Find your way to start running today

Have you always wanted to start running, but just don’t know where to start?

May be you have an event you want to aim for – well slow and steady wins the race! In the Winter months it’s far too cold and dark outside so bring your training indoors to one of our 13 gyms.

It will feel great to get back to a health and wellness routine and you can give yourself a big high-5 for getting started on your way to 5k. Aim to follow this routine 2-3 times a week. 

It all starts with a good warm up!

Start with 5-10 minutes of work on a cardiovascular machine of your choice.  
Think a brisk walk or a light jog on a treadmill, a medium intensity session on a rowing machine or a good cycle pace on a bike. 
The goal is to get your heart rate increased and your muscles warmed ahead of your main workout.

Build your stamina in your workout.

Aim to complete 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions of the following exercises, and rest for 30-45 seconds between each set.

Be sure to choose a weight that provides a comfortable challenge as you start.

Leg press

A compound weight training exercise in which the individual pushes a weight or resistance away from them using their legs.
Leg extension

A resistance weight training exercise that targets the quadriceps muscle in the legs.
Leg curl

An isolation exercise that targets the hamstring muscles.
Hip adductor 

Resistance weight training that trains the muscles inside of the thighs.
Hip abduction 

Resistance weight training that trains the muscles for turning the thigh outwards.

Finish by getting the heart pumping!

Hit the treadmill and aim to move for 10-15 minutes at a pace you feel comfortable with.

Record your total distance and as you build up your fitness, aim to push yourself a little bit more during this time and beat your previous best or run for a little longer.

Don't forget to cool down.

Pick any cardiovascular machine - Treadmill, Bike, Rower – and aim to move for 5 minutes at an easy pace, to reduce your heart rate before completing your session. 

All you need to know

What are sets and repetitions?

This is the number of times you do an exercise before you stop for a rest.

Sets are simply groups of repetitions. So 10 press ups, followed by a rest, followed by another 10 press ups is two sets of 10 reps.

How much weight should I lose?

Enough to make the move challenging. Each repetition should go at the same speed.

If you feel like you are slowing down, it’s time to stop.

Pushing yourself until you can’t do anymore, is useful to build muscle bulk, but not so much for strength training.

How many reps should I be doing?

The general rule is that using a weight that allows you to get through one to five repetitions will help to build up strength.

How much should I rest?

If you are training for fat loss try to keep your rests to less than 1 minute.

For strength and muscle rest for between 90-120 seconds.

How do I progress?

At Active Northumberland you can book an ELEVATE fitness pathway session with one of our expert health and fitness team for a more tailored programme.