If you are new to exercise or are coming back from a long period of inactivity, there are things you should do to make sure that your exercise program is effective and brings benefits, not injury or pain.
Pre-exercise screening
Pre-exercise screening is used to identify people with medical conditions that may put them at a higher risk of experiencing a health problem during physical activity. It is a filter or ‘safety net’ to help decide if the potential benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for you, and whether you require referral to a GP or allied health professional prior to undertaking physical activity. Print a copy of the adult pre-exercise screening tool and discuss it with your doctor or exercise professional.
You may need to visit your doctor before starting physical activity
If you answer ‘yes’ to some of the questions from the adult pre-exercising screening tool, see a doctor before starting physical activity. These questions include:
- Has your doctor ever told you that you have a heart condition or have you ever suffered a stroke?
- Do you ever experience unexplained pains in your chest at rest or during physical activity and exercise?
- Do you ever feel faint or have spells of dizziness during physical activity and exercise that causes you to lose balance?
- Have you had an asthma attack requiring immediate medical attention at any time over the last 12 months?
- If you have diabetes (type I or type II), have you had trouble controlling your blood glucose in the last three months?
- Do you have any diagnosed muscle, bone or joint problems that you have been told could be made worse by participating in physical activity or exercise?
- Do you have any other medical condition(s) that may make it dangerous for you to participate in physical activity or exercise?
Setting goals for physical activity
Setting goals gives you something to work towards and provides you with a way to measure how well you are doing over a period of time. When it comes to succeeding at your exercise program, setting goals and monitoring your progress will help you stay on track and get you to where you want to go.
One of the first steps is to identify why your health is important to you. Ask yourself what you want to get out of becoming more active. Think about the benefits you want to experience if you choose to be more active, as well as the barriers that are holding you back. It may be helpful to make a list of the pros and cons. Which barriers do you feel strongest about? What are the benefits that you want to experience?
Start physical activity gently
If you are currently inactive or feel your fitness level is low, it is highly recommended that you consult a health or exercise professional before commencing activity. Otherwise, start gently with a short session of an activity that you feel you can manage. Build your confidence and fitness level with a number of short sessions.
Exercise progression is unique to every person, so if you have not exercised for some time, progress slowly. Increase the length and the intensity of your exercise session gradually. Don’t push yourself straight away. Injury or discomfort can occur and this may reduce your motivation levels.
Stretching, warming up and cooling down
As the name suggests, the warm-up is designed to increase your body’s internal temperature and warm your muscles to prevent muscle strains and joint sprains. The best way is to start off at a leisurely pace, and then pick up speed. Usually a 5 to 10-minute warm-up is all you'll need, but this will vary from person to person and if the weather is cold.
Start with light aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling or rowing – you can do these easily using the exercise machines at the gym, but if you are at home, here is another five-minute warm-up suggestion – and a few dynamic stretches.
Dynamic stretching involves slow, repetitive, controlled movements through the full range of motion, performing movements you will be using in your chosen physical activity. You can start slower, and with a smaller range of motion, and increase speed and range of motion gradually.
For the last five minutes of your exercise, slow down and allow your body to cool down gradually, letting your heart rate and breathing rate come back to normal.
Stretching suggestions
Stretching should be part of your warm-up and cool-down routines. Stretching can help prepare your body and mind for exercise. Recent research suggests that including dynamic stretching in your warm up, which focuses on the muscles you are about to use, is probably best.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for physical activity
Make sure you have comfortable clothing, a suitable pair of shoes and water (as well as sunscreen and a hat if you are outside). Your shoes should provide good support and the best type will depend on the activity you are doing. The wrong type of shoe may cause foot pain or blisters.
Getting the technique right for your chosen physical activity
If you are trying something new, or getting back into an activity you have not done for a while, it might pay to get some coaching or expert instruction. Depending on the activity, incorrect or poor technique may lead to injury or soreness.
Where to get help
If you do not want a trainer to help you with your workout routine and you make up your own workouts, this information is for you. Too many people start random workout programs that they find online, from a magazine or from friends without thoroughly knowing whether they are ready for such a program.
Many injuries happen to individuals who are motivated to make the change but attempt way too much, too soon, doing things too fast without any progression at all.
My first rule for people who want to self-program their training is that they need to perform a quick self-assessment. For instance, if it has been a while since you have trained or attempted new activities like lifting weights, check yourself with a few of the following events to see where you are and how you recover.
Ask yourself: What is my goal? Is the goal a new one, or is it just that you want to perform better on your military fitness test, run a five-kilometer race, enter a powerlifting competition or lose 20 pounds?
Whatever the goal is, here is a list of activities to help you avoid the early injuries that stop many in their tracks just as they are getting started.
Take a Fitness Test
No matter what tactical fitness test you must master, take it first. See whether you can complete the events in the time allowed or complete the timed run without walking. Understanding what your strengths and weaknesses are can help you develop a plan for yourself that focuses on improving your weaknesses and maintaining the strengths you already have, either naturally or from previous training cycles.
Try a Workout and Assess
Whatever the workout is that you found or created, go through the motions of the exercises for a few days with light weight or lower-repetition calisthenics at about 50% of what is required. This is a good way to just test out the movements and see how your body responds to the lighter version. Then you can find acceptable substitutes if needed.
Cut the Reps, Weight and Distance in Half at First
Rather than coming out of the gates 100% motivated to train hard, pull back the reins on yourself for the first few workouts. You'll thank me later. If you decide to join a group and have never done a Memorial Day Murph, ask yourself some questions. Have you ever done 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups or 300 squats in a workout?
Most people have not, nor have they done anything to prepare for that volume. Pain and potential injury are just waiting to happen. Instead, cut the reps in half and consider assisted versions using pull-up bands or a TRX to make those exercises easier. The bands and TRX rows and squats can take the body weight off the arms and legs and allow for more repetition volume, versus hitting failure set after set.
Advanced Athlete Beware: New Exercises Hurt, Too
Even if you are a seasoned gym rat, any new exercise or activity event will challenge you. Sure, you may have the strength and ability to perform a new exercise a few times, but higher volumes or distances can put you in the hurt locker just the same as they can a newbie in the gym.
Adjustments to military fitness tests across the Defense Department have caused many PFT masters to become CFT weaklings and even fail events for the first time in their career. It will take time for your body to adjust and requires a steady and logical progression into the specific activities tested to build the needed strength, muscle stamina, agility and endurance needed to ace new tactical fitness test changes.
You may need a strength training cycle to build the needed strength and power to handle new exercises. Or you may need a calisthenics and cardio cycle to build up the needed cardio for the high-repetition events of the new test.
Technique Is Everything
If you are new to an exercise, ask someone in the gym to observe your form or use a smartphone to make a video of yourself performing the exercise. Watch people perform the activity well and compare yourself. Then compare it to experts online who are doing it flawlessly.
Many people send me videos of their swimming technique, and I post them on social media (TikTok/Instagram) with a voiceover critique. Many people have similar issues when starting a new activity like swimming and can learn from my videos.
Once you understand the technique and you have assessed your performance, you will know your strengths and weaknesses. Now focus on the weaknesses you discovered by combining both the technique skill days and training days that make sense for your current abilities. Keep track of your workouts, how you recover (eat, sleep, rest) and how you perform each week. Assess yourself again every few weeks to check for progress.
Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you're looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to .
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