It's January, quick get moving! Our beginners guide to starting exercise in 2018
It's January, quick get moving! Our beginners guide to starting exercise in 2018
You might be a seasoned gym bunny or you have already started your exercise regime after the holiday season... if so, well done! But maybe you're thinking about starting some exercise for the first time or have been out of the loop for a long time.
If that's the case we are here to give you a little motivation and give you some top tips for getting moving, that don't require an expensive gym membership.
Taking regular exercise has enormous benefits for your health and well being, both now and in the future.
Being active and taking regular exercise can help prevent and/or manage many medical conditions including:
-Heart disease
-Type 2 diabetes
-Cancer
-Obesity
-Depression
-Osteoarthritis
We understand that being active isn't easy for everyone, some people have injuries or illnesses that make exercise difficult. Some people live very hectic lifestyles and find making time for exercise difficult.
It is commonly recommended that adults have 30 mins moderate intensity exercise per day. Moderate intensity means that your heart and breathing rates should have increased and you have started to sweat slightly.
Understand your current level of fitness
If you are new to exercise, it's not going to be the best idea to start by trying to run a marathon or start power lifting straight away!
It might be that gardening, or a brisk walk is enough to get you into a bit of a sweat.
Set Goals
Unfortunately, it is very easy to fall of the wagon with your new exercise regime, but a great way to stay motivated is by setting goals for yourself. This could be as simple as to walk to the end of the road and back 5 times in the first week. You can then increase that slightly the second week. This way you are keeping track of your progress and making steady increases in your load over time.
Keep your targets simple, achievable and measurable.
Keep an exercise diary or programme
Note down any exercise you have done, the duration of the exercise and how hard you found the exercise out of 10 (This is called rate of perceived exertion or RPE, 10/10 would be where you had to stop the exercise as it was so hard).
Note down any goals that you have achieved, this will keep you motivated to see your progress! You might even be able to reward yourself when targets are achieved...
How To Cram That Exercise Into Your Day
Walking
Walk instead of catching the bus, take the stairs instead of the lift, go for a walk with friends or walk to a shop slightly further away than you would usually use. All of the these things will add up and get you towards your 30 minutes per day quicker than you would think.
At Work
We spend much of our time at work, and many of us are sat at a desk all day, inactive. Ensure that you change your posture regularly and get up and have a walk at least every hour. Whether that be walking to the water fountain or going to the photo copier. You could also go for a brisk walk in your lunch hour- this will be great for your mind as well as your body.
DIY Home Gym
You don't need an expensive gym membership to get some exercise. You can do some simple exercises at home that will get you active and activate key muscle groups. Here are some examples to get you started.
Sit to stand:
Start by sitting in a sturdy chair. Scoot close to the front of the chair. Next, lean forward at your trunk and reach forward with your arms and rise to standing without using your hands to push off from the chair or other object.
Use your arms as a counter-balance by reaching forward when in sitting and lower them as you approach standing.
Repeat 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
Wall push ups:
Standing at a wall, place your arms out in front of you with your elbows straight so that your hands just reach the wall. Next, bend your elbows slowly to bring your chest closer to the wall. Keep your tummy muscles contracted throughout to keep your spine straight.
Repeat 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
Marching on the spot:
While standing, march on the spot drawing one knee up to hip level, setting it down and alternating to your other side.
Stand by a chair or table and use your arms for support if needed for balance and safety.
Repeat the above as briskly as possible starting with 3 sets of 30 second
How To Progress Your Exercise
In order for your body to keep adapting and maintain your progress, you need to keep progressing your exercise dose. A simple guide for progression is the FITT principle.
Frequency: Increase the number of times per week that you are active.
Intensity: Walk a bit faster, cycle a little bit harder or dig a little harder in the garden.
Time: Increase the amount of time you spend on each exercise session.
Type: Keep your body guessing by changing the exercises you do- for example progress from walking to a slow jog.
So now you have some simple strategies to start getting your 30 minutes of exercise per day. You can choose the exercises that work best for you and increase your activity levels over time to help improve your health.
It is going to take commitment, application and endeavour but get into the habit now and you will find exercising easier over time.
Remember, it is really important that you seek professional advice if you are unsure whether exercise is right for you or you have any adverse effects from exercise.
Get in touch with us here at PhysioGo if you have any queries of how to start exercising or if injury is hampering your progress.