If you’re body-conscious, lacking confidence or haven’t done any exercise since school P.E. lessons, the gym is unlikely to appeal. Even the idea of walking into a mirror-filled room, packed with confusing equipment and grunting blokes can bring many out in a cold sweat.
Exercise shouldn’t be an ordeal. In fact, it should be fun. The key to getting started with exercise is doing something you enjoy, no matter how insignificant it may seem. It’s always better to do something than nothing.
The main reason people fail to stick to an exercise programme, or even begin one, is that they set unrealistic goals for themselves. They decide they must start training at the gym five times a week and attain a toned beach bod within six weeks. Never mind that they don’t have the basic fitness, knowledge or time to attain that.
If you’ve been out of exercise for a while, start small. Little changes make all the difference. Make every effort to move more – walk, cycle or take the stairs. And don’t feel compelled to join a gym.
I train many of my clients at home with basic equipment and they achieve the same excellent results as my gym-based clients. Training at home saves my clients time and money, offers privacy and fits around their work and childcare commitments. The workouts are varied, highly effective and require little space.
I do a lot of kettlebell training with my clients because it offers such a huge range of benefits. Kettlebell training is hugely demanding and my clients see a rapid improvement in their strength and conditioning levels. Kettlebells build muscle, burn fat and torch calories – typically 700 per hour in an average training session. Most exercises work multiple muscles and target neglected muscles such as the back, hamstrings and glutes. If you’d like a perkier rear end, kettlebells are the quickest way to achieve one. Added to that, kettlebells improve co-ordination, balance and flexibility, making them a dream fitness tool.
Kettlebell training requires far less time than other forms of exercise. A comprehensive HIIT workout can be completed in half an hour or less and will burn twice the calories of a run round the park. Many of my clients purchase their own kettlebells (they don’t break the bank at around £10 each) and complete short workouts when they get home from work or when their children are taking a nap.
I’m a committed gym addict, but with my busy work schedule, it’s not always easy to fit in my daily visits. A quick kettlebell workout at home gives me a full body blitz and that all-important endorphin hit.
The best place to train is wherever you will do your best workouts and train consistently. You only get results if you stick to an exercise programme in the longer term. That means choosing an activity you enjoy and that fits with your schedule. Great bodies aren’t just made in the gym. They can be made in your spare room, garage or local park.
So what’s kettlebell training all about? Take a look at this beginners’ workout to see if it could be for you.
