If you’re a newbie to the gym, then you’re probably a little intimidated and overwhelmed. We totally get it. Many beginners feel self-conscious when they walk in, bewildered by the plethora of gym equipment they’ve never seen before, let alone used. You’re probably wondering where to start and how you’re ever going to achieve your fitness dreams. But joining the gym doesn’t have to be daunting. At YouFit Gyms, we want you to feel comfortable and ready to rock, so we’ve put together an effective beginner gym workout to kick start your new favorite fitness routine.
Before You Begin
Before you begin your fitness journey, we recommend wearing comfy clothes – leave the jeans at home – grab your trainers and a bottle of water. Bring your headphones to listen to music because it elevates your mood which will increase your endurance.
Many beginners like to go to the gym in the morning to feel energized and ready to take on a busy day ahead. However, it doesn’t really matter what time of day you do a workout as long as it’s convenient for you and makes you feel good. If you’d like to use the gym during quieter hours, ask a staff member for the peak times.
If you suffer from a medical condition or injury, consult your doctor before exercising to ensure it’s safe for you to do so.
Start Warming Up
Warming up should be part of your workout routine, whether you’re a beginner or an expert. Warming your body up before a workout is important because it decreases the chance of injury, pulling a muscle, or getting cramps. Warm up on the treadmill or the rowing machine; however you enjoy warming up, just get your heart rate going.
How Long Should I Workout For?
Everyone is different, so we recommend starting with 20-30 minutes to begin with. This can change as your fitness levels change, but it’s still important to never push past your pain, as this can cause injuries.
What’s a Circuit Workout?
For today’s beginner gym workout, we’re going to look at a circuit workout. Circuit training is a workout that focuses on repeating multiple exercises. The reason for this is to target several muscle groups with really short intervals in between each exercise.
This keeps working out interesting by switching things up frequently, but it’s also beneficial for strengthening your muscles and building up endurance and resilience.
Beginner Gym Circuit Workout
Feeling ready? Start your timer, get set…go.
Push-Ups
Start with a simple exercise – push-ups are great for building up your upper body, strengthening shoulders and triceps, and benefiting your abdominals, back, and chest muscles.
- On a gym mat, get into position by kneeling on all fours, placing your hands a little wider than your shoulders, and keeping your elbows slightly bent.
- Push your legs back so that your hands and toes are balancing your body. Place your feet hip-width apart.
- Keep your back flat and while bracing your abs, bend your elbows so that you are going as low as you can – you want your chest to almost be touching the floor.
- Repeat this exercise by doing push-ups for 30 seconds and taking a brief break before the next cycle of push-ups.
If you want to take it to the next level, try the push-up shoulder tap.
3 Point Dumbbell Row
You’ll need to grab some dumbbells and a gym bench for this one. This part of the beginner workout will help your posture and increase back strength.
- Stand in a wide stance and position one hand on the bench, keeping your arm extended.
- With the other hand, pick up the dumbbell, and bracing your core, bring the dumbbell towards your abdomen. Hold it for a moment before lowering it.
- Repeat the process ten times on each arm.
Dumbbell Lunges
Hold on to those dumbbells because now we’re going to start dumbbell lunges. This exercise tones your body and builds strength in your legs, core, and butt.
- Finding some space in the gym, stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Holding a dumbbell in each hand, lunge by taking a large step forward with one leg and bending the knee until it’s parallel to the ground. Your other leg should be balanced on your toes behind you, and it should also be bent at the knee into the lunge position.
- Then come back into a standing position and repeat the same motion with the other leg.
Let the cycle begin again!
Cardio
As the finale of this beginner workout, let’s do some cardio exercise. You can do this in different ways, but you should choose your favorite or try something different each time to keep it interesting.
You could do some fast-paced walking or a light jog on the treadmill, sculpt your muscles by rowing on the rowing machine, or strengthen your heart and lungs by cycling on the cycling machine.
Another way to get some cardio in is by jumping rope. While it might sound old-school, jumping rope is good for balance, and it’s also fun. Mix it up by jumping forward for 60 seconds, then jumping side-to-side, and then finishing with backward jumps.
Keep It Cool
Just like warming up, cooling down is an essential part of your workout. You can cool down by doing a slow walk on the treadmill, allowing your body to stretch and cool off. Again, this helps to prevent injuries and ease your body back to its normal resting state.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a beginner and you’d like to learn more about effective beginner workouts at the gym, join YouFit Gym, or hire a personal trainer, get in touch today and speak to a friendly member of our staff.
