Gym fitness exercise sequence for beginners

For fitness novices with no special needs, the general optimal sequence for going to the gym is "5-10 minutes of warm-up activation → 20-30 minutes of compound strength training → 15-20 minutes of isolation auxiliary training → 10 minutes of core training → 5-20 minutes of aerobic/stretching." For weight loss needs, 10 minutes of low-intensity aerobic wake-up can be added to the front; for muscle gain needs, long-duration aerobics can be cut off directly, leaving time for strength training.

I have seen too many friends who entered the gym for the first time and stood at a loss in the equipment area. They either ran on the treadmill for 40 minutes and then lifted the iron until the hands holding the dumbbells shook like sieves.

Let’s talk about the most easily skipped warm-up first. There are actually two opinions in the circle. One is that efficiency-seeking bloggers believe that the warm-up only takes 5 minutes, just do a few joint circles and raise the legs to warm up the body. The other is that powerlifting system trainers will extend the warm-up to more than 15 minutes, and will also add 2-3 sets of light-weight empty bar sets of target movements to find a sense of strength. In fact, both are correct. If you are training fragile small muscle groups such as shoulders and knees that day, or you are going to do heavy squats and deadlifts, it will definitely not be a waste to spend more time warming up. In the past two years, I have seen novices squat directly to 60kg without warming up. After squatting, the third meniscus was strained, and it took three months to rest before entering the gym again. If you are only training small muscle groups such as arms and core that day, 5 minutes of dynamic stretching is completely sufficient. Just don't turn it into static stretching - cold muscles can easily be strained by static stretching. This is a consensus and there is no dispute.

Doing compound movements first after warming up is not an unspoken rule in the industry. It really saves energy and makes injuries less likely. Compound movements such as bench presses, deadlifts, squats, and pull-ups require the mobilization of several muscle groups to work together at one time, which requires high concentration and physical strength. Doing them when you are in the best condition after just warming up can not only push heavier weights, but also reduce the probability of compensation. Of course, there are different training methods. Many enthusiasts who have switched from street fitness to gyms like to do isolation exercises to pre-fatigue the target muscle groups. For example, before doing chest training, do a few sets of butterfly machine chest presses, and then do bench presses after the chest muscles are sore. It is said that it can reduce the compensation of the shoulders and triceps, allowing the chest muscles to bear stress alone. But to be honest, this method is not suitable for novices. You can’t even lower your shoulders and retract your core when bench pressing. By the end of the pre-fatigue period, there is a high probability that your shoulders will fail first and your chest muscles will not feel anything. Beginners should honestly practice compound exercises first when they are in the best condition. That’s right.

By the time you finish the 2-3 sets of compound movements for the day, the target muscle groups will have become swollen and tight. It’s a good time to do isolation movements. For example, after doing the bench press on chest training day, you can then do the butterfly machine to do chest exercises, and press down with ropes to hit the triceps. ； On the back training day, after doing pull-ups, do high pull-downs to find the contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscles. Use a small weight and repeat it slowly. There is no need to pursue the weight. If you can accurately find the feeling of muscle exertion, you will win. When I first started practicing, I was always greedy for weight. When I clamped my chest, I adjusted the weight to be higher than the strong man next to me. My shoulders were sore for three days after practicing, and my chest didn't feel at all. It was just a useless exercise.

Don’t rush to do core training first. Many people have fallen into this trap. Think about it, compound movements such as squats and deadlifts all rely on tightening the core to support the upper body. You first do a hundred crunches to soften the core. When doing deadlifts, the core cannot be stretched, and the stress points are all on the lumbar spine. It would be strange if there is no lumbar protrusion. Of course, there are exceptions. If you don’t have heavy weight-bearing exercises in your plan for the day, but you just want to exercise your shoulders and move your arms, it’s absolutely fine to do it with your core in front, and you don’t have to stick to the rules.

Finally, let’s talk about the most controversial aerobic order: should we put it in the front or in the back? There is still no conclusion in the academic circles. Some studies say that fasting aerobic fat has a high energy supply ratio and is suitable for fat loss. Others say that as long as the total daily caloric gap is sufficient, aerobic exercise will be the same anytime. Some even say that doing aerobic exercise after strength training will cause muscle loss and cannot be done at all. In fact, for novices, there is no need to worry so much. If you want to build muscle, just walk slowly for ten minutes to stretch after strength training. If you want to lose weight, do elliptical machine or hill walking for 20 to 30 minutes after strength training. It will definitely be more efficient than running for 40 minutes before hitting the iron. I’m really confused at work. It’s perfectly fine to step on the elliptical machine for ten minutes to wake up after entering the gym. When it comes to fitness, make sure you can keep practicing first, and then talk about efficiency.

To be honest, I have always felt that there is no need for novices to stick to the perfect exercise sequence. There are so many methods from various schools on the Internet. Today you see this blogger saying that aerobics should be first, and tomorrow you see that coach saying that strength should be first. If you get so entangled in it that you just give up in the end, that is the biggest loss. First, practice in the most reliable general order for two months. Once you can accurately find the strength of each muscle and understand your physical condition, you will be able to feel comfortable when the time comes. The order that allows you to stick to it is the best order for you.