Help! I'm New! - Beginning at the Gym

It’s the beginning of the new year and many of us have set goals for ourselves in 2025. Of those goals, something to do with our health is common. As a result, gyms see a spike in new members this time of year. It’s exciting for everyone- new members, current members, and staff. It’s the time of year when the motivation is palpable. Everyone is excited to make positive change in their lives.


Sadly, it’s common that this motivation seems to wane as the month progresses. There are many reasons for it, but the most common reason is that many of us just don’t know what to do in the gym. As a result we get overwhelmed, turned off, bored, etc. . . Compliance drops and even the best intentioned of us are susceptible to “falling off”.


Today I want to take some time to outline for new gym goers of what to do on any given day. With this, I hope that you can create a plan which keeps you in the gym long term.


If you have found yourself at a gym with a personal trainer- great! You don’t have to worry at all. They will take care of you and manage all of your details. You just have to show up and have fun!


If you’re going to a gym where you are taking classes- easy enough. Show up a few minutes early. Introduce yourself to whomever is working at the front desk, they’ll give you a tour, introduce you to the instructor, and let you know where to wait. From there you get to simply follow along with the group! If you’re not at the same level as others in the group- do not worry. You are there for yourself. It’s your workout. You don’t know if the person next to you has been working out for two years or two days. Don’t compare yourself. You always get to work at your own pace. Your instructor will encourage you to do your best!


Lastly, if you’re at a large gym, a community center, fitness center in your building, or your own basement and you’re working out on your own- this is where the article is for you!


Over the next few paragraphs I will outline what I think is a good fool proof workout for many people. Of course, we’ll have ways to make it harder and easier- you get to pick and choose where you begin and how you progress. With this information, you will have the power and confidence to have your best experience in the gym.


*Note- exercise should feel good more often than not when you’re new. If something feels wrong, stop doing it, and ask for help. Make sure you’re ready for exercise- consult with your doctor. Listen to your body is my #1 rule.

The Warmup

Okay, so you get to you new gym. It’s busy. There’s music playing. It’s warm. Everyone there looks like they know exactly what they’re doing (they don’t). It can be overwhelming. Take a big breath in, and follow along to this play-by-play.

1. If you haven’t already, introduce yourself to whomever is working the front desk. They will likely show you around. If they don’t- ask them where the locker rooms/bathrooms are as well as the water fountain.
2. Head to the locker room. Let your things down, change, do what you need to do.
3. Fill up your water bottle at the fountain (which you now know where it is).
4. While you’re filling you bottle have a look around for the cardio area (this is where you’ll find treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, etc…
5. Find yourself a piece of cardio equipment that is interesting to you. It doesn’t matter which one you use, and long as you’re comfortable on it, and there are no signs of anyone else using it (water bottle, towel, headphones, etc. . .)
6. Take a moment to look at the machine and step onto it. Similar to when you rent a car, they’re all different. It’s worth a moment to familiarize yourself visually with the display before you start moving. Like a rental car, when you begin moving start slowly and see how the machine reacts just like the accelerator and brakes of a car.
7. Once you’re comfortable and going- let’s do a minimum of 5 minutes of the machine- you can definitely do more if you’d like! During this time, have a look around the gym. Notice where there are a lot of people. Look for quieter areas. Where are the dumbbells? Where are the TRX which you used to love? Is there a quiet corner you can do your work? Do you want to jump into the busy areas? Notice what you like and what you think you might use.
8. Once you’re done clean off your machine and we’ll head to the next part of the workout!

*Note- you do not need to take this checklist into the gym with you, but it’s worth reading this over a couple of times and visualizing what your trip to the gym may look like especially if you’re anxious.

The Workout

Now it’s time for the workout. It’s your first day in the gym, we’re going to keep it as easy as you need. This foundational workout can be completed at your own intensity. In this full body workout you will work through 5 patterns-


Push
Pull
Squat
Hinge
Core


We’ll pair them up so that you can go back and forth with two exercises for efficiency. Below are a few lists of common exercises that belong in each category. Read them over, maybe you recognize some. Many people will be able to begin right in the middle of the lists. Other people who have been working out for longer can begin higher on the list. Those who are brand new to the gym may need to go lower on the list. All of these exercises are good exercises, you may need to explore which are the best for you.
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Videos of each exercise can be found on this Youtube Playlist

​These are FAR from exhaustive lists. Each exercise listed has infinite numbers of iterations. This is just a good starting point for many of us!


So now, let’s get to it.
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We will begin by taking one Push Exercise and one Squat Exercise. We will pair these together. First you will perform 8-12 reps of your Push Exercise, followed by 8-12 reps of your Squat Exercise. We will do this three times.

Example:
Incline Pushup x12
Air Squat x12
Incline Pushup x10
Air Squat x12
Incline Pushup x11
Air Squat x12


Find some space- and take the items that you need. Be sure not to crowd other people or use items that are in use by others. You can always ask or signal by pointing toward an item with raised eyebrows.


Once completed, clean off your items and replace them.


Next we will move on to your second pair of exercises- one Pull Exercise and one Hinge Exercise. Just like our last pair 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Example:
TRX Row x12
Hip Bridge x8
TRX Row x12
Hip Bridge x8
TRX Row x12
Hip Bridge x8


Clean again and replace.


Lastly, we have our core work to do. Core is something that I say you should decide how much to do with your heart. Kind of like cooking with garlic. Don’t measure, just go for it. For the Core Exercises, find some place where you won’t be near the weights of in the way. Grab a mat and lets get into it. Spend 5 minutes-ish working some exercises that are interesting to you and then you’re done! Oh, and make sure you clean up anything you used :)

Example:
Forearm Plank x30 sec
Bent Knee Side Plank x20 sec each side
Farmers Carry x60 sec

Exercise Selection

How do you choose your exercises? Well, this will likely require a little bit of trial and error. If you're working with a coach, you can trust that they pick and choose the exercises that are best for you. If you're working out on your own, begin with what you're comfortable with. If that's the very bottom of the lists, fine! If you recognize some exercises and you remember enjoying them in the past, begin with those! There is no right or wrong. What matters most is that you find the exercises are agree with your body and that you WANT to do. This will set you up for better success than choosing exercises that "think" you should be doing, but hate. It's your workout that you're making for yourself, you're the boss. 
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The Cool Down

​At this point- you may feel accomplished and ready to go home. If that’s the case- great. Go home and be proud. If you’re having fun and you’d like to spend a few more minutes stretching or returning to the cardio equipment- please do! You’re the boss!


The gym can be an intimidating place when you’re new. I get it. The space can be big. It can be busy. Equipment can be confusing. Music can be loud. There’s a lot going on. At times it might seem like everyone is looking at you. I can assure you that while the gym may seem intimidating, it’s actually a beautiful place where wonderful people are spending time to better their lives. People just like you are taking time out of their day, away from work, away from their family to improve their health. Your fellow gym goers are also there to socialize with their friends who are similarly health minded people. They are there to support each other and you! It’s really a beautiful thing to see a gym full of people on a Friday evening or a Sunday morning. So many like minded people spending time and money to improve their quality of life.


Author H.G. Wells is quoted saying, “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race” 


Coaching Keenan Erickson is quoted saying, “Every time I see a room full of adults communally working on their respective health goals, the next generation becomes so much richer.”

Okay, I don't actually say this, but I do feel this way.

Exercise regularly, Eat intelligently, and Sleep well. Share it with other people, take part in it together, and absolutely always make it visible to the younger people in your life.