If you’re not a regular exerciser, it can be incredibly intimidating to just start exercising. The good news is that you don’t need to do anything fancy to get going! The better news is that with the internet and YouTube, you can exercise in the privacy of your own home to try new things out, which will save you from needing to worry making mistakes at the gym in front of all the big weight lifting guys.
But many people don’t get started because they don’t know where to start or how to. I’m going to try to share some resources with you today to help you find a place that’s comfortable for you.
What is the best exercise?
That is a very individual question, and it really depends on your physical goals. If you have a goal of training to be an elite athlete, or running a marathon, or something else very specific, there will be several different training options that you might want to look into.
If you’re just an ordinary person, trying to move on a regular basis, a combination of strength training and cardio activity is a must.
Many women rely very heavily on cardio (running, walking, etc.) and typically they need to increase their strength training. Men, on the other hand, are stereotypically the opposite. They tend to focus on strength training, and leave the cardio training behind.
If you tend to focus more on strength training, try to incorporate more cardio. And if you focus on cardio, try to incorporate more strength training.
The one thing that I will say is that I believe walking is the most universal exercise that exists. Are you recovering from an injury and need to do something low impact? Go for a slow walk. Are you training for something intense but have a hard time running? Go for a fast walk. Walking is so universal, there’s really nothing it can’t do.
Where to start?
There are lots of exercise options available to you if you’re intimidated and don’t know where to start!
- Your local gym – almost every gym (every gym?) will have personal trainers you can hire to train you regularly, or help get you started to introduce you to the equipment.
- Online personal trainers – since the start of Covid, there are tons of personal trainers that have moved to online training sessions. I would recommend finding a personal trainer through word of mouth, so you can work with someone who has good reviews from people you know and trust.
- YouTube – there are SO many trainers on YouTube. Here are some of my favorite channels:
- Sydney Cummings – I really like Sydney Cummings’ workout videos, in particular her earlier videos. Her later videos focus on lots of weight training, which is amazing, but you do need to have weights for most of her workouts. Her earlier videos rely more on HIIT workouts, body weights, or other small weights you might have at home.
What I love most about Sydney Cummings is her instruction. If you aren’t a confident exerciser, she explains things, coaches, and prompts her viewers very well.
Here is a workout video of Sydney’s that I really enjoy
- Heather Robertson – Heather has a wonderful selection of workout videos on YouTube that are extremely effective and enjoyable. Heather doesn’t speak in her videos, though, so I would recommend her for advanced people who are comfortable exercising on their own, without being cues. For people who already know what to do.
Here is a workout video of Heather’s that I really enjoy
- Pop Sugar Fitness – Any of these historical workouts with Anna Renderer are fantastic workouts, and great for beginners! Anna is a fantastic coach, who is a great instructor and will help you feel confident in the workout she’s leading you through.
Here is a PopSugar workout that I love and is excellent for beginners
- Yoga with Adriene – I got into yoga with Adriene, and I haven’t really left her. I love her style of yoga instruction and her videos. I use her almost exclusively as my online yoga trainer.
This is one of my favorite Yoga with Adriene workouts
- Yoga with Kassandra – I also like Kassandra for yoga.
Here is one of my favorite videos of Kassandra’s
- Sydney Cummings – I really like Sydney Cummings’ workout videos, in particular her earlier videos. Her later videos focus on lots of weight training, which is amazing, but you do need to have weights for most of her workouts. Her earlier videos rely more on HIIT workouts, body weights, or other small weights you might have at home.
- Online subscriptions. The most common ones are:
- Peloton – I haven’t tried Peloton, though I have a friend who highly recommends them. She tells me that the quality of instruction at Peloton is really great and she loves the workouts.
- Beach Body – I have tried Beach Body, and I really enjoyed the workouts! They also do a lot of focus on building a workout community, which can be really helpful for some people. Beach Body does come with supplements that it’s expected you’ll buy when you have a membership, and while a lot of people love these supplements, they weren’t my thing.
There are quite literally an infinite number of yoga and online trainers, so find one that works for you and you like their energy. As I mentioned before, you want to be confident in what you’re doing and make sure you’re doing it safely. If you’re a beginner exerciser, find someone who really walks you through the exercises and reminds you of what you’re meant to be doing.
Good luck, have fun, and let me know which exercises are your favorite!