How To Start Training In a Gym On Your Own

This is going to sound like self-promotion but hire a trainer.

Let them know that you want to learn how to train each muscle group, how to do exercises with proper technique and to get a plan to follow.

 
If you spend more time doing cardio bunny exercises, find a different trainer, don’t feel bad about it, they’re not a good fit for your goal.

(I would say use google, but after a quick search the information is terrible and overselling the necessity of protein powder? You DO NOT need supplements to start exercising.)

Practice what you learn from the trainer. I am always telling clients to go to the gym and try to train on their own and come back with feedback. 

The last thing you need is to create a dependency. You will get much more from the experience if you also invest your time.

There’s nothing wrong with needing someone to show you for a month or two, but if you aren’t actively practising, then you won’t know how to train alone even after that time. Practice!

Follow the same programme for a minimum of 6 months.

Yep, a lot of people would probably disagree with that. 

Still, when you’re a beginner, your focus should be on getting better at basic exercises and getting stronger. You don’t need overly complicated periodisation types or advanced set/rep schemes. Yet.

Aim to add 2.5kg (2 x 1.25kg plates) to your compound movements like squats/deadlifts /pressing over that time.

First, it will be per session, then progressively week to week, eventually month to month.

At that level of progression, you could theoretically go from lifting a 20kg bar to lifting 150kg. Most will plateau long before that, and that’s when you can look at different types of training if that is your goal!

You may be happy with lifting weights properly three times a week without much worry about progressing, and that’s perfectly acceptable.

Take an interest in what you’re doing! Learn variations of the exercises you’re doing. If they feel good, swap them into your programme.

Stay consistent, aim for three sessions a week, whether that’s two with a trainer and one on your own, or reversed. Gain as much experience as you need until you feel confident to transition into just going alone or with a friend.

This could be through seeing your trainer once a week, then once every two weeks, once a month then finally you may get a refresher or check in every half a year for 2-4 sessions.

If you have any questions about the above, send me an email or message me on the facebook page and I will do my best to help you