Beginners Exercise - Getting Started in the Gym and a Walk!

I get asked this a lot, "I just signed up for the gym, what should I do when I get there?" Not only is it a good question but also if you have never belonged to a gym before it can be a very intimidating place. Lots of machines, some new people doing everything wrong and a bunch of ripped up buff people pumping iron. Where to you start. So here are a few tips I give when I get asked this question:

First for the 1st two weeks do not plan on spending any more than 30 minutes in the gym. Yes you heard that right. I want you to get in, do something and force yourself to leave after no more than 30 minutes. The reason for this is you want to train your subconscious that going to the gym is not bad at all. Trust me this will pay you back in spades later when you are spending 2 hours getting through your insane workout.

Second, since you are just starting out, lets get your blood pumping. Always start with a 5 minute warm up, what that warm is is not as important as doing it so pick somehting, jumping jacks and some basic calisthenics, walking on the treadmill, stationary bike, pick something that you like. Then I would suggest for those initial 30 minute sessions doing 15-20 minutes of light cardio with intervals. (Below I have posted a good beginners interval walk). Then spend 10 minutes lifting some weights. Go grab a couple of light dumbbells (don't worry the guys over by the free weights that look like they know they are doing won't mind, they will be proud of you that you are working with free weights instead of machines) and do some bicep curls. Do a couple of sets of 10. Then grab a couple a bit heavier and do some chest presses. Again a set of 10. Your time should be up after that. Go home take a shower, eat some protein and feel good that you had a complete session in the gym. Make sure you feel good about what you do every day during those initial 2 weeks.

Third, find something you like to do at the gym. For me when I started out it was the treadmill. Now it is bench presses and squats (I know its an odd switch). But doing something you enjoy when you go to the gym makes your time there that much more enjoyable. If you enjoy something you are doing there, you are that much more likely to go back. 

Finally, switch up your cardio. If you are going to spend 30 or 60 minutes doing cardio, Switch up the machines. Do 10/10/10 or 20/20/20 on a treadmill, bike, eliptical, rower, stair climber, etc. Point is your body will benefit more from the change in motion and it makes your workout time go much faster in your head. Also incorporate intervals. Every 2 minutes speed up  to raise your heart rate for 30 seconds and then bring it back down to your normal pace. You will burn more calories by spiking your heart rate like that and you will dramatically improve your cardio capabilities in the process.

I have included the following walk as something to try. It is an interval walk that you can do anywhere, it is low impact and will burn more calories than just a regular walk (not that there is anything wrong with a regular walk). Sprinting in this case for your beginners means just walking as fast as you can and make sure you are moving your arms too (you should always be pumping your arms when you walk too by the way).

Printing. I don't think I can do a lunge though. But I am working up to it. Right now I just walk on the treadmill and my back hurts so bad after 15 mins. :(

So don't think of doing these exercises as they need to look like the perfect picture of them. A lunge when you are starting out is more like a giant step forward, make sure to make the step wide enough that you can keep your balance. As you progress you and work on getting your opposite knee down, etc. The idea is to build up to it looking good. After a year of hard core exercising I still have a tough time with lunges. The idea is to improve with each try.

Make sure to stretch your back out before and after, more importantly after. This will help. You need to strengthen your back so find some that you can do. Strengthening your core will help too so some core exercises will help too.

Hello, Keith:

I am one of those who have just treated myself to a "Y" membership and I will do 30 min cardio then strength train for another 30 min on the Cybex machines.  I am not noticing a real dip in the scale though.  As you begin strength training is there a margin for swelling/retention because of new muscles not used before?  I will train only every other day to give my muscles a recovery period.  I am also leaning towards signing up for some sessions with a personal trainer to help set realistic goals along with my weight loss.  Thanks for your help!

When you train muscles they do swell and they hold water too, so that will show up initially, but it will balance out as you move forward. Also flip your routine. Do the weight training first and then whatever you have left use it for cardio.

Hi:

I thought doing weights without doing cardio first would cause muscle damage.  Should I at least warm up with 5 min on a stair climber or eliptical before lifting weights?

Thanks!

Warm ups are always a good idea. I always either do a warm up or a warm up set. So a warm up set with weights is the exercise you are about to do with a weight of 50-70% of what you are about to do. So if I am going to bench 225lbs I will start with 145-165 for my first set just to get blood flowing to my muscles and prepare them for a heavy set.

But no, weights without cardio first will not damage your muscles.