This Is How You Can Optimize Your Workouts As A Beginner

If you are new to the world of fitness and are still trying to figure out how to make the best out of your time at the gym, you’re not alone. In fact, a lot of people never pass this beginner’s hump because they never find a way to actually stick to their routine. It’s easy to get bored at the gym, especially if you have no idea where to start. Whether you are starting your fitness journey for general health, weight loss, muscle gain, or performance, here are a few tips to keep you on track and to make sure you don’t stray too far from the gym when you aren’t feeling motivated.

Find something that you enjoy

Yes, working out is good and healthy, and yes, we should all be doing it. However, it is so easy to lose motivation when you’re dragging yourself to the gym to follow some YouTube guided tutorial on how to do a squat. Guess what? You absolutely do not have to do that. Even if your ultimate goal is muscle growth, if you are a beginner, your very first goal should be to establish a routine. In order to maintain a routine, you need to find something that you actually enjoy, whether that be running, boxing, dancing, or tennis. This way, you can start building a weekly regimen of going to the gym on X, Y and Z days, which will help you reach your goal in the future. Consistency is key, so use this method to develop a consistent exercise schedule.

Start small

As mentioned above, consistency is everything, which also means that at the beginning it doesn’t really matter how much time you spend at the gym. You can go for 15 minutes if you want, as long as you go a few times a week. Over time, you can start adding time to your visits at the gym, as your body gets used to the physical load.

Make a workout playlist

Working out with music makes everything so much easier. If you’re running, make a running playlist and try to run to the beat. Find songs that motivate you and make you feel energetic. This will make time fly at the gym and may even subconsciously help you pick up your pace a bit while doing your exercises.

Take classes

If you’re having a hard time getting yourself to stay at the gym (or even go in the first place), classes can be really helpful. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll feel more like you need to go, and once you are in the class, it’s difficult to just get up and go. Taking classes can also help you explore different methods of working out, which can really help get you back to the gym in the future. You are also more likely to spend extra time at the gym when you are taking a class with guidance than you are when you are going alone and aren’t sure where to start. Plus, you may even make some friends along the way!

Go with a friend

Do you and your friends constantly talk about how “we need to start working out”? Grab that friend and drag them to the gym with you. Working out together can be fun and is a great way to use social support for motivation. To make it more fun, have your friend come up with 3 exercises and you come up with 3 exercises, for you to create a workout together.

It also helps to write up a workout before you go to the gym. This way you won’t end up at the gym with no plan and no idea where to start.

Compound exercises

This may be an unpopular opinion, but most of those instagram workouts you see are not only completely dysfunctional and useless, but may actually hurt you in the process. I know they look fun, but the chances of you blowing out your back while doing a single leg deadlift on a bosu ball while holding a kettlebell over your head are much higher than sticking to the basics: deadlifts, squats, pushups, and pull-ups. This may sound boring, but these are four compound exercises that require the engagement of your entire kinetic chain. There are also several variations of these exercises, so don’t worry - you won’t get bored. I would highly recommend getting a personal trainer to teach you how to perform these basic exercises, however, because the improper form can destroy your knees and back (and this goes for almost all forms of exercise).

Don’t take it too seriously

You are not an athlete, so please don’t feel like you need to work out like an athlete! If you are enjoying your workouts, that’s great, but by no means does the average person have to spend three hours at the gym on a daily basis. Thirty minutes to an hour three times a week will absolutely suffice, especially if your goal is to simply increase your activity and see some minor results in size and shape. Find what you enjoy and let your body speak for itself!