January is peak season for gyms, with thousands looking to make good on fitness-focussed New Year’s resolutions. But by the end of the month, many have abandoned their goals.
As a fitness writer, and someone who initially found the gym a daunting prospect (before eventually falling in love with the place), I want to stem this trend. And from my experience, the best way to do this is by building confidence.
For me, going in with a game plan was the key to swerving pre-gym jitters. Rather than wandering around wondering where to start, I could stride up to the requisite equipment and crack on with my session. The endorphins soon started flowing, and the fun (not to mention results) followed shortly after.
To help you do the same, I asked The Gym Group’s master trainer Jenni Tardiff to cook up a workout for newcomers to the gym. And she delivered, with an efficient and effective full-body session you can use to ace your fitness goals.
How to do Jenni Tardiff’s full-body gym workout for beginners
Perform the exercises above as straight sets. Unlike a circuit, this means you will complete all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next one. In practice, this means doing 10-12 repetitions of the leg press, resting for 60 seconds, doing another 10-12 repetitions of the leg press, then moving on to the chest press machine.
Tardiff favours machine-based exercises here as they follow a fixed movement path, providing more stability and control for newcomers to the gym.
“[The machines] have instructions on them, helping you learn proper form and technique with minimal risk of injury, and help build confidence as you start your fitness journey,” she explains.
However, if these machines are busy (and it’s likely they might be at this time of year as gyms fill up) I’ve also shared an easy dumbbell substitute under each move, so you can avoid queueing for equipment and keep the momentum of your workout going.
Tardiff also centres the session around compound exercises, or movements which recruit multiple joints and muscles at once. “For those with limited days to train, compound movements provide a full-body workout in fewer exercises, maximising the effectiveness of your training sessions,” she adds.
Warm-up
The workout
Leg press
How to do it
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
Benefits: “Targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings and helps to build lower body strength”.
Dumbbell alternative: Goblet squat
Chest press machine
How to do it
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
Benefits: “Works the chest, shoulders, and triceps, providing an upper body push exercise with guided movement to ensure correct form”.
Dumbbell alternative: Dumbbell floor press
Lat pulldown
How to do it
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
Benefits: “Strengthens your back muscles, particularly your latissimus Dorsi and will help improve your upper body stability and posture”.
Dumbbell alternative: Double dumbbell bent-over row
Shoulder press machine
Sets: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 60 seconds
How to do it
Benefits: “Targets the shoulders and triceps, helping build upper body strength”.
Dumbbell alternative: Dumbbell shoulder press
Plank hold
How to do it
Sets: 3 Reps: 20-30 seconds Rest: 60 seconds
Benefits: “Builds core strength, improves stability, and supports better posture”.
Optional finisher
Exercise bike
How to do it
Benefits: “Finish the workout with a boost to your cardiovascular endurance to improve heart health and boost your feel-good endorphins.”