Beginner Fitness

Whether for narcissistic reasoning or health benefits, if you're reading this then you're probably at least a little interested in bettering your fitness. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of people hit a brick wall due to a lack of guidance.

Hello, my name is Ryan and I'm a self proclaimed fitness fanatic and personal trainer. My primary goal in creating this hub is to help direct all people, regardless of their fitness goals/levels, in the right direction -- 1 step at a time.

First and foremost, if you are just starting out then it is wholeheartedly recommended that you visit your physician for a physical and overall general health checkup. Underlying health conditions which you may be unaware of are extremely dangerous and shouldn't be taken lightly! A few minutes of your precious time, spent in the doctor's office, could literally save your life!

Day in and day out many people approach me, guns blazing, ready to achieve the body of their dreams! Upon general questioning, however, the only "goals" they possess are the finished product. The guys want those washboard abs and "gun show" biceps, while the ladies want that slim tummy and "Kardiashian booty". Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was your body! To achieve real success, you absolutely MUST set short term goals!

I'm not going to sugar coat anything. The fact of the matter is, unless you are already well on your way, that "ideal" body you are longing for is going to take some hard work and dedication. This is where those short term goals come into play! Short term goals really help to keep your motivation levels high. For example, let's say "Ted" comes to me and wants to be ripped and lean before summer. He is 50lbs overweight and hasn't worked out in 10 years, not to mention summer is less than 2 months away. What's the problem here? Ted is obviously setting himself up for failure by being completely unrealistic! Don't get me wrong, the body of his dreams is certainly attainable, but not within the given time frame.

How can we help Ted? By setting short term goals! Sometimes the smallest things, such as making a simple dietary change and sticking with it, or increasing your cardiovascular work by 1 minute per week can be great short term objectives. They may not seem like much at first, but achieving frequent, smaller goals can really boost one's self-esteem! These can easily provide the motivation needed to keep headed in the right direction on that (what is hopefully) life-long fitness journey!

So the doctor gave you a clean bill of health and you're ready to get started, but where to begin? At this point, while you probably already know where you want to end up (i.e. the finished product), you need to plot the course on how to get there! Remember those short-term goals we talked about? This is where they come into play! Would you drive thousands of miles across a foreign country without a map? Of course not (I hope), and your fitness venture should be no different.

I doubt any details are necessary in relation to short-term goal examples, but this page is directed towards those who are most likely brand new to fitness, or are returning after an extended break. So for sake of argument, let's differentiate between some short and long term objectives! Please keep in mind, these examples are directed at those with a mostly sedentary level of fitness. The matching numbers below each heading will directly relate with one another to give an understanding of a small step being used to reach a much larger goal!

Short-term - Usually achievable within a 4-6 week time frame!

1. Go from couch potato to walking 30 minutes a day, 3-5 times per week.
2. Make a single dietary change (for the better, of course!).
3. Start achieving a strength base with machines to prevent injuries.

Long-term - No maximum time frame, but always greater than 6 weeks!

1. Compete in your first 5k race! (remember all that walking?)
2. Achieve a much healthier overall diet! (one step at a time!)
3. Move onto those free weights! No intimidation, and injury free!

While these are just some generic examples, hopefully I've given you an outline to follow, which you can tailor to your individualized goals. Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and keep pushing forward!

Stay tuned! This was only an introduction. Time permitting, I will expand this hub 2 to 3 times per week with varying levels of fitness advice, from beginner to advanced! Thanks for reading!