5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Fitness Journey
Back in 2013, I was doing gym workouts but I didn't feel in shape. I was stiff, parts of my body hurt, and my cardio wasn't great. I knew I needed to fix myself, and I was willing to try anything. That's when I walked into my first hot yoga class.
I was scared. I felt like I didn't belong in that space. But it turned out to be the best decision of my life. The heat and the postures healed my body, built my cardiovascular conditioning, and gave me flexibility I never thought I'd have.
In 2016, the studio started offering hot HIIT classes based on Pilates principles. I fell in love with the practice and have been doing it ever since. It became the core of my fitness regime, alongside hot yoga, weight training, walking, jogging, and mountain biking.
That journey is why I created Beginner HIIT Pilates. It's a HIIT class built on Pilates principles — developed from what I do in the hot room, adapted so you can do it from home without the heat. The formula works either way.
Here are five things I wish someone had told me before I started.
1. You Don't Need to Be Flexible or Fit to Start
This is what almost stopped me. I walked into that first hot yoga class stiff, sore, and completely out of my comfort zone. I looked around and thought everyone else was more flexible, more fit, more prepared. They weren't — I just couldn't see their starting point.
Flexibility and fitness are things you build. They're not prerequisites. Every exercise in my class has a modification so you can work at your level right now. If you can't touch your toes, that's fine. That's exactly why you're here.
2. Soreness After Your First Class Is Normal (and It Fades)
After my first class, muscles I didn't know existed were making themselves known. That's completely normal. HIIT combined with Pilates principles targets deep stabilizer muscles that most people ignore — your core, your pelvic floor, the small muscles around your spine. The soreness after your first session usually peaks around day two and fades quickly. By your third or fourth class, your body adapts and that initial soreness becomes a distant memory.
3. HIIT Based on Pilates Principles Isn't What You Think
When people hear "HIIT," they picture someone gasping for air and collapsing on the floor. When they hear "Pilates," they picture someone in a studio doing slow, gentle stretches. Beginner HIIT Pilates is neither of those things.
It's high-intensity interval training built on the Pilates foundation of controlled movement, core engagement, and mind-muscle connection. You work hard, but with intention. The focus on form means you can't cheat with momentum — you're forced to actually use the right muscles and breathe through it. That's harder than it sounds, and that's what makes it effective.
4. You Don't Need a Gym (Your Living Room Works)
I've trained in hot rooms, gyms, and studios. But here's what I've learned: the space doesn't matter as much as showing up does. My class runs on Zoom — you need a mat, some floor space, and your body weight. Optional light weights if you have them, but not required.
No commute. No parking. No locker room. No one watching you figure it out. Just you, your mat, and a coach on screen. For a lot of people, especially beginners, that privacy is what makes the difference between starting and staying on the couch.
5. Consistency Beats Intensity Every Time
This is the biggest lesson from my entire fitness journey. I used to think I needed to crush every workout to see results. That mindset is what kept me on the couch more often than not. What actually works is showing up regularly.
Three moderate sessions will always beat one extreme one followed by a week of nothing. The habit is the hardest part to build. Once you have it, everything else follows — the strength, the flexibility, the confidence. Volume first. Intensity follows naturally.
That's why I designed the 4-Week Kickstart Plan alongside the class — daily movement prompts that take 10-20 minutes to keep you moving between Saturdays. It's not about one big workout. It's about building a routine that lasts.
Ready to Start?
If any of this resonated, you're exactly who this class was built for. Beginner HIIT Pilates is a live class every Saturday at 10 AM ET on Zoom — real coaching, small group, every exercise scaled to your level. No gym required. Just your living room and a mat.
Your first class is free. Use code FIRSTFREE when you [book your spot](https://www.beginhiitpilates.com/how-to-book-a-class?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=seo).
Shane is the founder of [Beginner HIIT Pilates](https://www.beginhiitpilates.com?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=seo), a HIIT class based on Pilates principles designed for people who want to start their fitness journey from home. His own journey started with hot yoga in 2013 and evolved through hot HIIT, weight training, and endurance sports. Follow along on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/beginhiitpilates) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/BeginnerHIITPilates).
