How to Start Working Out, According to Trainers

 

It's all about taking baby steps.

Whether it's to combat election stress or anxiety over the pandemic, exercise is consistently offered up by mental health experts as an incredibly powerful coping mechanism. But if you haven't been in the habit of working out on the reg, simply starting (or re-starting) a workout routine can be tough — whatever your end goal may be.

It's easy to get overwhelmed, but fitness experts say the number one tip for getting back into a workout routine is to take baby steps. “Going hard or going home isn’t going to work,” says Sylvia Nasser, a

certified personal trainer and Equinox group fitness instructor. “Start slow, start basic. Don’t go so hard that your body will hurt the next — that'll discourage you.” Instead, Nasser says, you’ll want to assess your progress over time and gradually increase your workout intensity as the weeks go on.

Beyond simply easing in, there are some tried-and-true methods for implementing a routine that actually sticks — and not burning out or hurting yourself along the way.

Here, personal trainers offer their top tips for starting a fitness routine, the best workouts for beginners, and — music to our ears —share the importance of rest days.

1. Be clear about your fitness goals.

Before you get moving, make sure you have a firm understanding of what you hope to accomplish with your workout routine, says Justin Seedman, a certified personal trainer and health coach. "Are you looking to lose weight, firm up, run a marathon — or just start building good health routines?" he says. "By answering these questions, you can best decide what kind of exercise to do and how often to do it."

To help you get started and maximize your motivation, try to focus on the benefits you'll feel immediately, suggests Brooke Nicole Smith, Ph.D., a mind-body coach and former cognitive psychology researcher. For example, exercise because it feels good, calms your nerves, and helps you sleep, rather than in service of an elusive future goal, she explains.

2. Find a form of exercise you actually enjoy.

When you're first getting into the groove of working out, it might take a bit of trial and error to find something you enjoy doing, says Shana Schneider, a certified group fitness instructor and the founder of Fitstyle by Shana. But despite the outdated concept that gains can only come from pain, actually having a good time is an important part of sticking with a workout routine long enough to see results. Plus, she says, there's an added bonus to having fun while working out: "When the burn comes (and it will), you might not even notice it as much if you're having a good time!"

The good news: Most workout apps offer free trials, and there are plenty of free workouts available on YouTube and Instagram (and here on InStyle!), so you can test out a bunch of options to see what clicks. Between barre, yoga, strength training, and cycling classes, or just lacing up your shoes and hitting the pavement, there’s something out there for you.

3. Just go for a walk.

Many people got into the habit of taking walks during the pandemic to get some fresh air and keep their mental health in check. If this is you, you've already taken the first step (no pun intended) towards starting a workout routine. "I know walking doesn't sound as sexy as some of the other fitness routines out there, but it's one of the easiest to start doing," Schneider says. "You can easily track your progress by counting those steps or seeing how long you can actually go for, and increase the intensity on your own simply by changing your route, adding in a hill, or increasing your speed."

Want to add a fun challenge? Consider snagging a Fitbit or another fitness device, and connect with friends or family. Not only will you add a bit of friendly competition to your routine, but you’re also more likely to get those steps in when you have other people holding you accountable.

4. Don't forget to stretch before you work out.

A lot of people know stretching is important to a fitness routine, but they don't know the right way to stretch, says Demi Dee, a trainer and founder of The Knockout Room.

If you're starting a workout routine, keep this in mind to prevent injury: Before working out, you'll want to do some dynamic stretching, which involves "active movement where you take your body through a full range of motion," — such as hip circles, bodyweight lunges, and arm circles, Dee says. "Ideally, the warm-up should reflect the motions that you will do in your exercise routine but at a lower intensity."

5. Focus on post-workout recovery, too.

Post-workout, when your muscles are warm, opt for static stretching, which involves holding a stretch for about 30 seconds, Dee says. "At this point, you want to stretch your muscle fibers to increase your overall flexibility and to prevent lactic acid accumulation” — which can be the culprit behind that next-day all-over-sore feeling you get after a tough workout.

In addition to easing into exercise and taking the time to stretch, ice baths can also help prevent lactic acid buildup and the muscle soreness that comes with it.

6. Consider your heart rate and RPE.

Once you do find the time in your schedule, you want to make sure you're being effective. In order to assess whether you're getting the most bang for your buck, consider your heart rate and rate of perceived exertion (RPE), or how hard you feel the workout is, explains Amanda Barton, a NASM-certified personal trainer.

“On a scale of one to 10 (one being sitting on the couch and 10 being, ‘OMG I'm gonna die’), where does your walking, for instance, come into play?” Barton says. “Could you speed up the pace? Or add in intervals of 30 seconds fast pace, 30 seconds recovery?”

By considering heart-pumping intervals, or even breaking to do jumping jacks before hopping back on the treadmill, you can not only shake things up, but make sure you are making the most of the time you set aside for exercise.

 

-Instyle