Take the first step, but how?

Take the first step, but how?

The hardest part about beginning an exercise routine for the first time is just showing up and walking through the studio door. If you can manage that despite the fear that lurks in the corner of your mind, consider it to be a win.


Perhaps you’ve tried out all the gyms in your locality but never really quite understood how anyone could torture themselves- face painted with sweat covering an intensely pained look on their face. After some light cardio and excessive staring, while attempting to stretch, you dutifully walked out the door and swore never to return and make a fool of yourself?

It doesn’t matter what the voice in your head has been telling you so far, what is important is that you’re now reading this, which means that you understand that the word fitness can no longer be alien to your lifestyle. All that you’re really expected to comprehend is that “resistance training” and “eating clean” will make your life better. The rest is just consistency and patience.

The fundamental idea behind any workout routine is to approach it with caution and evaluate how fit you are before attempting any fitness regime. Sometimes, this requires a bit of assistance from a trained professional, so that you don’t end up crushed under or a barbell while taking a selfie or wiped off a treadmill with your bottom promptly hitting the floor.

Regardless of your specific reasons for wanting to become more fit, this post aims to help educate you on how to feel at ease around scary metal contraptions that(understandably) terrify you.Somewhere down the line, you could potentially be one of those people that actually get excited about training and consuming green colored liquids on a regular basis.

If your palms get sweaty and your heart starts racing by just watching that really fit woman lift a kettle bell like it’s a fancy purse of some sort, keep in mind that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed at the start. Even the experts have been consumed with the fear of looking foolish.Venturing into uncharted territory is always intimidating, and as long as you’re determined to overcome the initial internal resistance, your bruised self-esteem will recover faster than your calves, I promise you.

Perhaps, if I sprinkled some buzzwords like routine and habit, it would be less likely that you think an intense workout will produce instant results. Getting stronger is a long and slow process and it’s perfectly okay to start slow and go slow.

Warm up

After you get a basic tour of the space, do a few basic stretches to prepare your body for what’s to come. Even light intensity aerobic movements like walking around while getting a lay of the land is a good start. You have to get your body moving at a pace that’s comfortable but not too strenuous.

Increase blood flow to your muscles before subjecting your body to stress by performing these simple stretches :

-Roll your head slowly, from shoulder to shoulder.
-Rotate your shoulders
-Twist your torso
-Stretch out your quads

At this point, fears might creep in, and you’ll instantly start to compare yourself or feel like everyone is watching you.Even if this is the most you can force yourself to do, stretch properly and spend 15-20 minutes walking, and then go home, it’s still a victory.

Once this starts to feel comfortable and you stop feeling self-conscious, it’s time to get into your training session and perform your routine set out that works all the muscle groups throughout the whole body. Remember, starting out aggressively is the perfect recipe for not sticking with a routine over the long haul. Respect your body, while still pushing your boundaries with each passing day.


Really, just get your body in motion till it speeds up your breathing and heart rate. Have someone assist you through the moves so you can focus on form. Rinse and repeat.

Start with bodyweight exercises such as squats or lunges and work your way up to the free weights rack!  If you can do bodyweight exercises well, then working with machines is much easier. The reverse is not always true. Once you’ve been consistently crushing circuit workouts for a few months, it’s time to introduce new moves to target specific goals you want to reach. This why we specialize in progressive training plans so that the increase in the tempo and volume becomes almost second to nature without even realizing it.

Watch your body transform with time as the strength and function of each of your muscle groups improve.


This is the “relaxing” part of the exercise you do to cool your body down after the most intense part of your workout. For instance, after high cardiovascular activity, you might walk on a treadmill at a reduced speed and incline for a while until your breathing and heart rate slow down. Stretching is often an integral part of a cooldown. It prevents injury and helps speed up recovery. All sessions should end with stretching out the full body whilst targeting the muscles that have worked so hard in between.

Clean up

Always carry a towel and wipe down equipment after you’ve completed each set.
Re-rack your weights, roll up the yoga mat and replace any other, equipment you used. When people leave out equipment they’ve used, it makes it hard for others to find what they need.
If you treat the equipment like it’s your own, you’ll be less likely to leave them around and create safety hazards.

Believe it or not, nutrition and hydration are as important as the workout itself!

If you’re looking to keep your energy levels high, you must eat well to train well.

Always carry a water bottle with you at all times.Try to sip on water at least every 15 minutes, and continue to hydrate throughout the day at right intervals after a tough workout.

Carry some healthy snacks in your gym bag.Be careful not to load up on sugary “fitness bars” that that only do more harm than good. Consider a blended smoothie, or simply a banana and some nuts. Ensure you’re not working out on an empty stomach, even if it’s early in the morning.
Post workout, ensure that you eat some high protein food within 30- 45 minutes to optimize muscle repair. This however can vary for all individuals. Some may feel more comfortable training with a less filled tummy, where as some individuals may require that "pick me up" in energy levels and could go with a banana or some raisins.

Everybody starts somewhere. Everyone’s harboring the same struggle, just in varying degrees, so there’s a shared sense of purpose. If you don’t like the reflection in the mirror just yet, you might be really self-conscious or judging yourself harshly.
Yes, that super slim lady in the sports bra and tights, or that fit woman on nailing her push ups. They aren’t focused on how your form isn’t perfect on the plank because they’re too busy wondering if everybody is thinking about them.Everyone in that workout space is just trying to better themselves, one day at a time. Everyone around you will secretly applaud you for pushing yourself every single day.Your fitness journey is unique, and the reasons for making this decision to get stronger and feel more confident are unique as well.

Building the habit of exercising your willpower through your mind and body, is what we’re going for. The ability to concentrate and physically demonstrate your willpower through the expression of your muscles will make you feel like your own hero. Drown out the mental chatter, get out of your head and into your body and most importantly, have fun with it!