s ’ r e n n i g Be t n e m e v o M Guide
with
Matt Brown
Exercise Book
Movement FAQs for Beginners We know that because you have downloaded our Beginner’s Guide to Exercise, you are serious about adding movement and exercise to your lifestyle. But starting movement can be hard, how much should you do? What should you do? How quickly will I see results? Here, we asked our movement expert to answer your burning movement questions!
What advice would you give to someone who hasn’t exercised in a very long time? My advice for someone who hasn’t exercised in a long time is to take it steady and don’t go in full throttle! It can be tempting to throw yourself into movement that is above your ability and this is sure fire way to get an injury, or worse, it can be unsustainable and you won’t want to carry on. Have you ever heard of the phrase Rome wasn’t built in a day? You can apply this to your exercise routine! You don’t need to be lifting heavy weights, or burning hundred of calories each time you do movement or exercise. So, as long as you are doing some exercise you are traveling towards a positive result.
When should I exercise? In simple terms - when you are able to. Work life balance is hard to get correct so if you have a slot of time in the day to do your exercise please don’t put off! You can’t get that opportunity back.
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Working with us at The Slimming Clinic, you will build a plan that helps you with what exercise to do and how often to do it. We put you front and centre to help you achieve whatever you set out to.
What sort of exercise should I be doing? There is not one best exercise movement to do as everyone is beautifully unique. As long as you are moving more than before, you are succeeding. If you are looking to tone up you will need to look to lift, pull or push a resistance such as weights. There are many types of resistance machines. If you are a gym member you are best to ask the trainers in the gym for their professional advice. You are always best doing exercises that you enjoy! This will help you continue to do them. You are more likely to give up on exercise if you are doing things you do not enjoy. Using this beginner’s guide will help you get the basics of movements, so find the ones you enjoy!
How much exercise should I be doing? If you’re just starting out, begin with 20 minutes per day, building to 30 minutes as you feel able to. Never forget some is better than none! The World Health Organization guidelines state that for “Adults aged 18 – 64, (they) should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.” However, if you are new to this, it just means just moving more - you don’t have to think about running or doing something outside of your comfort zone.
How long until I see results of exercising? The good news is after every exercise you will get a rise in endorphins that make you feel good! So you will get positive exercise results almost as soon as you finish you exercise. The more you do the better you will feel too – you should notice your mood lifting, your energy increasing and your well-being improving with every bit of exercise you do. Results are hard to measure however using body composition scales that let us look into your body and how it is proportioned can help measure the physical changes. Before you start your movement programme, step on some body composition scales and note down your measurements. When you complete your programme, step back on the scales and see how you’ve changed!
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Instructions for your 28-day programme Within the next pages, you will find your workouts, individual instructions and plans for the next 28 days. Take each week as it comes and don’t try to rush onto the next week, if you are not ready to move on. Each week, the exercises will stay the same, but the routines will get progressively harder, so take your time to make sure you are comfortably challenging yourself to grow and progress, but not injuring yourself how you can get your steps in! Before you get started, here are our instructions for the coming 28 days. •
Familiarise yourself with the exercises – Matt Brown, your Slimming Clinic Personal Trainer, has recorded each move and the correct form you should take when doing them.
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Do each circuit once a week, picking 3 days to exercise on and 4 days to rest
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On rest days, try adding in a gentle activity you enjoy or alternatively, make sure you get 8000 - 10,000 steps on rest days
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We have put together a suggested exercise plan for you, but pick the best days for your exercise and rest - you know yourself best
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We suggest doing no more than 2 days of exercise back-to-back, to allow your body time to recover from the exercise
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Try and find a time to fit in the exercise, and make it part of your routine. Each circuit should only take 20-30 minutes, so make sure you block off that time in your diary.
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Each week, the intensity of your exercise will increase. You can choose how many reps to do, but remember to challenge yourself. Don’t allow it to get too easy.
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If you feel any pain in exercising, stop immediately and consult your Slimming Clinic doctor
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There is a real difference between pain and soreness. Soreness is normal, pain is not
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If there is a particular exercise you feel pain in the most, talk to us and we can find an alternative, or skip that exercise
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When should I exercise? Remember to track your progress, write down how many reps of each exercise you do that day - just see-how strong getto. over the next 4 weeks. In simple terms when youyou arewill able
Work life balance is hard to get correct so if you have a slot of time in the day to do your exercise please You can’t get that opportunity back. Good luck and we don’t hope put you off! enjoy!
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Working with us at The Slimming Clinic, you will build a plan that helps you with what exercise to do and how often to do it. We put you front and centre to help you achieve whatever you set out to.
Your Suggested Exercise Plan: Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Workout #1
8,000 Steps
Rest Day
Workout #2
8,000 Steps
Workout #1
Rest Day
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Workout #2
8,000 Steps
Rest Day
Workout #3
8,000 Steps
Workout #2
Rest Day
Day 15
Day 16
Day 17
Day 18
Day 19
Day 20
Day 21
Workout #3
9,000 Steps
Rest Day
Workout #4
9,000 Steps
Workout #3
Rest Day
Day 22
Day 23
Day 24
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
Day 28
Workout #4
10,000 Steps
Rest Day
Workout #5
10,000 Steps
Workout #5
COMPLETED!
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DOMS & Soreness When starting a movement programme, or adding movement to your lifestyle, we can often experience soreness in our muscles that makes it hard to do even the simplest tasks like walking upstairs or sitting down! The soreness we feel can range from feeling a little tender in the muscles, to being unable to complete full ranges of motions, due to severe aches! The soreness most often comes on a few hours after working out, and peaks around 24 – 48 hours after we have finished the exercise routine. This soreness is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – or DOMS for short. In the past, you might have heard it called lactic acid build up, but this has now been proven to not be the cause of our soreness after exercising.
What are DOMS? DOMS are microscopic tears in your muscle fibres, caused by exercises that your muscles aren’t used to doing. Although that might sound a little scary, it really isn’t. These microscopic tears are the muscles adapting to the exercise you have done, and when they heal, they will be better equipped to do the exercise again, meaning you can push yourself harder and build lean, stronger muscles. The soreness comes from the inflammation within the muscles, as they try to repair. As your muscles adapt, you are likely to experience DOMS less as the muscles get stronger!
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Symptoms of DOMS Symptoms of DOMS may include: •
Muscles feeling really tender to even a light touch
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Reduced range of motion and stiffness
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Slight swelling in the affected muscles
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Short-term loss of strength
How to deal with DOMS You might be tempted to rest when your muscles feel this sore, but the best thing you can do is to keep mobile and doing gentle movement, like walking or swimming. It might feel counter-intuitive when you feel sore, but staying still will make the muscles stiffen further and can make the soreness worse. Where is it really sore, try to avoid any strenuous exercise, as this won’t allow your muscles time to heal. Take a few days off until the worst of the pain has eased off. Make sure you stay hydrated and if it is truly, very sore, you can take some anti-inflammatories. Whilst you have DOMS, you might notice that you are a few lbs heavier on the scales, that is because your body is holding onto water, in order to reduce your inflammation. However, this weight will soon drop off, once your muscles are less sore.
Difference between DOMS and Pain There is a marked difference between DOMS and pain from exercising. Pain is often prolonged and feels like…well…pain! DOMS is more of a soreness in the muscles and passes within a few days. If you are still experiencing pain more than 4 days after exercising, it could be more than DOMS.
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Week #1 Exercise Programme Here is week #1 of your beginner’s movement programme. Remember to read the instructions and notes very carefully before starting.
Instructions Do 8-10 reps of each exercise. Repeat each circuit 3 times Move immediately on to the next exercise, until the circuit is complete Rest for 60 seconds between each circuit
Week 1 – Circuit 1 High Knees Side Steps Lying Knee Raise Jumping Jacks Wall Press Ups - Wide Arms
Week 1 – Circuit 2 Standing Punches Squats
Notes & Hints
Static Bear Hold
Starting off this week, be gentle with yourself!
Standing Toe Mar--ch
If it has been a while since you exercised, take your time and make sure you have watched the instruction videos for each exercise to ensure correct form.
Week 1 – Circuit 3
If you experience any pain, please stop the exercise.
Dead Bugs
Remember: It is normal to experience soreness when starting exercise, but not PAIN.
Wall Press - Close Arm
If you want more motivation, why not pop on your favourite music to give you a boost?
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Climbing The Rope
Bicep Curls (W) Lying Glute Bridge Jumping Jacks
Week 1 Exercise Log Tracking your progress and how you feel when exercising is really important. Use the below tracker to note down the exercise you have done, how heavy the weights were (where applicable) and how many reps you managed per set.
Also note down how you felt before the exercise routine and how you felt after. Circuit 1 Exercise
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 2 Exercise
Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 3 Exercise
Set 2
Emotions
Set 2
Set 1
Set 2
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
How I felt Before
How I felt Before
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
How I felt Before
How I felt After
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Week #2 Exercise Programme Well done for completing week #1. How are you feeling? If you have experienced some soreness in your muscles, so we hope you read the pages on DOMs/ muscle soreness and were able to help where things might have felt tender!
Instructions Do 8-10 reps of each exercise. Repeat each circuit 4 times Move immediately on to the next exercise, until the circuit is complete Rest for 60 seconds between each circuit
Week 2 – Circuit 1 High Knee Sprint Overhead DB Press Bicycle Crunches Burpee On Chair Lunge Jump
Week 2 – Circuit 2 Knee Press Up Stand and Reach (W)
10
Notes & Hints
Plank Hold
This week you will see the intensity grow a little.
Reverse Fly
The reps stay the same, but you repeat the circuits one more time.
Week 2 – Circuit 3
Where you see a (W) next to the exercise, add in a small weight, and see how it feels. If it is too hard, remove the weight from the exercise and do it without. If it feels too easy, add a higher weight!
Bicep Curl
Go at your own pace, but remember to challenge yourself!
Glute Bridge
Side Bends
Standing March Dead Bugs Squat Reach (W)
Week 2 Exercise Log Don’t forget to track your exercise this week - are your reps increasing? Or maybe you’re not feeling as out of breath?
Make sure to note down any emotions or physical stress you might be feeling. Circuit 1 Exercise
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 2 Exercise
Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 3 Exercise
Set 2
Emotions
Set 2
Set 1
Set 2
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
How I felt Before
How I felt Before
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
How I felt Before
How I felt After
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Week #3 Exercise Programme Wow – you’re halfway through already! Huge congratulations. We hope you are starting to feel stronger and healthier in yourself. Are you noticing your mental health and levels of energy increasing? Don’t forget to keep tracking how you are getting on!
Instructions Do 10 - 14 reps of each exercise. Repeat each circuit 3 times Move immediately on to the next exercise, until the circuit is complete Rest for 40 seconds between each circuit
Notes & Hints This week, your rest between circuits lessens. You now only have 40 seconds between circuits to catch your breath! You should also increase the amount of reps you do too. Remember to challenge yourself, but don’t hurt yourself! Where there are weighted exercises, try increasing the weights you use. If it challenges you so that the last reps are hard to do, then that is where you should be. If it is too hard with heavier weights, drop back down to the weights you used in week 2.
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Week 3 – Circuit 1 High Knee Sprint Overhead DB Press Biycle Crunches Burpee Reverse Lunges (W)
Week 3 – Circuit 2 Knee Press Up Stand and Reach (W) Plank Hold Standing Punches (W) Reverse Fly (W)
Week 3 – Circuit 3 Bicep Curl (W) Mountain Climbers Dead Bugs Squats(W) Glute Bridge
Week 3 Exercise Log Hopefully this week you might see how far you’ve already come in your movement programme! Are you using heavier weights? Or perhaps your moods are much better?
Note it all down! Circuit 1 Exercise
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 2 Exercise
Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 3 Exercise
Set 2
Emotions
Set 2
Set 1
Set 2
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
How I felt Before
How I felt Before
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
How I felt Before
How I felt After
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Week #4 Exercise Programme It is your final week – well done for sticking with it. We are really proud of how you are doing. By now, exercise should be a part of your routine and the moves should be becoming easier for you to do. Remember, if they feel too easy, keep challenging yourself with some weights!
Instructions
Week 4 – Circuit 1
Do 10 - 14 reps of each exercise.
Overhead DB Press
Repeat each circuit 4 times Move immediately on to the next exercise, until the circuit is complete Rest for 40 seconds between each circuit
High Knee Sprint Bicycle Cruches Burpee Reverse Lunges (W)
Week 4 – Circuit 2 Knee Press Up Mountain Climbers
Notes & Hints
14
Plank Hold Lunge Jumps
In your final week, your reps stay the same, but you repeat each circuit 4 times
Reverse Fly (W)
The exercises are the same as week 3 - but you should challenge yourself with heavier weights, or do more than 14 reps, if you’re feeling strong!
Bicep Curl (W)
If you fancy a change, why not make your own circuit this week - with your favourite exercises from the last 4 weeks?
Squats(W)
Week 4 – Circuit 3 Side Bends Bear Crawls Lying Glute Bridge
Week 4 Exercise Log In your final week, really try and push yourself to completing your most reps possible per exercise.
Challenge yourself to see how much you can do! Circuit 1 Exercise
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 2 Exercise
Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
Set 1
Circuit 3 Exercise
Set 2
Emotions
Set 2
Set 1
Set 2
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
Reps Managed Weight
How I felt Before
How I felt Before
How I felt After
Emotions Set 3
How I felt Before
How I felt After
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Weight Loss Tracker
Week
Starting
1
Weight Lbs change
Measure Waist Hips Right
Left
Right
Left
R
Thighs Upper Arms
Weekly Co
Please use the below space to detail how you get on we
Mood / Comments / How did the week go?
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Here is your weight loss and mood tracker for your 4 weeks on your beginner’s movement programme.
Come back at the end of every week and complete the form!
2
3
4 - END RESULTS!
ements
Right
Left
Right
Left
Right
Left
omments
eek-by-week, taking note of your mood and how you felt
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0800 917 9334 info@theslimmingclinic.com