How much time should I exercise as a beginner? – your way to start a new routine
It is important to ease into an exercise routine if you are starting from zero or close to zero activity levels. This is especially true if you have any underlying health concerns. Speak with your doctor before starting any new physical activity and get the all-clear before jumping in.
A good rule of thumb is to start with 10 minutes of moderate-intensity activity and gradually build up from there. Once you can comfortably do 20-30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, then you can start thinking about adding in some more challenging workouts. Foundations are essential and not spending the time building them is why so many people fail and quit after 2-3 weeks.
When starting an exercise routine, it is important to find a balance between too much and too little exercise. If you do too much too soon, you may get discouraged and give up. However, if you don't do enough, you won't see results. So how long should you exercise as a beginner?
Many quality health resources recommend that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week. If you are just starting out, aim for 20-30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity most days of the week. Once you're comfortable with that, you can gradually increase your time and intensity.
If you're working out at home with no equipment, there are plenty of bodyweight exercises you can do to get started. Of course, the more time you can devote to exercise, the more health benefits you'll enjoy. But if you're just starting out, even a short workout can make a difference.
Training sessions will largely depend on your fitness goals and schedule. If you are trying to lose weight, for example, you may want to exercise for longer periods of time. If you are short on time, though, even a 10-minute workout can help improve your health. And is always better than no workout.
The important thing is to find an exercise routine that works for you and stick with it.
Just before writing this article, I did 10 minutes of basics martial arts drills. This was kicking, blocking and punching in a straight line. This was followed by 10 minutes of Qi Gong breathing – 1 extract repeated. Lastly a 10-minute meditation. 30 minutes and I have covered a few beneficial areas and started the day on the right foot
So how much really is enough? Like many answers, I would really say it depends. It depends on several things such as where you start, your current fitness levels, body mass, injuries, career stress and also what goals you have. It is important to consider that if you already face considerable stress from a few areas of life, then adding to that with something you may not enjoy initially could be a recipe for disaster. For this reason, one of my favourite words for exercise and fitness is fun. If it is not fun, then you are less likely to stick with it for more than a few sessions. There are hundreds of ways to get fit, so find a few that you really enjoy and build up from there
For the specifics, you really do not need to climb to the ranks of the 1%. My weightlifting and Taekwondo sessions used to be 90 minutes. My kettlebell and grip sessions would be anywhere from 1-3 hours and during my peak I was doing 3-5 hours a day. Once you have covered the basics and can move well, you will be surprised at what can be done in just 10-15 minutes with something as simple as a kettlebell and bodyweight done as an interval, or circuit. As a ballpark I would say 30 minutes 3 times a week, or 15-20 minutes daily. Rest accordingly and always listen to your body for readiness and recovery.
Even your 30-minute sessions can be split into 3 lots of 10 minutes throughout the day and could be 3 separate types of training such as bodyweight, small equipment and dance. Remember, the key word is fun and if it is fun then you are less likely to see it as hard work and want to put it off and avoid it.
Finally – what do the words exercise and fitness mean when they land in your brain? Be honest and write them down right now before reading on. If you find you have associated things like – hard work, stress, struggle, discomfort, aches, pain and suffering then it is no wonder you struggle. Over time, change that association to health, strength, mobility, longevity and anything else that will confirm what you are doing has incredible benefits for your life now and for the rest of your time here.
