The Complete Beginners Guide to Fitness

Why exercise?

Remember the first time you looked in the mirror and thought, ‘I really need to get in shape’? We’ve all been there. I recall my own moment, standing there, reflecting not just on my appearance but on what it was going to take to change it, and the journey I was about to go on. But the physical changes we see in the mirror, or the difference we feel in our clothes as we make progress are just the tip of the iceberg.

My journey began, as it does for many, with a simple desire to improve how I looked. It’s a common thread that we can all relate to at least at some point in our lives, isn’t it? This pursuit of an aesthetic body.

Whilst it pretty much drives the modern fitness industry, the drive for aesthetics isn’t just a superficial yearning. It’s actually more profound than it’s given credit for, rooted in our evolutionary DNA. We’re inherently drawn to symmetry, lean musculature, and the vitality it subconsciously conveys. It’s not just about being ‘attractive’ in the traditional sense; it’s about the message it sends about our health and vigour.

But as I dove deeper into the world of fitness, both on my own fitness journey and as a personal trainer, I realised something crucial. While the quest for physical aesthetics might be the siren call that draws most of us to exercise, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

Beneath the surface lies transformative power. A power capable of reshaping not just our bodies but our minds, our self-esteem, and our perception of the world around us. Perhaps even our future. 

Your journey with exercise, when done right, is more than a path to physical prowess. It’s a voyage toward holistic well-being, one that offers rewards far beyond what we see in the mirror.

The benefits of exercise

Balanced nutrition paired with exercise becomes our toolkit for change. The benefits we see range from reducing risks for many diseases to managing mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The profound benefits of exercise lurk beneath the surface.

This means when we abandon regular exercise, we might start noticing health issues cropping up in unrelated areas. What we often fail to realise is the vital role that exercise plays in keeping these issues at bay especially when it comes to mood regulation. So let’s use this ultimate beginner’s guide to either get you back into regular exercise or help you get the most out of your current exercise regime.

I’ve listed 7 of the top health benefits of exercise:

 

• • Cardiovascular health: Regular physical activity is pivotal for cardiovascular health. Exercise helps control blood pressure. It also reduces triglyceride levels, increases good cholesterol (HDL), and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL). By improving heart muscle function and blood flow, you stand to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. The two leading causes of death worldwide.

• • Metabolic health: Exercise is a powerful tool for managing metabolic conditions like diabetes and metabolic syndrome. It improves insulin sensitivity, which helps your body regulate blood sugar levels and aids in weight control. Additionally, it assists in maintaining a healthy metabolic rate, which is crucial for metabolic health and weight management.

• • Musculoskeletal health: Regular physical activity helps improve bone density and muscle strength. This means It aids in preventing and managing osteoporosis and arthritis. Two conditions that become particularly prominent as we get older. Moreover, it improves balance, coordination, and flexibility, reducing the risk of falls and fractures in older adults. This is important as it is often a slip or fall that sets about a trend of declining health in old age for a myriad of reasons.

• • Respiratory health: Exercise enhances lung capacity and strengthens the respiratory muscles, promoting efficient gas exchange. It is beneficial for managing respiratory diseases like COPD and asthma and fosters quicker recovery from respiratory infections.

• • Digestive health: Physical activity aids digestion by facilitating intestinal movement. It also helps maintain a healthy weight. Lowering the risk of gastrointestinal conditions like gallstones, liver disease, colon cancer, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

• • Immune function: Regular exercise boosts the immune system. It enhances the body’s ability to fight off infections and disease, promoting overall health. Which may reduce the frequency and duration of time we spend in poor health. Mental Health: Working out has substantial mental health benefits. It aids in relieving feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. The endorphin release during exercise promotes feelings of well-being and happiness. Additionally, it improves sleep, boosts self-confidence, and provides a healthy way to cope with life’s challenges by developing a sense of resilience.

You must understand your exercise ‘story’

How you think about exercise, and the story you tell yourself regarding your relationship with it is crucial. Each of us has a personal narrative when it comes to exercise, a story we tell ourselves about our past experiences and what we’re capable of achieving. 

This story can either be a positive one, or a negative one. If you’re a beginner you may have a clean slate and the opening chapter is yet to be written. But if you’ve had a start/stop relationship with exercise or have had bad experiences in the past, you may harbour limiting beliefs about your capabilities. 

An example might be: “It’s too late for me to start exercising” 

It’s important to question and work through these beliefs. Explore their validity and see if you can reframe them into something more empowering. For example with the belief above, all you would need to do would be to find someone your age or older who is in excellent shape. Given that there are plenty of people in their 80s who fit the bill, this shouldn’t be too hard to do. Why harbour a negative, limiting belief if it is provably untrue? When you think of things that way continuing to do so would be self-sabotage.

The replacement might be: 

“Plenty of people my age or older have started as gym beginners and achieved excellent results in fitness” 

This may seem like semantics or philosophising. But it will be in your toughest moments where your mindset either gets you through or allows you to fall off the wagon. Therefore, it’s best to start building a growth mindset as early as you can.

Extending Your ‘Health-Span’

Healthspan is a play on lifespan, referring to the period of our lives in which we stay independent. Enjoy good mobility and remain unconstrained by major health conditions. I’ve seen regular exercise and an active lifestyle extend people’s health spans well into their nineties. In fact, I recall as a child that my parents and I would regularly find my grandfather up a ladder doing DIY on his house. He was doing this independently through his eighties and early nineties. He had always maintained an active lifestyle and as such his independence.

A great benefit of exercise is that if it’s well-calibrated and approached with the right mindset, it’s positively reinforcing. Meaning the longer you do it, the more you’d miss it if you stopped. Think about that, on a long enough timeline it’s actually harder to stop exercising than it is to start, all you need to do is build the habit. This has fantastic implications for your health.

We humans evolved to be active. We hunted and foraged and needed to move a great deal for that. So when you look at things through that lens, inactivity, and a sedentary lifestyle are actually working against what our bodies design. It’s for this reason that prolonged inactivity feels so physically uncomfortable. And why it’s being linked to so many health issues in our modern world. This means that the ultimate goal of personal trainers like myself is to help you get started on your fitness journey. Then hold you accountable until you’ve reached cruising altitude. If we can get you there, momentum takes care of itself.

Make sure you’re fit and healthy enough to exercise

It’s always prudent to make sure you are medically fit and healthy before starting an exercise practice. You’ve probably heard that a million times as a standard disclaimer. But perhaps no one has ever explained why. It is a bit confusing why you would need medical clearance to do something healthy.

The reason is because although exercise is good for you, it’s a form of stress. A temporary form of stress that leads your body to get stronger or fitter from being exposed to it. This is why you might hear that ‘muscles aren’t built in the gym’. The positive physical adaptations you see as a result of working out, happen when you are at rest, not while you are actually exercising. 

This temporary form of stress is positive, assuming you can handle it. It will come in the form of elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure and fluctuations in blood sugar. If you have an underlying condition it may not be recommended for you to encounter the body’s natural response to exercise, at least not at a high intensity.

Therefore exercise is whats known as a ‘hormetic stressor’. Others include heat exposure, cold exposure and prolonged fasting. This is why the same precautions must be taken with those too. To sum it up, exercise although ostensibly healthy in the long run, is stressful on the body in the short term and will only be positive for you if you can handle the event itself. This is why it’s crucial first of all to get the medical clearance and secondly to ensure that the exercise you do is well calibrated.

The major blocks to exercise:

Inactivity

Inactivity can be both a cause and a consequence of not exercising. When you go through long periods of inactivity your body loses its strength and stamina. You’re also much more likely to lack energy, which can compound to make the idea of getting into exercise seem daunting. Likewise, a sedentary lifestyle can decrease motivation and energy levels further. Which only makes it harder to get started.

All-or-nothing mindset

In my experience as a personal trainer, the single biggest block on getting into exercise is an ‘all-or-nothing mindset’. It’s essentially the belief that if things can’t be executed perfectly, they aren’t worth doing. It tends to also come with a number of other thought processes and behaviours such as allowing a single setback to derail progress entirely. Not just that, it also comes with a misguided belief that more is always better, which in fitness can be a recipe for disaster. This is the number one cause of a start/stop relationship with fitness.

Distractions (tv, procrastination, peer pressure) 

Television, social media and general procrastination are huge impediments to consistent exercise. Psychologically, they’re easy dopamine hits as well which makes them a convenient form of avoidance. Engaging in these activities too often can make it difficult to make exercise a consistent habit. 

Peer pressure can easily pull focus when you’re trying to get into exercise. From last-minute plans to others reacting negatively to your intent to change. When you feel you’re being held back from getting your momentum with exercise, it may be time to have a couple of awkward conversations. State your intent to change, and why it’s important to you and I’m sure things will change.

Choose your support structure

It’s often a good idea to have a support structure in place when you begin your fitness journey, let’s have a look at some of the options you have available:

• • Self-led: Many people are happy to carry out a workout plan on their own. Often those who want to go it alone suffer from guesswork more than they do accountability. If this is you, perhaps all you need is a training program you know will work, you can then carry it out on your own and get great fitness results.

• • Personal trainer: Working with a personal trainer in person is likely the most expensive way to get support as a beginner in fitness. But it comes with direct one one-on-one accountability and the kind of hands-on, personal attention you might need. This way you can be certain your exercise technique is good and you’re using proper form. A great personal trainer will also help you get the most out of your workout

• • Community classes: Joining a workout class or community exercise group could be an excellent way to begin your exercise journey. It creates a communal energy that you can tap into, which can be very inspiring. 

• • Gym membership (including induction): Joining a gym is an excellent way to get started with exercise. You’ll have everything you need in one place. A gym induction will allow you to see how everything works and there should always be someone on hand to offer help should you need it. 

• • Workout buddy: Enlisting a friend or colleague as a workout or accountability buddy can improve how much you enjoy exercise. It can also create an informal, though very real sense of accountability that can spur you on.

• • Online personal trainer: an online fitness coach can offer flexibility and support on your fitness journey. They can build you a custom workout program and hold you accountable to it. This is easy for an online trainer, as they can maintain oversight on all of your activities. They can also provide fast support via instant messaging. Due to the digital nature of the service, having the help of an online coach doesn’t preclude anything else on the list.

How to cultivate an active lifestyle

There is an important distinction to be made between ‘workouts’ and ‘activity’. This distinction, whilst subtle, plays a pivotal role in creating an effective, balanced fitness regime.

Workouts are outcome-oriented pursuits. They aim to challenge the body and trigger desired adaptations. These deliberate exercises are designed to foster specific changes. Whether it’s gaining muscle, increasing strength, or enhancing cardiovascular fitness. They serve as a clear message to our body that we want to adapt and improve. This is why an effective workout training program is always walking the line between what we’re capable of and what would be too much. This gives our bodies no option but to make the desired adaptations.

Whereas ‘activity’ refers to those physical engagements we partake in primarily for enjoyment. This means hiking, cycling, kayaking, and the like. These activities, while beneficial for overall health, and certainly capable of aiding in fat loss, aren’t always aimed at specific fitness goals. Their primary function lies in enhancing our lifestyle and promoting holistic well-being.

The significance of differentiating between the two lies in promoting purpose-driven workouts. When we’re clear about what we seek to achieve from our workouts, it offers us a tangible endpoint. This not only aids in preventing overtraining but also eliminates unproductive expenditure of time and energy. Remember, in fitness, it’s not just about ‘doing’, it’s about ‘achieving’. Understanding this dichotomy between workouts and activity aids us in doing that.

What About Maintenance?

“Entropy is the natural state of the universe, and any deviation from this chaos requires effort.” – Anonymous

The concept of ‘maintenance’ in fitness often arises in fitness conversations on Reddit and forums all over the internet. A common concern is whether every workout needs to be outcome-driven. I.e does a workout always have to be taking us somewhere or can some be aimed at ‘maintenance’?

But what does maintaining physical fitness truly mean? From a nutritional perspective, it might translate to eating at an energy equilibrium. A break-even point, at which calorie intake matches expenditure.

However, physical maintenance becomes more complex due to the law of entropy. The principle is that everything tends towards disorder over time. In physical terms, our bodies naturally lean towards atrophy and decline without activity. Therefore, even what we perceive as ‘maintenance’ is essentially a battle against entropy. Making it a fight to push back against the slow, inevitable erosion of our physical capabilities.

With this understanding, the necessity for purpose-driven workouts becomes clear. Each workout needs a goal, an intent that directs our efforts, even if that goal is ostensibly to maintain our current fitness level. Conversely, activities can be fun, free from the pressures of purposeful goals and objectives. This is why we draw the distinction: workouts are our shield against entropy, while activities enhance our enjoyment of life.

Understanding that fitness isn’t a ‘level up’ endeavour like a video game or a situation where there is a clear levelling up process like an academic qualification. Fitness results aren’t ours to keep because we’ve achieved them once, it takes maintenance. Without maintenance, you’ll suffer from entropy. Not acknowledging this, is one of the most critical blunders in fitness. It’s the start/stop or all-or-nothing mindset.

Understand that monumental changes require consistency; there’s no way around it. Even more poignant is the idea that even at the pinnacle of your fitness, you have to keep showing up to the ongoing duel with entropy. You must uphold a certain degree of regular exercise, a ‘minimum threshold’ or risk losing your hard-earned gains.

Too often, fitness is mistakenly looked at like that video game analogy, where once you reach a new level, it’s yours to keep. Very often on a consultation call with a potential client, I will be told of an intention to train really hard for a period of time, achieve the body they desire and then take some time off and maintain the physique.

Regrettably, natural laws don’t operate this way, with fitness it really is a case of once you’re in, you’re in. Consistency, then, becomes the watchword of your entire fitness journey. To ensure you don’t lose your hard-earned results, your approach to fitness goals must be sustainable year-round. This principle holds especially true when you aim for aggressive weight loss, but it’s applicable to other fitness objectives as well.

The FITT principle

The FITT principle is a fundamental guideline in the health & fitness industry. It’s an acronym for:

Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. 

This principle is particularly useful for those new to exercise. It provides a clear framework for designing and implementing a well-calibrated and effective workout plan, whilst setting realistic goals.

Frequency refers to how often you exercise. Helping beginners to establish a regular exercise routine without overdoing it.

Intensity involves how hard you work out in each session. Ensuring that beginners start at a comfortable level and gradually increase the challenge over time.

Time denotes the duration of each exercise session. Guiding beginners to start with manageable durations. Duration can progressively increase as stamina improves.

Type specifies the kind of exercise you do. Encouraging a balanced approach that includes cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises.

For beginners, the FITT principle is invaluable as it offers a structured yet adaptable approach to fitness. We’re going to delve into a lot more nuance but It’s a great start and is useful in helping you avoid common pitfalls such as under or over-training.

The basic types of exercise

Over time, you may have wondered to yourself, exactly what type of exercise should be included in an effective workout program and how much of it.

Regardless of your fitness goals, in my view, it’s prudent to maintain a diverse range of exercise disciplines in any given program. This helps you avoid developing any unnecessary vulnerabilities or weaknesses.

I’ve learned this lesson through personal experience. In my early twenties, I was extremely focused on weightlifting. Yet, when I participated in a football match, I was entirely unprepared due to my lack of overall fitness. A comment I received during that time was quite an eye-opener, “You go to the gym every day, and you’re not fit enough to play football.” This was especially tough to hear as I was planning on becoming a personal trainer at the time. The issue wasn’t that my workouts were ineffective, on the contrary, they were superb for muscle building.

However, I had completely overlooked cardiovascular fitness because I just didn’t have clear goals that required that style of training. Leaving a considerable gap in my overall physical health and performance. As a result, I got really interested in Thai kickboxing and sprint training on a running track to correct the liabilities.

This experience has shaped my approach to coaching other people. No matter what my online personal training clients hope to achieve, I always suggest we approach training within the context of a specific fitness quadrant including movement training, HIIT training, LISS training and resistance training. This ensures that all aspects of their fitness are being considered. Providing a more well-rounded and sustainable approach to fitness.

Resistance training

Resistance training, also known as strength training, involves exercises that make your muscles work against a weight or force. This type of training can be utilised to enhance the strength, mass, and endurance of your muscles As your body encounters this resistance over time, providing the prerequisite nutrients and rest are available, it will respond with muscle growth and improvements in strength.

Resistance training is also referred to as weight training and can be performed using fitness equipment such as resistance bands, free weights (dumbbells, barbells & kettlebells) or bodyweight exercise. Additional health benefits from this kind of training include better bone health, weight management, and enhanced overall physical function.

Resistance training is a very expansive topic. We’ll discuss how to get the best out of your resistance training for your particular goal shortly. But first, let’s briefly introduce the other parts of the quadrant.

Cardiovascular training

Cardiovascular training, also known as cardio or aerobic exercise, is physical exercise which can be of low to high intensity. This is the type of training most commonly associated with improving fitness.

It includes activities like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling. It’s used to improve heart health, increase stamina, burn calories, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Further resources: I interviewed Ashleigh Li, a senior Cardiac nurse with the British Heart Foundation to discuss heart disease and healthy lifestyle adaptations on my podcast.

Moderate Intensity Cardio

This type of cardio training involves exercises performed at 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. It could include activities such as cycling, brisk walking, or light jogging. This is the zone for increasing your baseline fitness levels for activities like running and cycling for sport.

LISS (Low-Intensity ‘Steady State’)

LISS is a type of cardio training where you do any form of low-intensity cardio exercise for a prolonged period, typically 30-60 minutes. This might be a light jog, a walk, or a slow cycle. LISS workouts are meant to be performed at a comfortable pace, the kind of pace at which you could still keep up a conversation and wouldn’t be out of breath to do so, like on a light hike.

Anaerobic training

This involves short-duration and high-intensity activities that are performed to the point where the demand for oxygen exceeds the oxygen supply. The exercises could include sprinting, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and weightlifting.

HIIT (High-intensity interval training)

This is a type of training technique that involves quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. It’s used to increase metabolism, improve cardiovascular health, gain lean muscle, and burn fat. There are many different HIIT protocols that we’ll explore shortly.

Movement training

Stretching and mobility exercises are essential for maintaining flexibility and range of motion. They help to improve your body’s ability to perform exercises with the correct technique and reduce the risk of injury.

Stretching

Stretching exercises are used to increase the flexibility of your muscles and joints. They can be static stretching (where you hold a stretch) or dynamic (where you move through a range of motion).

Mobility Training

Mobility exercises help to improve the movement of your joints and muscles. They can include a variety of exercises, such as yoga or Pilates movements, and short mobility flows. This style of training is used to improve overall movement efficiency. Keeping your mobility functional is essential if you want to protect your ability to do the exercises and activities you enjoy for as long as possible.

Coordination and Proprioception training

These exercises are designed to enhance your body’s ability to move smoothly,  efficiently and react quickly. Proprioception refers to your body’s ability to sense and understand its position and movement in space. This is a crucial aspect of balance and stability.

Training in this area often includes drills that challenge balance, rhythm, spatial orientation, and timing. This kind of exercise can incorporate tools like stability balls, agility ladders, and BOSU balls. Activities like dancing, martial arts, and sports can also be great ways to improve coordination and proprioception. Making this a fun and varied component of a well-rounded fitness regimen.

Basic exercise glossary

These are the 8 terms I think you’ll come across most often in health & fitness. Both in terms of my own writing and also in your wider research in the pursuit of your goals. Becoming familiar with these really helps read and understand workout programs and what they are asking of you:

 

• • Exercise: A singular activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness. In the context of a workout, an exercise refers to a specific movement intended to work a certain group of muscles. For example, in a given workout you may have 5-10 different exercises.

• • Compound Movement:  A compound movement in exercise is a type of movement that engages multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously. efficient for building strength and muscle, improving coordination, and burning more calories, as they involve larger and multiple areas of the body. Examples include squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

• • Set: A set refers to a series of repetitions of a specific exercise done consecutively without pausing. For example, we might say that we will be doing the squat exercises for 4 sets of 10 repetitions. The number of sets in a workout is a vector through which we can influence volume and training load. These are important variables that we want to be able to use to our advantage.

• • Rep (Repetition): A rep or repetition is one complete movement of a particular exercise. For instance, one push-up or one squat would be considered one rep, within a given set. The number of repetitions in a set is very important and varying this number can completely transform a workout.

• • Rest Interval: The rest interval is the time spent resting between sets or exercises to allow for recovery. The length of rest intervals can vary depending on the intensity of the exercise and the individual’s fitness level. It is also another vector at our disposal we can use to change the impact of a workout. For example, the same workout with the same exercise selection, number of sets, and at the same rep range would be completely different with a 30-second rest period or a 2-minute one.

• • Over-training: Overtraining is a physical, behavioural, and emotional condition that occurs when the volume and intensity of an individual’s exercise exceed their recovery capacity. It’s a state of chronic fatigue, decreased performance, and increased risk of injury. It’s important to name this occurrence because it highlights that there is not always a linear relationship between more work and better results. Professor Greg Whyte OBE joined me on my podcast, where we discussed the signs of overtraining among other things.

• • Progressive Overload: Progressive overload is a principle of physical fitness that involves gradually increasing the volume, intensity, frequency, or duration of training. This is in order to challenge the body sufficiently enough to promote muscular adaptations. Failing to maintain progressive overload over a course of training could undermine your results if you were seeking an increase in muscle mass or strength.

• • Active Rest/Deload: Active rest, also known as deloading, is a period where you deliberately decrease the volume or intensity of your training to allow your body to recover. Rather than completely stopping training, you reduce your workload to let your body rejuvenate whilst still staying active. Periods of complete inactivity usually aren’t useful or warranted unless you’re actually ill or injured. Unnecessary time off could break an exercise habit. Which for many has been hard won to establish. With strategic active rest, you can get the benefits of rest and recovery without losing your momentum.

• • Training Phase: A training phase, also known as a training cycle or periodisation, is a planned approach to training that involves the progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program over a specific period. It’s designed to optimise performance while minimising injuries. There are three types of training phases:

• • • Microcycle: This is the smallest unit of time we would use within a period or periodisation, and might refer to a week of training for example.

• • • Mesocycle: A mesocycle refers to a particular training block, which for an athlete might determine a specific focus, such as endurance. Or for a bodybuilder a switch in the protocol being used to achieve the same goal.

• • • Macrocycle: A macrocycle refers to a longer time period, for example, it’s common for Olympic athletes to work in 4 or 8-year macrocycles to prepare to peak for and compete at the Olympic games.

 

As a quick expansion on the above, I have interviewed a number of Olympians about their training insights and mindset on my podcast including, Dame Jessica Ennis DBE, Professor Greg Whyte OBE, Sarah Lindsay, Chemmy Alcott, and Rowan Cheshire. Whilst we might not all be thinking as far ahead as an olympian, nevertheless it’s still important to understand training cycles.

This helps to avoid another common pitfall in fitness, which is thinking that any single training program is going to be enough to get you to your goals. Not to mention maintain your results. It’s essential to switch up training phases regularly to keep giving your body a reason to adapt.

 

How to get results with exercise

When we think of the majority of workout programs or ‘courses’ we tend to have quite a binary thought process as to whether something works or not. You may even reflect on previous attempts and classify them as having been unsuccessful, despite having put considerable effort in.

Every fitness goal has its own nuances, understanding them might be the difference between success and failure. The more you understand, the more control. Which means the better position you’ll be in to predict whether any given program will be effective.

To aid you in this, let’s do a deeper dive into the five most common fitness goals I’ve helped my online personal training clients achieve. Once you’ve worked in fitness as long as I have, you tend to see patterns and the truth is that each goal tends to have 4-6 points that are common mistakes, easy to make.

Once you’ve been made aware of what can go wrong, you’ll be able to avoid it and start getting excellent results. Before we go into the weeds with the nuance of each training goal, let’s discuss 4 basic principles that will lay the framework for achieving any fitness goal:

Selecting the right tool for the task

Whilst it’s true that maintaining any regular exercise practice is going to be good for you and deliver health benefits. It’s also worth noting that what it might take to stay fit and active might be different to the kind of training you would need to do to achieve a more specific goal.

For example, let’s say you love hiking but want to gain upper body strength. Hiking will keep you lean and fit, but it’s going to do very little for your upper body strength.

For many, it can be a delicate balance between doing the kind of training that will get you to your goal versus the kind of training you actually enjoy. For example, this is why I believe so many people love CrossFit, Hyrox competitions, and Spartan races. They are fantastic vehicles for those who are in great shape to express themselves physically.

An effective exercise program should be aimed at getting you from A to B, as in taking you from where you are now to the successful completion of your goals. So it’s essential that it calls upon the appropriate tools for the job. For example, let’s say you love yoga but want to be able to do a pull-up.

Whilst it’s great that you have a regular yoga practice, it isn’t going to help you develop pulling strength. Because on a yoga mat, you can push, but there is nothing to pull, it’s Yoga’s blindspot. So to develop pull strength you would need to re-tool. This could either be done through resistance training or migrating your yoga practice over to a form of aerial work, where an opportunity to pull your own body weight would be available. Without this pivot, it really doesn’t matter how good you ever got at yoga, you would be unlikely to be able to do a pull-up.

For this reason, if you want to see specific changes in the body it’s important to make sure that the types of exercise and workouts in your program specifically contribute to your goals.

This actually raises another important point, which is that once you are well versed in the different types of exercise, you’ll have a good read on where you stand with each of them, this kind of compartmentalisation can be very useful.

For example, let’s say you’re a keen runner. Perhaps you’ve completed a number of full-distance marathons and could easily turn up to a 10k any day of the year given your base fitness level. You’d probably consider yourself an advanced exerciser. But now you want to introduce a strength goal and have never done any resistance training.

Contextually, you are a rank beginner, despite your running background. it’s important to accept and communicate this to your fitness coach (if you have one) or you might be expected to have a certain understanding or level of conditioning that you couldn’t possibly have. There is no way you could have, which might undermine your progress.

Consistent implementation

If I could only give you one tip in fitness, it would be to stay consistent. Because you could have the perfect workout program, but if you’re not actually implementing it as consistently as intended, it won’t yield optimal results. Whether it’s a daily half-hour workout or longer sessions a few times a week, choose a regimen that fits your schedule, and stick to it.

Something to look out for is identifying yourself as someone who is ‘all or nothing’ When it comes to your exercise regime. That way of thinking may have gotten you through an exam or helped you in your career in the past. But in the world of health & fitness, I’m sorry, unfortunately, it isn’t going to work.

This is because the law of entropy acts on muscles, bones, and cardiovascular fitness, i.e. when you aren’t using these things, you’ll start to lose them. After all, ‘nothing’ is not maintenance, it’s the beginning of a decline.

Of course, you’ll never lose everything overnight, but long or frequent periods of inactivity could see you lose your hard-earned achievements. On the other side of the coin ‘All’ can rarely be maintained for long, and is inevitably going to lead to an inflexible approach that will result in burnout.

Progress must be achieved in a sustainable manner

If you want to be able to maintain your results year-round, you must have achieved them in a way that is sustainable, approaching things in this way is going to be crucial for your long-term success. For this reason, I believe it’s better to adopt a moderate, maintainable fitness routine than to start an overly exhausting or restrictive one, only to give up on it after a few weeks.

Think of it this way, even if you are successful with such an extreme approach, no realistically maintainable habits will have been established so you have no real framework to rely on. For example, you probably remember weight loss game shows like The Biggest Loser. Contestants in these shows often regained lost weight, and actually put on more after these shows.

The ideal program is one that challenges you but is also realistic and considerate of your lifestyle, abilities, and interests. I tend to operate on the basis that results only count if you can keep them. So whilst aggressive dieting or overly aggressive training programs can seem like they’ll produce results, often any positive effects are short-lived. This is because they massively increase the likelihood that you’ll encounter burnout or revert back to old ways. Once your lack of energy and hunger become intolerable.

You must have a lifestyle to match your goal

The general lifestyle you like to keep is going to play a massive role in your fitness journey. By lifestyle I mean everything from your diet and sleep habits to how you deal with stress and the amount of daily activity you set as your baseline. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, but you’re eating junk food and watching TV every night or you want to gain muscle but don’t value a good night’s sleep, your workout program will yield poor results. Despite the fact that you’re completing your workouts.

Often it’s a great idea to audit your lifestyle before starting out on a new fitness regime. It allows you to see whether there are elements of your lifestyle that are going to hold you back. This is also worth discussing with your fitness coach. If you intend to hire one. For example, let’s say you sign up to my online personal training service looking to gain muscle, but also tell me that you aren’t sleeping well and are experiencing a lot of stress.

I would suggest we use a low-volume, high-frequency approach to your training in order to manage fatigue. Whereas if you were to read a bodybuilding magazine and do what you saw the professionals are doing, you would likely take on an aggressive 6-day training week. Which might be a great program on paper, just not appropriate for you, right now.

Your fitness journey is unique to you. The ‘right’ program is one that caters to your specific needs, interests, and goals, and is something you can sustain in the long run. It may take some time and experimentation to find this balance. But once you do, it can lead to lifelong health & fitness benefits that you can actually maintain.

How to achieve the most common exercise goals

When you are starting out on your fitness journey as much as we know that exercise is inherently healthy. It makes sense to bolt on a goal that you desire to achieve. 

There are 5 basic health & fitness goals. Ranging from purely aesthetic to health-focused. Each goal should be approached in a unique way and has common pitfalls to look out for.

Let’s explore the goals one by one:

Weight Loss (Fat-loss)

Experience has shown me that weight loss and fat loss can effectively be considered the same goal. Not because they are the same thing technically, but because there would be no real utility in pursuing a weight loss goal that measured success by any other unit than fat loss.

Anything else would be losing muscle, which would be a mistake, or the realm of losing water, which is temporary. For example, in order to make weight for a sporting event, fighters often use hydration manipulation and can weigh 20 lbs or more 24-48 hours later. The important distinction is that they will have fully rehydrated on fight night. In fact, there are now ‘rehydration clauses’ in fight contracts to limit the extent of this and protect the fighter’s health. So you can see that this would never present a long-term solution.

Therefore let’s agree that for all intents and purposes, fat loss and weight loss are the same thing, but should be approached differently. Depending on how far you are from your desired outcome. If you have a lot to lose it’s a weight loss goal, and if you are already pretty lean, you have a fat loss goal.

I say they are one and the same because technically with a weight loss goal you are looking to see a lighter weight on the scale each time you return to it. However, it is only going to be of utility to lose body fat.

To highlight what I mean let’s say you want to lose weight. So you join a traditional weight loss group to help you achieve it. Knowing there was an impending weigh-in you deliberately under-eat all week, which meant you’d under-eaten on protein. At the end of the week, you attend the weigh-in and you’ve lost 2kg on the scale. In this setting, with this approach to weight loss, your results would be celebrated, and you would be encouraged to continue doing the same thing.

However, under closer inspection, with the help of a Dexa scan we might be able to determine that due to undereating and not exercising in the right way, you’ve actually lost muscle mass. Which means that the weight loss you are celebrating is arbitrary. All that has happened is that you’ve slowed your metabolic rate, meaning you can now eat even fewer calories to break even. Yes, you now weigh less, but because you have lost lean mass, as a ratio measurement you now have a higher body fat percentage.

It’s for this reason that weight loss should be seen as a by-product of fat loss + muscle preservation. If there is more weight to lose you will see faster weight loss. If you can internalise that distinction, you will massively increase your chances of success.

Of course, there are differences in how weight loss and fat loss can be approached. Whilst they will typically both be in a deficit for the week, weight loss usually works on a -20/-30% caloric deficit, whereas fat loss works on a -10/-20 deficit, calculated from basal metabolic rate adjusted to your level of activity.

One of the big differences between how weight loss and fat loss could be approached is by taking into consideration the amount of weight to lose and what that means for the individual trying to lose it. For example, an individual with substantial weight to lose may not feel as comfortable with higher-impact activities or running. Whereas someone simply aiming to lose stubborn belly fat may benefit highly from HIIT training like sprinting, which is about as effective as it gets for fat loss, to me there is no finer workout, but it just wouldn’t be appropriate for everyone on a weight loss journey.

Weight loss to fat loss, an evolving goal

One of the biggest weight loss tips I could offer is that on a long enough timeline, a larger weight loss goal will by definition become a fat loss goal. This helps you avoid a major banana skin which is not to overreact to a slowing in weight loss once you’ve bedded in your new lifestyle. This kind of overreaction is common and is a huge mistake which undermines the progress of a lot of people.

Imagine you start a new weight loss journey and in the first week, you lose 3kg – a solid start! In the second week, you maintain the pace and drop another 3kg. But by the third week, your weight loss slows down to just 1kg. That’s only a third of what you were losing before, and it can feel discouraging.

In response, you might feel the urge to drastically cut more calories and ramp up your workouts. However, doing so can harm your lean muscle mass and potentially make it harder to stick to your routine.

It’s important to understand that a slowdown in weight loss after the initial weeks is totally normal. Early on, you’re picking the low-hanging fruit. But as you progress, the weight you’re losing tends to be more from actual fat, which is exactly what you want. So, don’t mistake ‘slow progress’ for ‘no progress.’ Adjust your strategy only if your progress actually comes to a stop.

You might consider that at a certain stage of progress, you no longer have a weight loss goal. Because effectively you’ve qualified to measure progress in body composition changes, rather than what’s on the scale.

But above all, remember that the key to sustainable weight loss or fat loss is consistency, not speed.

Recomposition

Recomposition is an area of contention within the fitness industry, with some saying that it’s possible and others that it’s not. I can tell you with certainty that recomposition is possible because I have achieved positive body recomposition in my own training, not to mention with hundreds of my online personal training clients but anecdotal evidence can only be relied upon so far and various studies support the idea that recomposition is physically possible, for example, a notable study found that those that engaged in resistance training and focused on a balanced diet achieved a gain in lean mass by 1.4kg and decreased fat mass by 1.8kg over ten weeks.

In my view, the reason that it’s even argued is that those who would get into such a debate and back their opinions are usually highly trained bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. Who by definition are seeking marginal improvements in either their muscularity or leanness. Which belies a fatal blindspot. Which is that 99% of people are nowhere near their genetic potential for muscularity. Nor do they have a track record, let’s say even over the last 90 days of perfect execution of an exercise and nutrition plan. Let alone the years if not decades of consistency it takes to maximise one’s potential.

Which means, really both answers are right, for the 1% is recomposition on the table? Likely not. But for the other 99%, the answer is contextual and essentially comes down to how much low-hanging fruit there is on the table.

Which for the majority of people is a huge amount. In my experience, recomposition is often the right move for you if you consider yourself in the unfortunately named ‘skinny fat’ or ‘dad bod’ archetypes. Both situations indicate to the trained eye that you’re either not training consistently enough, not eating well, or are trying hard but don’t yet really know how to get the best out of your training efforts.

If you answer no to any of the following statements I’d be confident training you for a recomposition goal:

• You know exactly how much to eat and what to eat and have been doing so consistently for at least the last three months
• You have consistently exercised for the past 2-3 years, tracking workouts and varying training programs at least every 8 weeks
• You ensure that in every workout you make incremental and demonstrable performance increases via progressive overload
• If you are honest with yourself, there is no way you could have had better eating or training habits over the last 90 days

So as you can see, most people are excellent candidates for recomposition, which is great.

You can learn more about how to achieve a body recomposition here with my comprehensive guide.

Muscle gain (Hypertrophy)

Building muscle is most often approached as an aesthetic goal. But the right amount of muscle may also improve sporting performance and from a health standpoint, increasing your lean muscle mass may help reduce risk factors for major disease.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of fruitless efforts in the pursuit of gaining muscle. Typically this is because of a lack of understanding of the mechanisms behind muscle building. It’s easy to get to the gym and spin your wheels, thinking that simply by lifting weights at random you’ll predictably gain muscle. But if all of the right elements of the equation aren’t in place, it’s unlikely to happen for you.

How hypertrophy works

When you’re starting your fitness journey, it can be difficult to know which workouts are going to lead to muscle gain and which aren’t. I find that it helps to look at things from an evolutionary standpoint. Our bodies have evolved to be highly efficient survival machines. It takes energy to gain muscle, and it will then cost additional energy every day you maintain it, this energy has to be gathered in the form of calories. In the natural world, energy is hard to come by. At least it was for hundreds of thousands of years as we evolved, which means our bodies have not evolved just to waste it.

Gaining muscle mass requires considerable energy to facilitate (think calorie surplus) so you have to give your body a good reason to adapt. Effectively, our body needs to be saying to itself  “Well if we’re going to be doing this again, we better get more efficient at it, one day it could be a matter of survival”. In order to become more efficient, an increase in muscle mass and strength will be the physical response. This way your body is much more efficient for carrying out the same action next time. If you can consistently send these signals with your weightlifting efforts and meet them with the right nutrition intake and rest, you are guaranteed to gain muscle. This completely removes all guesswork, because it will be a predictable process.

Muscle building workouts

Generally speaking, you can gain muscle using a rep range of anywhere between 1-20 reps, with the general sweet spot being 6-12 reps. Usually, when you begin with resistance training, you will utilise a rep range of 10-15 rest which is more to do with lowering the risk of injury by using lighter weights whilst your body is getting familiar with the new exercises.

Once you have your workout protocol in place, results won’t come from static training. Your body will adapt to any given stimulus very quickly. The most efficient way to do this is to work on marginal advancements. To give the body just enough reach and adapt to each workout without overwhelming it, this process is known as progressive overload. It’s essential to the muscle-building process.

Improved health & fitness

“Health” and “fitness” are words often used interchangeably. However, there’s a subtle nuance between them. Think of health as a reflection of your body’s overall condition, free from disease. Fitness, on the other hand, is about your physical performance, encompassing factors like muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular health, flexibility, and body composition.

There’s a prevalent myth that health and fitness are two peas in a pod always aligned. But that’s not necessarily the case. Imagine a high-strung executive who crushes a 10k run daily, only to suffer a heart attack shortly down the line. This individual may be very fit but it shouldn’t be taken that they were also very healthy. Hence, factors like stress, fatigue, and recovery play a significant role in the overall health equation. It’s not just about what we can force our bodies to do, it’s also about how we nourish and rest them.

My approach to improving both health and fitness encompasses regular cardiovascular exercise, utilising resistance training, and encouraging activity of course whilst keeping a balanced diet. Then encourage those I work with to defend the time and space necessary for adequate rest.

This strategy doesn’t just involve losing weight or gaining muscle but focuses on improving heart health, building strength and endurance, supporting the immune system, reducing stress, and improving sleep.

This is not about a short-term solution or a crash diet, It’s about establishing lifelong habits that will keep you fit and healthy for years to come. My programs aren’t about restriction or punishing workouts. Rather sustainable changes and finding joy in movement.

From my perspective, if you’ve recently been inactive or are recovering from a period of exhaustion or burnout, a program aimed at boosting both health and fitness could be beneficial. It’s essential to regain your equilibrium before diving head first into regimes that demand a large caloric deficit, like traditional weight loss programs. Or ones that could strain the central nervous system, like muscle building. 

View my signature workout programs

Enhanced sports performance

Improving your performance in sports hinges on tailoring your training to your specific game. Once you understand the movements that apply to your sport, repetition becomes your key tool. Consider boxer Mike Tyson, throwing the same punch a thousand times, or professional tennis players dedicating countless hours to rehearsing shots they’ve been perfecting since childhood.

To make meaningful improvements in your game, sometimes it’s necessary to look beyond sport-specific training. Strength & conditioning, mobility exercises, recovery techniques, and nutrition are essential elements that might occur in a gym environment. But they’ll eventually enhance your sports performance once your body adapts to them.

Whether you’re a runner aiming to cut down your times, a footballer seeking more strength and agility, or a cyclist wanting to push your endurance. You can break down the muscular usage and movements required in your sport and integrate them into a workout plan that enhances your skills.

By blending strength and conditioning exercises, recovery sessions, mobility work, and appropriate nutrition into a supplementary workout program, you’ll be able to drive your sports performance to a new level.

Sports-specific training also plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of injury and improving your overall athletic capabilities. The goal is to cultivate a well-rounded athleticism and robustness that not only aids your sporting performance. But also keeps you fit for life outside your sport. Remember, sports performance training differs greatly from bodybuilding and general fitness training. Whereas fitness training often focuses on changing your appearance, sports training aims to enhance your body’s capabilities. For this improvement to occur, sufficient eating and proper recovery are crucial. This is why trying to juggle sports goals with other goals like muscle building or weight loss may not always work.

How to find your motivation to exercise

Finding motivation to exercise often starts with setting clear, achievable goals that align with your personal values and interests. Consider using the SMART goal-setting system to gauge how likely you’ll be to achieve your intended goal.

A great strategy is not to focus solely on long-term goals like weight loss or muscle gain. But rather to set smaller, immediate goals that provide a sense of accomplishment, such as completing a certain number of workouts per week or reaching a new level of endurance. 

In the beginning, it can stack the odds in your favour to pursue activities you genuinely enjoy. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore, it can become a part of the day you look forward to. Additionally, tracking your progress can be a powerful motivator. Seeing improvement, no matter how small, can boost your determination to continue. Lastly, remember the why behind your fitness journey, whether it’s for health, mental well-being, or personal achievement. Hold it close and it’ll see you through some of your most challenging moments. 

How to create a workout program

Creating an effective workout program is a pivotal step toward achieving your fitness goals. Many attempts to transform their health and body shape without a solid strategy, often leading to frustrating stagnation or, worse, overtraining and injury.

When you don’t yet understand the mechanisms behind why certain aspects of exercise will or will not work for you it’s easy to default to the assumption that more exercise or harder training will have a linear relationship with better results, this is rarely the case.

A properly crafted workout program gives structure to your fitness journey, providing clear direction and measurable targets. It ensures you’re engaging in the right exercises, at the right intensity and frequency, to achieve your specific desired results. Whether your aim is weight loss, muscle gain, enhanced cardiovascular fitness, or improved sports performance, a tailored workout program is your roadmap to success.

The anatomy of a workout

As you advance beyond the beginner level in your fitness journey, understanding that each element of your workout is not random but rather a carefully selected variable becomes crucial.

This understanding can significantly influence your progress and results. The choice of exercises, the number of sets and reps, the tempo of each movement, the rest interval, and every aspect is deliberate, and crafted to serve a specific purpose. Mastering how and when to adjust these variables can mean the difference between stagnation and achieving your fitness goals. I’ve created a guide to the anatomy of a workout to help you through this process.

The Anatomy of a Workout – How to tell is a workout program is effective

As we delve deeper into the intricacies of a workout program, we start to run into a series of unique factors that can, and should, be personalised for optimal results. Whether you’re a personal trainer designing personalised workouts for your clients or an individual crafting your own fitness plan, awareness and optimisation of these variables can be the difference between getting results and falling short of them.

These elements go far beyond the basics. They’re the fine details that tailor a program to an individual’s needs and preferences, ensuring it’s as effective and efficient as possible.

They range from physical preferences and tolerances for intensity and discomfort to psychological variables such as a desire for diversity in training and tapping what an individual finds most motivating.

I’ve created an advanced guide to program creation which is the exact process I use in my online personal training service learn about my: My 28-Step Personalised Workout Program Process

Example beginner workout program

Beginner Workout Program 1: Total Body free weights workout (Mixed Focus. Goal: all-around health and fitness benefits)

Below is a basic, but diverse training program that works on relatively high frequency but light volume and spaces the different types of exercise far enough apart to allow for full recovery. 

Monday – 30 – 40 Minute Total body strength training session. 6-8 exercises. 3 sets of 15 reps with a 60-second rest period. 

Tuesday – 20-minute HIIT training – 3-4 Tabata Drills or a short circuit of 8 minutes performed for 3 rounds. Workouts could be done at home with minimal equipment or with full gym equipment. The protocol is more important than the exercises.

Wednesday – Movement Session – 15-minute movement-oriented workout. Could be yoga, pilates or simple movement drills 

Thursday – Rest Day 

Friday – 30 – 40-Minute Second total body workout. 6-8 exercises. 3 sets of 15 reps with a 60-second rest period (different exercise set to Monday) 

Saturday – Rest Day 

Sunday – Long cross-country hike or cycle. Easy to moderate intensity Low heart rate sustained for aerobic fitness. No Time pressure. Ideally outdoors.

What might happen next?

Once you have completed 4-6 weeks on a training phase like the one above you may decide to progress onto workouts that target a specific muscle group. For example, you could switch to workouts that switch the lower body vs the upper body. Or even a 5-day training split, focusing on the Chest, Shoulders, back, Biceps & triceps (arms), and Legs all on different days.

The coaching process

Enlisting the help of the right fitness coach is like discovering a hidden key. One that opens the door to realising your full potential in achieving your fitness aspirations. It’s more than just someone feeding you one-size-fits-all all workout regimens or diet plans. Instead, it’s an all-encompassing, personalised journey that truly accounts for your individual body type, lifestyle, and fitness goals.

A competent coach doesn’t just guide you around obstacles but propels you to confront them head-on, instilling a sense of discipline and promoting a rhythm of consistency into your training schedules. Their influence sparks a transformation that resonates beyond your physique. Shaping a resilient mindset towards health and fitness. Coaching enlightens you, paving the way toward a profound understanding of your body and its unique health needs.

What’s more, engaging a coach brings with it the indispensable boon of accountability. Your fitness journey is no longer a solo expedition. You have someone constantly in your corner, monitoring your progress, setting benchmarks, and constructively critiquing your efforts. This constant oversight encourages you to stay on track, adhering to your fitness plan and pushing you to strive even when motivation wanes.

In essence, coaching integrates motivation, education, and accountability into your fitness journey, ensuring your efforts are not only effective but also sustainable. In the grand scheme of things, a coach transforms from being just a guide to an essential ally in your quest for health and wellness.

I’ve outlined the coaching process I’ve developed for my online personal training service here

How does age influence fitness training?

If you’re worrying about age being an impediment to achieving your fitness goals, let me reassure you, it isn’t, at least probably not to the extent you think it is. Just check out my results, I’ve seen excellent results with my clients in their 50s & 60s and beyond.

You’ll often read that as we age it gets much harder for our bodies to hold off weight and adapt to exercise. Believe me, whilst this is technically true, it’s not only massively over-exaggerated, but the decline is so slow that it’s best measured in decades. For example, making a loss of muscle mass at between 3% and 5% every ten years, is hardly anything to worry about in the scheme of things.

Next, you’ve got to consider that a rate of decline is only relevant in relation to what’s considered optimal, so put it this way if you’ve spent your whole twenties in peak physical condition, consistently training and absolutely maximised your genetic potential, then you will see a slight decline with each decade you stay consistent. Again, there is hardly anything to worry about, you’ll already be in fantastic condition and you’ve proved you have the skills to make any decline as slow as it possibly can be.

But of course, for most people that isn’t the scenario they currently find themselves in, so what becomes crucial is to maximise what you are capable of today. Let’s say you’re in your 40s and you never really put the time and effort in during your twenties and thirties. Well, that means that despite technically having a slightly lower total potential, if you are diligent now where you personally could be in 5 years will far exceed the heights you achieved in your twenties and thirties. It’s all relative, you should just begin where you are now and commit to staying consistent.

Anyway, even if it were true that your ability to get results has been hampered by your age, what would your response to that be? to not try? That would be a guarantee of getting nowhere. The only empowering decision you can make is to begin today, optimise your training efforts and stay consistent. Believe me, if you do that, you stand to far exceed what you previously felt capable of, no matter your age.

Age-based fitness strategy

Age is but a number, especially when it comes to fitness and exercise. There’s a common misconception that as we age, we become less capable of physical feats and reaching new heights in our fitness goals. This isn’t exactly true. While our bodies do experience changes as we grow older, these changes do not necessarily dictate the boundaries of our potential. It’s more about adaptation and strategic modifications rather than surrendering to age.

Our bodies are incredibly adaptable, regardless of age. They respond to the stimuli we expose them to; therefore, with the right approach, we can maintain a high level of physical fitness well into our later years. Age-based decline often gets exaggerated, potentially demotivating individuals from pursuing their fitness goals.

However, the power to redefine what ageing looks like rests in our own hands.

Adaptation is the key. As we age, we might need to adjust the intensity, frequency, or types of exercises we engage in, but this doesn’t mean we have to limit ourselves. For example, if you’re a marathon runner, you might opt for shorter, more frequent runs instead of long, strenuous sessions. Or, if weightlifting is your thing, you might find that lighter weights with more repetitions work better for you as you age.

Recovery and rest also play more significant roles. We might find that our bodies require more time to recover from workouts as we age. This isn’t a setback; it’s just an opportunity for us to focus more on rest and recovery techniques, which are integral aspects of overall health and well-being anyway.

Another pivotal point is nutrition. As we age, our nutritional needs can change. Being mindful of our diet and ensuring we get all the necessary nutrients can greatly assist our fitness journey. Coupled with regular exercise, a balanced diet can help slow down the effects of ageing.

The beauty of exercise is that it’s never too late to start. Numerous stories highlight individuals who took up new physical activities in their later years and achieved remarkable success. Whether it’s bodybuilding, running, or yoga, age is no barrier to starting, improving, and excelling.

In conclusion, age should not be viewed as a hindrance to fitness goals. Instead, it should be seen as an opportunity to adapt and grow, to explore new avenues and techniques, and to show that age really is just a number.

Whilst we would be remiss not to acknowledge age-based challenges like peri/menopause, with the right mindset, appropriate adaptations, and a commitment to our health, we can continue to achieve great things throughout all stages of our lives. Remember, our potential is not dictated by the number of candles on our birthday cake. Rather, it’s determined by our will, our resilience, and our determination to keep pushing, keep adapting, and keep achieving.

I have written a guide to How to get fit in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s & 70s which will help you make the appropriate adjustments to your training based on the stage of life you’re in.

How does nutrition affect exercise?

Food is the fuel that powers our bodies. When it comes to exercise, the quality and quantity of that fuel can make a substantial difference to our performance and results. If you’re serious about achieving your fitness goals, it’s essential to pay attention to your nutrition.

Let’s start with energy. When you work out, your body needs a sufficient supply of energy to keep you moving, and this energy comes from the food you eat. A well-balanced diet with the right mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fats ensures you have the stamina to make it through your workouts without feeling depleted.

However, fueling your workouts is only one part of the equation. The food you eat also plays a pivotal role in recovery and adaptation. The processes that help your body bounce back after a workout and get stronger over time. Protein, for instance, is crucial for repairing and building muscle tissue, especially after strength training. On the other hand, carbohydrates replenish the glycogen stores in your muscles, helping you maintain your energy levels for your next workout.

Beyond energy and recovery, the balance of calories and macronutrients in your diet can significantly impact the type of changes you see in your body. If you’re looking to lose weight, you’ll need to create a calorie deficit.

That is, consume fewer calories than you burn. If you want to gain muscle, you’ll likely need a calorie surplus, particularly with a focus on protein intake, think of them as building blocks.

Moreover, the timing of your meals can also influence your training results. Eating a meal rich in protein and carbohydrates after a workout, for instance, can optimise muscle repair and growth.

In a nutshell, if you want to get the most out of your training, you can’t ignore your diet. Good nutrition isn’t just about eating healthy foods; it’s about eating the right foods, in the right amounts, and at the right times to support your fitness goals. Remember, exercise and nutrition are two sides of the same coin. You can’t truly succeed with one without paying attention to the other. So, fuel your body adequately along your fitness journey and watch it thrive.

How does stress affect exercise?

Stress takes a toll on the mind and body, a fact most of us are well aware of. But did you know that it also impacts the effectiveness of your workouts and fitness progress? You see when you’re stressed, your body produces high levels of cortisol, a hormone that can have negative effects on both your health and the results you’re expecting from your workouts.

Cortisol is a tricky hormone. It’s needed in certain amounts for normal bodily functions and actually has a role to play in mobilising energy to fuel your workouts. But when there’s too much of it in your system, it becomes a problem. High cortisol levels can lead to muscle loss and hinder your ability to become leaner. Because it not only makes it harder to shed body fat, it can actually promote the storing of it, making it a significant impediment in the way of your fitness goals. As if that wasn’t enough, in excess cortisol is an overall catabolic hormone which can decrease lean body mass and increase energy expenditure.

The irony is, that when we’re not seeing the results we desire, we often resort to pushing our bodies even harder, cutting back on calories, or ramping up the intensity of our workouts. Unfortunately, these are also forms of stress, and can further escalate the cortisol levels in our bodies. It becomes a vicious cycle the more we push, the more stressed we become, and the less progress we see in our fitness journey, I’ve seen hundreds if not thousands of people rationalise out this mistake over the course of my career, fortunately, I’ve helped those that have worked with me avoid it.

The lesson here is that success in health & fitness is as much about managing stress as it is about the nuances of exercise and nutrition. Yes, exercise can be a fantastic stress reliever when done right. It releases endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones, and can help create a sense of calm and well-being. However, when overdone, it can exacerbate the problem rather than alleviate it.

So how can we strike the right balance and break this cycle? well, by making stress management a core component of our fitness regimes. This means not just focusing on our workouts and diet, but also ensuring we’re getting enough sleep, practising mindfulness, and incorporating cortisol-lowering relaxation activities into our daily routines.

Remember, the journey to fitness isn’t a race. It’s a balancing act where you need to look after both body and mind. So, aim to keep your stress levels in check, listen to your body, and be patient with your progress. It’s all part of the path to achieving optimal health and fitness over the longer term.

How does sleep affect exercise?

Sleep is more than just a time for your mind to unwind; it’s when your body takes centre stage to heal, repair, and fortify itself. 

You see when you’re at the gym lifting weights or doing squats, you’re essentially creating micro-tears in your muscle fibres. These tears might sound alarming, but they’re actually a good thing. It’s through repairing these tiny tears that your muscles grow stronger and bigger. And guess what? This repair and recovery process primarily happens while you’re sound asleep.

In other words, if you’re skimping on sleep, you’re also missing out on crucial recovery time. Lack of sleep leads to inadequate recovery, which can result in poor exercise performance, slower progress toward your fitness goals, and an increased risk of injury. It’s a bit like trying to build a house without giving the cement enough time to set; the structure just won’t be as strong or stable.

Moreover, sleep deprivation can disrupt the balance of important hormones in your body that are related to appetite, metabolism, and muscle recovery. So, not only does sleep deprivation affect your physical performance and recovery, but it can also influence your dietary choices and hinder progress from an otherwise well-measured exercise program.

The takeaway message here is that sleep is a non-negotiable part of a successful fitness regimen. It’s just as important as your diet and workouts, so make sure you’re getting enough of it. Aim for at least seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night. This will provide your body with ample time to recover and prepare for the next day’s challenges.

In summary, if you want to get the most out of your fitness efforts, don’t forget to catch those precious Zs. Remember, it’s not just about the work you put in at the gym, but also the recovery you allow your body afterwards. And a big part of that recovery happens when you’re tucked up in bed, sleeping.

How to tell if you are getting fitter

You’ll start to notice you’re getting fitter in a few ways. Firstly your everyday activities begin to feel easier and less laboured. You’ll have a direct contrast as this is your daily routine which is why you’ll notice this early on. Secondly, as your body composition changes, you’ll start to notice changes in how you look in the mirror and how your clothes fit. 

And if you want a little more technical data, tracking your workouts will highlight that you’re getting stronger, becoming able to lift more weights and push your cardio level further. One big thing to look out for is a lower resting heart rate, it’s a sign your body is getting more efficient and having to work less hard to sustain itself.

Exercise safety & injury prevention

• • The bookends of a workout (warm up & cool down): Every workout should have two consistent elements. Firstly a warm-up, which will ideally be a dynamic movement sequence and a thorough cool down. The warm-up will get the body primed for exercise, which will reduce injury risk and boost performance. The cool-down helps bring a psychological close to the workout and aids in the reduction of lactic acid build-up resulting in less muscle soreness. 

• • Injury prevention: It’s possible to get injured exercising, it’s an inherent risk. It can happen to a beginner or a professional athlete. However, risks can be mitigated with proper planning. The main thing you can do is practise proper lifting technique. You can also take steps to progress in challenge and intensity only in incremental steps taking too big of a jump too soon. Also, try to train when you know you are well-fuelled and have enough alertness to focus on the task at hand. 

• • Proper rest: Make sure you’re balancing your exercise efforts with plenty of rest. Think of your body like a car engine. If you’re running it ragged, without a chance to cool down or be maintained, sooner or later it’s going to break down. You don’t want that happening mid-workout.

• • Understanding pain: You might hear the advice ‘no pain no gain’ as popular fitness advice. At the risk of sounding pedantic, this should probably be rephrased as ‘no discomfort, no progress’ Of course, that’s not as catchy. The point is that yes, we need to operate outside of our comfort zone to see results, and that’s true emotionally and physically. However, training through actual pain isn’t wise and just highlights a disconnect between mind and body. There is a difference between muscle exhaustion and pain. Please don’t push through physical pain. It won’t end well. 

The hazards of exercise

Exercise is certainly good for your health, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its own risk factors. Most of which are easily mitigated with prior planning.

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• • Remote areas: Not everyone lives in a big city, if you’re going to be exercising out on the moors, a forest, a coastal path or any kind of remote area be sure to let someone know when and where you’re going and have a contingency in place for how someone would be able to get help to you. Something as seemingly benign as a mild sprained ankle could put you in a risky situation in that kind of environment, especially if the area you live in is prone to rapid weather change. Basically you want to know that someone is expecting you home at a certain time and they’ll notice if it doesn’t happen.

• • Dehydration: Dehydration is a real risk if you aren’t accustomed to drinking enough water and then get into a consistent exercise habit. This is going to be exacerbated if you’re doing HIIT cardio, hot yoga or simply exercising in a warm environment. 

• • Over-hydrating: Drinking more water than you should have can be just as dangerous as dehydration, it can even be fatal. This can easily be avoided by not over-hydrating. You might think drinking water is a good thing, but too much can cause you to excrete essential electrolytes that help regulate your heart. Excuse the detail, but you want to make sure your urine is a light yellow colour, at least for the most part. If it’s always completely transparent you are likely drinking too much water. Conversely, if your urine is a darker yellow, drink a little bit more. You’d be amazed how few people actually regularly get enough water.

• • Temperature: Extreme conditions need to be accounted for. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going Nordic walking in Scandinavia or doing an ultra run across the desert. Even jolly old England can get cold enough for black ice, and warm enough to risk heatstroke if you’re exposed to the sun for too long.

• • Personal safety: This is general advice, but it’s probably more pertinent in urban environments. Consider the areas you’ll be exercising in, and your route to and from the gym. Think seasonally too, the same park in summer isn’t necessarily as safe in the dark of winter. Likewise, in winter time you could be getting to the gym at say 3 pm. But by the time you get out of the gym at 4:30, it could be dark and that could produce a completely different environment. I remember when I lived near Venice Beach, California. The boardwalk was a completely different place in the day compared to the early evening, far less safe. That kind of local information is worth knowing. So plan accordingly.

• • Health vs fitness: One of the lesser-known nuances of health & fitness, is that there is actually a subtle difference between these two terms. You can be physically fit but in poor health and you can be perfectly healthy but deconditioned from exercise, and as such technically unfit. The former is the one you want to look out for. You could be fit enough to turn up for a 10k run at a moment’s notice. But if you are eating badly, not managing stress or are sleep deprived you may actually be in poor health, and as such at risk of disease or illness. This is why it’s so crucial to look at your exercise regime not just as a route to your fitness goals, but also as a vehicle through which you can invest in your long-term health.

Essential fitness reading list

Embarking on a new health & fitness initiative can be an exhilarating, yet often confusing experience. With the countless exercises, methods, and advice out there, it can be challenging to know where to start or how to continue making progress. This is where fitness books can be of great help. They serve as comprehensive guides, filled with knowledge and tips from some of the best minds in the industry. From explaining the basic principles of exercise and nutrition to providing in-depth workout programs and lifestyle advice, these top fitness books are valuable resources that can support you at every step of your fitness journey.

Quick note: The links below are not affiliate links, there are no affiliate links on this website

Becoming a Supple Leopard by Kelly Starrett: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance

Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimising Athletic Performance. To many, this is more than just a book. It’s a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to understand and improve their body’s intended functionality and performance.

Implementing the exercises from this book could be a game changer for those who are suffering from chronic pain, those who want to avoid future injuries, and those who want to enhance their athletic prowess.

Written by renowned physical therapist Dr. Kelly Starrett, it presents a comprehensive approach towards movement and mobility. Teaching you how to move properly in daily life as well as in high-level athletic performance. From office workers to elite athletes, this book offers invaluable insights and practical advice on how to maintain your physical health and optimise your performance.

Rebuilding Milo: The Lifter’s Guide to Fixing Common Injuries and Building a Strong Foundation for Enhancing Performance

Rebuilding Milo: The Lifter’s Guide to Fixing Common Injuries and Building a Strong Foundation for Enhancing Performance: This book offers an invaluable resource for anyone engaged in strength training or lifting sports.

Written by physical therapist and strength coach Dr. Aaron Horschig, is a veritable treasure trove of knowledge for anyone looking to not only recover from common injuries but also to prevent them in the first place.

The book provides clear, detailed instructions and illustrations for addressing issues from the feet to the neck. By helping you understand the root cause of your pain and providing targeted, scientifically-backed solutions, it enables you to build a resilient body ready for enhanced performance.

This book is not just for those currently suffering from injuries but for anyone who wants to fortify their body against future problems and build a strong, sturdy foundation for lifting and life.

Starting Strength –3rd edition by Mark Rippetoe:  This highly revered text demystifies the core principles of barbell strength training. Making it accessible to both novices and seasoned weightlifters alike.

As a keen reader, you will embark on a journey where Rippetoe’s extensive knowledge and decades of experience guide you through the art and science of building strength with barbells. This is a key resource in your resistance training journey.

My 9 core principles for success in fitness

Follow Chesterton’s fence

This principle is derived from an allegory by writer G.K. Chesterton. The allegory suggests that if you purchased some land and then came across a fence and you don’t understand its purpose, it’s wiser to leave it alone than to dismantle it.

Because you may later find out the reason for it being there, and regret having moved it. In the context of fitness, this principle encourages individuals to follow fitness programs or advice as it’s delivered by expert coaches unless they fully understand the reason behind every aspect of it.

Often, elements of a program are interconnected in ways we might not initially comprehend. By altering one part, you could inadvertently disrupt the effectiveness of the whole. It underscores the importance of trust in the coaching process and in the expertise of the professional personal trainers who have designed your fitness routine.

For example, to many, adding more sets to a workout when you have the energy may seem like a step toward a more effective workout. However, training volume is deliberately considered when a trainer builds a workout program. Too many people treat excess energy as a problem to solve when it’s actually a signal of a well-calibrated program. You can learn more about what the various aspects of a training program correlate to in my guide to testing whether an exercise program is effective.

Defend your position of health

This principle promotes the idea of active health maintenance. The concept appears to originate in ancient China, where physicians were paid a retainer to keep their patients healthy. Payment would stop only if patients fell ill, incentivising a preventative approach to healthcare.

Consider how proactively we respond to threats to our health, such as illness, by resting, taking medication, or making temporary lifestyle changes. However, in my view, we should be just as proactive in maintaining our health when we are not sick, aggressively defending a position of health.

This means taking regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, getting sufficient sleep, and managing stress should be part of our everyday life. By “defending” our health, we can prevent many illnesses before their onset and also keep our bodies in the best possible condition for achieving our fitness goals.

Over the course of my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with many highly successful people, often they have worked themselves into ill health through not consistently prioritising their health. I’m then drafted in to help try to reverse the effects and help get them back on track. As trite as it might sound, a healthy person has a thousand dreams, a sick person only one.

Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water each day can seem like a small detail, but it’s a vital habit that has a big impact on your fitness journey and overall health. I know that many of us have trouble keeping up with this simple task. It’s easy to understand why it can be tough to do something like hill sprints. They’re intense and tiring. However, when it comes to drinking water, it’s a bit more puzzling.

Our planet’s entire life system thrives on water, showing us just how important it is. If we don’t drink enough water, it can really hinder our fitness progress and overall well-being. So, it’s a habit we must prioritise.

I’ve seen many people try various ways to boost their energy levels. They take different supplements, try meditation techniques, experiment with the latest diets, and modify their workout routines countless times. Yet, they often overlook the simple act of drinking more water.

 The funny thing is, once you start getting enough water you’ll start to feel the benefits almost instantly. This in turn will motivate you to keep it up. Remember, water is key for our bodies to function correctly, so let’s not neglect this easy health booster!

Stay consistent

Consistency is the cornerstone of any successful fitness journey. It’s better to exercise regularly at a moderate intensity than to fluctuate between periods of extreme activity and complete rest. These cycles of “all or nothing” can lead to injuries, burnout, and, often, less progress toward your fitness goals. Instead, aim for regular, manageable workouts and remember that every bit of exercise contributes to your long-term progress. It’s this accumulated effort, not occasional bursts of intensity, that leads to significant, sustainable change.

This can sound like broad, dull advice but you’ve got to think it through. There are two reasons consistency is essential. Firstly because even if a period of being all in delivers great results for you, you don’t get to keep those results if you stop training and eating well, our bodies just don’t work like that.

If you want to keep your results you have to stay active. On a deeper level, it’s easy to think that exercise purely serves the purpose of manipulating your body shape and getting you fit. However, for a myriad of reasons from endorphins, to self-esteem, a regular exercise practice may be helping bolster your mental health.

Remaining unaware of this and putting a halt to your exercise practice could have serious unintended consequences. Which are only going to be made worse as you start losing your conditioning due to inactivity. Basically, we’re not always aware of the extent to which our physical activity is propping us up mentally so we would be wise never to let it go to nil.

Keep it functional

While it’s perfectly fine to have aesthetic goals, it’s vital to balance this with maintaining or enhancing your body’s functionality. Think about your favourite activities like hiking, dancing, cycling, or even simply running around after your kids or grandkids.

Whether you realise it or not, all of these involve specific, functional movements. Ensure at least a quarter of your training regimen includes exercises that support and improve these activities and what we might consider primal movement patterns, which we discussed earlier in our exercise regime quadrant.

This might involve strength training, balance work, or flexibility exercises, depending on the activity. By keeping your training functional, you protect your ability to enjoy your favourite activities long-term. After all, what’s the use of a picture-perfect physique if it’s not capable of doing the things you love? It would be like owning a luxurious apartment, built on faulty foundations.

Remember, fitness is not just about looking good but living well. So make your training functional and future-proof. If you live this way for long enough, I promise you’ll look the part too.

Listen to your body

Instinctive training emphasises the importance of paying close attention to the signals your body sends you. Over time, you’ll learn when it’s beneficial to push through a tough workout and when it’s time to rest. But remember, instinctive training is a privilege you earn through demonstrating discipline and consistency in fitness.

Until then, it can be easy to mistake the mind’s resistance for the body’s need for rest. Early in your fitness journey, you may need to rely more on a structured plan and less on instinct to ensure you’re pushing yourself appropriately. As you gain experience and knowledge, you can begin to incorporate more instinctive decision-making into your training. As you’ll know the difference between situations where taking a scheduled training session wouldn’t be in your best interest, and just not feeling like training.

Avoid comparisons

Fitness is a personal journey, and each person’s path is unique. This principle encourages you to avoid comparing your progress, achievements, or abilities to others. The problem with comparisons is that they often lead to feelings of inadequacy or dissatisfaction, and may even undermine your motivation to continue your fitness journey.

Instead of getting hung up on what others can do or what they look like, concentrate on your own growth and improvement. Keep in mind that everyone starts from different points, progresses at different rates, and has different goals.

Your mission should be to become a better version of yourself, not to emulate someone else. Embracing this principle can help you stay focused, maintain a positive mindset, and fully enjoy the process of becoming fitter and healthier.

Mental health matters

The focus on physical fitness shouldn’t overshadow the importance of mental health. Mental well-being is crucial for overall health and can directly influence your fitness journey. Stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues can hinder your motivation, performance, and recovery. On the flip side,regular exercise can help manage mental health issues by reducing anxiety, improving mood, and promoting better sleep.

However, it’s also essential to seek professional help if you’re struggling with your mental health. Taking time for relaxation, practising mindfulness, connecting with loved ones, and ensuring you have outlets for stress are just as important for your health as hitting the gym.

Emphasising mental health within your fitness routine can lead to a more balanced, sustainable, and successful journey toward wellness.

Prioritise well-being

This principle emphasises the importance of looking at health and wellness from a comprehensive perspective. Rather than focusing solely on physical fitness. This approach considers mental, emotional, and even spiritual aspects of health. In practical terms, it means taking care of your body through proper nutrition and regular exercise. But also nurturing your mind with positive thoughts, managing stress effectively, fostering strong social connections, and pursuing activities that give you a sense of purpose.

A holistic approach acknowledges that all of these elements are interconnected and equally vital in promoting overall well-being. It’s about creating harmony between different areas of your life and achieving a state of health that makes you feel good on all fronts, not just physically. Embracing a holistic approach to wellness ensures you are not just surviving, but thriving, in your everyday life.

Beyond Convention: The artistry of fitness

In the vast realm of fitness, much as in art, there are countless conventions that dictate what’s considered ‘right’ or ‘standard’. While I’ve outlined many of these above, it’s crucial to understand that these conventions whether they be routines, exercises, or diets are mere guidelines, not fixed rules. They are borrowed, adapted, and at times, blindly accepted. If clung to too rigidly, they risk becoming dogmatic.

I urge you to view these conventions with a discerning eye. As time passes and you gain experience, embrace what aligns with your unique needs and let go of what doesn’t. The essence of fitness, like art, is personal and thrives on the harmony of intuition and a deliberate mind-body connection. While we sculpt our bodies, we also mould our minds. Use these conventions as a foundation, but always be the chief architect of your journey.

It’s not merely about physical prowess; it’s about connecting deeply with oneself. True success in fitness, and in life, is marked by those who understand the conventions so well that they know precisely when to deviate from them.

As you navigate this balance between discipline and innovation, you’ll discover your unique rhythm and strength. Remember the words of visionary music producer Rick Rubin, “Discipline is not a lack of freedom; it is a harmonious relationship with time.”

In your fitness odyssey, know that it’s not about blind adherence but discerning application. Stay disciplined, remain consistent, and trust your intuition. Fitness is more than shaping your body; it equips you with the momentum to master every facet of your life. That’s a pursuit truly worth every drop of sweat.

Frequently asked beginner fitness questions