Every year, countless people make plans to finally get fit by exercising. Then, after a few trips to the gym, they inevitably falter. Why did their new workout program end so abruptly? Probably because it never really started in the first place. In order to have a successful workout regimen, you need to be attuned to the needs and capabilities of your body and have a focused plan you can commit to.
Get a personal trainer
We cannot stress this enough. If you want to be serious about your exercise routine, you need to enlist the help of someone who knows what they’re doing. A personal trainer will be able to help in choosing the best exercise plan for you, answer any questions you have and help monitor and correct your form to ensure you’re going about your routine correctly.
You might protest because you already know how to exercise and a personal trainer would just be a waste of time. While you’re entitled to your opinion, you should understand a personal trainer can help you realize mistakes in your form that could be severely impeding your fitness goals, possibly to the point of injury. You might also worry a personal trainer would be holding you back, but it doesn’t have to be forever. Think of it like getting your driver’s license. You need to work with an instructor to understand the rules of the road and how to control your vehicle. Similarly, a personal trainer helps you to understand how to condition your body properly.
Don’t over/underestimate yourself
If your workout routine is so easy you can blast through 20 reps without so much as a drop of sweat or even mild exhaustion, you’re doing something wrong. Your workout shouldn’t be so easy that you breeze right through it and go straight back to your phone to keep playing games out of boredom. Similarly, if your routine is so intense it has you collapsed on the floor, panting and aching almost immediately, then you’re also doing something wrong. Your routine is one that should require at least some resistance, but not to the point of severe hazard to yourself.
Don’t compare yourself to others
The gym is full of life lessons, one of which is to focus on your own progress and only your own. When you’re working out, you’ll no doubt notice the people who are in incredible physical shape. You’ll also notice people who are in the same or worse shape as you. Pretend there is nobody else in the gym and keep focused. Comparing yourself to others will do no good and likely only cause you to feel discouraged.
A good fitness routine might seem simple, but it requires patience, discipline and planning. The good news is you can easily craft a personalized fitness routine that will give you the tools necessary to get your body in the best shape possible. You need to be ready and willing to work your body fully, so that it can reach its full potential.
