Getting to know fitness: how to spend your first session in the gym

The first fitness session may not always go comfortably, especially if you are training on your own. Ignorance of exercise techniques, inexperienced work with exercise equipment and banal shyness are obstacles on the way to your goals. Together with World Class Triumph instructor Olga Andrianova, we share the best tricks that will make training in the gym more productive, even if you are a beginner.

We also compiled a basic program for the gym and recorded it on video. This and other workouts can be found in the Instagram account of “Championship”, in the current “Be in shape”.

Lifehacks that will help a beginner to get used to the gym

Exercise in moderation

After all, a lot does not mean good – this applies to sports. It is necessary to be sure to observe the schedule of training and rest, so as not to overload the body. It is better to perform exercises technically, but with fewer repetitions and approaches, than with more, but without technique and to the detriment of health.

Do not hesitate to ask for help

A trainer in the gym is a helper, not a “bad cop”. In any unclear situation, you can calmly approach him and ask all the necessary questions.

Adjust the trainer to your own parameters

If you fix yourself in the simulator in the right way, you will correctly feel the muscles that are involved in the exercise. For example, when bending and extending the hip in the trainer, it is important to avoid any manipulation with the chair. It should be adjusted so that the axis of rotation of the simulator passes through the medial cut of the knee joint, and the lumbar region is tightly pressed against the backrest. Otherwise, the load will not be distributed correctly and it will be at least uncomfortable to perform the exercise.

Do not forget about breathing

Always inhale and exhale. On breath-holding you will do less and less qualitatively. In addition, you may feel dizzy. In any exercise, exhale on the tension during which you feel heavy. If it’s pull-ups – exhale on the upward movement, if it’s leg press – exhale on the movement away from yourself when your legs are straightened.

Feel the muscles involved in the exercise

Make sure you are working the large muscle groups (where they are involved) and not the small ones. For example, if you are working your back muscles, you should feel them, not your arms. Same with your chest: if you can’t feel your pecs, the weight probably isn’t right for you. You need to adjust it so that you can feel the area you need. The most important thing is not to overload the muscles of the lower back and neck.

Warm up and warm down

You should do cardio and/or stretching before and after your workout. Pre-stretch is a light stretch to activate your muscles, and post-stretch is a final stretch to improve joint mobility.

Cardio before and after is needed to warm up the body in the first case, to prepare it for the workout, and in the second case to let the body know that the workout is over. It is always better to start with cardio and end with it, so that you develop a reflex. The body will automatically come to a state of readiness for training or, on the contrary, to a calm state during rest.

Training for all muscle groups in the gym

Pull-ups in the gravitron

Mainly involve the muscles of the back, but also the muscles of the arms, bark or abs as auxiliary muscles.

Starting position: standing on the lower platform of the machine, hands on the holder from above, wide grip. Back flat, neck long, shoulders down, elbows pointing to the floor. The abs are tense.

As you exhale, bend your arms at the elbow and pull yourself up until your chin is at the level of the handles. As you inhale, slowly lower yourself down. The counterweight in the trainer will help you to push yourself out and perform this exercise.

Horizontal leg press with wide leg placement

The muscles of the buttocks, posterior surface of the thigh, cortex and anterior surface of the thigh are involved.

Starting position: sitting in the simulator, knees bent and pointing towards the big toe, heels and outer edge of the foot resting on the platform. The back is pressed against the chair, but there is a natural flexion in the lower back. The shoulder blades are drawn down and back, and the shoulders are lowered. The pelvis is pointed flat into the seat.

As you exhale, slowly push the platform out until your knees are straightened. As you inhale, return to the starting position.

If you feel tension in your knees during the leg press, you need to pay attention to the positioning of your feet. They may not be standing correctly. If you feel your back, but not your legs – probably the height of the chair is not suitable for you. It is necessary to adjust the starting position.

Lower leg extension in a seated trainer

Involves the anterior surface of the thigh – the quadriceps.

Starting position: sitting in the trainer, a roll on the lower third of the lower leg, toes pulled towards yourself. The back is fully pressed against the backrest, shoulders are lowered, abs are tense. The pelvis is positioned flat on the chair. The hands are held by the handles.

As you exhale, bend your legs at the knees – lift the roller up, as you inhale, return to the starting position. Pull yourself to the back of the chair with your hands.

Bending of the lower leg in a seated trainer

The posterior surface of the thigh is involved.

Starting position: sitting in the trainer, legs straightened, the first roller is located on the lower third of the shin, the second – on the upper third. Shoulders point down and back, back is fully pressed against the backrest. The pelvis is level. The palms of the hands are on the handles.

As you exhale, pull the heels down to the buttocks and lower the bottom roll. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Pull yourself to the back of the chair with your arms.

When performing flexion and extension of the lower leg, it is necessary to correctly fixate in the simulator. The main thing is that the body does not sway, and there is no excessive deflection in the lower back.

Alternating dumbbell biceps curls

Starting position: standing, arms along the body and hold dumbbells, elbows pressed against the ribs. Back straight, shoulders down, abs and lower back fixed.

As you exhale, bend one arm at the elbow and raise the dumbbell to the shoulder, as you inhale, return to the starting position. Then repeat the same movements with the other arm. Try not to sway during the lift, so that the load is only on the biceps muscles of the shoulder. Your abs and lower back are fixed.

Chest press sitting in the simulator

Involves the large pectoral muscle, anterior delta, triceps and biceps.

Starting position: sitting in the machine, back fully pressed against the backrest, shoulder blades and shoulders down. Heels are on the floor and resting on it. The palms of the hands are on the handles, they are on the mid-chest. The grip is at a distance of the extended thumb from the beginning of the handle.

With the back of the palm of your hand press into the handles and on exhalation push them forward, i.e. away from yourself. As you inhale, return to the starting position. Elbows extend and bend in the direction of the handle movement, approximately parallel to the floor. Do not raise your elbows higher or lower them closer to your ribs.

Seated dumbbell bench press

The deltoid, supraorbital, trapezius and serratus muscles are involved. In addition, the triceps is included in the work.

Starting position: sitting on the bench, back pressed against the backrest, shoulders down. Arms are bent at the elbows and hold dumbbells at shoulder level at the side. Heels are on the floor. The abs are strongly tensed.

On the exhale, straighten your arms above your head and lift the dumbbells, on the inhale return to the starting position. Throughout the movement, try not to raise the trapezius strongly upward, do not scrape the shoulders to the ears. The movement is abbreviated. Make sure that there is no flexion in the lower back. This requires control of the abs when moving up and at the top point.

Forearm extension with triceps rope

Starting position: standing in the crossover, body slightly tilted, arms bent at the elbows and holding the rope handles, elbows pressed against the ribs. Shoulders down, abs are tight. Legs bent. Look straight ahead.

As you exhale, pull the rope down until your arms are fully straightened, and as you inhale, return to the starting position. At the bottom point, slightly spread your arms apart.