Starting a Fitness Routine

A good beginner's fitness routine will include a variety of exercises. It's important to stretch before and after working out so that you don't pull any muscles. Many people overlook the importance of flexibility and jump right into a workout routine. In fact, stretching before working out improves the outcome of your fitness routine because it oxygenates the blood, helping you burn more calories. After a good stretch, it's time to start working some muscles. Most fitness routines are done in sets, meaning an exercise is performed a specific number of times, then repeated. Typically, each exercise will be done in three sets. After that, the muscle area worked should be thoroughly tired.

Warming Up the Body
Starting off on an elliptical or treadmill for about five to ten minutes is a great way to get the heart pumping. A higher heart rate will improve your workout as much as stretching because it prepares your muscles for harder work and raises your body temperature.

Starting off with floor exercises will help your muscles get ready for weights. A Yoga mat will come in handy here. Begin by doing three sets of crunches and leg lifts. This will work your abdominal muscles as well as your thighs. Washboard abs, here we come!

The Upper Body Workout
Bench presses, dumbbell flies, and dips are all good chest exercises. Each one of these exercises works a different area of the chest. Rotating these exercises, rather than doing the same one over and over, helps to limit muscle fatigue.

For the arms, try dumbbell curls and lateral pulls. These exercises should be done the same day with the chest exercises, so that you work similar muscle groups together. Also, keep track of the weight you're lifting - you will have increase it as you get stronger.

Alternating Exercises
A few good staples like leg extensions, leg lifts, and squats can help anyone get into better shape. Keep in mind that certain exercises require extra equipment that you may not have. This is why it's important to consider which muscle groups you want to focus on and plan your regimen accordingly.

Now that you've been introduced to a few exercises, it's time to start a schedule. Making a schedule with a calendar will help you stick to a routine without repeating the same exercises and getting bored, tired, and discouraged. Beginners tend to be sore for the first couple of weeks, which is called DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. A common misperception is that this is due to the build-up of lactic acid. In fact, muscle soreness is due to the damage of muscle fibers. This is a completely normal phenomenon and should be expected; however, letting your muscles rest and repair is crucial to getting stronger. After a rigorous workout, take the next day off and relax to get energized for the next workout.