WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT IN A GYM?
We’re not going to lie: gyms can be weird places. Be prepared to see eccentric people behaving in ways that would get them
locked up anywhere else—making loud noises, wearing revealing clothing, and performing exercises you’re not sure are really exercises.
The important thing is not to let it throw you. Chances are you’re not the weirdo in the gym. If you think it’s the other guy who’s benchpressing in a three-piece suit, you’re probably right (trust your instincts).
WHAT WORKOUT SHOULD I DO?
As a rank beginner, it doesn’t matter much what your goal is. Whether you ultimately want to be jacked, ripped, or just lose 20 pounds, you need to build a base of strength first. Strong muscles are more efficient and better coordinated, and they lay the foundation for all the other fitness goals. “I always do full-body workouts if a client is coming in two to four times per week,”
WHAT ARE THE BEST EXERCISES?
Compound movements— i.e., lifts that work muscle at more than one joint. For instance, the bench press, squat, and chin-up are all compound movements. The bench press and chin-up both involve action at the shoulders and elbows, while the squat requires flexing and extending the hips and knees. Because more joints and muscles are involved with compound lifts, you can use heavy weights when you train with them, and that causes a rush of musclebuilding hormones that make your whole body grow.
HOW MANY EXERCISES SHOULD I DO?
Three to five is ideal, and no more than six. Don’t overcomplicate your training: make a short list of really effective lifts (see “What are the best exercises?”) and get good at them. “Beginners don’t have the work capacity to give their all to a bunch of exercises,” .
“After the first few,they’re spent, so they half-ass the rest. That’s how bad form is ingrained.”
An effective full-body workout needs to consist of only one pushing exercise, one pulling exercise, and one lower-body move. With those three movement patterns, you essentially work every muscle in the body.
HOW LONG SHOULD I REST BETWEEN SETS?
Rest as long as you feel you need to in order to perform the next set with intensity (i.e., the same weight you used for the last set or the same number of reps). Lifting isn’t aerobic training, so don’t think sitting down to rest makes you lazy. You certainly don’t want to rest so long that you cool off and
lose focus, but don’t try to push yourself so fast that your technique suffers and you burn out too early. Tougher, more complex exercises like deadlifts require more rest—two minutes or so. Less technique- intensive lifts like lunges or curls can be done with around 60 seconds’ rest.
HOW SHOULD I PLAN MY WORKOUTS FOR A WEEK?
The “1–2–1” split works great. This means you have two workouts, Day 1 and 2, and you alternate them for three or four sessions per week (whatever you have time for). If you train three days, you’ll do Workout 1 twice the first week and Workout 2 just once. The next week, you’ll do Workout 2 twice. Remember, since they’re full-body workouts, you won’t go long without training a particular muscle group even if you do only one of each workout in a seven-day stretch. You should rest a day between each workout.
HOW DO I WARM UP?
It depends on how much time you have. Ideally, you’d go into the gym and walk on a treadmill for five minutes or skip until you break a sweat. Then you’d go through a series of mobility exercises—leg swings, arm circles, and similar moves that take you through the range of motion you’re going to use on your exercises. Then you’d do a few stretches for tight areas like the hips and pecs, pick up the weights and do a few light sets to find your groove, and get to work.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPS SHOULD I DO?
At the beginner stage, you need to think of your sets .
You’re not ready to load the bar with a ton of weight and grind out a max, nor is it appropriate to test your endurance by doing high-rep sets. Three to four sets of six to 12 reps lets you practise an exercise without accumulating so much strain or fatigue that you risk getting hurt. Spend one or two sets warming up— adding weight gradually— and then push hard on the last one or two.
WHAT KIND OF CARDIO SHOULD I DO?
The perfect blend is a mix of steady state (like walking
or light jogging) and highintensity interval training, alternating bouts of intense work with periods of rest or a lighter pace. When you have 30 minutes or more to train, steady-state exercise is a good choice. It strengthens
the heart and burns up calories primarily from your stored fat.
HOW DO I DEAL WITH SORENESS?
Sore muscles are a natural side effect of training,especially when an exercise or workout is new to you. The exact cause isn’t fully agreed upon by exercise scientists, but it’s thought to be the result of the microtears that lifting creates in your muscles (healing these tears builds the muscles up bigger). “I think people need to work through soreness,”
WHAT KIND OF SHOES SHOULD I WEAR TO THE GYM?
“I would recommend not wearing toe shoes if you want to make friends at the gym,” . Funkylooking minimalist pumps are popular but can cause ankle and knee problems if you aren’t ready for them. Shoes with squishy soles don’t provide a firm base.
WHAT ABOUT GLOVES AND A BELT?
Belts support your spine when lifting very heavy loads, but at your stage of the game, you should be training your core to provide that stability. No self-respecting lifter wears gloves.
WHEN DO I KNOW I’M NOT A BEGINNER ANY MORE?
You can bench-press your body weight for one rep, deadlift your body weight for five reps, and perform at least five chin-ups, you’re welcome to change your routine and try some more advanced training. The amount of time it takes for you to hit these benchmarks is completely individual, so don’t rush or compare yourself with others. Progress at your own pace.
WHAT FOODS SHOULD I EAT?
The answer to this shouldn’t surprise you: healthy food! And food that’s as close to its natural state as possible. You need to begin thinking of food in terms of the macronutrients it provides, and try to separate the foods you get those nutrients from so they’re easier to keep track of (more on this below). Your protein needs should be met by chicken breasts; whole eggs (and egg whites, for pure protein); lean cuts of beef; fish; turkey; and protein powder.
Your carbohydrates can come from potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice (white or brown), oats, fruits, and vegetables. As for fat, most of it will come as a by-product of your protein foods, but you can also derive fat from avocados, nuts, nut butters, seeds, and a small amount of oil such as coconut or olive.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I EAT?
Get ready to start keeping track of calories and macro nutrients. You don’t need to be meticulous, but you do need to be consistent. If your goal is to gain muscle size and maximise strength, consume 14–18 calories per pound of your body weight. For fat loss, go with 10–12 calories per pound. Yes, these are ranges and not exact numbers— you’ll need to experiment a bit and find the number that’s right for you. Start on the lower end of the spectrum for muscle gain and the higher end for fat loss, so that changes can be made gradually, and adjust if you aren’t gaining or losing weight after two weeks. When bulking up or slimming down, your protein and fat intake should be very similar. Eat 1–1.5 grams of protein per pound of your body weight and 0.4 gram of fat per pound. Carbohydrates have the greatest effect on body weight due to their impact on insulin, a hormone that alternately causes muscle or fat gain depending on the timing and composition of your meals. For this reason, the amount of carbs you eat will vary greatly depending on your goal.
WHAT SHOULD I EAT BEFORE A WORKOUT?
Let the timing of your workout determine this. If you’re exercise first thing in the morning, you’re welcome to have nothing but water beforehand.
Black coffee is fine, too, and may actually increase the amount of fat you burn in the session. Assuming you had dinner the night before, your body will still be flush with amino acids (components of protein) and stored carbs, so there’s no immediate need to fuel your training any further. In fact, eating carbs right before can limit the fat you burn during a session. On the other hand, if you’re training in the afternoon or evening,
you can have some protein and carbs an hour or more before the workout to power you through it; 25 grams protein and up to 50 grams carbs is fine.
WHAT SHOULD I EAT AFTER A WORKOUT?
A 2-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein—such as another 50 grams of carbs and 25 grams protein. A protein shake would be
ideal at this time because it digests quickly, getting the nutrients to the muscles fast when they need them most to begin the recovery process. However, whole food can work as well. If you’re short on money, Miyaki says one or two pieces of fruit provides enough carbs to stop your muscles from breaking down, and will jump-start growth. You can pair fruit with a lean serving of protein, such as white fish. One more point to make here: by “workout” we mean weight exercise. You don’t need to follow any specific menu before or after a cardio session. In fact, as
with weight workouts done in the morning, you’ll burn more calories from fat if you avoid eating before a cardio session.
CAN I EVER CHEAT ON MY DIET?
Of course. The only way you can sustain a healthy eating plan is by building some leniency into it. “Plan to have one or two
cheat meals per week,” Miyaki says. These are meals when you can eat whatever and as much as you like, but as soon as you finish, you’re done. Don’t let it go on all day. Incorporating booze, pizza or whatever treats you enjoy will
keep you on track longterm— not loathing the process. “Don’t give up any food you love indefinitely,” .
