Today, many people are into making their daily routines and lifestyles healthier and more active.
Although there is nothing wrong in wanting to become healthier and more active, it is important to make sure that you start out slow before taking on more intensive workouts and training.
For instance, a lot of people are planning to take on running as their primary exercise.
However, before going out for a run, there are several things that you need to do first.
You would have to make sure that you have already done some warm-up exercises and stretches.
This would prepare your muscles and joints, preventing muscle strain and overexertion later on.
If you are able to do your warm-up exercises, you would be able to avoid sustaining injuries and having aches and pains all over your body.
Aside from doing some warm-up exercises, it is also important to walk first.
According to many fitness experts, walking or brisk walking is actually the best way to begin a running program.
This is especially true if you have not been leading an active lifestyle over the last couple of years or if you are overweight.
If you have been sedentary, running straight away could cause excessive fatigue and other medical problems which could just put you at a worse condition that you have begun with.
Keep in mind that although you feel that you are ready to go running, it is important to take things slow and start by walking for about half an hour or more every day.
Starting slow or walking first before running would condition your muscles and your heart so that they would be able to handle more intensive workouts.
As you walk, you would also be able to practice your breathing techniques, which could be helpful in increasing the benefits that you get from running.
You can create a workout schedule.
For instance, for the first one or two weeks, you would be walking every day for 30 minutes; and then in the next two weeks, you could begin to jog, gradually increasing the pace as the weeks go by.
As you go through this workout plan, make sure to note how fast you are able to run through recording the time that it takes you to tackle a specific distance.
Doing this would allow you to keep track of your progress as you inch closer to your fitness goals.
Lastly, keep in mind that all workout routines require motivation and dedication.
As you start by walking and progress to jogging and then running, you would need to have a good amount of motivation so that you would be able to stick to your routine.
You would also need to have patience and dedication as achieving your fitness goals could take time and a lot of effort and hard work on your part.
Through understanding the importance of starting slow in any type of workout or training routine, you would be able to make sure that you would be getting the most out of it, without straining or overexerting your body.