When you join a gym, treadmills and exercise machines are a safe place to start and not hurt yourself. You may even have some familiarity with warm-up and cool-down stretches – good for you!
However, the threat of hurting yourself with free weights (and the intimidation to approach them cluelessly in front of others) may be enough to prevent your budding exercise lifestyle from growing.
Imagine this is your budding exercise routine.
Look at you go!
I highly recommend investing in either small group or 1-on-1 trainer lessons for a few months to get confidence and familiarity with the various equipment at your disposal in a well-stocked gym and to learn the proper form for various exercises. Whether you get a trainer or try to go it solo, here are some basic points to keep in mind:
- Do warm up & cool down stretches for your muscles
- Engage your core (tense your ab muscles during exercise to avoid straining back muscles)
- Use free weights to improve more balancing muscles (those not engaged when using a machine)
- Rotate exercises in target areas (typically arms & legs) at least 3 times a week, and you can mix & match those with core and cardio workouts. Also, if you targeted a specific muscle group, give it a rest the next day.
- Keep track of exercise sets (with reps & weight or time) so you can increase the amounts over time and copy old sets (I use FitNotes which is free, but there are other apps available)
- Start new exercises with less weight. It is better to get comfortable doing the right form than hurting yourself by adding weight too soon.
- Listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, make a note and take a break from it. You may be able to ask someone else at the gym to give you pointers.
Here is a sample exercise schedule for one day:
| Day | Group | Exercise | Reps & Weight | Notes |
| Monday | Group 1 | Barbell Back Squat | 25lbs x8 (3sets) 25lbs x5 (1set) | heels elevated, neck cushion (hip, knee, & ankles bend; plate under heels to prevent knees caving in) |
| Romanian Deadlift (RDL) | 50lbs x8 (4sets) | standard barbell is 45lbs (this is hinge, not squat) | ||
| Leg Press Machine | 180lbs x8 (2set) 200lbsx8 (2set) | |||
| Standing Calf Raise | 1 min each (4set) | |||
| Group 2 | Reverse Lunges | 15lbs x10 (4set) | start standing with both feet on plate (elevation gives more range to work muscles) | |
| Hamstring Curl Machine | 20lbs x10perleg (2set) 25lbs x10perleg(2set) | if on exercise ball, x15-10-8-8 (decrease reps) | ||
| Barbell Glute Bridges | add 2 10lbs (45 bar & 20lbs = 65lbs) x 15-10-8-8 | engage core/pull in belly button, put weights behind cushion, focus on sitting flat against backing & maybe shoulder blades on it | ||
| Butt Lifts | x15-10-8-8 |
Mauron Kur 