Strength training - where to start?
Stepping into the gym for the very first time can be pretty intimidating, even if you’ve played sports or been active before - I’ve been there! Here’s where I’d start if you’re struggling, based on going to the gym twice per week:
Both days - hop on an exercise bike, elliptical trainer or a rower for 5 minutes - this should be a fairly easy pace at which you could just about have a conversation, you’re just trying to get your core temperature and heart rate up a bit here.
For all of these exercises, start with a really light weight in order to get a feel for the exercise and what’s gonna be suitable - do 2-3 warm-up sets of 6 repetitions, slowly increasing in weight and taking 1-2 minutes of rest in-between. You’re looking to find a weight which is pretty challenging for the number of repetitions listed - you can think about it being a 7 or 8 out of 10 effort, or you can think about stopping when you think you could have done about 2 more. I’ve linked YouTube videos which should get you on the right track technique wise!
Note: 3×6-8 means 3 separate sets of 6-8 repetitions of the exercise.
Before you begin: This is a general programme for healthy adults and isn’t individually tailored medical or exercise advice. If you have an injury, health condition, disability, are pregnant, or have concerns about starting exercise, you should speak to the appropriate health care professional first. With that said:
Day 1
Leg Press - 3x6-8, 1 minute 30 seconds rest between sets
Chest Press - 3x6-8, 1 minute 30 seconds rest between sets
Hamstring Curl - 3×8-10, 1 minute rest between sets
Cable Row - 3×6-8, 1 minute 30 seconds rest between sets
Crunch - 3×8-10, 1 minute rest between sets
Day 2
Hamstring Curl - 3×6-8, 1 minute 30 rest between sets
Overhead Press - 3×6-8, 1 minute 30 rest between sets
Leg Extension - 3×6-8, 1 minute 30 rest between sets
Lat Pulldown - 3×6-8, 1 minute 30 rest between sets
Side Bend - 3×8-10/each side, 1 minute rest between sets
Make a note of the weights you’ve used, and when you find you’re able to hit the higher end of the range (eg 8 in a set of 6-8) for all 3 sets, you’re ready to bump the weight up for next time!
This is a very simple program, and there’s loads more I tend to include - it’s just to illustrate how simple this can be and still yield really good results with a bit of consistency. Hope you enjoy it!