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Deciding to embark upon an exercise regime for the first time can be a tad daunting. That being said, the benefits of regular exercise, both for your physical and mental wellbeing, cannot be ignored.

Whether you are feeling nervous about starting to work out or you have no idea where to begin when it comes to your fitness journey, the below blog can help you.

From listening to your body to making sure you are adequately hydrated, keep reading to find out how you can exercise safely and reap all the benefits of physical activity for your mind and body.

Determine what you want to achieve

Before you start working out, it can be a good idea to figure out what you want to achieve from your new exercise regime.

Do you want to lose weight?

Are you looking to tone up?

Or are you simply trying to reduce your stress levels?

By answering these questions and determining what you want to get out of exercise, you will pick the right physical activity to suit your goals.

Choose an exercise

Some people prefer to focus on one exercise type they know they will enjoy, while others choose to incorporate lots of different workouts into their routines.

Some of the most popular types of exercise you can choose from include:

• Aerobic
• Strength
• Calisthenics
• HIIT (high-intensity interval training)
• Boot camps
• Balance
• Flexibility

Listen to your body

Although it is important to push yourself to exercise, you also need to listen to your body if it is telling you that something is wrong. Feeling sick after running if you have previously been a couch potato is perfectly normal. However, experiencing immense pain is not.

If you are worried about overexerting a particular area of your body or already having an injury that is likely to flare up again, you should take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. For example, if you have an arm injury, you should consider investing in a compression sleeve for elbow pain from a leading manufacturer of compression garments such as Bearhug.

Remember, you know your body better than anyone else, so listen to it.

Stay hydrated

You have probably heard this time and time again, but there is a reason why you have. Keeping yourself hydrated is undeniably the most crucial thing you can do for your body when working out. Not only can replenishing fluids help you perform better while exercising, but it can also ensure you recover properly and get you ready for your next training session.

Although you may have been told that sports energy drinks are the best post-workout choice, this is only the case for endurance athletes. For everyone else, good old H2O is more than sufficient.

Warm-up and cool down

The two parts of a workout that are often overlooked, the warm-up and the cooldown, are both crucial aspects of your overall training regime. Warming up is important as it can help to prevent injuries and improve your performance. Whereas cooling down helps your body return to its normal state and reduces your risk of muscle soreness.