First Time Excercising In Forever!

annabellwho

Hi, I am 20 years old and have not really done any exercise since i was about 14. Ive joined the gym but I will be running/jogging about 5pmh for about 2minutes and get completely out of breath, I was wondering if this is normal for beginners? I will sit down for a few seconds afterwards and feel fine again but I am just constantly getting out of breath really fast and quickly and its really annoying!

grimendale

That's normal. It's going to take some time and some long, slow miles to build your endurance up. You'll get there.

nancybuss

check out some programs that have you run for a minute, walk for a minute, etc... and help you build up your endurance

chankanaab07

Been there, and it's totally normal! You'll be amazed at how quickly your body adapts as you continue to push it.

streamgirl

The other thing I found when I first started running was that it helped at least sometimes to run as slow as I needed to to go a long ways. I ran outside, but I got where I could go a mile in about 15 minutes, which felt really encouraging. Hey, I'd run a mile!! It was ok that a fast walker would have passed me. From there I could go farther and faster. I'm still slow, but I can run a long ways. It also helps you realize that you can keep going a lot farther than you think when you get tired (out of breath, not so much) and that you can tune in to your breathing to set your pace. Good luck!

justyce13

It is going to take time. Start small, don't jump into running right away. I think if you start going at it to fast you will loose interest in it. You have to find something you really like to do

Becoming_A_Butterfly

If you haven't worked out in years, why are you starting with running? When I first got back into working out after a long break, I started walking and using workout DVDs geared toward beginners and the elliptical. When I built up some endurance, I tried a slow jog that lasted maybe 5 minutes. It was discouraging, but I walked a little faster and built up some more strength before trying again. Now I enjoy running, but I don't know if I would if I would have tried to force it on myself when my body wasn't ready.

My point is not to discourage you from running, but to be realistic and build a foundation first if you have not worked out in a very long time. Expecting to leap straight into running seems to be asking for an injury and making it harder on yourself than it needs to be.

streamgirl

Oh yeah, like nancybuss mentioned, check out Couch to 5K (C25K) or a similar program. I think there's even a group here a MFP for C25K.