Someone new to working out is likely to be seriously daunted by the process. Realistically, working out merely depends on preferences and goals. Different bodies are comfortable moving in different ways. One exercise is not necessarily more or less strenuous than another; it depends more on the speed at which the activity is performed and the duration spent doing it.
Finding aerobic and anaerobic activities that work for the individual means being able to promote heart health, bone density and muscle growth. Running, swimming, lifting, yoga, team sports and spinning can all be easily adapted to create some of the most popular workouts for beginners. Each activity can be started gradually and combined with periods of rest so that the body does not become exhausted immediately. Over time, stamina increases so that the physical activity can be performed for a longer period of time. Typically, exercise becomes more enjoyable once the body gets used to the particular activity. The following are some of the best and most popular workouts for beginners.
1. Running
Running can be a daunting form of physical activity for a beginner imagining a 5k, marathon, or other formalized race. Training for an event can be organized into any number of training plans using intervals. Intervals are set amounts of time spent moving at a particular pace. For instance, someone new to running might jog for thirty seconds and rest and walk for a minute and a half. Gradually, the time spent running increases, as does pace.
Training can be done indoors or outside. Indoors, a treadmill will provide options to adjust the grade of the climb at any given point. Beginners often start with work on flat ground before increasing the amount of incline involved. This can be shifted every interval, or themed throughout the course of a jog or run. For instance, running may be on an incline while walking is on flat ground, or vice versa. Conversely, there might be a consistent grade for the entire workout some days.
2. Swimming
Swimming is a great exercise for beginners due to there being much less impact on all joints than running. The activity provides lots of cardiovascular and anaerobic benefits to aid heart health and muscle strengthening. Depending on level of comfort in the water, a beginner might elect to stay in the shallow end of a pool while walking or jogging back and forth through the water.
Alternatively, he or she might use a kick board to support the upper body while using legs to kick laps across the pool. Pull buoys are also available for the opposite effect. These are pieces of foam shaped to be placed between legs in order to support them while arms are used to stroke across the pool or body of water.
3. Lifting
Lifting weights is a way to train different muscle groups in order to lean out, add mass or both. It is largely an anaerobic exercise unless it is split into circuit work with designated time between rounds. Weight lifting starts with form. Use no to low weight at first while the body gets to understand the different movements involved. Gradually increase weight as comfort level increases. Eventually, people typically elect to train specific muscle groups on specific days to allow for maximum effort and recovery time.
4. Yoga
Yoga is a great way to connect mind and body through movement and breathing. Best of all, breathing skills learned in yoga translate to just about every other form of physical activity. Breath work, called pranayamas, and poses, called asanas, are combined to form a practice. Yoga is something that can be developed over the course of a lifetime as strength and flexibility develop. A beginner might even choose to combine a gentle yoga practice with other forms of physical activity for increased balance, both figurative and literal.
5. Spinning
Spinning is the name for stationary bike riding when it is done either solo or in a group class. Spinning affords many of the same benefits as running without as much impact on hips and knees. The intensity is completely determined by the individual, which is ideal for a beginner. Even in a group class, the individual determines how much weight to add onto the bike, which allows intensity to be customized. As a beginner develops strength, he or she is able to add more resistance to the experience.
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