How to Start a Workout Program

Written By Stephen James Cert. Personal Trainer with Prescription Fitness

The New Year season is full of people setting goals for 2017.  Many will choose to exercise more in order to feel better and change the way their body looks.  Before starting any type of exercise program it is recommended that you consult your doctor or physician for approval. An exercise program requires a daily time commitment so a great first step would be to set aside time for your workouts in your daily or weekly schedule to avoid making plans that may lead you to skipping a workout. Two or three days of non-consecutive resistance training per week would be a good starting frequency for workouts. It allows enough recovery time between resistance workouts while still leaving time to get in two or three cardio days around the non-resistance training days.

Including both resistance training and cardiovascular training is essential for an effective program.  Resistance training promotes the growth of muscle fibers as well as bone density which are key factors in maintaining independent and healthy living throughout life. In addition, since resistance training breaks down muscle fibers that means your body will have an increased metabolic rate for about 48 hours as your body is being repaired.  That means you will burn more calories while doing things like sitting at work and sleeping!  Cardiovascular training is great for heart health and will help your joints and muscles stay loose in between resistance days.

A sample resistance day for a beginner would include one exercise for each major muscle group for 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.  The major muscle groups would include: glutes, quads, hamstrings, pectorals, lats, biceps and triceps.  Adding some abdominal exercises within the workout as well as a 5-10 minute warm-up and cooldown before and after the workout would also be recommended.  Cardio days would consist of 20-30 minutes of work on a machine or walking while trying to have as much of your workout time in your appropriate target heart rate zone.

Getting started can be a daunting task which is why our trainers at Prescription Fitness are here to help! Please feel free to stop by any of our locations (Bay Village, Strongsville, Broadview Heights, North Olmsted, Wadsworth, or Medina) or call 440-552-6729 to set up a free health assessment so we can answer any questions you may have and talk about your goals for the New Year!!