Where do I start @ the gym?

[MrsBooks]

Do you have a workout routine for the weights equipment at your gym? When I did my induction in July the PT just showed me all the machines and told me to start off with 3 or 4 sets of 8 or 10 reps.

What I'd like is a plan - for legs / arms / back or whatever. Ideally synced to my apple watch so I don't lose track. Is such a thing available without spending loads on a fancy app? I'd love to hire a PT but I'm priced out of that for now!

It's just a small community gym at a secondary school so they only have 6 or 8 weight machines, plus a bench, a cable wall thingy and free weights, plus the treadmills / stair-master / bike / rower etc.

Thanks!

I'm interested in this too. I really want to join the gym and succeed at doing so - historically I have joined, pissed about for a few weeks and given up.

Can't afford a personal trainer, etc.

Yes this is me too! I've previously joined the 24hr gyms for a couple of months and never ended up doing much as w! I think the fact that it is a small community gym where I can swim and do classes each week means I see lots of familiar faces and it's a more comfortable experience!

Can you approach the gym staff and ask them to put together a programme for you? Even if they charge for it, it’ll be worth it if you know what to do.

Otherwise I’d suggest starting with lat pull down, chest press, shoulder press and leg press… probably mixed in with some free weight stuff like walking lunges and squat thrusts. Keep the weights light for the first session and increase by feel.

I do think it’s worth having someone go through it all with you once though, to check your form etc.

Does you gym offer a learn to lift class (if it’s more weights you’re looking to do)? Ours did and it made me feel more confident going by myself after the 6 week block. Otherwise have a look online there are a few different plans and instructors online. For non-weights I like blogilates and I’ve not used it but I’ve heard about kayla Itsines programmes.

Otherwise a good way to break it up is carry, condition, cardio. So carry could be farmer carry two heavy weights for 40 sec on 20 sec off. Condition could be deadlifts 40/20 and then cardio skipping 40/20.

I am a PT.
If there are only 8 machines, then you could do 4 machines on 1 day & the other 4 on another day. This would give you a balanced workout of upper & lower body exercises.
3 sets x 15reps would be a good place to start if you want to tone up.
Start with a warm up for 5-10 mins on bike or treadmill, finish with a stretch.
After 8 weeks, it would be worth paying a PT for a session, to give you a few new exercise ideas, otherwise a) you will get bored of doing the same thing and b) it's important to mix things up & give your body new challenges, otherwise you will stop getting results.
Lots of my clients just see me once every 2 months to get a new programme, if they are unable to afford weekly sessions.

I thought it was pretty normal for the gym staff to prepare a workout routine when they show you around. I've joined twice (different gyms) and they both provided a card with their suggested routine, based on what I told them I needed. Neither were big chains - one was a Holiday Inn hotel gym!

Other than that, if there are so few machines, just go on each in turn and do 10/12 repetitions on each, start with low weights and build up on each machine as the weeks pass and your muscles start to develop.

Have a look at Strong Lifts 5 x5 and Brett Contreras Strong Curves. Both are v well known and evidenced weight training programes.

Instagram and tiktok have some good exercise ideas from fitness influencers which I get inspiration from. I usually warm up with cardio for 10 mins on either stair master or incline treadmill and will either do an upper or lower weights workout each time I go. Just be careful with your form and don't feel pressured to go too heavy until you know how to complete the movements properly otherwise you will risk injuring yourself.
I also go to a womens weightlifting class with a qualified PT which has taught me a lot, it is expensive though

Thanks all, some good tips there!!