Get in great shape - Beginner: Week 1

Hi guys,

January is perfect month to start work out regularly. There are many reasons why you want to start exercise. You want to be healthy, look good, lose extra pounds after pregnancy, surgery or you want to change your thinking and life to positive one.

You would love to start, but how? There are many youtube videos, many sites offering free workouts, but you are lost between them. If you go to the gym, everyone is seriously lifting weights or doing cardio and you are just watching and thinking what should I do?

Let me explain what is important for you.

1. strengthening exercises (bodyweight, free weights, weight machines) are very important for toning, strengthening and shaping all your muscles to support your back, abdomen, knees, chest, shoulders, neck and wrist. As a result you get greater endurance and energy, a faster metabolism (which burns more calories), and better posture. Strengthening exercises work muscles against resistance. You can use workout machines, free weights, barbells, elastic bands, water, stairs hills, cans of vegetables from the pantry or bodyweight. For example walking on a treadmill, which is aerobic exercise becomes strengthening as increase the incline of the treadmill.
2. aerobic exercise known as "cardio" (from cardiovascular activity)  involves large muscle group and keeps your heart and lungs in excellent condition. Cardio is great for increasing energy levels, reducing stress, improving mental health, increasing heart and lungs efficiency, reducing blood pressure, resting heart rate and risk of stroke or heart attack. Aerobic exercise is great for burning calories which can help you to lose some extra pounds. You should do cardio every day at least for 30min (walking, jogging, swimming, cycling...).
3. stretching exercises - are very important for your body, muscles and your mind. You can stretch at home or take yoga class in the gym to stay limber and flexible. You should stretch always after workout at least for 10min. Once very smart man in the gym told me: Pavla you get old not with years, but as you lose your flexibility. And he was right. You can be 20 and not flexible. You can be 30, 40, 50, 60 and limber.

Now you know what is important for your training. You need to do all three things: strengthening exercises, cardio and stretching.

 

Before you start:

1. set your fitness goal - where you want to be. It should be realistic, measurable, reachable goal. For example, how much weight/fat you want to lose, how much weight/muscles you want to gain or  you want to tone and shape your body, you want to be able to do more push up, you want to get rid of cellulite, belly fat, you want to feel great, you want to be happy...Your fitness goals are very important, because that is your starting point.
2. set how often per week you want to workout. How many times per week and how long you want to workout? Do you have 30min to one hour  3-4 times per week? If yes, it is great and perfect for start.
3. eat healthy. Realize how much time, energy, effort and money you spend during workout. Then you come home starving and eating all you see. Is it worth it?  With bad eating habits your body shape never change. If you want to change your body to perfect one, you also need to change your diet. Eat more vegetables and fruit, minimize fried food, sugary food. Drink water, give up soda.

WEEK 1

This is your first week of the training. It does not matter if you workout at home or in the gym. As a beginner the best for you is to start with Total body workout instead of focusing on different parts of the body. You strengthen all your muscles at one time. Once you build aerobic base and some endurance and strength base, you can switch, change, add, mix workouts.


TRAINING has 3 parts:

1. WARM UP
2. WORK OUT - TOTAL BODY WORKOUT
3. STRETCHING

 

1. WARM UP

 

Many people skip warm up. It is very important for your health to prepare your body to workout. Proper warm up can increase the blood flow to the working muscle which results in decreased muscle stiffness, less risk of injury and improved performance. Additional benefits of warming up include physiological and psychological preparation.

Warm up should last from 3-10min. If jump rope is too hard for you, do jogging instead. Always modify when need it.

 

 

 

Warm up routine:

1. jump rope or jogging, 1-2min
2. jumping jacks, 1min
3. cross country sky, 1min
4. thigh stretch

 

 

 

 

2. TOTAL BODY WORKOUT 1

 

Great workout routine for your entire body, strengthening and toning all your muscles. Try to do up to 30reps. It is ok if you do only 10. Do as many as you can, one day you reach number 30, I promise.

It is good for you to use some weights, I use 8lbs dumbbells. If you think 8lbs is too much, take lighter 3lbs or 5lbs. As you get stronger 8lbs will be fine.

Also my goal and your goal is to tone your body, that is why I do lighter weight and many repetitions. As a result you will be nicely shaped, toned and ripped.

 

 

Workout routine:

1. front step up x knee up, alternate legs, arms are up, 30reps
2. elevated push ups, 30reps
3. alternate leg cross over, 30reps
4. plank, alternate leg and point the floor with your toes, 30reps
5. triceps, 30reps
6. reverse fly, 8lbs dumbbells, 30reps
7. elevated side lunch, press down and up, right leg, 30reps
8. elevated side lunch, press down and up, left leg, 30reps
9. plank, alternate knee in and out, 30reps
10. alternate front raises x side raises, 30reps
11. plank, alternate knee to the side, 30reps

 

 

 

3. STRETCHING

 

 

 

This is your first week of the Beginner training program. You did warm up, training and stretching. You should feel great. I suppose you exercise 3-4 times per week at least 30min.

If you have more time, go for a walk, or treadmill for at least 15min and just walk. Any cardio is good for you.

 

Enjoy your day!

 

Pavla

 

 

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