Sweat With the Best of Us: Start With A Free Beginner Workout!

Everyone knows that starting a new routine can be extremely stressful, and fitness is no exception. Walking into a gym for the first time can be daunting – as you nervously stare at endless rows of free weights, countless cardio machines, various group fitness classes, and people milling around hopping into their daily workouts. Everyone has to start somewhere, and YouFit is here to ensure you’re adequately equipped with the tools you need to feel successful and well-prepared as you enter the almighty world of fitness. We’re here to stay engaged throughout your member journey and help you reach your personal fitness goals – whatever they may be.

  • Set Your Goals

It’s important to keep in mind that everyone has their own goals and ideas of what they want to achieve when they step foot in a gym. There is no right or wrong answer, which further exemplifies the beauty of fitness. Some might want to lose weight, others want to build muscle mass, and many strive for the mental benefits and pride in their accomplishments. We suggest starting off by creating a list. What are your reasons for starting a new routine? What do you want to achieve by working out? Do you have specific goals or things you want to accomplish?  YouFit trainer Jake Guay notes, “Having a short-term and long-term goal is important when it comes to fitness. Understanding what your goal is, and working to find if that goal matches up with your plan.  Having the goal and plan line up together makes your fitness journey a lot easier.”

Building a consistent schedule helps ensure that fitness remains a priority in your life. We recommend starting with a 3-4 day routine, and locking down time in your schedule that you can commit to. Giving your body days to rest is important for even the most diehard gym gurus, but finding days and times that work for you will allow for ultimate flexibility. Everyone has different priorities when it comes to work, friends, and family – and sometimes last minute things pop up! Every gym has the early birds, the lunch crowd, and the late-night junkies. Schedule your workouts like you schedule your meetings – add them to your calendar, and plan your day around convenience!

Like most things in life – starting a new workout regimen takes time, and it’s important to be patient with yourself as you get started.

  • Create A Program That Works for YOU!

You’ve done the hardest part…committed. Already, that’s a lot more than most people can say they’ve accomplished. Now that you’ve climbed that hurdle, we can begin to delve deeper into how you’ll spend your time at the gym. Depending on your goals, we recommend starting with a balance of cardio and strength training, spread out across the week. Maybe you want to begin each workout with a power walk or jog on the treadmill, and move over to the weight rack for some bicep curls or light squats. Maybe your goals involve flexibility, and throwing some yoga classes or poses into the mix would be ideal to help set your intentions. It’s crucial to look at what your goals entail, and to identify the steps to gradually help yourself pass them with flying colors! Trying new things and incorporating new movements into your workout will avoid plateaus as time goes on, and you’ll discover new ways to keep challenging your body.

YouFit has an extraordinary team of Personal Trainers that can be the perfect complement to starting a new routine. Not only is our personal training program extremely affordable for any budget, but you’ll be assigned to your own trainer who will work with you to create a specialized fitness program. Hiring a trainer is a great solution to provide not only added motivation and accountability, but also educate you on proper form, and how to use the equipment around the gym. YouFit offers multiple pricing options, depending on how many sessions you want to incorporate into your busy schedule. Trainer Jake Guay believes, ‘The last thing we want is any kind of injury or setback.  Our job is to ensure that we give you an efficient workout and program around your goals and injuries to help you crush your goals.”

  • What Do I Need to Workout?

While we believe fitness is something that should be affordable for everybody, there are a couple of important items you’ll want to think about to ensure your maximum comfort and practicality. A standard pair of athletic shoes is key, which should be designed around the goals you have in mind. Running will require shoes that provide adequate padding for joint and ankle support, while cross-training shoes might be more beneficial for hybrid training. There are tons of options for workout attire that lets your personal style shine through – including tank tops, sweat absorbent t-shirts, shorts, tights, and sweatpants.

Most of our YouFit locations offer a carefully crafted line of drinks including water, sports drinks, pre-workouts, and recovery beverages. Hydration is key with any type of workout; a little boost in hydration gives you the extra energy you need to go the extra mile! As an extra incentive, all Premium+ memberships come with half-priced drinks, and unlimited access to all of our incredible amenities.

To make your first day at the gym as smooth as possible, here’s a starter checklist with some important items you won’t want to forget at home!

  • Comfortable Sneakers
  • Tank Top or Sweat Resistant T-Shirt
  • Breathable Shorts or Tights
  • Water Bottle
  • Cell Phone (with our YouFit app downloaded!)
  • Headphones
  • Cell Phone
  • Sweat Towel
  • Lock (if you plan on using our lockers!)
  • Towel for showering

Specific amenities vary depending on your home YouFit location, but all our clubs are designed to provide you affordable, state-of-the-art fitness to help you achieve your goals. Depending on your membership type you’ll get access to a month-to-month membership, cardio equipment, free weights, resistance machines, locker room access, guest privileges, friendly and knowledgeable staff, group fitness and cycle classes, saunas, personal training plans, and much more!

  • On Your First Day

Remember to start slow! Giving yourself time to warm up and stretch is crucial, especially as you’re starting out the gate.  Allow for plenty of time to warm up, and set your speed at a pace you can sustain without getting exhausted. Be patient with your body, and recognize that your stamina will improve with time the further you get into your routine.

Get creative with your workouts – fitness isn’t a “one size fits all” mentality! Your routine should involve a mixture of activities. Try interweaving a blend of exercises such as rowing, running, yoga, cycling, or kickboxing. Find activities that YOU enjoy, and add them to your schedule. YouFit offers a wide variety of options for dynamic movement and mobility and group fitness classes for all levels. Our improved HIIT+ offering is an innovative boot camp-style class that incorporates both cardio and strength training together. During class, you’ll move your way around various stations, working different muscle groups to complete the ultimate full-body workout. YouFit Head Trainer Steven Davis adds, “Our HIIT+ plus classes offer an opportunity for everyone involved to feel and know that “We are all in this together”!” Our friendly staff and trainers are committed to your success, and we encourage you to ask the trainers on the floor any questions you might have! No question is wrong or too small, and our trainers will help you avoid any injuries and help correct your form.

  • Track Your Progress.

Our YouFit app allows you to take control of your workout and contains everything you’ll need for your fitness journey at your fingertips. Once you enter baseline information about your vitals and goals, you’ll be able to easily see what you need to work on for the day. You can take your training and nutrition plans anywhere, and set health and fitness goals with your trainer. Our app also allows you to access YouFit On Demand – which contains 100’s of HIIT, Cardio, Strength & Yoga classes that you can complete from anywhere in the world. You’ll even be able to connect with other fitness wearables you may already own, including (but not limited to!) Apple Watch and Fitbit. With everything you need all in one place…we’re making fitness easy again.

Abs are made in both the kitchen AND the gym, and YouFit offers the perfect solution to ensure your nutrition isn’t forgotten! We’ve partnered with EatLove, allowing you to carry your personal nutritionist in your pocket. All YouFit members can create a healthy recipe list, get smart restaurant choices, and build grocery lists with optional delivery. Our dietitian-led education series makes sure you have the tools for a balanced diet, and fuel your body with the proper nutrients and ingredients!

  • The YouFit Beginner Full Body Workout!

You’ve gotten this far, and we bet you’re ready to get started! YouFit Weston Personal Trainer Randall developed a full body circuit that you can do on your own, which features a combination of machines, free weight, and body weight exercises. You can watch the video in full here, or follow our simple step-by-step routine below! This workout promises to pack a punch and is the perfect way to get acclimated to the gym by utilizing all of your body’s key muscle groups. In between sets, we recommend resting for a minute or two and giving your body a break before continuing with the workout.

free beginner workout
  • Recovery Is Key!

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (or DOMS for short) is muscle pain that begins after working out. It typically starts a day or two after a grueling workout, and is completely normal! High-intensity exercise can cause tiny tears in your muscle fibers, and your body’s natural response to this inflammation is delayed muscle soreness that usually goes away on its own after a couple days. Stretching and performing simple recovery exercises after working out can help reduce the symptoms of DOMS, and we recommend spending an additional 15-20 minutes after your workout stretching and keeping your muscles flexible.

Here are some easy recovery exercises and stretches you can do on your own to help avoid any unnecessary soreness!

  • Yoga
  • Walking or light jogging
  • Easy cycling
  • Hamstring Stretch
  • Arm and wrist stretch
  • Child’s Pose
  • Downward Facing Dog
  • Hip Flexor Lunge
  • BONUS! Some Fun Exercises to Try!

Some of our YouFit trainers devised a carefully curated list of exercises that any fitness level can start with, and are perfect to throw into your new routine!

  • Body Weight Circuits – Body weight circuits are a great way to challenge and engage anyone regardless of their expertise, and you’re only limited by your own imagination. Body weight exercises can include a wide range of options and require limited fumbling with equipment! Some might include push-ups, sit-ups, squats, pistol squats, step-ups, burpees, pull-ups, crab walks, and glute bridges.
  • Plank Sets – Planks are a fantastic way to strengthen your core, which is used to support and stabilize your body for a lot of other exercises. There are tons of different planks you can do, and you’ll gradually be able to increase your time holding each plank as your endurance increases! Planks can be done on your hands, your forearms, on the sides of your arms (to work those pesky obliques!), or on your knees. For a bonus cardio element, add plank jacks into the mix! While in a plank position, jump both feet out wide to each side as if you were doing a horizontal jumping jack. Remain in plank position as you quickly jump your feet back together. Not only will this work your core, but your upper body will also be utilized to provide shoulder stability. When doing planks, make sure to keep your entire body in a straight line, all the way from your knees to your head.
  • Bicep Curls & Overhead Tricep Extension – to enter the world of free weights, start by getting your arm muscles active. When doing bicep curls, start with holding a light weight in each of your hands. Make sure your elbows are resting by your sides, and your forearms are extended in front of your body. Slowly raise the dumbbells to your shoulders by bending your elbows, and slowly lower them back to the starting position. Avoid swinging the weights using your whole body, and isolate the movement to your arms. For a tricep extension, grab a single weight with both hands, cupping one end of the dumbbell, and raise the weight directly overhead. Keeping your chest proud and core engaged, lower the weight behind your head without moving your upper arms. Keep your elbows tight and back straight, and slowly lower the weight behind your head. Pause at the bottom, and slowly press the weight up to the starting position.

Remember to celebrate reaching your wins (both big and small), and share your excitement with others! We’re all in this together, and we want to recognize your fitness accomplishments. Be sure to tag @youfitgyms on Instagram and Facebook, as we love to see your “sweaty selfies” and how far along you’ve come. Now that you’re officially a part of the YouFit Family, we can’t wait to see you around the gym and help you discover the countless benefits of your new healthy and active lifestyle.

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