If you’ve set yourself a few fitness goals for 2014, you’re probably asking yourself “which workout is the best?” However, there’s no easy answer to that question, as there are many factors involved in getting fit and enhancing your wellbeing. According to Joe Vennare, trainer and creator of Hybrid Athlete, Kettlebell Cardio? and Race Day Domination, ‘Getting started is the most difficult part to become more active. Instead of trying to find the perfect fitness plan, make your own routine.’ After all, this is your wellness, so surely you should create your fitness plan. If that sounds a bit difficult, here are a few tips to getting started.
1. Set a Goal: ‘Before you can figure out how you’ll get fit, you have to think about what fitness means to you,’ Vennare asserts. ‘Maybe you want to complete a marathon, triathlon or an obstacle course race. It could be that you’d like to increase strength or improve athletic performance. It doesn’t matter what you choose, as long as you chose some kind of goal.’
2. Calculate Your Ability: Vennare advises, ‘Take a moment to think about your ability level, and then determine a realistic starting point.’ If you’re just starting to run, you might not want to set “running a marathon” as your first goal. Sure, it’s a good idea to build up to these goals, but start small and work up gradually.
3. Make a Schedule: ‘Everyone is busy, so ask yourself how much time can you commit to exercise each week,’ says Vennare. ‘Can you do 20 minutes a day, three days a week? OK, great. Even if it’s one day per week, that’s better than nothing. Instead of planning five, two-hour workouts each week, write down an exercise schedule you can keep.’ Making a realistic exercise schedule means you’re more likely to show up consistently for your workouts. If it’s not enough, you can always add more in later.
4. Get Essential Equipment: The good news is that, for all the fitness products out there on the market, there are a small minority that you actually need. ‘Moving more doesn’t require a ton of equipment,’ Vennare notes. ‘Bodyweight exercises are great for building total-body strength and can be done anywhere. Walking and running only require shoes, shorts and a t-shirt. Complete a home gym with a jump rope, TRX and a kettlebell. If you’re a gym-goer, stick to free weights.’
5. Master the Moves: Vennare argues, ‘Full-body moves that engage multiple muscle groups at one time are best for overall fitness. Begin with bodyweight exercises like the push-up, pull-up, squat and lunge to build solid a foundation of strength. Then, move on to free-weight exercises like the back squat, bench press, bent over row, overhead press and deadlift. These exercises burn more calories in less time than isolated movements and exercise machines. Plus, they train the entire body to work together as a unit, improving core strength and body composition.’ In a little more detail, the exercises you need to master are:
- Bodyweight exercises: Push-up, squat, lunge, dips, split squat, burpee, sit-up, pull-up, plank
- Dumbbells: Plank row, thruster, curl and press, suitcase deadlift, overhead press, lunge
- Kettlebells: Swing, deadlift high-pull, thruster, lunge, sit-up
- Barbell: Bench press, overhead press, bent-row, squat variations, deadlift
6. Put it Together: Once you’ve worked out what you want and how you need to get there, it’s time to build a custom exercise programme that’s tailored to your goals, ability and schedule. ‘Make time for your workouts and do them consistently,’ Vennare adds. ‘It’s the best way to achieve your health and fitness goals.’
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