Exercise for Beginners

I’ve been receiving quite a few requests lately asking about exercise for true beginners. As in “I have NEVER worked out before in my life and the thought of squats freaks me out and even yoga makes me sore.” If you’re in this position, I can understand your anxiety. Exercise is (and should be) hard work. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to kill yourself to run nine miles. To begin, see a doctor ASAP before beginning new workout regimen or diet change. The older you are, the more important this is, but people of all ages can get injured or cause themselves serious pain and financial hardship if they’re not being careful. Assuming you’ve received a physician’s blessing and are pretty much free to do as you please, consider the following exercises. First, forget jogging. Jogging for even a few minutes can be a real challenge, and if you’re not prepared, it can quickly wear on you, leading to a workout that’s less than five minutes long. Think of jogging as a long-term goal. Instead, just walk! Walk everywhere. Walk to work, walk around your block, take the stairs, park as far as possible from the mall, walk walk walk. Try to get in a 30-minute walk three times a week, and if this is easy, up it to 45 minutes or four or five times a week.

Once you’ve mastered the art of walking, take half of your weekly workouts and dedicate them to swimming. Swim twice a week and walk twice a week. This is a great way to keep your walking joints in motion, but also get your heart rate going. This combination should last you for at least a couple of months. Once you’ve gotten this whole thing down and are ready for more of a challenge, try jogging. It may only last for a few minutes, but even those few minutes will do your heart wonders. If you’re feeling achy, tight, or cramped, try some (beginner’s) yoga – a few basic downward dogs can be lifesaver!