It is important to complete the appropriate type of exercise for your specific goal. If your aim is to lose weight and improve your fitness then you should be taking part in aerobic exercise. Looking to get strong and build muscle? Then resistance training is the type of exercise for you. But try and incorporate a variety of exercise into your weekly lifestyle.

Daniel, one of our chartered physiotherapists, has put together his top tips to get you going and help you stick to your new routine.

1. Set goals

A good way of motivating yourself and to begin exercising is to set an end-goal. This goal can vary from person to person. Maybe you want to lose 5 kg, maybe you want to return to a sport you love or maybe you want to run a marathon? The goal is what is important to you. Don’t compare yourself to anybody else.

2. Start small

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. It is unrealistic to try and achieve this straight away, especially if you haven’t exercised in a long time. Start small, aim for 50 minutes a week, then 100 and then 150. You will see more benefit from gradually building up your exercise tolerance rather than tiring yourself out in your first week of returning to exercise.

3. Don’t push yourself too much at the beginning

Once again, this applies to everyone. A good example is if you are aiming to run 5 km, don’t start with a 5 km run as your body needs time to adjust and you may cause an injury. Build it up gradually - e.g. in your first week jog for 1 km and walk for 1 km, then in your second week jog for 1.5 km and walk for 1.5 km, slowly building up to completing 5 km runs regularly.

4. Track your progress

Tracking your progress is a good motivator for yourself and it can help you modify your goals going forward. You can complete this regardless of the type of exercise you are doing. Keep track of distance and time that you’ve jogged and aim to build it up. Keep track of the weight you are lifting and aim to build it up gradually.

5. Always warm up and stretch

Always warm up and stretch before exercising to prepare your body for exercise and help to prevent injury. It is recommended to warm up for 5-10 minutes followed by stretching prior to exercise. When you complete exercise it is also important to cool down for 5 minutes at the end to gradually lower your heart rate and help to reduce muscle fatigue the following day.

6. Find an exercise buddy or group

Sometimes exercising with a friend or in a group can be a better motivator than exercising alone. Perhaps agree with a friend to take part in an online class? It provides structure and by setting a time with a friend it is much easier to ensure that you both get out and don’t cancel your exercise plans.

7. Listen to music

Music can be a great motivator to maintain intensity while exercising. It can push you that extra little bit further. Why not create a playlist of songs that lasts the length of time that you want your exercise session to last?

8. Enjoy yourself

Sometimes it is easier to exercise by completing an exercise that you enjoy. For example if you want to lose weight and improve your fitness but don’t enjoy running alone, perhaps try a group boxercise class (there are lots online too). If you’re a competitive person, doing something that you enjoy can push you that little bit further to keep going.

9. Motivate yourself

This is easier said than done, but sometimes just putting on your workout clothes and going outside can be the perfect motivator to exercise. The worst thing that you can do at times is overthinking about exercise and talking yourself out of it.

What should I be aiming for?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that every week, adults should both:

Do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity
Complete an additional 2 days at least of muscle strengthening activities

Exercise is a form of physical activity, and reaching the recommendations of the WHO will be beneficial to your health. It can be difficult to start exercising, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time and are now trying to return to exercise. It may not be a realistic aim to exercise 150 minutes per week when you are first returning to training. So if you haven’t been active for a while, it is important to build this up gradually on a week-to-week basis.

Types of exercise

It’s important to understand there is more than one type of exercise and each type of exercise has different benefits. You will have to modify the exercise you are doing to achieve your desired goals.

Aerobic exercise (cardio): You should aim for at least 150 minutes over the week and you can achieve this by completing 30 minutes of exercise 5 days per week. This can be achieved by completing vigorous walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or hiking.
Resistance exercise (strength training): You should aim to do this 2-3 days per week. You can strength train in the gym setting using free weights or at home using body weights and resistance bands.
Flexibility training (stretching): Aim for 2-3 days per week. Do before completing any type of exercise as it is important to stretch to help prevent injury.
Balance exercise: Specific exercises that improve balance, such as Tai Chi or yoga. You should complete balance exercises 2-3 times per week.

If you have any concerns about exercising or suffer with any health complications it is important to visit your GP first to ensure that you are healthy and safe to start exercising. For further information on how to increase your exercise capacity or if you want help to design an exercise programme, book an appointment with a Chartered Physiotherapist, as we are experts in this area.