HOW TO START A NEW EXERCISE ROUTINE

Start off training 3 days per week. Start with one day of full body resistance training in-between 2 cardio days. Train for approximately 45 minutes on resistance days including a 5-10 minute warm-up and 5-10 minutes of stretching at the end. Only perform 1-2 sets of 15-20 reps for each exercise at first. You will likely have mild soreness the next day or two. Stick with light weights or even do exercises using only your body weight. If you are overly sore, decrease the weight or the sets next time you work out. Once you become accustomed to basic exercisesand initial soreness has stopped or become extremely mild, slightly increase the resistance and/or increase the sets.

Start your cardio days at 20 minutes each. From there you can progress by increasing the time or increasing the intensity. You should also make sure you vary what type of cardio you are doing. There are many options and you don’t want your body to be able to adapt by doing the same thing over and over. You should start off nice and easy at about 50% intensity and work your way up over time.”

About this Author

After graduating from the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) in Richmond Heights Ohio, Mat sat for and passed the test to earn his CSCS (certified strength and conditioning specialist). After spending over one and a half years of training in a gym setting, and becoming and instructor at NPTI, Matt started MK Fitness as a one-on-one or small group personal training company.