Although we would encourage anyone setting out to take part in a fitness regimen to work with a physical trainer, at least for a couple sessions, we also understand that there are those who prefer to go it alone when it comes to their workout. If you are dead-set on taking it upon yourself to be your own coach and trainer, then there are certain things you must understand so that you avoid injury and get the most out of your exercise, and some valuable insights from a new report ought to therefore be understood.
First, you should actually have a fitness program that you can put into action. If you don’t develop goals for yourself, you have nothing to drive you, nothing that you can stick to when the going gets tough. Rather than just running however far you feel, working on whatever machines you want, and exercising however many times a week you’d like, lay out precisely what you hope to achieve on a weekly basis. That way, you have something to look forward to and you won’t be tempted to drift off course.
As you’re putting together this plan, you want to be disciplined without pushing yourself too hard too quickly. This is perhaps the biggest mistake that self-guided athletes will make (especially those who have made New Year’s Resolutions to get in shape): they’ll burn out before they can begin to reap the real rewards of their exercise. Work out in a manner that pushes up to the edge but not over it. This will ensure that you actually want to come back to exercise on a near-daily basis, and it can help you avoid the injuries that might otherwise result from excessive movement.
Realize too that your body won’t remain static throughout your endeavor. Exercise is an ongoing process, and any trainer worth their salt will adjust your workout as time goes on and you get more comfortable pushing your body farther and farther than would have been possible before. Make alterations every few weeks so that you’re continuing to push the envelope on what you can achieve.
By the same token, understand that you also have to have patience when your body isn’t giving all you want it to. If you’re experiencing intense soreness, then it’s acceptable to take a rest. In fact, the wisest course of action is to build rest days into your regimen to give your body time to acclimate every time you push it. And when those days don’t do the trick, taking another day is acceptable as long as you’re always willing to get back on the horse when you recover.
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