how to start your first gym routine

note: the following exercises are only recommendations, but feel free to adjust any of these to your individual goals / what feels good to you. for any exercise you're unfamiliar with, it’s a good idea to watch a proper form demonstration on youtube before beginning.

i had a blast making this, please text me or call me about any questions you might still have and I’d be more than happy talking through these!

enjoy :)

general tips:

if you can’t do 8 reps it’s probably too much weight - and if you can do more than 12 it’s probably too little.
breathe. don’t forget to breathe.
every time you begin a new exercise start with low weight. (1) this acts as a warm-up and (2) you want to perfect the form before you do higher weight
slow and steady. You don’t want to use any other body part or momentum to help. if you start shaking and fucking up your form during the last few reps, you’re doing too much and need to lower it
treat your elbows well and don’t lock your joints to full extension
check your ego at the door and don’t feel weird asking for help! so many people (even the scary looking ones) love giving back to others so feel free to ask someone to watch your form and give advice. especially recommend this on squats and deadlifts
reddit is a great resource to find some fitness communities and get advice. /r/fitness is the biggest and has some good resources.

and most importantly

have fun! the gym can definitely feel overwhelming but when it starts to click you gain a whole new relationship with your body :)

my recommended beginner workout:

3 sets and 8-12 reps each

push (chest / triceps / shoulders)

bench
chest pec flys
tricep pushdowns
dips
shoulder press (dumbell or bar)

pull (back / biceps / lats)

pull-ups (or lat pulldown)
row (seated or standing)
bicep curl (one in each hand)
bicep cable curl (one handle in both hands)
shrugs

legs (legs / abs and obliques)

squats
lunges
deadlifts (hex bar or regular bar)
calf raises
planks / russian twists