Striking a proper balance between workouts and recovery is as important for new exercisers as it is for seasoned athletes. Avoiding burnout while staying motivated are two of the primary factors for preliminary and continued success. Beginners who feel an increase in energy and well-being are much more likely to continue working out to the point of achieving physical results, which in turn provides strong motivation for making it a fundamental lifestyle change.
Fitness Goals
Having a clear idea of your fitness goals can help you progress in an intelligent way. This is as true for complete beginners as it is for those returning to exercise after time off. If you don't have goals, it's more likely that you'll stay with the same routine for too long, reaching a plateau that prohibits advancement until you change your workout. It's not necessary to have a goal like running a 5k within six months of starting. Walking a faster mile, increasing your daily training time or vowing to try a new kind of exercise are all motivating goals.
Exercise Frequency
MayoClinic.com recommends "at least 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity," per week, for the majority of adults. The American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, suggests that you exercise with moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If your workouts are more intense, the ACSM recommends working out at least three days a week. Both organizations advise making strength-training a part of your routine at least twice a week.
Considerations
It's not necessary to get your daily exercise in one training session. You can accumulate the benefit of physical activity in mini workout sessions if you're pressed for time. For example, if your goal is to walk for 30 minutes a day, you can derive the same benefit from going for three 10-minute walks or two 15-minute walks of the same intensity. This can be helpful when you need to increase your overall workout time in order to avoid interrupting your progress.
Cross-training
When creating your workout schedule, choose your favorite cardiovascular activity in addition to one or two other types of exercise. Utilizing different muscle groups, or cross-training, can not only help keep your workouts interesting and prevent boredom, but it promotes overall strength and fitness. Choosing just one exercise, such as walking, can have value just as you're starting out, if not having to think about what you're going to do helps you achieve it everyday. But once you're on track with your routine, you should cross-train to avoid overtraining and injury.
Benefits of Recovery
Work some recovery time into your schedule. Recovery is as important as exercise itself. Training acts as a stress on the body, breaking it down in order to build it back, stronger than before. Part of your schedule should include plenty of nightly sleep, as well as one full day off per week from training. As your body increases its ability to adapt to the demands of the workload, you may choose to perform easy exercise, as a form of active recovery. For example, if you power-walk or ride your bike six days a week, choose to swim some easy laps for your active recovery.
References
- "Optimum Performance Training for the Health and Fitness Professional"; National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2004
- Mayo Clinic: Fitness Program: 5 Steps to Getting Started
- ACSM: Physical Activity Guidelines
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