It’s hard enough to start a good workout routine in the beginning. A workout routine is never going to follow the rules of one size fits all. They need to be tailored to the individual and their goals. The first thing to consider, of course, is what those goals are. A person who wants to lose weight isn’t necessarily going to have the same workout routine as someone who wants to build muscle. Furthermore, many people don’t start working out to change their bodies much or at all, and simply want to stay healthy. This would drastically change how you approach your workout, and the types of exercise that you would incorporate into your routine. Of course, you’ll also have to consider what you have time for. While a lot of people are revisiting their workout routines because they now have time that they lacked prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are still working full-time and may have other commitments such as school and family. This means that they’ll have a limited amount of time left for working out. A great workout routine will maximize the time that you do have, and will furthermore make it more difficult for you to make excuses that will get you out of working out. With that being said, even if you were once obsessed with exercise getting back into a workout routine for the first time in a long one will be a lot like starting fresh. You’ll want to reevaluate and start looking into exercise tips for beginners again.

While this may seem frustrating at first, especially if you’re trying to shed weight that you lost in the past, there are so many benefits to having a regular workout routine. According to research, those who exercise at least seven hours a week drop their chances of dying prematurely by as much as 40%. You can also look at getting back into a regular workout routine and revisiting exercise tips for beginners as a way to start fresh, and to improve the way that you exercised before. The advantage of returning to a workout routine and is that you already know what you like and what you don’t like. Even if your goals have changed, you still have a baseline to build from, which is what you should keep in mind as you explore creating a new fitness routine for yourself. Let’s look into different factors that can affect your new routine, and what you should focus on as you begin to plan.

1. Equipment

If you didn’t work out with fitness equipment in the past, you can make a huge difference by incorporating it into your workout routine now. Of course, one of the most prominent exercise tips for beginners is to be careful about the types of workout equipment you use. The last thing you should do is invest in heavy weight lifting equipment off the bat just because you have an interest in building muscle. A lot of workout machines pose potential risks for people who don’t handle them correctly. Not only will you not get the results you want; you could also potentially end up dealing with a serious personal injury. One reason why a lot of people enjoy buying workout equipment, with that being said, is that it allows them to do things that aren’t attainable through typical exercises accomplished through running or stretching.

For virtually every type of exercise goal, there is a corresponding piece of workout equipment. If you’re looking to strengthen your core, build muscle, or simply tone your legs, there is a piece of workout equipment available. Of course, a workout machine can also cut down on the amount of time that you’ll end up devoting to working out. The goal behind many of them is to create an opportunity for training in the most efficient way possible. A lot of people find that working out with equipment is easier to handle and figure into your schedule than working out without machinery. With that being said, a lot of people may turn to a gym for these reasons. So, why would you want to buy workout equipment versus buying into a gym membership? For one thing, personal workout equipment is an investment for the long term. You make that one time purchase and then keep the equipment at your home, versus paying every month or every year for a gym membership. It’s also easier to stick to a workout routine if the equipment is at your home. You don’t have to spend time on going to the gym, and can simply head to your own personal gym and therefore save time. As we said before, one of the most important exercise tips for beginners is focused on simply making sure that you have time for working out, and being able to work out at home just maximizes your time in the best way possible. The advantage of a gym is that you can try out more intense workouts under the watchful eyes of professional trainers. The potential for slips and falls isn’t quite as concerning if you happen to be spotted by gym employees. So while you may want to stick to your home gym overall, especially in a post-pandemic world, there’s no harm in trying out certain techniques or machines at your local gym.

2. Goals

AS we mentioned previously, your goals are a major factor when you consider your workout routine. If you really want to strengthen an already-fit body, exercise tips for beginners may not be enough for you. On the other hand, there are some basic types of exercise that will have different effects compared to others. If your goal is to build muscle or create a more toned appearance, you should consider the fact that weight training can certainly do this. On the other hand, if you just want straight weight loss, to change that number on the scale, weight training may not be right for you. As you build muscle, you may actually gain weight even if you technically look smaller. What people expect from workout routines has changed dramatically over time, which is why people often divide their workout routines into cardio versus weight training, and then divide them further after that.

Of course, there are plenty of other factors to keep in mind aside from building muscle over weight loss. Some work out as they recover from injuries or illnesses, building up their strength and aiding in their own recoveries. One reason why a lot of people like to consult with personal trainers when building their workout routines is that they often have specific issues in mind. If you, for example, broke your leg while playing a sport in the past, you’ll have to craft your workout routine around that past injury and ensuring that it isn’t aggravated in the future. You may also have to consider other issues, such as any kind of chronic illnesses you might be dealing with, especially if it affects your airway. Asthma can therefore change the way that you approach your workout routine, and you’ll have to look beyond just exercise tips for beginners when planning your routine. There are a number of ways through which you can test specific workouts, with one of those being an exercise tolerance test. An exercise tolerance test is a great way of determining what types of exercise your body can withstand, in a safe setting that will prevent you from potentially hurting yourself down the road. With that being said, if you lack the health concerns of others and are open to more dynamic types of workouts that aren’t necessarily included in exercise tips for beginners, there are plenty of options available.

3. More Intense Exercise

What if you don’t want to go to the gym, or for that matter stay within your own personal gym? There are other options available. Of course, one of the most common ways through which you can work out is simply through taking part in a sport of some kind. Sports are great outlets through which you can exercise, and a lot of exercise tips for beginners are rooted in the types of exercise you would get through sports anyway. You don’t have to be an amazing athlete to get something out of sports, and a lot of people just do it casually. Sports also offer a great social outlet for those who want to take part in team sports. With that being said, you don’t have to focus on a traditional sport in order to get the exercise that you need. Even picking up something as seemingly casual as golf can help you get the exercise you need; though it might be a bit difficult to avoid the urge to spend more time riding around in a golf cart than you would actually be golfing!

A lot of people find themselves getting exercise through more intense workouts, far beyond those that they would get at the gym or at home. If you’re worried about social distancing, you can go hiking or dirt biking. Not only does this allow you to work out as much as you need, getting the exercise that you want; you’ll also be able to enjoy the great outdoors, and the beautiful sights that you can find in the wilderness. At the same time, you might want to take up something like swimming, which you can enjoy at home, at a public pool, or even in a spring or lake. More intense workouts like these can be more fun, and therefore less likely to bore you to the point that you find an excuse to give up on your routine. But they do still offer the risk for injury. The last thing you would want is to start your workout routine and find yourself in the emergency room. Therefore, it’s important to not only know your limits but to ask your doctor about what you should focus on and what you should avoid when working out.

4. Diet

It’s not enough to simply focus on your exercise tips for beginners, and your resulting workout routine. Whether you want to get fit or lose a lot of weight, you need to support your workout routine with a good diet. Now, a good diet is going to vary for everyone. Depending on the types of health issues you may be dealing with, you might not be able to cut the same foods from your diet that other people would in order to lose weight. Your annual checkup is a great time to talk about this type of thing with your doctor, but you may also want to schedule an appointment with a nutritionist if you need to lose a serious amount of weight.

Changing your diet is really about changing your lifestyle, not just doing something on a temporary level. And it’s not as simple as just cutting out sugar or fat from your diet. You may need to add things as well. Drinking more water can help you lose weight, as can adding different vegetables. You may want to change your diet dramatically, but the fact is that you have to be careful, and ease into it. A fad diet will not help you lose weight and keep it off, and may even be unhealthy in the long term.

Obviously, getting back into your workout routine for the first time in a while is time consuming, and requires a good deal of effort. But ultimately, the results are worth it if you stay committed and don’t let the exercise equipment you buy languish in storage. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to get back into that workout-ready mindset. Therefore, it’s important that you’re kind to yourself, and don’t feel too bad for slipping from time to time. Even if you’re still stuck on exercise tips for beginners after a few months, at least you’re exercising again! Stick to it, and you’ll be back in business before you know it.