Have you decided that you want to become more active, but don’t know where to start? As physiotherapists we are huge advocates of health and are excited for you to make this change! Starting the journey to become more active and increase your fitness is fantastic! Finding an activity and appropriate difficulty at the beginning are essential to making this a lasting habit. Unfortunately, for some people, “traditional” workouts like jogging or lifting weights don’t work for them. Instead, here are some alternative ideas to try for your workout!
1. Incline walking or hiking
Hiking is a great way to get your heart pumping and some extra steps into your day.
Firstly, whether it’s a treadmill or outdoors, this activity can be easily modified to your desired level. If you’re a beginner, you can start with a slight incline or a hike with minimal elevation changes. Unlike running, these are both low impact activities which people of any fitness level can get started with right away. Then, as you improve, the difficulty can be changed through faster speeds, longer durations, and increased incline/elevation.
2. Circuit training
Secondly, with just a few pieces of equipment, or with bodyweight workouts, circuit training gets your heart pumping and your muscles working. Additionally, there are many ways to structure a circuit and you can pick one that matches your current fitness level. To start, pick 5-10 different exercises such as squats, lunges, pushups, jumping jacks, crunches or more. Next, pick a time like 30 seconds or 1 minute that you will spend at each station/exercise, and rotate through all the exercises. Finally, you can add rest times between each station/exercise.
3. Swimming
Water sports are great cardiovascular exercise and are easy on the joints!
Thirdly, swimming is a great option for people who have a history of joint pain or difficulty with high impact exercises. Fortunately, the water has many benefits, including de-loading the joints while also adding resistance to movements in the water, allowing the muscles to get stronger. To get started, check in with your local community center or pool to see what they offer such as free swim, lane swim, or specific aquafit/exercise classes.
4. Fitness Classes
Alternatively, joining a class is a great way to get started as there will be an instructor guiding you. Usually, fitness classes encompass a wide variety of different styles including dance/Zumba, beginner fitness, core training, strength training, kickboxing and more. Try them all out and see which one is your favourite!
5. Try a sport or activity!
Finally, getting involved in a sport is a great way to increase your activity levels. Also, you may meet some new friends! There are tons of different athletic activities to choose from. For example, it may be pickleball, badminton, rock climbing volleyball, kayaking, whatever you think you may enjoy. You may end up falling in love with it and it will barely feel like you’re exercising if you’re having fun.
However, if you have any pre-existing condition or muscular/joint pain, you should consult a health care professional before starting physical activity. If you need help getting started or want to address a pain before becoming more active, PhysioNow is here to help you! Our Registered Physiotherapists are prepared to assist you. Book with PhysioNow today for your first assessment and treatment session.
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