Why does exercise feel so hard when you’re just starting, even when you know it’s meant to be good for you?
You turn up with good intentions, do what feels like a small amount, and yet it feels far tougher than you expected. You might even leave thinking, “If it feels like this now, how on earth will I keep it up?” Let’s break down why this happens, and why it’s actually completely normal.
One of our favourite phrases is “practice makes perfect”. Your body is incredibly good at adapting to whatever you ask it to do most often. If it has had lots of practice doing very little, it gets very good at doing very little, and finds it hard when you suddenly ask it to do “something”. That doesn’t mean exercise is wrong for you. It just means your body hasn’t practised it yet.
The good news is that once your body gets some practice at exercising, it gets better and better at it. Movements start to feel more familiar, breathing feels less panicky, and you recover more quickly afterwards. This is why you will hear us say, again and again, “the second time is always better”. And the third time is usually better than the second.
Of course, there is a logical catch. You cannot get to the easier, better second times without first going through the difficult first time. Everyone who now says “I enjoy exercise” once had a first session that felt awkward, tiring or uncomfortable. That first step is not a sign you are failing. It is simply part of the process.
Our advice is very simple. Make the first time as easy and straightforward as possible. Do not aim to be amazing. Just aim to turn up, do a little, tick it off, and be proud that you did it. Then come back for the second time, the third time, and notice how things slowly start to feel better and more manageable.
If you want a supportive way to get some experience under your belt, our beginner-friendly exercise classes are a great place to start, as are our rehabilitation-focused sessions if you are returning after illness or injury. Find out about our classes below:
- Beginner exercise classes – click here
- Rehab group classes – click here
- Rehab in the gym session – click here
If you have any questions or are unsure where to start, please get in touch with us below. We would be more than happy to help you take that first step, and then support you through the easier second one.