Starting at the gym without knowing where to begin is overwhelming. There are a thousand machines, a thousand routines and a thousand opinions. The good news is that your first month is much simpler than it looks.
The goal of these four weeks isn't to wreck yourself. It's to build the habit, learn to move well and leave wanting to come back.
How many days to go
2 or 3 days a week is enough. Three days you stick to beat five you abandon by week two. Leave at least one rest day between sessions. If you want to know more, read how many days you should train to get stronger.
Which exercises to learn
You don't need twenty. These movement patterns cover your whole body:
- A squat: goblet squat with a dumbbell or barbell squat.
- A hip hinge: dumbbell Romanian deadlift or deadlift.
- A push: bench press or dumbbell press.
- A pull: dumbbell row or lat pulldown.
- A core exercise: plank.
You'll add others later. At the start, less is more.
Weeks 1 and 2: learn
Use weights that let you do every set with good technique while feeling you have three or four more reps left. Do 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per exercise. Film an exercise or two to see how you move.
Weeks 3 and 4: start adding weight
If a set felt easy, add a little weight next session. Just a little: 1 or 2 kg on dumbbells, 2.5 kg on the bar. Keep leaving two or three reps in reserve. To understand this better, read what RIR and RPE are.
Log everything
Exercise, weight, sets and reps. On your phone or in a notebook. It's the only way to know if you're improving and what to use next time.
Outside the gym
- Sleep 7–9 hours.
- Eat enough, with protein at every meal.
- Move the rest of the day: walking counts too.
What's normal in your first month
You'll be sore the first few days. Some exercises will feel a bit clumsy. Your weights will go up very fast at first. All of that is normal.
If you want a concrete example, here's a 3-day routine for beginners. And if you'd rather start with someone guiding you from day one, tell me where you are.