How to Start Working Out Again After Years of Inactivity

“I know I need to exercise. I just don't know where to start.”

We hear this frequently from people who haven't exercised consistently in years.

Maybe work became demanding. You were raising a family. You experienced an injury. Your old gym closed. Or fitness simply moved lower on your priority list.

Whatever happened, starting again doesn't mean you need to punish yourself for the years you weren't exercising.

You simply need an appropriate place to begin.

Don't Start Where You Left Off

One of the biggest mistakes people make when returning to exercise is comparing themselves to what they could do five or ten years ago.

Your starting point today is simply information.

Strength, mobility, cardiovascular fitness, and exercise tolerance can all improve with consistent training.

Trying to immediately recreate your old workouts, however, may leave you excessively sore, discouraged, or injured.

Start With Strength

Walking is excellent for increasing daily movement, but walking and strength training serve different purposes.

If you haven't exercised consistently in years, learning basic resistance-training movements can help rebuild strength and confidence.

That may include movements such as squatting, hinging, pushing, pulling, carrying, and core stabilization.

The exact exercises should depend on the individual.

You Don't Need to Know How to Use the Equipment

This is exactly what coaching is for.

Many people avoid the weight room because they don't know:

• Which exercises to perform

• How much weight to use

• Whether their form is correct

• How many repetitions to perform

• When to increase the weight

• How to work around previous injuries or limitations

  
  

You don't need to know those things before you start personal training.

Your trainer should teach you.

Consistency Beats the Perfect Workout

A workout program isn't useful if it's impossible to maintain.

Two or three consistently completed training sessions can be more valuable than an overly ambitious schedule that you abandon after three weeks.

The objective is to create a routine that works within your actual life.

You Are Not Too Old to Start

We frequently work with adults who are beginning strength training later in life.

Being inexperienced isn't a disadvantage. It simply means your program needs to begin at the appropriate level.

You can learn.

You can get stronger.

And you don't have to figure everything out before walking through the door.

Start With a Free Fitness Assessment

If you're looking for a personal trainer in San Antonio and aren't sure where to begin, Fit Therapy of Texas can help.

Our Alamo Ranch and Stone Oak teams provide individualized one-on-one personal training based on your goals, abilities, and fitness level.

Schedule your Free Fitness Assessment and let's determine the right starting point for you.