When you're making a big change in life, the first step is often the hardest. Whether you're finding a new job, moving to a different city, or starting a side hustle, the idea can sound great…but actually making moves to achieve your goal can be the real challenge. The same applies to working out and exercising — it's not easy, but once you've taken the first step (in this case, literally!), you're on the right track.

 

Welcome to Your Fitness Journey

There's a variety of reasons that you might be thinking about starting a fitness routine. You may want to lose some weight, improve your self-esteem, or simply be a little healthier. But the benefits of a workout regimen go far beyond the physical benefits: you'll be shocked at how you'll also feel better emotionally and mentally, not to mention improved sleep and the social elements of team sports, gym visits, and workout classes.

 

Ready to take that first step? Let's start by talking about workout plans for beginners that will set you up for success and a few tips to keep you motivated throughout your journey.

 

The Importance of Structured Beginner Workout Plans

Why Start with a Beginner Workout Plan?

When you step into the gym for the first time, you might think, "I'm going to walk on the treadmill." Great! But there are still a lot of questions: For how long? At what speed? At which incline? Without having a plan and setting goals, you may walk for a few minutes then get bored or tired and call it quits.

 

That's why beginners will want to find a tailored workout plan. Having the exercises laid out in front of you will keep you on track and inspire you to push yourself a little further than if you were just doing some push-ups and then moving on to the next thing. Workout plans will also prevent you from going too hard too fast. Find a plan that looks achievable with your fitness level, keeping in mind that it's perfectly okay to take breaks whenever you need to. And if a routine felt too easy, you can always add some extra reps.

 

Challenges for Newcomers

There are a variety of factors when you're creating a beginner workout plan. Maybe going to the gym doesn't fit with your routine or budget, and joining a workout class can seem very intimidating. You may also feel discouraged when you're not seeing huge progress for many weeks. Just remember that many people have started in the exact same position, and you can't improve unless you make the effort. It's important to keep a positive attitude and have a lot of patience, knowing that results are just around the corner if you keep working hard.

 

Creating Your Beginner Workout Plan

Setting Clear Fitness Goals

Guide on defining SMART fitness goals and their significance.

Now that it's time to find a routine and set fitness goals, you'll want to be SMART. Yes, you'll want to be intelligent about them, but SMART actually stands for:

Specific

Instead of saying, "I want to exercise more," put some numbers to your goal so there is no room for interpretation — you either achieved your objective or you did not. So let's replace "I want to exercise more" with something like "I will go to the gym for 45 minutes at least three times per week."

Measurable

By creating a benchmark, you'll be able to work towards a goal and know when you've completed it. If you want to add dumbbells to your routine, your measurable goal might be "I want to be able to do 30 bicep curls with 10 lbs weights." Start with a lower weight and fewer reps and carefully work your way up to your goal.

Attainable

It's important that your targets challenge you without being impossible. Otherwise, you'll find yourself getting discouraged. If you're new to jogging, you will want to start small: "I want to jog nonstop without breaks for walking for five minutes." It may take several tries, but once you've reached that goal, you can continue to set new objectives by increasing your speed or jogging for a longer duration.

Relevant

Your workout routine should be relevant to your health needs, lifestyle, and interests. For example, if you're hoping to increase your overall strength, then cycling (or another cardiovascular exercise) wouldn't lead you to achieve that goal. Instead, find exercises that fit your overall health objective.

Time-Bound

Having a deadline for your fitness goals will motivate you to work hard and have success. Someone looking to lose weight should consult with a doctor and create a realistic timeline for a goal, such as "I will lose 10 lbs in three months." In addition to setting a measurable target, you are giving yourself a window in which to see results.

 

Components of a Well-Structured Plan

A well-rounded workout plan incorporates several components such as flexibility, strength, and cardio.

Flexibility

It's important to spend 5-10 minutes stretching before and after your workout to improve flexibility, prevent soreness, and lessen the chance of injury. Some examples of stretches are toe touches, arm swings, hip rotations, knee lifts, and side reaches.

Strength

Strengthening your muscles can include weights such as dumbbells or kettlebells, but many moves just use your own body weight — no equipment is necessary. Try adding these to your beginner workout plan, increasing the number of reps as you improve.

       - Bodyweight squats

       - Push-ups

       - Lunges

       - Plank

Cardio

Also known as aerobic exercise, cardio is any activity that increases your heart rate. Many forms of cardio are things you do in everyday life that get you breathing a little heavier. Start small with these exercises, increasing your speed or duration of workout as you move further in your fitness journey.

       - Walking

       - Jogging

       - Cycling

       - Jumping jacks

       - Jump rope

       - Dancing

 

Using Compression Gear for Support and Injury Prevention

Discover the Power of Compression Sportswear

Introduce compression sportswear and its role in the fitness journey.

As you start your fitness journey, you'll want to consider the right equipment, which includes what you wear. Compression workout clothes are growing in popularity, and for good reason: adding pressure to muscles and joints can enhance performance, prevent injury, and improve recovery time.

 

Unlocking the Benefits

Compression gear has many benefits compared to athletic shorts, sweatpants, t-shirts, and other clothing you might see at the gym. Compression technology enhances performance and recovery by improving blood circulation and oxygenation, providing muscle support, reducing soreness, and providing temperature control.

 

Choosing the Right Gear

Compression clothing should be form-fitting to get the desired effects without being too tight. Because the material is flexible and doesn't restrict the range of motion, compression gear is useful in a variety of workouts, from running to weightlifting.

 

Maximizing Your Fitness Journey

Combining Compression Gear and Workouts

One of the benefits of compression clothing is that there is a range of options to suit every athlete, whether focused on a specific injury or looking for all-around coverage. Knees, elbows, ankles, shoulders, and other joints go through a lot of stress during sports and workouts, and compression sleeves can help alleviate joint pain thanks to an increase in stability — and some believe that the heat from wearing a sleeve or other compression pieces is also a benefit. After an injury, support from compression sleeves can help aid in your recovery. Meanwhile, compression shorts, pants, or bras keep excess motion under control for a more comfortable experience during any exercise while also preventing chafing.

 

Staying Motivated and On Track

Achieving your fitness goals always feels good, but if you need a little extra motivation, sometimes it helps to create a reward system for yourself. For example, if you meet your goal of going to the gym three times a week for a month, you might want to buy yourself something special that's related to your fitness journey, like a piece of compression workout apparel or a new water bottle. By keeping your rewards workout-oriented, you'll provide even more inspiration for your next goal.

Beginner Workout Plans Best Practices

Safe Workouts and Form

The last thing you want when you start your fitness journey is to be sidelined by an injury. That's why it's important to challenge yourself without pushing so far that you need extra recovery time. Always listen to your body and stop if something doesn't feel right. It's not coming short of your goal — it's staying safe and healthy. Make sure to wear the proper apparel, including shoes, so you don't hurt yourself, and always keep good form to prevent muscle strains. If you are unsure how to do an exercise or use a piece of equipment, ask for help to prevent harm.

 

Your Fitness Journey Begins Now

There's no time like the present to improve your health. Even if things are moving slowly in the beginning, you deserve a pat on the back for doing the work and taking the first steps in getting active. With hard work and dedication, you'll be reaching your goals and setting new ones before you know it.

 

Empower Your Workouts with Compression Sportswear

Feeling good is important in your workout, so be sure to invest in the proper clothing and equipment, so you can also look good during your fitness adventure. CW-X has a range of products for both men and women featuring patented EXO-WEB technology, which mimics kinesiology-taping techniques that trainers apply to injured muscles. When applied to muscles and joints, this creates an exoskeletal support system that improves biomechanics for athletes of all fitness levels looking to achieve their full potential.