Have you decided that the time has come to put yourself under to reach the physical form of your dreams but you don’t know where to start? Find out in this article.
During the first training sessions , both in the gym and at home, you feel a little lost . You have probably already documented yourself by watching some videos on Youtube or collecting information on online blogs, but the theory is always different from the practice.
Where do I start? Look for a personal trainer or use video tutorials
In most gyms, upon signing up, a trainer will show you how the different machines work. If he is good he will immediately explain how to perform the exercises and he will correct you if you make a mistake, but if he does not do it, do not hesitate to ask him for help , he is there on purpose.
If you work out at home, of course, it’s not that easy to figure out the correct posture. We recommend watching video tutorials that show you how to do the exercises. Then film your workout and compare the video with the tutorial to find any errors. By repeating this process regularly you can refine the execution .
What kind of diet should I follow? Focus on one thing at a time
Regardless of your level, eating healthily and balanced is the key to lasting results . However, experience teaches us that it is usually difficult to make multiple changes to your lifestyle at the same time.
For beginners we therefore recommend training for 2 or 3 months , in order to make the workout a habit that costs no effort, before starting to modify the diet to adapt it to the training .
If you are impatient and want to work on your muscle development right away, we suggest you limit yourself to drinking a whey protein shake after training.
How often should I train? Not too often
Beginners usually start in fourth gear and want to see results quickly. We understand this, but it’s important to keep in mind that muscles grow in the breaks between workouts . For this reason, at the beginning it is more than enough to train 2 or 3 times a week.
What is the most suitable type of training? Start with the total body workout
There are usually two types of training: total body, in which the whole body is trained, and split routines. In the beginning, the total body is the best choice because the muscles, not yet used to regular training, also grow with less intense sessions than those of experienced athletes. It is important to master the 3 basic exercises: weightlifting , bench press and squats and integrate them into the total body workout.
The split routine training involves training the different muscle groups individually but in a much more intense way. If you have been training for a long time, you may want to use this training method to strengthen your muscles. For beginners , this form of training is too intensive and usually causes severe muscle pain, which can force them to take multiple days off.
Editor’s Tip : Remember to prepare for physical activity with a warm-up session. You don’t know how? We have prepared a short warm-up to improve mobility, which you can download here for free.
How many repetitions do I have to do? At first a few more
We recommend doing 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise to gain confidence and learn the movement well. Take a 1 minute break and again 12 or 15 repetitions. This 3 times (in the workout we speak of series).
How much weight do I train? You have to experiment
We are often asked how to find the right training load. The easiest way is the following: take a dumbbell and try to do 15 repetitions. If you can’t, you decrease the weight, if it is too easy for you, increase it.
Repeat the process until you find the weight with which you can do all 15 reps. If you can do all the reps of the 3 sets , you can use more weight next time.
What exercises do I start with? Machines and bodyweight training
The number of machines and equipment that each gym is provided certainly makes it difficult to decide which exercise to start with. Often, as mentioned, the personal trainer at the gym gives you directions at the time of registration.
Generally it is better to start from the machines as it is easier to perform the exercises correctly and to avoid injuries . Because? Because most machines already determine your movement and your posture .
Bodyweight exercises are also great at first. Push-ups , squats and sit-ups not only improve your perception of your body , but also allow you to build a solid foundation for free weight training.
For example, the squat is a very demanding exercise that is best done first without weights and then with a light barbell. Only after mastering the correct execution can you increase the weight.
How can I not lose motivation? Find your target
Ask yourself why you want to start exercising. Make sure you do it for yourself, that you have a personal reason that pushes you to take this path. If you start to please someone else, your doctor, your parents or your friends, for example, you won’t get far.
Think of everything that would improve in your life if you achieved the physical shape you desire. Put your goal in writing and hang the paper in a place you see every day so that you always have under your eyes what you want to achieve.
Leave your ego at home
In the gym we are surrounded by men and women with enviable physiques. It’s frustrating but don’t be intimidated , they all started from scratch . Don’t try to lift or move heavy weights as fast as possible just because others in the gym do. You are here to achieve your personal goal , not to compare your performance.
In short
- Get a professional personal trainer to follow you.
- Learn to train properly first and before you change your eating habits.
- 2 or 3 training sessions per week are sufficient at the beginning.
- Your muscles only grow if you give them a break.
- Start with a total body workout.
- Do 3 sets of 12 – 15 reps of each exercise.
- Find the right load.
- At first train on machines and using only your body weight.
- Do it for yourself!
