FitnessIsNotEW

It’s the new year once again and everyone has their own resolutions befitting of it. Of which many come in the from of improving health and fitness. However, getting started can be a daunting task for newcomers. Walking into a huge gym with tons of elaborate equipment with the eyes of on-lookers can be a turn off.

So here I am to hopefully ease you into that process. Consistency is the key here. Not relying on random bursts of motivation that flicker like an old light bulb. But the first step is — you know it — getting started.

Everyone has different goals, be it to lose weight, gain muscle or to simply look good and gain more confidence. To that, there are a myriad of different programs out there to help you achieve your goals. But lets do away with all those jargon such as HITT, AMRAP and EMOM (I’ll get into them at a later date).

So let’s cut to the chase and here’s a simple home workout plan:

1. Push-ups: 10-20 reps

Push-ups work your chest and triceps predominantly, whilst yours abdominal muscles play a supporting role. Being that close to the floor also helps with getting your blood pumping too!

If they are a little too hard at the moment (not for long!), you can do incline push-ups as an alternative.

2. Squats: 10-20 reps

Squats help to build strength in your legs and your core helps to stabilize your body. Do not underestimate this bodyweight exercise. It is way more effective than you would think, helping in mobility along with strength.

3. Planks: 20-40 seconds

Planks aid in strengthening your core muscles and your lower back muscles as well. These would help in daily life by improving posture as well.

4. Jumping Jacks: 30 reps

Jumping jacks are a form of light cardio that can be done at home. It is effective in burning calories and getting your heart rate up. Your legs may be a little sore coupling this with the squats earlier but push through! Do them at your own pace too.

Take a 30 second rest in-between each exercise and continue on with the next one. Completing all of the above exercises would be called a set. Try to push for 2-3 sets in total. Taking an average timing you would be able to finish one set in 5-6 minutes, including the rest time. so that would total to around 20 mins of exercise, seems achievable don’t you think?

Keeping at it

Now that a baseline has been established, how do you keep to it? It takes us humans on average – 66 days – to form a habit (me included, no one is born disciplined, unfortunately). So what better way to do than to gamify it? Gamification refers to adding game mechanics to non-game environments, in this case, exercising and daily life.

Enter Habitica. An app that gamifies your life and sets daily reminders for you to do.

The app rewards you with cute little 8-bit avatars and mascots that level-up alongside you completing your daily tasks. You would have to be accountable for your own progress and doing that in the form of a game helps to take off the seriousness and boredom out of it. Better still, it helps to be accountable when friends and family are involved, where you can party up with them in guilds and complete tasks.

Conclusion

Starting an exercise routine can be daunting but everyone had to learn how to walk. Baby-steps are the stepping stones onto something greater. This beginner workout plan helps you jumpstart your journey and move on to the advanced routines in the future. Remember, consistency is key and have fun while doing it! Results will follow you along the journey.