5 Gym Workouts for Your First Month's Membership

A new gym membership takes breaking in, and that means learning about the best way to approach warming up, working out, and cooling down. Gym beginners can see regular progress in strength and cardio as long as they work out smarter (and harder, but in increments.)

Dr. Michael Yessis, a world-renowned sports performance trainer, developed a good rule of thumb for people just getting into the habit of working out. The rule he developed suggests that you should do one set of 20 reps of a full-body exercise while you are just starting out. In the next gym session, you will increase the weight: the goal is to build upon your last session.

Points to Remember

• Go slow. Moving too quickly can lead to strain and injury, which will only hold you back. Ensure you have good posture, balance, and movement and are breathing comfortably.
• Pay attention to your fatigue levels. Tiring yourself out too soon decreases your ability to make steady progress. If you have to lift less weight or slow down, it is essential to do so in order to start to continue to see the gains you are striving for.
• Rest. Take a minute or two between sessions to breathe and stretch. Lactic acid builds up during high-intensity workouts, which leads to soreness and other symptoms.
• Ask questions. Gyms can have a lot of equipment with a variety of settings. Find a trainer or coach who can instruct you on properly using the equipment to avoid injury.
• Hydration. Drinking enough fluids will help you improve your core performance with your body flushing toxins out as you sweat and keeping you from feeling dehydrated or dizzy.

5 Workouts for Beginners

Starting with full-body strength training is the best way to begin your fitness journey. These workouts allow you to build muscle, burn higher amounts of calories, increase the durability of bones and joints, and build endurance. All of this leads to a reduced risk of injury. You will want to start with 2-3 times a week for training sessions.

There are five foundational movements for strength training that experts agree are the best to provide results for beginners. These foundational movements are squats, push-ups, planks, deadlifts, and rowing. These movements hit all the major muscle groups and, when paired with cardio, give an optimal routine for full-body exercising to improve your health.

Squats

Squats hit all your major leg muscles while also engaging your core for stabilization.

Below is an overview of how to properly execute a squat.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips, toes pointing forwards.
2. Keep your arms in front of your body.
3. With your chest out, shoulders back, and abs engaged, lower your butt as if you were going to sit down in a chair.
4. Make sure your knees do not move forward past your toes! Keep your weight back on your heels.
5. Return to the starting position, and do it again!

Instead of using a traditional barbell, you can also hold a kettlebell or a pair of dumbbells to improve the workout. You should use both hands to hold the kettlebell in front of your chest or hold the dumbbells in each hand. Remember to keep your arms in front of your body.

Push-Ups

Push-ups build your upper body strength in your arms, chest, and shoulders. If performed correctly, they can strengthen the core and lower back, as well as some of the muscles in the upper legs. There are many different styles of push-ups, and as your strength increases, you can play around with the variations.

Below is how to properly execute a traditional push-up.

1. Get on all fours, hands slightly wider than your shoulders, balls of your feet braced on the ground, body long and held off the floor. Engage your core for stabilization.
2. Straighten arms and legs.
3. Lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor.
4. Pause.
5. Push yourself back up, and then do it again!

A basic push-up can be challenging if you have never done one. If the above exercise is too strenuous, try placing your hands on a higher surface like a bench or low table while keeping your feet on the floor. Alternatively, you can brace yourself on your knees and keep your lower legs up. This reduces the amount of weight you are lifting.

Planks

The infamous plank sounds deceptively simple, but it will get you sweating. This is because it is similar to a push-up but without moving. This exercise really engages your core to strengthen your abdominals.

Below is the proper way to do a plank.

1. Get on all fours, hands slightly wider than your shoulders, balls of your feet braced on the ground, body long and held off the floor. This is the prime time to engage your core!
2. Straighten arms and legs.
3. Ensure your butt is not up in the air and your entire body is in a straight line.
4. Hold position!

Beginners don't have to push it. Hold the plank position for as long as possible and try to meet or beat the original time the next go-round. There are variations on the plank as well: instead of being on your hands, bend and brace your forearms against the ground.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts focus on your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. You can use a barbell or a pair of dumbbells, whichever you prefer. The weight you choose should allow you to lift it repeatedly. You want to remember the 20-rep rule. For proper form, you should ideally find a mirror—this way, you can watch your posture as you lift.

There are dozens of ways to lift weights, and you can get creative with them. Look up muscle groups to target or even kettlebell and weighted ball routines. If you prefer a machine with weight settings, ask a gym coach or teacher to demonstrate proper use.

Rowing

Rowing machines imitate the action of rowing a boat, which works your upper and lower body and your core. The seat moves, so be careful getting settled! You strap your feet in (knees bent), grab the handle (it's attached to a rope or chain), and as you pull back on the handle, you straighten your legs and sit up straight.

The rowers have different settings for the resistance you want as you row. Choose the resistance that allows you to continue to row for up to 2 minutes at a time. It's important to keep your shoulders back and chest up.

While these exercises are meant for total body enhancement, they can become repetitive. You can find more motivation and fun in group exercising with friends. Keep in mind to only stretch your body to its capacity and not more, as the above exercises can be extensive. If you have some prior medical conditions, be sure to take your general physician's advice and do the routine under the supervision of a coach when possible.