Fitness introductory training plan for beginners

The second session (push + core): Dumbbell chest press 12 times × 4 groups + Dumbbell shoulder press 12 times × 4 groups + Abdominal curls 12 times × 3 groups

The third time (pull + core): high pull-down with elastic band 12 times × 4 groups + dumbbell rowing 12 times × 4 groups + side plank 20 seconds/side × 2 groups |

This is the plan you can use for the first three months when you first enter the gym. It’s nothing complicated, just follow it and you’re done.

Damn, I was very stupid when I first entered the gym. I followed the plan on the Internet to "build your waistline in 7 days". I practiced for one and a half hours a day, did 100 crunches, and ran 5 kilometers every day. As a result, my knees hurt in less than a week, my abdominal muscles were not visible, and I was stuck in the plateau for two months. Later, I asked many veterans who had been practicing for five or six years, as well as certified coaches, and I realized that the most important thing to avoid in the novice stage is greed.

Oh, by the way, there are very mixed opinions on how to get started for newbies on the Internet. Some people say that novices should do aerobics first to build endurance, some say that directly going to strength and muscle building is the right way, and some advocate that practicing 5 to 6 times a week is considered hard work. In fact, these opinions are all correct, but they are applicable to different groups of people. For example, if your BMI is over 28 and your weight base is large, you can indeed do low-impact aerobics such as elliptical machines and swimming for two weeks at the beginning, and then reduce your weight by three to five kilograms. After the joint pressure is reduced, it will be no problem to increase your strength. ； If you are not fat but just want to be firmer, then just follow the strength-based plan above without doing too much extra aerobic exercise. As for practicing 5 times a week? This is suitable for students who have plenty of time and usually stay up all night without feeling sleepy the next day. Most office workers are exhausted after get off work every day. If they can persist in practicing three times a week, they are already better than 90% of the people. If you force yourself to practice more, you will easily develop resistance and give up after practicing for two weeks.

Many people are too embarrassed to ask questions when they first enter the gym and do random movements. I have seen too many people buckle their knees in when squatting, shrug their shoulders to their ears when doing chest presses, and feel pain in their arms and chest after practicing. This is more harmful to the body than not practicing at all. In fact, there are a lot of free movement breakdown videos on the Internet. If you spend 5 minutes before practicing, search for them, do them twice, and find a mirror to adjust the movements, it will be 100 times more effective than blindly loading heavy weights. Oh, yes, if you are really embarrassed to do gestures in front of the mirror in the gym, you can practice bodyweight exercises at home for two weeks, such as squats and kneeling push-ups. First, you can feel the power, and then go to the gym to touch the equipment.

When it comes to this, someone must mention "three points to practice and seven points to eat", right? I was deceived by this sentence back then. Just one week after training, I started buying chicken breasts and counting protein. I ate so little every day that I couldn't stick to it for 3 days before eating fried chicken. I felt extremely guilty. It’s really not necessary. In the first 3 months as a novice, you don’t have to worry about diet at all. You only need to drink two less cups of milk tea, order two less takeaways that are heavy in oil and salt, and eat normally. When you can clearly feel the strength of your muscles and want to go further, it is completely late to adjust your diet. Of course, if your goal is to develop abdominal muscles in 3 months, then there is no problem in controlling your diet in advance. It is nothing more than a personal choice.

Also, don’t just spend thousands on private lessons. At least 5 of my friends bought 30 lessons and only went less than 10 times. It’s a waste of money. If you really don’t have anyone to guide you, just buy a trial class for the first two classes and let the coach help you correct your movements. It’s no problem to practice the rest slowly by yourself. The same applies to those fancy equipment, such as waist protectors, fitness gloves, and booster belts. Once you can squat to your own weight and pull your back, it’s not too late to buy them if your grip strength can’t keep up. A pair of well-fitting sneakers and a set of quick-drying clothes are enough at the beginning.

Anyway, when it comes to fitness, especially in the novice stage, you really don’t need to do weights. Don’t compare weight with others. Don’t be anxious when you see others have abdominal muscles after two months of training. Just follow this table and go 3 times a week. Even if you are tired sometimes, you can skip two sets. First develop the habit. I once took a colleague with me, and he followed this plan for three months without any special control over his diet. His waist circumference shrank by 4 centimeters, and he could no longer breathe even when he climbed the fifth floor. The effects came slowly, so there was no rush.