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How to start exercising.
I'm an 18/f and want to start getting more fit. I never did any sports in high school except for the occasional jog or cardio aerobic routine. I'm not overweight (100 pounds)- just very unfit. 10 minutes of jogging gets me totally out of breath so I don't think I could join any sports team atm. Any tips on how I can get started? Thanks.
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Maybe give some free advice about: Fitness?
Well, I would say the best thing to do is to join a gym. There you will have access to a ton of equipment, plus it helps on the motivational side of things.
Now, everyone's concept of "fit" is different, but I can point out a few options you might choose.
1. Cardios: Of the equipment available at the gym, the stair climber machines are the best. They put very little strain on your joints while at the same time being weight bearing exercises. This means that they lead to certain adaptive mechanisms that strengthen your lower body in a way the other things do not (e.g. a treadmill on the highest incline will not have this effect).
This is an excellent place to start if you have the motivation. I say this because some people just cant stand certain kinds of exercise, and in that respect, the best equipment is the one that you are willing to use :)
Just make sure it is an independent action stair climber (where, if you push down on one step, the other does not automatically go up). Dependent action climbers are bad for the knees.
Three or more cardios per week (whether at a gym or outdoors, or wherever), of at least 20 mins duration, done at a pace where you can still have a conversation, will give you most of the health benefits of cardiovascular workouts. Beyond that, its a question of how "fit" you want to be, however everyone should do at least this, and many sports people who train at higher intensities do not get these benefits.
2. Aerobics classes. The advantage they have is that they come in different levels, making them beginner-friendly, and they are quite all-round in that they aim to hit your whole body. There are many variations as well. The disadvantage is that they cost more money :)
3. Weight training. A classic combo is weights-cardio. Weights offer the added advantage of increasing muscle and bone strength, improving metabolism, adding lean bodyweight, etc. Intense training of just some minutes a week has also been shown to have a major impact on preventing diabetes (most sports do this too). Oh, and do not worry about bulk... that takes years to build, particularly for girls.
Anyway, its an option if you want. A full body routine, done 2-3 times per week would be a great way to start. Either get a trainer to help or drop me a note and I can design a routine... however someone should show you how to do things right. I can link you to some sites, but it wont be the same.
4. Outdoors training like biking. How good it is depends also on where you live. But, if you have access to some good areas, it can be a lot easier mentally. The down side, depending on where in the world you are, could be the weather...
Walking (a preferred activity amongst many people) is not usually that great, because it does not elevate your heart rate into the cardio zone unless you are very unfit, very overweight, or quite old. So, while it is certainly better than nothing, it will not give you the same health benefits once your fitness level improves beyond a point where you are totally out of shape. Still, it may be a place to start.
Well, thats pretty much it. If you do join a gym, doing so with a training buddy is infinitely easier and helps one stick to things in the long run.
Otherwise how you piece it together is up to you. Just remember the 3 cardio base. The health benefits from just that are too many to list...
Good luck :)
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