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Starting a gym routine can be daunting, confusing and even frustrating, especially after a long break from exercising. With so many options and a wealth of information available at your fingertips, it can be a challenge to navigate and know how to get started. With some planning and goal setting, you can find a manageable routine that can provide long-lasting physical and mental health benefits. There really is no right or wrong way – the reality is, to be successful you must find a routine you can be consistent with and incorporate into your daily life on a regular basis. View our Frequently Asked Questions that we have curated over the years to learn more about the Orangetheory Fitness workout.
Too many people get caught up in the mindset of "is this the best way to work out?" instead of adopting the mindset of "is this the best way to work out for my life right now?" Before you start setting your goals or workout routine plans, first spend some time considering how much time you can realistically dedicate each day to exercising. Be realistic about where you are: if you currently don’t exercise at all, avoid jumping to working out five or six days a week. Instead, aim for two or three times a week. Chances are, as you begin to feel the benefits, you will start problem-solving for how you can fit it in more – but give yourself time to establish consistency first. Learn more about the importance of a “Cooldown” to reduce the risk of injury and much more!
The Importance of Starting with Low Intensity
Once you figure out a reasonable amount of time you can dedicate to exercising each week, think about your long-term goals. Are you looking for improved health markers, increased stamina, greater strength or fat loss? Are you wanting to train for a specific event like a 5K, adventure race or hiking trip? No matter the goal, if you are a beginner or returning after a significant break, you will need some short-term goals to improve your fitness foundations before you tailor your routine to specific long-term goals.
Long-term goals provide motivation, while short-term goals build the foundation necessary to achieve your larger aspirations. A few key fitness foundations incorporate cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, joint mobility, stability and recovery. You want a strong foundation to build upon! If you do not establish this foundation first, you run the risk of injury or burnout which will hinder you from reaching those bigger goals.
Beginner-Friendly Workouts Explained
- Cardiovascular Endurance: Begin with low-impact exercises like cycling, treadmill walking or swimming. Start with short sessions (10-20 minutes) and over time increase the duration. Once you reach 30-60 minutes you can revert to shorter sessions but increase the intensity (i.e. adding incline to your treadmill). The best cardio exercise? The one you enjoy the most!
- Muscular Strength: Incorporate resistance training exercises using your body weight, light-to-moderate loads or bands. Aim to complete two or three sessions a week and do a minimum of one set for each major muscle group. To maximise your time, perform compound movements that engage more than one muscle group at a time (i.e. squats, push-ups, lunges and rows). Include joint stability and core workouts in your programme (i.e. planks, bridges).
- Joint Mobility: You can enhance this by commencing each exercise session with a dynamic warm-up focused on joint mobility (i.e. hip and arm circles).
- Recovery: Include rest days in your routine to enable your body to adapt to the stress of exercise. Nutrition, hydration and sleep are keys to effective recovery too.
Constructing Your Weekly Workout Plan
Below is a sample weekly routine you can follow or use for inspiration to get started. It includes the major movements you want to incorporate (push, pull, squat, lunge, hinge and core). Remember, if you are aiming for 20 minutes of cardio, that could mean doing ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon. Start each workout with a dynamic warm-up and finish with a cool-down/stretch.
This plan includes an upper and lower strength training session that is quick. Then, combine these for two longer workout sessions the following week. Have less time? Skip the upper and lower workouts and do the total body workout two to three times a week. In general, you can do lower and upper strength training on consecutive days, but you will want to allow time for your muscles to rest in between total body strength sessions. Keep in mind recovery needs variation and adaptation as your fitness level changes.
Be sure to have some method to track your workouts – you deserve to give yourself credit for your hard work! A visual display of your progress (whether in an app or on your desk) can help you stay motivated. At Orangetheory Fitness, we track all your workouts within our mobile app so that our members can monitor their progress in real-time and over time.
Incorporating Community Wisdom
Managing your own fitness programming can be challenging—especially if you don’t know how to adapt and evolve your workouts as you progress. This is where a fitness professional can help guide you, whether that be a personal trainer, online workout program or a boutique studio like Orangetheory that provides daily programming and a coach to customize each workout to your needs. A studio like Orangetheory also offers a community of people with similar aspirations to yours to foster accountability and help you succeed.
Conclusion
No matter what your goals or weekly routine look like, the most important aspect of your success is consistency. It can take several months before you start seeing and feeling the effects, so be patient, be consistent and stay the course. One of the most important things you can do for your long-term health is exercise – you are worth the effort!
