WEIGHT TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS: HOW TO GET STARTED

No matter what your age, fitness experience, or fitness goals are, incorporating weight training into your exercise routine can be really beneficial for your health and wellbeing.

At first, lifting weights may feel intimidating but don’t worry – this feeling is normal. This guide is here to help you understand the fundamentals of lifting weights, so you can feel more confident when you step in the gym.

Starting something new can take you out of your comfort zone, but acknowledging these feelings and knowing that they’re only temporary can help put you in a positive mindset from the get-go. Everyone in the gym was once a beginner, so while you may not be completely confident at the start, with practice you will definitely get better!

Benefits of Weight Training

So why should we weight train? Weight training can provide a whole host of benefits, from physical health benefits, such as improved strength and building muscle, to mental health benefits like improved mood and reduced anxiety. And these are just a few to name. Find out more on the many amazing benefits of weight training here .It doesn’t only improve how we function in the gym, but in our day to day life too, which is why it’s so highly recommended for our wellbeing. The NHS recommends two or more muscle-strengthening exercises a week which focus on all muscle groups, and weight training in the gym can be a great way to meet these recommendations.

How to get started with lifting with weights

If it’s your first time lifting weights, the thought of going to a fixed-resistance machine or the free weights area to complete a workout may feel a bit daunting. But rest-assured, once you familiarise yourself with the gym, the equipment and practicing performing weighted exercises, you’ll soon wonder why you were so nervous in the first place.

Step One:

The first step we recommend is to find out where the weight training equipment is in your gym. Each of our PureGym locations has a cardio area, fixed-resistance area, fitness studio, and free weights area, and most also have a functional training area. The three main areas where you would find weight training equipment is the fixed-resistance machines area, free weight area, and functional area.

Step Two:

Having a strong purpose behind your training is important, as this will direct your approach and give meaning to the efforts you put in at the gym. Do you want to learn how to deadlift?  Do you want stronger arms to be able to pick up your growing kids? Do you want to improve your body composition?

Step Three:

Now that you’ve got your goals, it’s time to align these with what you do in the gym. There’s no one right way to achieve your goals, so don’t sweat it trying to come up with the perfect plan. The main thing is to get started and do what feels right for you and what meets your needs.

Step Four:

When you come to doing your workout, make sure to warm up beforehand and cool down after, as doing so is important for injury prevention.

You may find yourself regularly wondering “Am I doing this right?” which is perfectly normal. If at any point you feel you’re not sure how to use equipment or perform exercises and you’d like some guidance, our staff and the personal trainers in the gym will be happy to help you, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

There will be a learning curve at the start but over time, you’ll find that you will get more and more comfortable in weight training. You’ll also start to notice improvements in your strength and overall health, and no doubt you’ll be wondering why you didn’t start this sooner!