USING YOUTUBE WORKOUT VIDEOS FOR YOUR PERSONAL FITNESS
Youtube has become a go-to resource for fitness enthusiasts who want to keep their fitness levels up during the pandemic. But how do you choose the right Youtube workout video for your personal fitness plan? Use the following steps to help you find the right Youtube workouts to train safely and get great results.
DETERMINE YOUR FITNESS LEVEL
How fit are you? How experienced are you? How well do you currently move? These are important questions to ask. You’ll need to know the answers to find workouts suited to you.
Not sure which fitness level you are? Click here to determine whether you’re at Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced level. This tool is based on an algorithm developed by programming specialist Alwyn Cosgrove. It’s a quick, simple and effective way to determine your fitness level.
DEFINE YOUR GOAL
Now you know your current training level, the next step is to determine your goal.
This may sound easy at first, but what makes it challenging is finding the right workout to help you achieve your goal.
An example of this is if your goal is to lose body fat. A common misconception is to lose body fat, the key is to sweat more. You may feel like you’re burning more calories through increased sweating. However, this will result in you losing water in the short-term, not body fat in the long-term.
To help you achieve your goal of losing body fat you need to build lean muscle. Building lean muscle is the sustainable way to lose body fat because your body will burn more calories all the time, not just while you’re working out. So look for sessions that will focus on improving strength, as this is key to achieving fat loss goals.
Here’s a quick list of goals, as well as the workouts to will help you achieve them:
- Improved Fitness = HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
- Fat Loss = full body strength focused training
- Flexibility = yoga and pilates
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE TO WORKOUT?
The key here is to develop a routine you can commit to. Take a look at your weekly schedule and block out times that you can repeat week in, week out.
All the training in the world won’t help you if you can’t stay consistent. So think about how much time you can reasonably commit to, and then commit to it.
This next step is vital to get the most out of your Youtube workouts; create a regular appointment in your diary and block out the time to complete the workouts!
SEARCH YOUTUBE
You’ve completed the hard work and have come up with the following scenario (this is an example):
You are a beginner at training
Your goal is to lose body fat (you’ll want strength-focused workouts)
You can train for 45 minutes, 3 x per week
Now all you have to do is open Youtube, search according to the criteria appropriate to you, and get ready to start doing workouts that suit you and your goals.
Try to locate channels with a large back catalog of workouts. This is so you can keep momentum as opposed to waiting for a newer channel to publish their next workout.
Bookmark 2-3 options in your browser based on what looks good to you, and what you feel matches your needs most closely.
PREPARE IN ADVANCE
Often the hardest part of completing workouts is getting started. To avoid hitting this roadblock, prepare your workout gear and set yourself up the night before. This way, when the workout time comes, you won’t have to think about it. You’ll be primed and ready to get started. All you’ll have to do is get changed and press start on the channel you’ve chosen.
- Decide in advance which workout you’ll do
- Set up your training area (mat, drink, equipment, etc.)
- Get your training clothes laid out ready
INJURED?
If you have an injury, before seeking out Youtube or any other unsupervised medium, it’s important you seek guidance from a health professional (such as an Osteopath or Physiotherapist). Working through an injury without professional help is a recipe for disaster. You could end up in more pain, inconvenienced and forced to prolong taking action on your fitness plans. Use your wisdom and don’t try to be a hero!
To learn more about healthy exercise and eating habits to achieve your fitness goals, contact James Staring, a leading personal trainer in Clapham, London.
ABOUT JAMES STARING
James Staring is a personal trainer based in Clapham, London. His methods have featured in publications such as Your Fitness, Hello, Healthy, Daily Mail, Closer, and many more. After giving up smoking and entering the fitness industry in 2009, James has focused on his passion to help others transform their health and fitness. However, James is convinced that most people struggle so much more than they need to in an effort to improve their fitness. Through his company, Fit to Last, which he runs with his partner, Ali Page – James has helped hundreds of men and women make small adjustments in their daily habits to transform their fitness and to love how they look and feel.