No one is born an expert. Consistency, hardwork and determination makes the person an expert in any field. This applies to working out in the gym also.
When you first start working out, you focus on learning the basics and building a solid foundation. But as you get stronger and more confident, it’s natural to want to take things to the next level.
Transitioning from a beginner to an intermediate gym routine means pushing your limits a bit more and trying new things to keep making progress. In this guide, we’ll show you how to assess your current fitness, increase workout intensity, and expand your routine in simple, manageable steps.
Assessing Your Current Fitness Level
Before you start changing your routine, it’s important to know where you stand. Assessing your current fitness level means understanding what you’re already capable of.
For example, how much weight can you comfortably lift? How long can you run or cycle? Are you able to complete your workouts without feeling too exhausted? Keeping track of your workouts in a journal or app can help you see how far you’ve come and where you can improve. This way, you’ll know when you’re ready to increase intensity or try new exercises.
Increasing Workout Intensity
To get stronger and more fit, you need to gradually push yourself beyond your comfort zone. This doesn’t mean overdoing it or risking injury, but it does mean making small adjustments to make your workouts harder. You can do this in several ways:
- Increase Weight: If you’ve been lifting the same weight for a while, try going up by 1-2 Kilograms.
- Add Reps: If you’re used to doing 10 reps, aim for 12 or 15.
- Reduce Rest Time: If you usually rest for 60 seconds between sets, try cutting it down to 30 or 45 seconds.
For cardio, you can make your workouts more challenging by running at a faster pace, increasing the incline on a treadmill, or adding intervals where you switch between high and low intensity.
Expanding Routine Variety
Doing the same exercises over and over can get boring and might limit your progress. That’s why it’s important to add variety to your routine as you move to the intermediate level.
You can start by incorporating new exercises that target different muscles or challenge your body in new ways. For instance:
- If you usually do squats, try adding lunges or deadlifts.
- Switch between machines and free weights to work your muscles differently.
- Explore new fitness equipment like kettlebells, resistance bands, or medicine balls.
You can also mix up your routine by trying new types of workouts. If you’ve been focusing only on strength training, add in some cardio or flexibility exercises, like yoga or pilates. This keeps things fresh and helps you improve in different areas of fitness.
Conclusion
Moving from a beginner to intermediate gym routine is all about making gradual, thoughtful changes. By checking where you are now, increasing your workout intensity, and adding variety to your exercises, you’ll keep progressing and stay motivated.
If you’re looking for a place that supports your fitness journey, Nitro Gym in DSO & Al Barsha offers the perfect environment to help you reach your goals.
The most important thing is to enjoy the journey, celebrate your progress, and remember that consistency is key. Keep challenging yourself, and you’ll continue to see great results!