Buzz
Reading about exercise without actually doing it is like watching a speeding train from an overpass. You might think, 'I’d be fine if I were up there,' but you’re stuck down here with no momentum.
Today, we’ll discuss how to get started with exercise, whether you're not doing it at all right now or simply wish you were doing more.
If you have a fitness background but it's been some time
Getting back into exercising can be challenging, mainly because you’re so aware of how far you've fallen from where you once were. You remember how to run, but your previous 'easy run' pace now feels like a sprint. You’d love to break new personal records or hit old goals, but first, you’ll need to spend months—maybe even years—working your way back to where you used to be.
Returning to exercise requires a shift in mindset. You might repeat the same exercises as before, but your old mentality isn’t necessarily the right one for now. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge where you are today. You’ll need to slow down and use lighter weights than you’re used to. Focus on the present moment, and aim to be just a bit better today than yesterday.
If you're new to exercise
It's never too late to begin. You'll have a lot to learn, habits to form, and skills to develop. Embrace the fact that you're on a journey, and things won’t be easy right away. Results won’t come instantly. Remind yourself that this is a long-term commitment, and consistency is more important than the specifics of what you're doing. Take the best advice you can find, but don’t fear making mistakes. Nobody’s perfect at the start. You can overcome any obstacles you face.
Begin very—very small
When you begin exploring exercise programs and chatting with fit friends about their routines, you'll quickly create a mental checklist of things you “should” be doing. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you remember one key point: don’t try to change everything at once.
Choose one thing, just one. A simple one. Maybe you can start doing a few pushups (even if they’re wall pushups) each day, or perhaps you could begin taking daily walks.
If you’re looking to try workout videos, pick ones that you can actually follow along with—not something that exhausts you within the first five minutes and leaves you feeling disheartened because you can’t keep up. Never, ever blame yourself for not being able to keep pace with a particular program or workout. If that happens, it simply means the workout isn’t right for your current fitness level.
I like to think of progress in two-week chunks. Choose something small that you can incorporate into your life for two weeks. Instead of saying, “I’m going to crush this intense workout today,” try saying, “I’ll do this moderate workout three times a week.”
Once the two weeks are up, you can add something else. Perhaps you’ll take a walk or run on the days you’re not doing your home workout, so you’re staying active every day. Or you might make a change to your diet. Or maybe you’ll swap your current workout for a more challenging one. Whatever it is, make one small change and stick with it for another two weeks. Then repeat.
Find a roadmap
There’s a reason Couch to 5K is so popular: it provides a complete plan. You can follow it for nine weeks (or longer, if you repeat any weeks), and you’ll always know exactly what to do today and what comes next week.
The two-week system I mentioned earlier is a plan—of sorts. You decide what to do at each step. If that sounds good to you, awesome! Keep going. But if you have specific goals, you’ll want to find a plan that aligns with them.
Starting Strength is a popular program for beginner powerlifters because it provides a clear structure for weekly workouts and guarantees progress if you stay committed. Stronglifts 5x5 offers a similar approach and has a user-friendly app. Neither program is truly for complete beginners—you’ll need help learning the lifts—but their structure and simplicity make them easy to follow.
For a comprehensive list of workout programs aimed at various goals, I recommend this one compiled by the r/fitness subreddit. In the beginning, it doesn’t matter much which program you pick, as long as you’re doing something to stay active and consistent. As you get fitter, you’ll start to figure out what you enjoy and dislike, and you'll have built a fitness foundation that’ll allow you to dive into any new program with confidence.
Discover
You might not find an exercise routine you truly love right away. There are two approaches you can take to this.
One is to view exercise as something valuable even if it feels dull. Some people really connect with the rhythm of doing the same thing daily. It may not be exciting, but it gives them stability.
The other approach is to keep experimenting with different activities until you discover one that sparks your passion. Try Couch to 5K and see if running excites you. Not your thing? Maybe it’s time to hop on your bike and see if cycling is the one. Not that either? Grab some dumbbells and try weightlifting. You get the idea.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
running
outdoor cycling
jump rope
home boxing sessions
micro-workouts
swimming
bodyweight exercises
yoga
Stick with it
When you begin exercising, you’re asking your body to do things it’s never done before. Soreness is a natural part of this. (You’re likely also asking your brain to do new things, like choosing the right sports bra or calculating the weight on a barbell. Give yourself a break.)
Now, let's talk about soreness. You'll feel it the most when you try something new, which is exactly why it’s smart to start with the easiest exercises. If you’re constantly changing up your routine, you may feel sore after every switch. Consistency will help you adapt.
Beginners often see soreness as a problem that needs to be aggressively fixed, as if there's some stretch or treatment that will cure it. The reality is that soreness is a natural part of the process, and it will decrease as you get stronger. Most advice people give to alleviate soreness is really just a distraction from the pain at the moment. My best advice? Accept that soreness happens sometimes, and know it will pass.
Occasionally, beginners ask me, someone who works out regularly, are you just sore all the time? And my response is: I’m not really sure? Maybe? I usually feel a slight bit of soreness now and then, but it's not painful. With rare exceptions—like after a competition or a particularly tough week at the gym—I hardly notice it. And once you settle into your workout routine, you won’t either.
