10 Top Tips On How To Start Working Out

How To Start Working Out

If you have decided to start working out, transform your body or just start a healthy rewarding routine, well done you have taken the first step! 

And if you have already read the body transformation pyramid, setting fitness goals, know your why and you need a body transformation plan you are already 10 steps ahead of the majority of people that start to workout.

Starting anything is always the hardest part and we know that working out, transforming your body, getting in shape and making positive healthy habits is extremely challenging, daunting and can even be very confusing.

At Raising The bar we strive to give you everything you need to make it as easy as possible and help you with your goals and health and fitness success. 

Here are our top ten tips on how to start working out, create a strong foundation to build on and establish sustainable long-lasting fitness habits to keep raising the bar for years to come. (explained in detail in this post)

1) Get Help

Enlisting the help of a coach or trainer especially if you are completely new to working out has to be the best and most rewarding way to start your fitness journey. 

A trainer/coach is like having a workout mentor, the benefit of which will give the absolute best start possible.

They will:

• Streamline the whole process for you. 
• Help you to create realistic expectations, help create your goals as well as providing the mini goals you actually need to progress.
• They have been where you are and travelled the road you are about to take and made mistakes and know all the pitfalls ensuring you don’t fall into the same traps. 
• Create a detailed structured plan that is tailor-made for you. 
• Teach you proper form and technique to ensure you are getting the most out of each exercise and stay injury free
• The time you spend with them they are dedicated to helping you.
• They will provide you with accountability, support, knowledge, experience and do everything they can to help you stay focused and on track 
• Bottom line, investing in a trainer/coach will give you all the tools you need to be successful and speed up the whole process for you tenfold.

We all like to think we can go it alone and I am aware that some people even feel ashamed to ask for help but trainers are there to help you and they want to help. You most certainly can start without a trainer and this is not essential but enlisting a trainer or coach could streamline the whole process for you by years.

2) Do Your Research

As I mentioned in you need a body transformation plan you need to do your research to find the best trainer for you but you also need to do your research into the gym or fitness class you attended.

It is easy to think that any gym or class will do I mean they all provide you with a place to work out but that doesn’t mean they are any good nor does it mean that it is an environment that you will feel comfortable in.

For someone who has never worked out before commercial gyms can be intimidating places, and nowadays there are more and more gyms open to the public that have a specialist edge.

For example, a gym specialising in bodybuilding and trainer bodybuilders although this may be a great gym to change your physic and they offer that service some people are not going to feel comfortable working out in a gym with bodybuilders.

You need to ensure that everything is in place so that you enjoy it, stay consistent and feel comfortable in your surroundings.

Take the time to look at reviews, ask questions, avail of free trails, meet with the trainers and view the facilities on offer to you before you make your choice.

3) Build A Solid Mindset Base

As you have probably already read in the Body Transformation Pyramid mindset is an extremely important element that is often overlooked regarding fitness and working out.

They are so many mindset elements that apply and come into play at different stages of this whole process.

Building a solid state of mind as you decide you want to start working out and before you actually start will set you up for success.

Here are the top mindset elements you need to get in place before you start:

1. Create a detailed goal 
2. Know your why
3. Get a structured plan
4. Know your starting point and limitations
5. Have realistic expectations
6. Know what you need to do and your sticking points 

I consider this tip essential. 9 times out of 10 someone who starts a workout regime and quits before they reach their goal is because they do not have one or all of the above in place.

4) Enlist A Solid Support Network

A support network is one or more people that know your goal and the journey you are about to embark on.

This could be a spouse, family member, workout partner, coach/trainer or a friend.

Having the support of another person is extremely beneficial and can provide you with accountability, determination, support, or just someone to talk to when you need to.

But you do need to choose your support network wisely as choosing the wrong person or people can have the opposite effect i.e. choosing a workout partner that isn’t motivated, misses sessions and is always inviting you out for drinks and takeaways will almost certainly lead to you losing focus.

Implementing health and fitness routines in your life is extremely positive and can help you in so many ways, it is amazing how some of the closest people around you can actually work against you in your efforts to change your life.

Ensure the support network you chose are trustworthy, supportive and have your best interests at heart and if you feel that someone is working against you it is probably in your best interest to give that person a wide birth.

5) Start Slow And Build On It

I get it, we all want the results and we want them as quick as possible but easy come, easy go and that is so true when it comes to health and fitness.

The quickest results are often the result of an element or entire process to be extreme.
Results from extreme processes may result in quicker results but often put your health at risk which to me is the opposite of what we are trying to improve on.

There is more pressure and focus on image than ever before and with the introduction of social media combined with image editing tools and apps right at our fingertips, I feel that peoples perception of what is normal, achievable and even how they see themselves is skewed.

You need to be aware that not everything you see is natural or real, there are no magic pills or quick fixes and the road to sustainable healthy results may be longer than you expect.

But there is no rush this is a process that is positive, should be fun and is extremely rewarding when done correctly.

By taking your time, building long-lasting positive habits, a positive mindset, eating a balanced nutritious diet and being consistent you are creating a healthy and fitter version of you that your future self will be thankful of.

6) Invest In Adequate Comfortable Workout Gear

This may seem like a trivial point but is more important than you may think.

Starting out you want to eliminate any barriers that exist that may restrict you from giving this your all. Feeling comfortable and confident is very important.

When I am referring to clothing I am referring to performance over image but you need need to feel confident and comfortable in your appearance so I will leave the image choices up to you.

When it comes to workout gear don’t choose image over comfort or performance here are some areas you need to consider when purchasing or choosing workout gear.

Clothes may feel comfortable when you are standing around but when your performing exercises they can act very differently you need to try on new clothes and stretch test them. What I mean by this is squat, lunge and stretch in the clothes before you buy to ensure they don’t become tight, restrictive, revealing or just get in the way of your activity.

Foot wear is extremely important and you will even benefit from using a different type of footwear for weightlifting than for running.

I would 100% recommend getting your feet tested and get the appropriate footwear for your foot type. Everyone’s feet are different and inappropriate footwear for your feet can lead to injury, I am speaking from experience and found this out the hard way. 

Women will require a good snug supportive sports bra and if your like me and like wearing layers to the gym stay away from hoodies as the hood often gets in the way especially for squats and bench press.

Different activities such as martial arts will require special types of clothing so for specialist activities it’s always best to ask the instructor for recommendations before you begin.

7) Include A Group Class

Including a group, class is extremely beneficial for beginners to work out.

You are usually in a group with people on the same journey with you, they may have similar goals and be of a similar fitness level to you.

Classes are a great way to meet new people, workout in a social way and introduce extra support and encouragement.

This can be a way to build a good support network met new people with a similar interest or just bring the fun element to a workout.

If you are competitive like me it can also be a great way to give to you an extra push (although most classes are not actually competitive)

The type of class you chose should be relative to your goal and what you enjoy.

8) Do Something You Enjoy

There are so many options when it comes choosing activities when you start working out. 

There are two main factors you need to consider to help you chose the one that is right for you. 

• Your Goal 
• What you enjoy

Each goal is specific and although there are usually different methods to achieve each goal there are also ways that are more effective and lead to quicker results. On the flip side, there are ways of working out which may hinder the results to a specific goal, slow down progress or even make it impossible. 

For example, if your goal is to build muscle then doing a lot of cardio and running marathons is not going to help you. 

But you also need to have fun and enjoy what you are doing. Consistency is vital to achieving results but if you hate what you are doing or you are not having fun then you are not going to stay consistent. 

Side note: Finding workouts tough and challenging. Or having a negative mindset to physical activity and effort, in general, is going to lead to you not liking anything that you do. Ensure you have step 3 in place and that it is genuinely the activity you dislike before you write anything off.

Make your activity selection based on achieving your goal and enjoying the process.

As a beginner, you may not be aware of the best methods to achieve your goal for this you can ask your trainer/coach who can best advise you based on your goal and starting place or do your own research to find different options that will work. 

You can then try out these different activities to find the one or ones you enjoy the most. 

9) Hit Your Mini Goals

For all your fitness goal-setting needs check out setting fitness goals.

In that post, I discussed mini goals and how to set them.

Mini goals are extremely powerful. These are your first step to starting new habits, creating habit ques and are a great way to feel accomplished and motivate your self.

Hitting goals no matter how big or small is extremely empowering, it will supercharge your confidence and let you know that you are on course for your short-term and long-term goals.

10) Stay Consistent

I cannot stress how important this step is.
Consistency is vital to change habits, build a routine and see results.

Unfortunately, it is a lot easier to lose results then it is to create them and falling off course can have a knock-on effect. A bad weekend can turn into a bad week which can even lead to giving up completely.

Being consistent is part of having a strong mindset foundation and is something you need to ensure you are ready to implement before you start.

Setting smart fitness goals also helps you to stay consistent. When you have set well defined smart fitness goals you will have a concise picture of exactly what you need to do and they also make you aware of how long and how often you need to train.

Creating or having a plan created, based on your goals is another tool that will help you to stay consistent. Everything will be laid out and so straightforward that all you have to do is follow it.

Implement the methods laid out in these blog posts, follow the plan, stay consistent and reap the rewards.