Recommended introductory fitness training courses for novices

Stop paying the IQ tax for those Internet celebrity courses that “lose 10 pounds in seven days” and “beginners can build their waistline in one month”. For 90% of novice fitness beginners with zero basic knowledge, the most cost-effective, lowest risk of injury, and easiest to adhere to introductory course combination is “1-2 basic movement pattern correction private lessons + 2-3 times a week 20-minute low-load full-body circulation group class + "A light-intensity special enlightenment class that interests you." There is really no need to apply for thousands of annual passes or buy dozens of personal training gift packages. Try this combination for half a month first, which is much more effective than practicing blindly for three months.

Let’s talk about this movement pattern correction class first. Many people think that personal training is like cutting leeks when they hear it. Indeed, there are many coaches fishing in troubled waters in the gym now. There are many people who dare to go on stage to teach people to deadlift just two weeks after training. Many veterans in the fitness circle will also say that there is no need for newbies to spend money to take classes. There are a lot of basic movement teaching videos from Jeff and the national team on Bilibili, and they are done practicing. This is actually true, but the premise is that you have to correct yourself. A young girl from my previous department practiced deadlifting in front of a video for a week. She felt that her movements were very standard, so she took a video to show me. The whole process was all about bending down and using strength. It’s strange that her waist didn’t hurt. Later, she spent 600 yuan to buy two private lessons to learn the force generation patterns of the three basic movements of squatting, pushing, and pulling. To put it bluntly, she understood that hip flexion means sitting back with the buttocks, not bending over, and bench pressing means chest force generation, not arm strength. Now, after practicing for almost a year, she has not suffered any injuries, and she can press 40kg on the bench press.

Of course, if you have strong hands-on skills and can learn anything quickly, and you can compare and identify problems by taking pictures of your movements in the mirror, then the money can be saved to buy a pair of good training shoes, and there is no need to spend it on personal trainers. If you really want to find it, don't let the coach fool you into buying a rehabilitation gift package for more than ten sessions. They say that you only need to learn basic movements. Choose a coach with national professional, ACE or NSCA certification. One or two sessions will be enough.

Let’s talk about this low-load full-body circuit class. If you go to the gym, it is an introductory group class without running or jumping, each set of movements is only done for 30 seconds, and there is a 15-second rest in between. Chain gyms such as Super Orangutan and Leke basically have it, and a single purchase only costs 20 to 30 yuan. Don’t be embarrassed to go because the intensity is low. I have seen many veterans who have been practicing for two or three years stop practicing for two months after the epidemic. After returning to this class, their legs were so sore the next day that they were shaking when walking down the stairs. Many novices want to do something big when they first start, either running five kilometers or doing HIIT for 40 minutes. The next day, their whole body hurts so much that they have trouble even putting on socks, so they give up. It's really not possible. Just choose the 20-minute introductory version. After practicing, you will sweat a little, and your muscles will be a little sore the next day. It will not affect your normal life at all. If you can insist on going two or three times a week, you will slowly develop a habit.

Some people also say that this kind of class is useless. It is better to just go to the iron to increase your strength quickly. This is indeed true, but you must first clarify your priorities: for novices, being able to persist is more important than anything else. If you practice once and it hurts for three days, and you can't even attend the class, then what's the use of increasing your strength?

Finally, let’s talk about this special enlightenment class. This all depends on your personal preferences. If you like to jump, go to the Jazz Introduction class. If you like to smash and vent, go to the boxing experience class. If you like to slow down, go to Yin Yoga. Even if you want to take a trampoline class, it’s fine. Many people’s misunderstanding about fitness is that you have to lift weights and lose weight. In fact, this is not the case. I first joined the gym because I just thought boxing was fun. I looked forward to boxing classes twice a week. It took me three months to slowly start strength training. If I was forced to squat and lift every day from the beginning, I would have given up on it long ago.

Of course, there are also many people who think that special classes are just fancy and not as efficient as pure strength training. In fact, there is no need to argue about this matter. If you hate lifting weights, then no matter how efficient you are, it will be useless if you don’t practice. Find a sport that you are willing to make time for every week, which is more effective than any high-efficiency class.

Finally, just a few words. Don’t be led astray by the fitness anxiety on the Internet. Some people say that novices must practice the three major items first. Some people say that freehand fitness is the king. Some people say that as long as you control your eating and lying down, you can lose weight. They are all right, but they may not be suitable for you. You should try the combination I mentioned at the beginning for two weeks. If you feel comfortable, continue practicing. If you feel that any part is not suitable for you, change it. There is no standard answer to fitness. The class that makes you happy after practicing and willing to come back next time is the most suitable introductory class for you.

Oh, by the way, here’s a reminder: don’t buy the kind of online “beginner-specific fitness plans” worth hundreds of dollars. Most of them are general templates that you can pick up on the Internet. It doesn’t matter whether you have any sports foundation or whether you have old knee injuries. If you really want to find a plan, it’s better to read the public fitness guide issued by the provincial team or the national team. They are all free and much more reliable than those who cut leeks.