You’ve decided to start working out, congratulations! You made a great decision that can only have a beneficial effect on your life. However, you are a bit unsure about the whole training process, terms for various exercises and whatnot. This article will serve you as a guide so that you start working out in no time with the right aim (and enjoy working out too!). And no one will suspect that you’re a newbie.
Gym vocabulary
First of all, let’s introduce you to some basic terms that are commonly used in the gym.
- Rep – Rep is short for ‘repetition.’ It is used to denote the number of times you perform an exercise.
- Set – Set is the number of rounds of repetitions.
- Superset – This means rotating between two exercises with the intention of working on various muscle groups.
- Cardio – intense training that will get your heart rate up in no time and burn tons of calories.
- Strength training – Training designed to improve your strength and build muscles.
- HIIT – High-intensity interval training is a workout where you give your all through quick intense bursts of exercise that are followed by short rest periods.
- Circuit training – The noun ‘circuit’ says it all. This workout involves rotating between multiple exercises within a set time frame for one set or multiple sets.
Proper workout gear
Now that you’re familiar with some basic gym terms, it is important that you learn what you need to have in order to perform the best and avoid injuries. First of all, invest in a good spacious gym bag. If you’ve decided to embark on your fitness journey in a gym, you’ll most definitely need it. Then, make sure to buy quality top or t-shirt, shorts and proper footwear. When choosing the correct apparel for the gym, go for well-known brands that use lean materials to make their products. You need to make sure that your sweat doesn’t impair your workouts and that you don’t overheat. Footwear-wise, you can’t be stingy. Working out in an old t-shirt is bad but nothing is nearly as bad as working out in decrepit shoes. For example, people who like to run on the treadmill almost always buy quality Nike shoes with foamy soles. That type of footwear is great for running and exercising in general and you won’t make a mistake if you go for it. If you don’t find a good pair of shoes, you could potentially injure your joints!
Fundamental at-home gear
If you belong to the group of people who would rather work out at home, don’t worry. You can get fit at home too. But you need the right equipment. And considering that you are a newbie, here are some ‘at-home’ gym essentials.
- A mat – First of all, you need to avoid damaging the flooring. So, buying a good yoga mat will do the trick. They provide extra padding that protects both you and your floor. A yoga mat is great for exercises such as sit-ups, planks, push-ups etc. Basically, everything that involves jumping and movement.
- Dumbbells – Dumbbells are absolutely essential because you can do a plethora of exercises with those things. They are easy to break out while you’re watching TV or waiting for you dishwasher to finish. And if you plan on buying a fitness DVD, you’ll most certainly need a set of dumbbells. Go for 5-lb and 8-lb weights if you are a complete beginner and as you progress add a 10-lb set.
- A step – Yeah, that eighties machine everyone was talking about back then. A step acts as a weight bench and it can also be a box for jumping. It provides you with all the elevation you need for exercises such as the lunge, push up and tricep dips.
- Jump rope – Buy yourself a jump rope. With jump rope you get to burn thousands of calories. It’s great as a warm-up exercise and it’s even better if your goal is to get rid of excess weight. You can’t make a mistake with a jump rope.
Whatever you decide to buy for your home gym, remember that you’ll end up spending a lot more by going for fancy brands but that this will not necessarily improve the quality of your workout. Make sure that you’re looking at sports and outdoors reviews first!
Gadgets
If you want to kick things up a notch, invest in various fitness gadgets. You can download fitness apps for your smartphone where you’ll be able to find various training regimens and useful exercises. If that’s not enough, buy a fitness tracker. There ‘smart’ watches can tell you how many steps you’ve made, how many calories you’ve burned. They track your heart beat and warn you if something’s wrong. There are gadgets that can be synced with your smartphone so that you can always check on your progress whenever and wherever you want to.
Now that you’ve been educated a bit, what are you waiting for? Go! Your fitness journey can start today!
