Workout Tips for Beginners That’ll Motivate Anyone

Decided to start working out? First off, congratulations—you just made one of the best decisions in your life. You’ll have your body, mind, and soul thanking you for it. But, if only that one decision was enough to keep you motivated long term… Some days will prove to be more difficult than others, but don’t fret, we’ll help you stay focused and make all the right decisions going forward.

From starting off right to staying motivated in the long run, here’s a list of workout tips for beginners that’ll help you be your healthiest self before you even know it.

Fitness Tips For Beginners Who Want To Start Exercising

1. Know Why You’re Starting

You might’ve decided to start exercising for different reasons. It could be that you’re not feeling as energetic as you’d like or you’d like to shed a few pounds. Perhaps you’ve lost a lot of muscle mass, and perhaps you haven’t seen your abs for years. It could even be a challenge for you—why not run a marathon? Either way, you need to know exactly what it is that got you started, because that goal is what you’ll need to remind yourself of the entire time.

2. Choose a Form of Exercise You Like

This is definitely the most important fitness tip for beginners. Don’t embark on a new journey based on what’s trending or what other people like. This is your journey and you get to choose what you like. You might want to stay in and try no equipment home workouts. Or better yet, you could opt for joining a fitness class—go for it. If you’d rather be sweating in the great outdoors, L.A. and the Bay Area have awesome outdoor workout spots worth checking out. And if you’re not sure what you like, that’s okay too; you just have to try a few things before you find your cup of tea.

3. Focus On the Basics 

Don’t walk into a martial arts class expecting to come out of there as the Bruce Lee of your neighborhood on your first day—that’s not how things work. During your first few weeks, your focus should be to cover the basics, which is perfecting push-ups, squats, and lunges. Learn how to throw a punch or strike with an open hand. Whatever you end up doing, remember to take it step by step. 

4. Beware of Burn Out

They say the best way to start working out is to just start working out, and we agree. What we don’t agree with is working out like a pro when you’re only a beginner. Doing too much too soon may burn a lot of calories, but it will definitely wear you out too. Start slow, measure your progress, and increase the intensity accordingly. If you don’t know how to do that, look into fitness tracking apps to keep your progress in check. 

5. Make sure to Warm Up and Cool Down

Ask any fitness blogger and the first exercising tip for beginners they’d give is to warm up and cool down. Not dedicating enough time to warm up and cool down could potentially stop you from working out—that’s how you get injured and start having an excuse for not exercising. So, make sure you throw in your jumping jacks and soft jogs before your workout and make sure you stretch your muscles out afterwards. 

6. Give Your Body the Rest It Deserves

Even the best workout routines for beginners include at least two or three rest days. The human body needs time to rest and recover—that’s just the way it’s built. Make sure not to give it more than it can take. Listen to your body, pay attention to what it needs. And when we say listen to your body, we mean listen to the muscles you’re building, not your brain; that one can play tricks on you.

7. Stay Hydrated

No matter what type of exercise you choose, all workout exercises for beginners and pros have one thing in common—staying hydrated, it’s as simple as that. You sweat a lot when working out, therefore, you need a quick fix before your body crashes. Water is the obvious and best option, but there are always other healthy alternatives you can have for a change. Whatever you end up choosing, make sure your body is not drying out.

8. Align Your Exercise Routine With Good Eating Habits

Only exercising is not enough when you’re goal-oriented. Whether you're training for a competition, trying to tone your body, or just want to feel better, you need to watch what goes in your body. You might need to eat more than you usually do or perhaps cut down on carbs; it really doesn’t matter, as long as what you’re eating is helping you reach your goal. Watch what you eat at all times, especially when you’re snacking. One important thing to note is that you don’t have to deprive yourself of food you love—instead, you need to be more mindful in order to reap the benefits of your workouts.

9. Mix It Up

Once you get the hang of your starter workout at home, you’ll notice in a few weeks that your routine is becoming a little dull. That’s bound to happen, and there’s an easy way to fix this—every once in a while, change something in your routine. Opt for an outdoor yoga class for a change of scenery, play basketball with your friends, or try your hand at extreme sports. All these are workouts that don’t actually feel like exercising; it breaks your routine in a fun way. Give it a go and you’ll go back to your routine super energized.

10. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

“You are your own competitor” is a very common phrase for good reason. Your body is unique and there’s no use comparing it to others. The best way to start exercising is to remember that you’re not trying to look like someone else, you’re trying to be your best self. Your progress is different from others, and the only competition you are in is with yourself. As long as you’re improving, you’re winning.

11. Crank Up the Tunes

Whoever said working out isn’t fun has never tried blasting awesome workout tunes. Upbeat music positively impacts your motivation levels. The better the music, the longer you’re going to hang in there. Not only does music stimulate you, but it also kicks the boredom out of repetitive exercises. Don’t you love seeing athletes moving to the beat while they’re warming up? Yeah, we do too.

12. Focus on Your Post Workout Energy

Working out for beginners doesn’t have to be boring or tiring, but there are a few things to pay attention to for optimal results physically and mentally. One tip to keep in mind is to always take a minute or two to feel your post-workout energy. This can change the course of your day from slow and boring to fast and exciting. Being aware of this energy is especially helpful on your low days. Just when you feel like you’re going to give up, the memory of the post-workout energy gets you all hyped up again—after all, it’s a feeling you don’t want to let go of.

13. Make a Long-Term Commitment

Are worried you might not stick to your new decision of working out on a regular basis? The easiest way to prevent that is to sign up at the gym or find a workout partner who’ll motivate you and help you out. Whenever you feel like you’re falling off the wagon, your gym buddy will help you get back up—now that’s the best workout for beginners.