Tips for invigorating your workout plan: Be a beginner!
Do you remember how fun it was to pass “Go” on the Monopoly board? Rolling the dice and rounding the corner delivered the relief of a fresh start, the thrill of uncertainty and promise of new opportunities. Becoming a beginner again is the fitness equivalent of passing “Go“. Starting at square one with a new fitness activity reinvigorates your sense of playfulness and gives your body a fresh start to move in new directions. There is also research, which links brain-stimulating activities, like trying new classes or sports, with a delayed onset of memory loss. The benefits are certain, but trying new things can be intimidating. Here are some tips for making your fresh start a little bit easier:
- Take a class. Tell the instructor that you are new. This will prompt him or her to offer options for participants at all levels.
- Sign up at a health club or community based fitness center. Take advantage of programs in your area that are convenient.
- Ask for help. If you don’t know how to use a weight machine, cardio equipment or sports paraphernalia at the gym remember that gym staff is there for your service. They are paid to offer their expertise, so let them do their job.
- Go easy with equipment. Your first workout is not the time to max out the weights, use the highest cardio setting or test extreme levels with sports equipment. Use the first workout to familiarize yourself with the equipment, including safety mechanisms and options for modification.
- Remember that the goal is frequency not intensity. Your goal is to make it through the workout and return, not to kill yourself and land on the couch for a week.
Follow Colon Cancer Coalition president Kristin Tabor’s path back to fitness as she challenges herself to be a beginner. Her updates can be found here on the Get Your Rear in Gear blog. You’ll also find plenty of suggestions for workouts and tips for fitness success.
