Beginner Workout Tips

To be successful in your fitness goals, it's important to start off on the right track. Far too many beginners get started on the wrong foot, develop bad habits, and then struggle to achieve their goals of building muscle and burning fat. Here are some beginner workout tips to help get you started on the right track.

1. Make fitness a habit.
Working out 3-4 times each week for at least three weeks when starting off is essential to your success. One week is not enough for it to become a habit. Be consistent in your plan and you'll move quickly toward your goals.

2. Control your lifts.
More weight can wait. What's important is learning how to squeeze your muscles to move the weight rather than using your hips to thrust the weight up. The better you can actually contract each muscle group correctly during a lift, the more your muscles will grow. Focused and controlled efforts will go a long way in your muscle development.

3. Do compound movements.
To get the best results for muscle growth and fat loss, it's best to start with compound lifts like the squat, bench press, shoulder press, bent-over row, dead lift, pull-up, and lunge. These lifts require you to use multiple muscle groups at the same time. Doing them will allow you to lift more weight, hit more muscles, and increase your metabolic rate much better than you could doing isolation movements.

4. Perfect posture.
How your spine is set during your lifts can have a huge impact on your body and the amount of weight you're able to lift. It's best to keep your lower back slightly arched, your chest up, and your head and neck in a neutral position, no matter which lift you're doing. This can help prevent injuries. When you're lifting, engage your core. You might feel like you're just flexing your abs, but you're also engaging those deep, inner core muscles that protect your spine.

5. Finish every rep.
Many beginners focus too much on the first part of the lift (the concentric or lifting portion) and forget all about the lowering (eccentric) part. Letting the weight drop quickly and without control can be disastrous. You want your muscles to be strong all the way through their entire range of motion, not just the first half of the lift. If you can't control the weight during the lowering phase, you're probably lifting too much weight. Lighten the load until you can control it on the way down again.

6. Track your progress.
Think about your body and how it responds to your lifts, your diet, and even your attitude. No two people are entirely alike. The better you understand yourself, the more you can tailor your workout program to your own needs. This means better results in your future. Write down your workouts, what you eat, and how you feel. That way, you can look back and figure out what made you feel great, what made you feel sore, and what made you feel like you wanted to quit.

7. Have fun!
Working out should not be viewed as a chore but as a time you get to spend improving your body's overall health and wellness. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing results from your hard work. Set goals for yourself and reward yourself when achieving them. Buy yourself new gym shoes or attire when you reach a goal. Find a friend to workout with and motivate each other.