How do I know where to begin with an exercise routine?

melodie3434
melodie3434 Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Its been probably 3 years since I have had a full on exercise routine and Im not sure where to start anymore? Looking for tips and ideas on how to start - I used to be fairly fit but now I have no stamina and things that I used to be able to do feel hard. Im not sure if my mind has caught up with my body because I feel like I should be doing more - but I also do not want to overdo it and injure myself. I already walk alot and am also on my feet all day at work - looking mostly for advice when it comes to strength training

Replies

  • williamsonmj1
    williamsonmj1 Posts: 85 Member
    The best thing to do is to follow an existing strength training program. For some reason, it feels like everyone wants to make their own program right from the beginning, but it's not a great idea. Run a program that was designed by experts.

    There are a ton of options, depending on if you want to focus on strength or muscular growth. If you want to focus on strength I recommend the Greyskull LP program, or Stronglifts 5x%. A lot of people like Starting Strength, personally I think there are better options but honestly they will all work well, and any one of them will work 10x better than anything you design yourself. I don't know about bodybuilding but there are plenty of beginners' bodybuilding programs out there. There are quite a few exercise aps that will let you pick from programs, including all the famous ones. Boostcamp is one good one. If you want to do bodybuilding then Renaissance Periodization has one and I am sure it is great.

    One of the benefits of following an existing program is that they usually tell you how to start, i.e. what weights to start with. A lot of them start very very light, and add a little weight each time. It can weeks or months until it gets heavy or hard, and doing this prepares your body and prevents you from being injured.

    With the programs like Starting Strength and Stronglifts there are actually two protocols to start:
    * In the first session, start with an empty bar and keep trying the exercise until you first feel the bar resist and slow down. Congratulations- this is your starting weight, you will use this in the next session.
    * Start with the bar, and nothing else. (Although you will need a training plate for deadlifts because you can't pull the bar from that low.)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    If you did a structured program before, do that, but with the weight you CAN do NOW, not the weight you did three years ago.

    Or see the advice above or https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Follow a structured program. You've had a long time away, so it should come as no surprise that you can't do what you did three years ago.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    WE are in the same boat, but I'm three weeks ahead of you. What I've done is decide to not to be influenced or distracted by what other people suggest. I simply am going to get back to my baseline of fitness by doing what I did before. Once i get there. .i will open myself to adding some new ideas. Right now .. i just want to be back to my younger fit self. I used to do an hour on the eliptical at least five days a week..and use weight machines at the gym and free weights for some moves.

    A few weeks ago i joined Planet Fitness again.. for $99 for the enitre year. I'm up to 35 minutes on the eliptical and plan on upping that to 45 this week. I alternate days of using the weight lifting machines... I am doing great..and i think within 6 weeks I'll be back.. then i'm going to add some new stuff.

    So, you can always get back on track with what you already know. good luck.

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