Starting Your Fitness Journey
Starting or even restarting a fitness journey can be a little intimidating or scary but there is no better time than now! I’m currently a lead instructor and head personal trainer for the KickHouse in Chantilly. My personal fitness journey has been ongoing since I was 6 years old, but my time with Kickboxing started a little over 4 years ago when a friend asked if I’d take a kickboxing class at this new gym that opened up nearby. I loved it so much I joined as a member, and shortly after that started my personal training certification with the goal and aspiration of changing lives for the better using health and fitness as my medium. It wasn’t long before I completed my certification and transitioned from member to instructor. Six months or so, a move, and a transfer later I ended up at The KickHouse in Chantilly, where I’ve been ever since.
Kickboxing is definitely for everyone; young, old, or anywhere in between. It doesn’t matter your fitness or experience level, you’ll find yourself having an amazing time here at KickHouse. If you’re someone who loves any combination of sports, group fitness, unique exercises, not having to create your own workouts or figure out what to do at the gym this place is for you! You’ll be happy to see many benefits; including improved energy and strength levels, massive stress reduction, and an outlet for the following; anger, frustration, depression, and anxiety. Not to mention better sleep and everything in your daily life becoming so much easier!
Regardless of whatever exercise you choose to do the best tips I can give are:
- Be patient and persistent – Changes can take time. They might be slow at first, but they will happen. Just stick with it and trust the process.
- Every little bit counts – Don’t underestimate the power of something super small like walking. If you’re having an off day or losing motivation just remember that every little bit counts and helps. So go ahead and take that short 15 minute walk, or cardio session, or weight training, or whatever you can manage!
- Don’t be afraid to try new things – Sometimes we get bored or feel like what we are doing isn’t getting us where we want to be and that’s okay… or, we realize cross training can take us to the next level. Experiment and try new things, you never know what you’ll find or learn about yourself.
- Remember that getting stronger and improving is a process of adapting and overcoming said adaptation – To get stronger you must develop muscle, to develop muscle you must stress your body to the point of needing muscle mass to better and more effectively handle whatever it is you are doing. If we aren’t constantly stimulating ourselves we will plateau. The best advice I can give is to learn to love the challenge of improving yourself every time you step on the mat, tie on the running shoes, or pick up the weights.
- Find a workout buddy – This one is very obvious I’m sure, but whether you like the competition or the comfort of working out with a partner you’ll find an easier time staying motivated and getting the best out of each workout with a buddy!
Often setting realistic goals can almost be more difficult than actually accomplishing them. Mainly due to the lack of understanding regarding what is and is not realistic for our bodies, and learning that takes time and experience. So make your goals as simple as “this week I will work out three times”. Focus on building consistency before worrying about reaching a new bench max or mile split within a certain time frame. Use the time you’re taking to develop consistency to research what you’re doing and what you want to accomplish… or consult your local fitness professional ;).
Let’s kick off 2023, or whenever you’re starting, right. Good luck! You got this.
Matt Fuller, KickHouse Chantilly
About KickHouse:
KickHouse is a modern kickboxing studio offering a variety of class formats, each rooted in kickboxing but with additional fitness flare added in. The KickHouse mission is to help members and communities take their health and kick it up a level via a consistent kickboxing practice! KickHouse is the perfect kickboxing gym for beginners or advanced athletes. The new kickboxing brand has quickly grown to over 35 locations across the country. To find your nearest KickHouse location visit www.kickhouse.com/locations. To sign up for your first class offer please visit www.kickhouse.com/first-class-free to book your first sweat session with our fight fam.