How to start a workout routine at the gym as a beginner.
Has it been awhile, or your first time in the gym setting, and you have NO IDEA WHERE TO EVEN START!? You may even be nervous, anxious and/ or intimidated by the thought of stepping foot in a gym.
It can be scary stepping into a new place you’ve never been before, or don’t visit too often. These feelings are completely normal.
Don’t worry sister friend, you are not alone, and I am here to help guide you through for a smooth start so you feel comfortable, and confident in this process.
First, and foremost before we dive in, know that everyone has been where you are now. Every single person has to start as a beginner, learning the basics, and working their way up to become better.
Remember this is a lifestyle, you’re incorporating new habits into your life, so it will take time, and consistency. Overtime you will feel more comfortable, and confident in your fitness journey.
I know these tips will guide you in the right direction to get you started on the correct foot.
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1. Set Clear Goals
Before starting anything in life, having a clear vision, and goals you want to achieve is first. You can’t start something, if you don’t know where to start.
Sit down, and write out what exactly you want to accomplish in your fitness/health journey. Remember, this is a lifestyle you’re creating. A new, and better version of yourself so take it seriously.
I suggest writing out 3 main goals, and the results you want to achieve in your fitness journey. Then below each goal write how you plan to achieve that specific goal.
Once you have that layout, put it where you can view it daily! Trust me this make a huge difference, and keeps it in the forefront of your mind everyday.(out of site, out of mind)
When you have those 3 goals, and a game plan to achieve it, you will make it easier to execute, even on those days you won’t feel like it. Trust me.
2. Plan, Schedule, & Prepare
The best time to workout out, is the one that you stick with that fits your schedule, and energy level.
It doesn’t matter what you’ve read on how working out first thing in the mornings, or later evenings could be best. What matters is the workouts you’re going to actually show up to on a consistent basis! Once you have a clear idea of when this is, you can then schedule it in your planner, and then plan meals around that.
When beginning to look at when the best time for you to workout is, ask yourself a few questions first:
- What time frames do I have open when i’m not at work, or picking up the kids etc.?
- Is it easier for me to schedule my 30-60 minute workouts in the mornings, mid-day, or evenings?
- When do I have more energy? Are my a morning person, or evening person?
Answering these questions will better help you to narrow down the days, and a time frame that is realistic for you to stick with, and execute.
3. Get Comfortable, Have Staff Show You Around The Gym
Learn the basic layout of the gym facility. Get an idea of where the cardio, and weight machines are, and how to function them.
Most gyms usually keep all the machines grouped together, along with what muscle groups they execute.
Allowing staff to show you around the facility first, will allow you to feel more comfortable getting around, so you spend less time standing around confused.
I also recommend scanning the gym as you warm up, I love doing this. This gives you a reminder of where everything is placed, and you get a feel of what’s available for you depending on how high the traffic flow is at the gym.
4. Learn The Basics ( Important! )
This tip is by far the most important before starting any fitness routine. Please take the time to learn the basics. This will help you to become more competent, comfortable, and confident in what you’re doing, and will aid in ensuring you do not injure yourself.
Key Basics To Know:
Proper Form – This is so essential, proper form will lead to a successful, symmetrical, balanced body. Along with ensuring you do not injure yourself.
Muscle Groups – Watch a YouTube, or google a muscle chart. Please get familiar with the names of each muscle, and where it is located. This will make creating a workout routine much easier, and overall you want to become competent in what you are doing.
Breathing – It is important to breathe in/out through each movement. I know this sounds like common sense, but it is very common for many people to hold their breathe through an exercise, thus causing dizziness, or even faint.
Types of Training – ( endurance/stability, hypertrophy, strength) I recommend going through each phase anywhere from 4-8 weeks, then move into the next phase. Starting with endurance/ stability, then going into hypertrophy, and strength last.
DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Soreness is normal, you will tend to feel more sore the 2-3 day. To help with this process, drink plenty of water, stretch, and foam roll.
5. Start Slow
I know it’s super exciting to dive all in to something new, especially when you have certain fitness goals you want to crush.
Making it super easy to want to go full throttle, and do everything to the max. You want to try every workout, exercise for hours, and workout everyday so you get to your goal faster, right?
Please don’t make this mistake, let me be the first, second, or tenth person to tell you, to ease into it!
Jumping all in too fast as a beginner is super dangerous, physically, mentally and emotionally.
For starters, your body will get drained, overworked, and overtrained, thus leading to a higher chance of injury.
It is essential for your body to repair, and rebuild cells, and muscle tissue you’re tearing into when you workout. The only way for your body to do this, is by allowing the body to rest.
Everybody must have rest days.
Specifically as a beginner you will most likely need that extra day or two to allow your body to repair itself, because your body needs time to get used to the harder impact you’re now putting not it.
Overtime your body will begin to adapt, and repair faster, in which one day off could be perfect. Until then I recommend 2/3 days in between each workout.
6. Warm Up / Cool Down , WHY?
Every time you workout, it is essential that you warm up 5-10 min prior to executing your workout routine.
WHY?
- Warms up the muscles tissue – when a muscle is warm it allows the muscle to become more pliable, and flexible. Allowing for full range of motion.
- Circulation – Allowing blood to flow throughout the body faster, allowing more oxygen to the muscle preparing it for an intense workout.
- Increases Heart Rate
- Less Injury – When we warm up a muscle, and allow more oxygen rich blood to flow through the body we are ensuring our body to prevent injury.
Just as important as it is to warm up, it is just as important to Cool Down after a workout. You can do this in a 5-10 min walk, or stretch.
WHY?
- Flush out the accumulation of lactic acid in the body
- Lowers heart rate back to normal state
- Minimize DOMS effect – Delayed onset muscle soreness throughout the body.
- Skip the light headiness, dizziness, or possible fainting – when the pressure of blood slows down, it also slows down the process of which oxygen rich blood get to your brain, so cooling down allows us to continuously pump blood, and gradually lower it, instead of a sudden stop from a workout.
7. General Ways To Structure Your Workout
We want to workout out smarter not necessarily harder.
Here is a general rule of thumb when structuring out your new routine:
- Warm up, Weight/Body Weight Train, Cardio, Cool Down
- Start with Full Body Workouts, and workouts aiding in Stabilization/Balance with your Own Body Weight – This helps you to strengthen the foundation of your body, and ensures you have good balance, and symmetry prior to adding excess weight barring activity. Keep it simple friends, there is no need to add in dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and/or other equipment to a muscle that cannot even properly handle its own body weight.
- Workout Bigger muscles first, and work your way to smaller muscles
- Compound Before Isolations Exercises – Example: Squats before leg raises. In other words, be sure to do multi joint exercises first, and single joint exercises last. We use more energy, and muscle groups during a compound movement.
- Free Weight / Body Weight Exercises Before Using Machines
8. Hire A Professional, If Needed
If for any reason you still feel uncomfortable, and need extra guidance, then please hire a professional. Even if you hire a professional in this field for a short period of time, it will still allow you to gain more confidence, and understanding of how to workout properly.
Remember, even the best athletes in the world have coaches to push them along in their journey. It’s not about where you are, but where you want to go.
Having a professional guide you through your journey, can not only help you to become more competent, but it’s someone to be accountable towards, and to have by your side on the tough days, wouldn’t you agree?
9. Stay Consistent, Don’t Give Up!
The key to success at anything in life, is to NEVER GIVE UP! CONSISTENCY IS KEY!!!
Consistency develops momentum, this momentum gives us the energy to achieve our goals. Our ability to stay consistent also requires self control, meaning we don’t allow ourselves to get off track.
I want you to succeed in your journey, and by continuing to show up for yourself, you will begin build, and develop the discipline it takes.
The body can stand almost anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.
YOU GOT THIS GIRL!
P.S If you found this article helpful or can help another woman in any way please share, and comment below what you loved most!
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