GET HEALTHY: How to get started on the road to fitness the safe way

The frequency of each component can vary greatly, depending on current fitness level, health and goals. For beginners, resistance training two to three times weekly, cardio most days of the week for 30 minutes, and stretching after workouts, is sufficient to see progress. Although the frequency and duration of your workouts is important, exercising at the right intensity is the biggest factor towards experiencing noticeable results. A moderately winded pace, such as when taking a brisk walk, or lifting weights that fatigue the muscles by eight to 10 reps, are good starting points.

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Rest between workouts is also very important. Individual differences and variations in intensity make it impossible to determine with complete accuracy how much time should elapse between workouts. Allow too much rest and you could potentially lose progress, while too little and you risk overtraining. A good rule of thumb is to allow a minimum of 36 to 48 hours of rest with resistance training before working the same muscle group again. The greater the intensity, the more time you should give yourself for recovery. If you find that you are still sore from your previous workout, give yourself extra time.

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Note: There is a difference between muscle soreness and joint pain. When you are working out, you should not feel pain or instability in the joints, which could be a sign of a pre-existing injury or overtraining. Most people become aware gradually over time that they may be overtraining. In addition to joint problems, signs of overtraining can include poor overall exercise performance, decrease in strength, feeling burned out, fatigued, chronic aches, difficulty sleeping, and mood swings.

Safety first: The ability to identify and distinguish between normal and abnormal responses to exercise has literally meant the difference between life and death for thousands of individuals each year. Sudden shortness of breath or weakness, extreme fatigue, unusually rapid or weak heartbeat, sudden pain, dizziness, speech or sight disturbances, and/or nausea experienced during physical activity are warning signals. If any of these symptoms occur, stop exercising and tell someone what you are experiencing. If your symptoms don't go away quickly, immediate medical attention should be obtained. If they go away but then return, this should be reported to your doctor.