The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to the Gym

Want to stay in the game or become a gym dropout? These tips will set you off for a successful start to your gym experience.

The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. The best way to start any exercise program is with activities that you're interested in instead of those you think you're supposed to do. So, in the beginning, do the stuff that seems fun.

Having a plan is essential when you're just starting out. Knowing what you're going to do when you get to the gym will prevent you from wandering aimlessly or feeling self-conscious about your lack of direction. If you decide to skip the introductory personal trainer meeting, having a plan is even more important.

What does that look like? No need to write down the exact exercises, sets or reps. It might be a general thought — an intention to do 20 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of bodyweight exercises, and finish off with a 10-minute stretch. The details will come about with time.

Common rookie mistake: Joining a gym, hitting it hard every day, getting burned out and then quitting the gym. If there's one thing you shouldn't do, it's that! 

The plan is to make this a lifelong habit. Don't try to make up for months or years of inactivity in a single workout. Keep your cardio sessions brief and easy. Get your heart rate up and sweat a little, but don't wipe yourself out.

The same goes for strength training. During the first month or so of a strength training program, the primary improvements you should be working towards are skill, balance, and coordination, not strength or muscle mass. So there's really no point in working out with a lot of intensity at first.

Keeping the intensity low in your first few weeks will also help lessen a lot of post-workout soreness, which can be another deterrent for people trying to make fitness a habit.

There's no benefit to working out so hard that you're so sore that you can't come back to the gym for a week. Do a little bit your first week, a little more your second week, and keeping building from there.

Overtraining is real and it can knock you out of the fitness game for a while. Read this article from TrainingPeaks on signs and symptoms of overtraining and how to get back on track if you're overdoing it.  

A large gym can have hundreds of pieces of equipment which, to a beginner, may or may not look like contraptions that you'd need a manual to decipher. No need to worry about it! Just learn a few basic pieces of equipment and a handful of exercises that will carry you through your first few weeks at the gym.

In a typical gym, the cardio equipment will be grouped together in one area. Most cardio equipment works in a similar (and very easy) manner: You get on, set a program on the display and get moving.

1. Treadmill

Typically, using a treadmill requires very little skill and comes with a slim chance of error. The easiest way to start is to press the "Quick Start" button (go figure). Once you get going, you'll be able to adjust the speed and incline using the "+" and "-" buttons on this manual setting. Start off with an easy walking pace, then explore more challenging settings once you feel comfortable.

2. Stationary Bike

Don't worry — you don't even need to know how to ride a regular bike to ride a stationary bike. Just put your feet on the pedals and start pushing. You may need to adjust the seat, which is typically done by pulling the knob out, raising or lowering the seat, and then popping the knob back in. As you pedal, you can play around with adjusting the resistance and exploring some of the pre-programmed workouts on the display panel.

3. Elliptical

The elliptical machine is one of the trickier pieces of equipment on the cardio floor because the movement doesn't mimic anything in real life. It's kind of like a treadmill, but kind of like a stationary bike.

To use it, you place your feet on the pedals and hold onto the handles, which will either be stationary or move back and forth. Press your feet forward and down to start pedaling; if the handles move, push one away from you while pulling the other handle toward you. The timing is a little tricky, but with practice you'll find your rhythm.

4. Stair Climber

This machine will either look like a set of stairs or it will be more compact with two pedals and some static handles. It's sometimes mistaken for an elliptical, but it's not quite the same.

On the larger set of stairs, you'll get on and immediately start climbing; the weight of your body sets the stairs in motion. However, you'll need to set a program or press the quick-start button to get the stairs to move faster. You can control how fast the stairs move and track your pace and floors climbed.

For the more compact version, you'll step on the pedals, hold the handles and start stepping. Set your program on the display to increase or decrease the speed and track your data.

Now that you know the machines and how to use them, what kind of cardio should you even do? MyFitnessPal explains some of the different types of cardio in this blog post.

Close your eyes and picture the weight room. Is it filled with burly men pumping iron and grunting? There is certainly that contingent at almost every gym, but times are a'changing. Most of the people working out at any gym are just like you.

When you're new to the gym, you don't really need any equipment at all. Your focus should be on learning the movements of exercises you may later do with weights. To get you started, try some of the best body-weight exercises. Then put them into a full-body body-weight workout.

However, it's helpful to know what your options are when you are ready to hit the weights. Here are your two main options.

1. Machines

Machines that you sit on and push or pull a lever are a typical starting place for many new gym-goers. "Machines are a good way for newbies to develop basic function and strength. They're safe, simple to use and usually less intimidating than free weights. 

They're also often arranged in a circuit that hits all the major muscle groups. If you follow the circuit, you don't have to think about what exercise you're going to do next. As an added bonus, they usually have instructions printed on the side.

You don't need all the machines though, only compound exercise machines. Compound exercises involve moving more than one joint at a time through a large range of motion, such as chest presses, rows, lat pulldowns and leg presses. These exercises work several muscle groups at once, which gives you more bang for your buck.

Single-joint exercises like curls, triceps pushdowns, lateral raises, leg curls and leg extensions can be fun, but they don't do as much for you as compound movements, especially when you're just starting out. 

The most difficult part of using a weight machine is adjusting the seat and the weight stack. Typically, the seat moves either up and down or forward and back, depending on the machine. Always look for the knob located near the seat. You should be able to pull that knob out, reposition the seat, then release the knob.

A weight stack looks exactly the way it sounds: It's a stack of weights with a pin that inserts into each weight. To adjust the weight, simply insert the pin into the weight you want to lift.

2. Free Weights

Free weights are easy to identify because you can pick them up and hold them. Dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells are the most common examples. But when you're first starting out at the gym, they don't need to be a high priority.

Master bodyweight movements first, and think of free weights as tools to make bodyweight exercises more challenging in the future. There's really no point in doing bench presses if you can't do a pushup. 

For newbies, simple is always better. Start with bodyweight movements like squats, lunges, planks and push-ups to begin working on technique and building strength as well as coordination. As these moves get less challenging you can begin to advance them by adding weights.   

Choose a few different bodyweight exercises and focus on quality of movement over quantity. Aim to do two sets of 12 to 20 reps per exercise. 

Not sure what bodyweight exercises to do? Certified personal trainer and yoga teacher Jill Conyers has a sample circuit bodyweight workout for beginners you can try.  

Most gyms offer classes. Some even have an extensive class schedule with everything from strength training to Zumba. When you're new to fitness, group classes are a fun way to learn new things and meet like-minded people. Check out the gym class schedule and choose classes that fit your schedule and seem like fun. 

Arrive early to your first class and introduce yourself to the instructor. Tell them you're new and ask if the class is appropriate for your fitness level. If not, just put it on your calendar for the next month when your fitness has improved.  

Follow Basic Gym Etiquette

Here are pro tips for avoiding awkward situations:

1. Clean up after yourself — both weights and sweat. 
2. Try to give other lifters enough personal space so they don't feel like they'll hit you while swinging around a kettlebell.
3. If you also need to use a piece of equipment, ask if you can share with the current user (or just come back to it later).
4. Try not to spend too much time at one station (or be open to allowing other people to work in with you).
5. Smile and be friendly. That alone goes a long way. 

Dress for Success

Last but not least, what are you going to wear? It makes a difference! Walk into the gym feeling confident and comfortable in activewear that wicks sweat and doesn't chafe such as our collection of leggings and sports bras.

More of a joggers and tees girl? We have those too! And of course, you'll need a cute hoodie or windbreaker to throw on for the trip to and from the gym, and a sporty bag to carry your necessities. 

Buy yourself a cute outfit because you're taking the first step toward your fitness goals and you deserve it, girl!

❤️PIXIBU

Written by health and fitness expert and PIXIBU founder Jody Braverman, PN1, NASM-CPT, NASM-FNS, RYT 200. 

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