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New to the gym? Try this trainer’s five-move full-body workout for beginners
If you’ve never stepped foot in a gym, we’ve got you covered with these five moves
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Your support makes all the difference.January is peak season for gyms, with thousands looking to make good on fitness-focussed New Year’s resolutions. But by the end of the month, many have abandoned their goals.
As a fitness writer, and someone who initially found the gym a daunting prospect (before eventually falling in love with the place), I want to stem this trend. And from my experience, the best way to do this is by building confidence.
For me, going in with a game plan was the key to swerving pre-gym jitters. Rather than wandering around wondering where to start, I could stride up to the requisite equipment and crack on with my session. The endorphins soon started flowing, and the fun (not to mention results) followed shortly after.
To help you do the same, I asked The Gym Group’s master trainer Jenni Tardiff to cook up a workout for newcomers to the gym. And she delivered, with an efficient and effective full-body session you can use to ace your fitness goals.
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How to do Jenni Tardiff’s full-body gym workout for beginners
- Warm-up
- Leg press 2x10-12
- Chest press machine 2x10-12
- Lat pulldown 2x10-12
- Shoulder press machine 2x10-12
- Plank 3x20-30 seconds
Perform the exercises above as straight sets. Unlike a circuit, this means you will complete all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next one. In practice, this means doing 10-12 repetitions of the leg press, resting for 60 seconds, doing another 10-12 repetitions of the leg press, then moving on to the chest press machine.
Tardiff favours machine-based exercises here as they follow a fixed movement path, providing more stability and control for newcomers to the gym.
“[The machines] have instructions on them, helping you learn proper form and technique with minimal risk of injury, and help build confidence as you start your fitness journey,” she explains.
However, if these machines are busy (and it’s likely they might be at this time of year as gyms fill up) I’ve also shared an easy dumbbell substitute under each move, so you can avoid queueing for equipment and keep the momentum of your workout going.
Tardiff also centres the session around compound exercises, or movements which recruit multiple joints and muscles at once. “For those with limited days to train, compound movements provide a full-body workout in fewer exercises, maximising the effectiveness of your training sessions,” she adds.
Warm-up
- Five minutes on a cardio machine of your choice to get the blood pumping
- Leg swings x10 each side
- Arm circles x10 forward then x10 backward
- High knees x10 each side
- Plank shoulder taps x10 each side
The workout
Leg press
How to do it
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
- Sit on the seat of the machine with your back flat against the backrest.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform, then push the platform away from you to take the weight. Your legs should be just shy of straightened, so you’re not locking out your knees. (This, and the next step are only necessary on a plate-loaded leg press. A machine leg press is easier to use and will start with your knees bent, with no handles.)
- Rotate the handles on either side of the seat away from the machine – this will allow you to lower the platform slowly towards you by bending your knees.
- Drive through the middle of your feet to push the platform back to the starting position.
- When you’ve completed all your reps, return the handles to their starting position then remove your feet from the platform.
Benefits: “Targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings and helps to build lower body strength”.
Dumbbell alternative: Goblet squat
Chest press machine
How to do it
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
- Sit in the seat of the machine with your back flat against the backrest.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, pull your shoulder blades back and down to set them, then push the handles away from you until your arms are extended.
- Slowly control the handles back to the starting position, then repeat.
Benefits: “Works the chest, shoulders, and triceps, providing an upper body push exercise with guided movement to ensure correct form”.
Dumbbell alternative: Dumbbell floor press
Lat pulldown
How to do it
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
- Sit on the seat, placing your thighs underneath the pads provided. You can adjust the height of these pads for a snug, secure fit.
- Grab the bar above with a wide, overhand grip.
- Pull the bar down to the top of your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you do so.
- Slowly control it back to the starting position, then repeat.
Benefits: “Strengthens your back muscles, particularly your latissimus Dorsi and will help improve your upper body stability and posture”.
Dumbbell alternative: Double dumbbell bent-over row
Shoulder press machine
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
How to do it
- Sit on the seat with your back flat against the backrest.
- Hold the handles above your shoulders with an overhand grip, elbows pointing towards the floor.
- Push upwards until your arms are extended, then control the handles back to the starting position and repeat.
Benefits: “Targets the shoulders and triceps, helping build upper body strength”.
Dumbbell alternative: Dumbbell shoulder press
Plank hold
How to do it
Sets: 3 Reps: 20-30 seconds Rest: 60 seconds
- Get into a plank position, with your weight spread between your forearms and your toes.
- Your body should form a straight line from the back of your head to your heels, your elbows should be underneath your shoulders, and you should be looking at the floor just in front of you. Think about drawing your rib cage towards your hips to engage your core.
- You can lower your knees to the floor if this feels too difficult.
- Hold this position, picking a target time that is challenging for you to achieve.
Benefits: “Builds core strength, improves stability, and supports better posture”.
Optional finisher
Exercise bike
How to do it
- 30 seconds fast pace / 30 seconds recovery pace x10
Benefits: “Finish the workout with a boost to your cardiovascular endurance to improve heart health and boost your feel-good endorphins.”
Read more: I trained like Anne Hathaway for a month, and the results surprised me