This post was written by Jeremy Minsky, lifestyle change specialist, Parkview Health.
No matter where you are in life or on your fitness journey, physical activity and exercise are important habits to have. Without sufficient stimulus, your muscles and bones begin to deteriorate as you age. When it comes to exercise, no matter how much time you have, something is always better than nothing.
How and where to start
When you first begin, it’s best to conceptualize a low-barrier routine around your exercise. Consider where, when, for how long and which days you'll exercise. From there, implementation is much easier.
Equipment isn’t necessary when just starting off. Your body weight will provide enough resistance to build foundational strength before you are ready to progress. Bodyweight movements also require minimal equipment, so they can be performed nearly anywhere.
To build your split, focus on practicing beginner movements and the simplest variation of that exercise to familiarize your body with the proper mechanics and muscle activation for that movement pattern. Once you can perform 20 to 30 repetitions for three to four sets of the beginner level of a movement, it is time to progress.
Leveling up your workout
You can progress a movement by choosing one or a combination of these strategies:
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altering the angle of your body
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increasing your training volume by increasing the number of repetitions or sets performed from your last training session
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adding resistance or weight to a movement
You want to continue to challenge yourself, session after session, week after week. Naturally, your body is wired to adapt to the environment it is exposed to, so if you continue to challenge your muscles and bones, you will become stronger, and your bones will become denser over time.
