Beginner's Fitness: Progress over Perfection

We are in an era where fitness is BOOMING because we have to compensate for the easy, inactive lifestyle of American culture.

As a beginner, it doesn't have to be rocket science. The number one piece of advice l give my clients is to aim to move. What I mean by that is to walk outside, take the stairs, walk your dog, do yoga on your balcony, aim to be outside, move your body.

“The world’s longest-living people don’t pump iron, run marathons or join gyms. Instead, they live in environments that constantly encourage regular movement without having to think about it.”

- Ida Johnson-Rapp , ACE Fitness

The second thing I tell my clients, is to keep it simple. Beginning in fitness shouldn't include added weights until your form of movement is risk free. Risk free means that we aren't moving in a way that goes against the grain of how we are designed to move. This would include non-ideal positions of our major joints: ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders. Always remember, everything starts at the feet, and echoes up to the ankles, knees, hips, back, and on up the chain to the shoulders.

Once we are in a position to begin, there are a couple of things you should consider when starting:

• Focus on using body weight exercises

• Target a full body workout

• Create a routine

• Progress the routine over time

• Have the goal of progressing to an overload, also known as weights (i.e dumbbells, kettlebells, and medicine balls)

• Don't guess! If you don't know , ask a trusted professional

• Don't put unrealistic expectations on yourself. Your progress doesn't have to be perfect nor will it be