardio.
Expert Tips for Beginners at the Gym
Here are some valuable tips to get you started: Start Slowly. Don't try to do too much too soon. If you're new to working out, start with a few days a week and gradually increase the frequency and intensity of your workouts as you get stronger.
In general, 30 to 40 minutes is considered optimal for beginners, but this doesn't mean that you should push your body past its limits if it's still too much for you. What's more, you must take regular breaks between sets. Use this time to stretch and recover before you jump onto the next piece of equipment.
The first method looks at your total training experience i.e. how long you've been lifting for and puts you into a category based on this: Beginners: 0–1 years of weightlifting experience. Intermediates: 1–2 years of weightlifting experience. Advanced: 2–3+ years of weightlifting experience.
ACSM recommends performing at least two weight training sessions per week, working all of the major muscle groups, and performing moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise 5 days per week; minimum of 30 minutes each exercise session. The five days can be a mixture of different low to moderate-intensity activities.
HIIT/Functional Training: Loose tank top, sweat-wicking shorts, cardio-friendly sneakers. Upper Body Day: Fitted sweat-wicking top, shorts or leggings. LISS & Abs:Oversized tee, comfy leggings, supportive sneakers. Pilates:Soft, stretchy leggings, low-impact sports bra, barefoot or grip socks.
Establish Your Fitness Goals Before Choosing a Class
To choose a class that is right for you, you must establish your fitness goals. Classes may focus on cardio, strength training, cycling, yoga, Pilates, or incorporate dance. There are also classes that can train you for athletic events.
For beginners, I usually recommend starting with three to four days at the gym per week max. While it might be tempting to go hard every single day, it's important to include rest days as these are when your body recovers and progress is made.
Going for a quick walk is better than sitting on the couch; one minute of activity will help you lose more weight than no activity at all. That said, the current recommendations for most adults is to reach at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. You'll get there by exercising for 30 minutes, 5 times a week.
According to these recommendations, beginner exercisers should work up to three to four 40-minute gym sessions per week. If that doesn't seem realistic, remember, completing a 15-minute workout is better than skipping a 40-minute workout entirely.
You burn a lot of carbohydrates — the main fuel for your muscles — when you exercise. In the 30-60 minutes after your workout, your muscles can store carbohydrates and protein as energy and help in recovery. Eat healthier sources of carbohydrates such as whole-grain pasta, whole-grain bread, or brown rice.
For any isolation exercises, you could do just 1-2 sets per exercise and get the job done well. There's no harm in spending more time in the gym, though. If you have the time and ambition, you could start with 4 to 8 sets per muscle per week, and work your way up to 8 to 12 sets.
The Bottom Line
Cardio won't eat up your gains (unless you're overtraining), so it's okay to pack both cardio and strength training into one efficient session. Whether you do cardio or weights first also won't impact your results on a cellular level; but, it may affect your energy levels—and thus, performance.