Getting a gym membership may be the first step toward reaching your fitness goals. However, not everyone uses the gym. Some people may give up because they do not know what to do. An injury resulting from guessing incorrectly how often to exercise or how to use the equipment might prematurely end your workouts. A personal trainer can assess your fitness level, develop a program for you using equipment at the gym, and teach you how to exercise. If a personal trainer is not in your budget, you can still be successful if you ask for help.
Step 1
Ask a staff member to teach you how to use the weight and cardio machines, or sign up for a free session with a personal trainer. The weight machines have written instructions on them that identify what muscles get worked and how to adjust the machine to put your body in the proper alignment to use it. Read the labels and ask questions or use the machine in front of a gym employee so he can tell you if you are doing it right.
Step 2
Sign up for a class that uses free weights. Watch the instructor closely, listen to her cues, and mimic her movements so you learn the correct form for using free weights. Use a mirror to observe your exercise form in comparison to your instructor's. Keep the weights light when you are learning, and then increase them as you master exercises. Write down the names of the exercises you learned and what muscle group they worked.
Step 3
Do three days a week of strength training with machines or free weights, as recommended by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Do one exercise for each major muscle group so you get a full-body workout. Major muscles groups include the chest, back, legs, and shoulders. Check your notes or read the labels on the machines to remind yourself which exercises work which muscles.
Step 4
Use your cardio machine of choice for a minimum of 30 minutes per day five days a week, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Do a five-minute warm-up to gradually increase your speed before you begin your 30-minute workout. Finish with a five-minute cool-down, easing down to a slow speed on the machine.
Step 5
Do cardio and strength training on the same days if you wish. You can do them back-to-back or at different times.
Tips and Warnings
- Working out at a gym is great, but if you cannot make it five days a week do some cardio at home. Use a workout DVD or go outside for a walk or run. Bring a hand towel to wipe your sweat off machines. This is simply good gym etiquette.
References
- CDC
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training: Course Manual;" National Academy of Sports Medicine; 2008
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