Introductory fitness training course for beginners

Beginners do not need to pursue complicated differentiation plans, heavy weight loads or strict diets. They should prioritize spending 2-4 weeks to establish basic movement patterns and develop exercise habits three times a week, combined with basic protein intake. This is the optimal entry path for 90% of ordinary fitness novices with low threshold, low risk of injury and high persistence rate.

Not long ago, I bumped into a little boy who had just finished his college entrance examination in the gym. On the first day he signed up, he followed the online "7-Day Weight Loss Plan" and practiced burpees and weight-bearing lunges for an hour. The next day, his legs were so swollen that he was shaking even when walking down the stairs. I haven't seen him since. There are too many similar examples. Many people regard fitness as a scourge when they first get started. They either force themselves to practice 6 days a week, or compete with the big brother in weight. In the end, they are either injured or persuaded to quit. It is completely unnecessary.

Having said this, someone must ask, there are so many introductory programs on the Internet. Some say to practice differentiation first, some say to practice the three major items first, and some say to adjust the posture first. Who do you listen to? In fact, these statements are all mature paths of different training schools. There is no absolute right or wrong, but they are suitable for different people: supporters of bodybuilding training prefer that novices be exposed to the differentiated framework of chest/shoulder/back/legs from the beginning. For those who aim to gain muscle, it is smoother to switch to advanced plans later. ； The powerlifting school of thought believes that it is enough for novices to directly practice the three major items of squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. Once the basic strength increases, the muscle mass will naturally follow. It is suitable for people who want to quickly improve their physical fitness. ； Functional training coaches will recommend adjusting posture problems such as rounded shoulders, hunched back, and high and low shoulders first, and changing the compensatory habits of crooked hips and slumped waists. This is safer for people with a large body weight and no exercise foundation at all. You can choose based on your own goals, and you don’t have to insist on a certain plan to say it is the right one.

When I teach newbies to get started, I usually don’t give too strict plans. I just need to do 3 training sessions this week, and each session should be within 45 minutes. After all, the attention and physical limits of the novices are there. If you practice for too long, it is easy to lose interest. The warm-up doesn't need to be too complicated. 10 minutes of pedaling on the elliptical machine or two brisk walks and two laps. It's enough to make you sweat a little and move your joints. You don't have to get up and run until you're out of breath. There are only four core movements, no fancy ones: 12-15 bare-handed squats (you can use an empty bar if you are strong enough) for 3 groups, 8-12 kneeling push-ups for 3 groups, 12 dumbbell rows/side for 3 groups, and finally plank support for 30-60 seconds for 3 groups. After the exercise, spend 5 minutes stretching all the muscles in your shoulders, back, and legs, and then you can pack your things and go home. Don't think this plan is simple. I've seen many people do squats for the first time. Halfway through the squat, they bend like a shrimp and their knees are still buckled. No matter how many movements are not practiced, it is useless and it is easy to injure the waist. A novice who has just started exercising is like a novice who has just learned to drive. Don’t want to hit the highway as soon as you get started. You must first understand the clutch, brake and steering wheel, otherwise it is easy to have an accident on the road.

There is no need to worry about eating. There is really no need to start counting calories from boiled vegetables on the first day. Just eat enough protein first. Eat 1.2-1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. For example, if you are 60 kilograms, you can eat 3 eggs + a carton of milk + a palm-sized piece of chicken breast or fish a day. You will basically meet the standard. There is no need to touch protein powder at all in the first three months. If you don’t eat enough, drinking protein powder is useless. Oh, by the way, you can eat milk tea hot pot when you should. It’s absolutely fine to eat it once a week. If you force yourself to eat nothing at the beginning, you will overeat if you can’t stick to it for two weeks, and the gain outweighs the loss.

The circle has been arguing about whether to hire a personal trainer for almost ten years. There is really no need to follow the trend. I’ve seen people spend 20,000 yuan on personal training classes and then quit after three sessions. I’ve also seen myself learn from videos and practice better than many personal trainers after a year. If you have enough budget, find a personal trainer with four major certifications such as ACE and NSCA, buy 5-6 classes, and understand the power of several core movements. It is very cost-effective. ； If the budget is not enough, there are a lot of free professional content online now, such as Jeff's movement teaching, or the "National Fitness Guide" issued by the State Sports General Administration. When you practice, take a video in front of the mirror, compare and adjust it with the standard movements, and you can get the same feel after practicing three or four times. It is really not that difficult. Don't listen to personal trainers who tell you that if you don't move correctly, you will get injured immediately. As long as you don't blindly rush to heavy weights and slowly find the feeling of strength with small weights, it will be difficult to cause major problems.

When I first started working out, I was a typical negative example. On the first day I applied for the card, I followed a familiar big brother to practice deadlifting, and added 40kg weights. The next day, my waist hurt so much that I couldn't get out of bed. I rested for a whole month before I dared to go to the gym again. Later, I practiced with the empty bar honestly. It took three weeks to figure out the force of the hip hinge. Looking back now, I was really too anxious at that time. When it comes to fitness, slow is really fast. If you are more stable in the entry stage and lay a solid foundation, your progress will be much faster than if you rush to hit the weight.

In the final analysis, fitness is not a KPI that must be completed. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself in the entry-level stage. If you can go three times a week and feel relaxed after each exercise, and gradually see your strength become stronger and your clothes fit better, you will have won over 90% of people who accumulate dust after applying for a card.