Beginners guide to getting started in an exercise routine

Everyone benefits from regular exercise. But once we start any workout regime, it can be easy to quickly lose steam. Trying a new sport can sometimes be daunting for a beginner and finding like-minded people is a great way to both take the first steps and keep motivated. Here are some tips to get started.

Running

The great thing about running is that the only equipment you need to get started is a pair of trainers and Salford Quays is a wonderful place to start. Whether you walk, jog or run, park runs are a fun way to get started and make new friends along the way. There are free, weekend park runs taking place all over the world. And if there isn’t one near you, the park run community will help you set up a new event for your community.

Cycling

If you haven’t ridden a bike since childhood, getting back on the saddle can feel intimidating. Once started it is a freeing form of exercise that is also a fantastic way of getting around the city quickly, enabling you to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. However, there is a lot to consider before you get started. What bike to choose, what to wear and safety concerns are all issues that can be difficult for a novice to navigate. Adult cycle classes are a good place to start, and many cities offer free cycle training and advice on equipment, cycle routes and coping with traffic.

Swimming

The pandemic has encouraged us all to enjoy exercise outdoors and open water swimming, sometimes called wild swimming, is an invigorating way to inject a real sense of adventure into your work out. Temperatures are much cooler than an indoor pool so wearing a wet-suit is advised. Regular open water swimmers will probably want to buy their own, but to get started it might be best to borrow one first before you invest. The UK is home to more than 150 clubs who train and compete in open water swimming. In Salford Quays both U-Swim and Helly Hanson watersports centre have regular sessions, with safety teams on hand, to help get you started.

Dancing

The popularity of TV shows us Strictly and The Masked Dancer have put dancing on the top of many people’s list of skills they’d like to learn. Again, you don’t need much to get started, just turn up some tunes and start moving. But if you’re keen to know your fox trot from your cha cha, hustle from the merengue then joining a dance class might be for you. By signing up for group dance lessons you get to make friends and work out those hard to reach muscles without often thinking about it as exercise because it’s so much fun and once in the groove you won’t need to worry about finding the motivation to keep fit.