Whether you’re a beginner or it’s been a while, getting started with exercise and trying to stay dedicated to your routine requires commitment. Where do you start, and what exercises should you do? Should you do both cardio and strength training? After an autoimmune bone condition and a car accident where someone ran a red light, I was left unable to walk with a collapsed hip and a major hip injury. Being in a wheelchair for two years, just the thought of going through physical therapy seemed completely overwhelming.
I felt like a beginner learning to walk, squat, and move my body again after surgery, especially because my bones and muscles on that left side had badly weakened and atrophied over time, similar to what astronauts can experience in space entering zero gravity, but unfortunately, I didn’t get to fly in a spaceship. Astronauts perform special exercises and movements in space to try to combat this degeneration.
I was amazed by the effectiveness of physical therapy and exercise as I felt myself getting stronger with every squat, every glute bridge, and every incline step on the treadmill. Exercise and movement also helped Marvel superhero movie star Jeremy Renner get back on his feet and running again after a severe Sno-Cat accident.
For those feeling daunted by the thought of getting back into working out, I asked fitness expert, physical therapist, and certified personal trainer Dr. Rick Douglass to share his cardio and strength training workout tips for beginners, the importance of VO2 max, and more. Dr. Douglass is also the Chief Clinical Officer for FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers, and his clinical background includes specializing in orthopedic and spine dysfunction as an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist.
Interview with Dr. Rick Douglass
The Manual: Why do you feel it’s important to have a well-rounded workout routine that incorporates both cardio and strength training?
Dr. Rick Douglass: A well-rounded workout routine creates a well-rounded athlete. Too much focus on one aspect or the other can potentially leave deficits in the disciplines that are minimized. Strength and cardio training also work very well in combination. Each discipline supports the other.
TM: What are the benefits of cardio?
Dr. Rick Douglass: Cardiovascular exercise is great for improving your mood, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving sleep. All of this is achieved through the exchange of gasses in the heart, lungs, and musculoskeletal system. It is also great for burning calories and helping you to manage your weight.
TM: What are your preferred types of cardio?
Dr. Rick Douglass: I personally prefer a short, strenuous run on a treadmill or high-intensity interval training, by mixing short bursts of intense work followed by a period of rest, repeated for a time. Just climbing stairs or taking a hike, preferably with a bit of an incline, is also great and relieving.
TM: How do you prepare and fuel your body for an intense cardio workout session? For example, could you share more about nutrition, breakfast, pre-workouts, etc.?
Dr. Rick Douglass: Adequate rest is probably the key. We need a period of deep, restful sleep, which can be achieved after a good workout. Hydration is also a key component in fuel for your workout. If you attempt to take on a strenuous cardio exercise session while dehydrated, you will likely be disappointed in your performance. A light breakfast is also helpful, but ingesting anything too heavy before a cardio session can slow you down as you are getting started.
TM: Could you explain the importance of improving your VO2 max and what that means?
Dr. Rick Douglass: This is all about the efficiency of the exchange of gasses, which I mentioned earlier. When your VO2 max is high, this means that your heart and lungs are working very efficiently to deliver oxygen to your muscles, which is great because cardiovascular work creates heavy oxygen demand. The more efficient your system is working, the better your endurance will be.
TM: What are your top tips for beginners looking to get started on their cardio journey?
Dr. Rick Douglass: Just go! The hardest part is getting started. If you get up and start exercising, you become someone that exercises. Create that definition for yourself!
TM: What are the benefits of strength training?
Dr. Rick Douglass: Strength training allows you to capitalize on the benefits of cardio training and vice versa. Improved efficiency in getting oxygen into your muscles better prepares them for heavy lifting and carrying. Strength training provides a great stimulus for further development of muscles and tendons, and the associated movement at the joint is great for the health of the protective cartilage. The compression and decompression that occurs as you move and lift against resistance is also a great stimulus for your bones.
TM: What are your favorite strength training exercises?
Dr. Rick Douglass: I prefer strength training activities that are very functional in nature. I want to mimic the activities that I am performing regularly to prepare my body to be efficient and supported with those tasks. Deadlifts and squats, lateral pull-downs, and resistance exercises that incorporate functional diagonal patterns like “wood chops” and “lawnmower pulls” are fantastic. A simple push-up/sit-up routine can also be very rewarding from a strengthening perspective.
TM: As an experienced physical therapist, what are your top three strength training exercises you recommend for beginners looking to build overall strength?
Dr. Rick Douglass: A deadlift, a farmer’s carry, and an overhead press, performed with proper mechanics, will prepare you for just about every situation of daily life that you might encounter that will challenge your strength.
TM: To really build strength and muscle mass with resistance training, do you recommend incorporating progressive overload, where you gradually increase the weight as you develop strength over time? How do beginners know when to start using weights and increasing the load?
Dr. Rick Douglass: I do recommend gradually increasing the weight as you develop strength over time. The science shows us that strength and muscle mass are improved by repetitively lifting a weight that you can lift 8-10 times before fatigue. As those repetitions become easier from gaining strength, you will need to increase the resistance to continue to get stronger.
For beginners, as you are working on proper form and developing the motor memories to be able to repeat the lifting maneuvers safely, start with a weight that you can lift 18-20 times before fatigue to build some endurance and work out the mechanics, and then gradually increase the resistance until eight to 10 reps become fatiguing. This may take a couple of weeks to get you comfortable. Starting this process with a physical therapist supervising you can ensure safe, effective mechanics and exercise dosage.
TM: How many days a week should beginners incorporate cardio and strength training to see results in athletic performance and body composition over time?
Dr. Rick Douglass: Move every day, set that mindset. I am going to do something every day to challenge my health and fitness. Some days, it might be an hour of heavy lifting; others, it might be a simple walk on the beach. Do something every day and create the habit. To see results over time, try focused exercise four times per week. I like to alternate cardio and strength days, but if time is short, start with some lifting followed by something that gets your heart rate up a bit. Keep at it, and you and everyone else will notice the change.
TM: Could you share a sample cardio and strength training workout for beginners?
Dr. Rick Douglass: There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of free options available online, but it can be very difficult to determine which one is right for you. My recommendation for beginners is to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist to assess your baseline status, establish goals, and create a workout plan. Get started and then check in with your PT every three months to follow up.
