What gym plan should a beginner follow?

How many days a week should a beginner go to the gym?

Two or three. ACSM, a US body of sports doctors and scientists, advises 2 to 3 days a week for healthy adults who are beginners. It counts you as one if you’ve never lifted, or haven’t for several years.

The NHS sets the floor. Adults should do strength work on at least 2 days a week, working the legs, hips, back, tummy, chest, shoulders and arms.

Weights, machines, resistance bands and bodyweight moves like press-ups all count.

So make every session full body. Each visit then covers every muscle group, and two visits meet the NHS target.

You don’t need 5 or 6 days. ACSM saves 4 to 5 days for people with years of training behind them.

Spread your days out, such as Monday and Thursday, or Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Put two in your diary for this week.

What should my first gym workout look like?

Warm up first. The NHS suggests at least 6 minutes, such as marching on the spot, heel digs and knee lifts.

Then do the big lifts before the small ones. ACSM puts large muscle groups before small, and moves that bend several joints before moves that bend one.

A rep is one lift. A set is a group of reps done without stopping, so 2 sets of 10 means 10 lifts, a short rest, then 10 more.

Why 2 to 3 sets? In a review of 14 studies, 2 to 3 sets per exercise were linked with 46% bigger strength gains than 1 set. That held for new and trained lifters alike.

Never used the machines? Ask a member of staff to show you each one before you start.

Rather start at home? Our two-day home strength routine uses the same idea with less kit. Otherwise, save this session on your phone and take it with you.

How heavy should I lift, and how many reps?

Pick a weight you can lift 8 to 12 times with good technique, and no more. That’s the ACSM range for beginners.

The NHS puts it simply. Work each set to the point where you need a short rest before you go again.

Finding the weight on day one takes a bit of guesswork. Start light and do 12 slow reps. If they felt easy, go up a step on the next set.

Sore the next day, or not sore at all? Our guide to muscle soreness and progress explains what each one means.

From your first session, write down the weight and reps for every set. You need those numbers for the next step.

When do I add weight?

The simple rule: once you can do 1 or 2 more reps than planned, add 2 to 10%.

It comes from ACSM’s advice on adding load. Think of a ladder. You climb the reps, step the weight up, then climb again.

Say you chest press 20 kg for 12 reps. One day you get 14. Next time, add 2 to 10%, which is 0.4 to 2 kg, so up to 22 kg.

Next step on the machine is 5 kg? That’s a 25% jump. Our progressive overload guide covers what to do when the next weight is a big leap.

Is 2 days a week enough?

For health, it looks that way. A review of 16 studies that followed adults over time linked strength work with a 10% to 17% lower risk of death from any cause. The risk of heart and circulation disease, cancer overall and diabetes was lower too.

The biggest drop came at about 30 to 60 minutes a week. That’s one or two 30-minute sessions. These studies show a link, not proof, and whether more time adds more is unclear.

Strength is only half the NHS target, though. You also need at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 of vigorous a week, such as brisk walking or running.

Short on time? Exercise snacks can fill some of the gap.

Eating plant-based? See plant protein for strength training.

When to speak to a GP first

The NHS asks some people to speak to a GP before they start. Book an appointment if:

• You haven’t exercised for some time.
• You have a medical condition or health concerns.
• You get chest pain that comes and goes, or that goes away quickly but still worries you.
• You’re pregnant and new to lifting. The NHS says it’s not recommended to start a new vigorous activity in pregnancy, and to start any new exercise gently. It lists gym strength training for people who already do it. Ask your midwife what’s right for you, and tell the gym instructor you’re pregnant.

Already lifting in later pregnancy? The NHS says to try to avoid lying flat on your back for more than a few minutes.

Call 999 if you get sudden chest pain or discomfort that doesn’t go away. The same goes for pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back. Or chest pain with sweating, feeling sick, light-headed or short of breath.