Getting started on a new fitness or exercise program can be overwhelming.
Walking into a new gym and seeing all these fit people doing movements or lifting loads you could never imagine doing yourself can be intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be too hard.
You can make the beginning of your fitness journey a lot easier by following the tips below.
Focus on Form
Building a solid foundation is essential for getting the most out of your training and remaining injury free. Make sure you take the time to learn and use the correct technique for all exercises.
Developing your technique and form can take time. Don’t rush it, and make sure you ask for advice or help when needed.
Learning to do things correctly from the beginning will ultimately lead to more progress and fewer injuries over your training journey. You may have to go a bit lighter or do less volume initially, but it will benefit you more in the long run.
Be Coachable
Great. You have been training for years or have a personal training background. You may have a better understanding of biomechanics and movement than others. But you might not.
Everyone can learn from others as long as they’re prepared to listen and take advice when given. Don’t be that person who acts like they know everything yet barely knows the difference between a dumbbell and a kettlebell.
If you’re willing to listen, learn and take on board any advice given, you will progress a lot faster.
Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
It is important to remember not to compare yourself to others, especially when first starting a new exercise program.
Many of the people you see may have been training for a long time, probably much longer than you have. You might not be able to do the same movements, lift the same weights or do as many sessions as some of these people. That’s ok. You’re at a different stage in your journey.
Comparing yourself to others and trying to copy what they do can sometimes leave you disheartened or, even worse, lead to injuries.
Focus on yourself. Compare yourself to yourself. Work on building your strength, fitness, training volume, and technique base.
Constantly trying to better yourself and improve your performance will be more rewarding and meaningful. Before long, you will look back and see how far you have come in a relatively short time.
Celebrate Your Wins
Even the little ones.
There will likely be many points on your journey when you struggle or things go differently than planned. There will also be many successes on the way. So celebrate them. You don’t have to make a big song and dance about them, but take note of it and focus on the positives.
Keeping track of your progress and success over time will keep you motivated and progressing towards your goals.
Factor in Recovery
Starting a new exercise program can be exciting. You will likely want to dive right in and get to the gym as much as possible. However, Going too hard too early can often lead to burnout or injury, especially if you don’t have much of a fitness base.
Make sure you factor in recovery time and listen to your body. Take rest days when you need them.
Do your stretching and mobility work. Get on top of any niggles before they become injuries.
Hydrate and eat well to ensure you’re giving your body the fuel it needs to perform optimally.
Set Goals
Goal setting is a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track.
Structure your goals using the SMART principle (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound).
Goals can be either performance or aesthetic based as long as they are specific and relevant to you.
Break any larger goals down into smaller, more achievable goals that you can tick off along the way. Having smaller goals will help keep you motivated and on track towards achieving your main goal.
Your goals may be relatively small and simple initially. But as your training progresses, you can revisit and reevaluate your goals to keep you moving forward.
Like with most things in life, you get out what you put in. With a bit of effort and the right attitude, your fitness journey can be enjoyable and rewarding. So follow these tips to help create a better, healthier, fitter version of yourself.
