The Ultimate Beginner’s Workout Plan For the Gym

Walking into the gym for the first time can be intimidating, not just because you want to fit in amongst a sea of regular gym goers. There may be machines you’ve never heard of that you want to try, and even choosing the right free weights can seem daunting if you’ve never lifted before. That’s where this gym workout plan for beginners comes into play. Created with Holly Roser, a certified personal trainer, this gym plan for beginners provides a week’s worth of newbie gym workouts to get you started, and you can build on this routine to keep challenging yourself and get stronger over time.

This gym workout routine is not only great for people who are heading to the gym for the first time, but also for those who haven’t worked out in a while. The gym workout plan contains two strength circuits, three days of cardio, and two days of active recovery. “For the first two weeks, your new program should have two strength training days that are three days apart, with cardio days in between,” Roser tells PS. As you build your endurance, move up to three cardio days and three strength training days. For the latter, you can use a mix of moves from the circuits in this plan, or check out other strength training workouts such as this basic dumbbell workout or this full-body circuit workout. (You can probably take that step about three weeks after getting comfortable with this routine, Holly says.) Make sure to switch up your forms of cardio, rotating between exercises like running, swimming, dance cardio, and indoor cycling to hit different muscle groups and keep from getting bored.

Ready to move? Follow this gym workout plan for beginners, and you’re sure to feel like a pro in no time.

— Additional reporting by Lauren Mazzo and Alexis Jones