Beginner’s Guide to Starting in the Gym

We know it can be daunting walking into a gym for the first time. With all the unfamiliar equipment and unsure how to perform exercises safely and effectively, lots of people give up before they even get going. To help get your footing in the door, here’s a Beginner’s Guide to Starting in the Gym.

The first thing you’ll need to decide is to set a realistic goal of how many days a week you’re planning on going to the gym. This is important to not only hold yourself accountable, but also make a structured workout plan that benefits you and your goals.

This may look like:

• 2-3 full body days
• 1 upper body day, 1 lower body day
• 2 upper body days, 2 lower body days
• 2 upper body days, 2 lower body days, 1 cardio day

The next main thing you’re going to need to think about is what your goals are. Are you aiming to build muscle, lose body fat, or maybe a combination of both? Taking your goals into consideration will help guide the structure of your workouts to maximize your full potential. For example, if you’re looking to build muscle as well as shed body fat, you’ll want to include both weight training and cardio into your routine. A good approach is to focus on weight training first, then follow up with some cardio at the end. This ensures you have all of your energy for your heavy lifts and you can make the most out of your workout.

First, you’ll need to decide which muscle groups you’re targeting for that workout, then pick a few exercises per muscle group.

When lifting weights, determining which rep ranges you’re going for can be useful. Lower rep ranges (6-8) will target more strength, while rep ranges of 8-12 will target muscle hypertrophy (growth). Higher rep ranges (12+) or a timed burnout of a certain exercise will tire out your muscles, so these should be performed at the end of your workout.

Whichever rep range you’re going for, you should be training until failure or close to. This ensures your muscles are being worked to their max so they can grow for your desired goals. You should do 3-4 sets and keep proper form throughout the whole movement.

Focus on a few exercises to start so you’re not trying to grasp everything all at once. Sometimes starting with machines can be a little more comfortable, then you can move onto free weights and the cable machine.

Remember that an exercise that works for the person beside you, may not work for you, especially in the beginning. Figure out which exercises you like and stick to those for the first while.

Once you’ve got a few exercises down, really focus on the muscle-to-mind connection. This involves thinking about the muscle you’re working, rather than using your whole body to complete the movement. An example of this could be while doing bicep curls, focus on bringing the weight up with only your biceps, rather than swaying your whole body to bring that weight up.

We know that starting out in the gym can be intimidating and sometimes discouraging, seeing everybody around you think they know exactly what they’re doing. Even with months of working out, lots of people still feel like they aren’t getting the most out of their workout, or their form could use some improvement. However, here at DEEM, we are dedicated to making sure all our clients feel comfortable and confident in their workouts. Whether that means giving tips on an exercise, spotting your set, walking through your workout with you, or giving you our full undivided attention during your personal training session, we are always here to support you!

With our appointment-based operating style, we hold you accountable to your goals and intentions towards gym frequency and consistency. You will be expected to book in every time you come in, whether that be for personal training, group training, or just working out by yourself. We will also do bi-weekly assessments to check your measurements and make sure everything is progressing with your workouts.

Don’t hesitate to reach out and get your complimentary consultation to discuss your goals, limitations, and get a feel for our space and community.