Your First Gym Session: What to Do Before You Lift

Before you go

Ask about an induction

Most gyms will show new members around the equipment if you ask. Use it. Ask how the machines adjust, where the free weights are and when the gym is quietest.

Pick a quiet time for the first few visits

Mid-morning, early afternoon and later in the evening are usually quieter than straight after work. A quieter gym makes it easier to take your time on a machine without feeling rushed.

What to bring

• Comfortable clothes and trainers with a flat, grippy sole.
• A water bottle and a small towel. Many gyms ask you to wipe down equipment after use.
• Your plan, written on your phone or on paper, so you are not making it up as you go.
• Headphones, if music helps you settle in.

A simple first session (about 45 minutes)

1. Warm up, 5 to 10 minutes: treadmill, bike or cross-trainer at an easy pace.
2. Four or five basic movements: a leg press or goblet squat, a chest press machine, a seated cable row, a shoulder press machine and a plank. Machines are a good start because they guide the movement.
3. Two sets of 10 to 12 on each: pick a weight you could lift a few more times. The aim is to learn the movement, not to empty the tank.
4. Write down what you used: the machine, the weight and the reps. Next time you have a number to beat. That log is the start of progressive overload.
5. Finish with 5 minutes of easy walking.

Regular muscle-strengthening work is recommended for adults of all ages, so you are starting on something worthwhile.¹ Once you are comfortable, move on to a repeatable plan like the three-day beginner workout.

Gym etiquette nobody tells you

• Wipe down benches and handles when you finish.
• Put weights back where you found them.
• If someone is on a machine you need, ask “how many sets have you left?” Most people are happy to let you jump in between sets.
• Do not stand right in front of the dumbbell rack. Take your weights a few steps back.
• Asking staff how a machine works is normal. That is part of their job.

If you feel out of place

Almost everyone feels this at the start, especially if they are carrying weight they want to lose. Most people in the gym are focused on their own session, their own music and their own reflection. Keith felt exactly this, and the thing that worked was turning up again. The second session is easier than the first, and the tenth is just a normal day.

Going with a friend helps too. These days Keith trains four times a week with two mates, and having people expecting you makes it much harder to skip.

The next day or two

It is common to feel stiff and sore for a day or two after your first sessions, especially in your legs. It eases as your body gets used to training. Sharp pain, or pain in a joint rather than a muscle, is different: stop that exercise and get it checked.

Questions about your first gym session

How long should my first gym session be?

Around 45 minutes is plenty: a short warm-up, four or five basic exercises for two sets each and a cool-down. Leaving wanting more is better than leaving wrecked.

Should I use machines or free weights first?

Machines are a good place to start because they guide the movement and are easy to adjust. You can add free weights like dumbbells as you get comfortable.

How heavy should I lift on day one?

Light enough that you could do a few more reps at the end of each set. Your first sessions are for learning the movements. Write the weights down so you can build from there.

Is it normal to be sore after the first session?

Yes. Stiffness for a day or two, especially in the legs, is common and eases as you keep training. Sharp or joint pain is different: stop that exercise and get it checked.