Training for beginners in the gym for girls: how to exercise correctly as a woman without a trainer, what exercises to do, where to start and how to create a program for a beginner

Training for girls starting to work out in the gym should be carried out with a specific purpose.

It is important to organize classes correctly, draw up a schedule, and choose appropriate exercises.

First of all, you need to find a powerful incentive to play sports, organize training correctly, conduct it regularly and gradually increase the load.

Beginners can work according to a ready-made program or create an individual complex. Beginning overweight athletes need to know how to speed up weight loss during exercise.

How to force yourself to go to the gym: the power of motivation

If a girl is seriously thinking about playing sports in the gym, and not at home, then most likely she already has motivation. The main thing is not to lose her!

To encourage yourself to regularly visit a fitness club, you can follow a famous fitness model, trainer, etc. on Instagram. The main thing is that your ideal arouses interest and desire to change yourself. Follow your guru's progress and follow his advice.

Buy a couple of sets of nice sportswear to look good while working out. As an additional incentive, a girl can wear nice jeans or a dress a couple sizes smaller.

Gym workouts for beginners will be more fun if you bring along your favorite music. Make a playlist of energetic tracks that lift your spirits and encourage you to be more active.

Be sure to check out: Exercises and programs for weight loss in the gym Circular training: basic rules of training for girls Effective program for men in the gym: tips for beginners The most effective complexes for working out the hips and buttocks

First day of training: where to start for a beginner

Not all girls know what beginners should do in the gym. They don’t understand which machine to use, what exercises to start with, how many to do, etc. You need to act according to this plan:

First you need to choose a gym. Agree with the administration about a free trial session. Look at the set of exercise equipment, their condition, the number of visitors, the cleanliness of the gym, locker rooms, etc.
Determine the main goal of training: losing weight, building muscle mass, drawing relief, increasing strength and endurance.
Even if a beginner girl plans to conduct classes in the gym without a trainer, at first she needs the help of a specialist. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct an introductory training with a trainer who will tell you what exercise equipment to pay attention to, what exercises to perform and how to do it correctly.
Take a towel with you.
Do not borrow equipment during the pause between sets and ask permission from other athletes to borrow it.
After use, put the sports equipment back in its place.
If you don't know how to use the machine, ask a trainer or a more experienced bodybuilder.
Keep to your gym schedule.

It is better for a girl to start with simple exercises with light dumbbells, kettlebells, a barbell, a fitball, and an elastic band. This equipment will help you strengthen your muscles so you can move on to more complex workouts.

Attention! Do not forget to consult your doctor before exercising in the gym to determine if there are any contraindications. If they are, the doctor will tell you which exercises you need to avoid.

Work program

The most effective exercises in the gym for girls are necessary to achieve the desired result.

They are combined into software packages that meet the assigned tasks, their implementation provides the opportunity to further work with your body, these can be programs for:

burning fat. It includes increased cardio loads, strength training and exercises with high intensity, several approaches and frequent repetitions;
weight gain. Necessary for increasing muscle mass with the exception of cardio, but increasing the strength of individual exercises using equipment and accessories.

Program training is implemented in two ways, determined by the chosen approach to effectively conducting classes:

whole body load;
split program;

The instructor determines the general and specific sequence of exercises in the gym for girls.

This is a specific work plan that must be strictly adhered to and the resulting effect must be monitored in order to make adjustments and make necessary changes to the planned training.

Optimal schedule: how many times a week and at what time to go to the gym

To get a good result, it is important to develop a system for visiting the gym and conduct classes regularly. To do this, a novice athlete must understand how many times a week she can visit a fitness club and spend time training along with showering and changing clothes. Girls who have children will be able to devote less time to this than single ladies. The main thing is to answer the question honestly. If it's half an hour, then don't promise yourself to do 4 sets for each muscle group. It is better to train for half an hour three times a week than for 2 hours, but only once.

To lose weight and improve your figure, a beginner girl should exercise 2-3 times in 7 days. In this case, it is necessary to take a break between workouts of 1-2 days. It is important to give the body rest and recovery. A novice athlete can spend from 30 to 60 minutes doing the exercises. Rest between sets should be 1 to 2 minutes.

It is also important to understand what time of day to conduct training for beginners in the gym. The optimal time period is from 13 to 16 hours of the day. During this period, the girl’s body becomes the strongest, most resilient, and flexible. In addition, the gym is practically empty at this time. Most people appear from 7 to 9 am, from 18 to 21 pm on weekdays, and from 9 to 16 pm on weekends.

Rules for training in the gym for girls

Schedule for beginners

Most trainers suggest that beginners immediately start working on a split training program - working only 1-2 muscle groups in each workout. But such a program is more suitable not for beginners, but for those who already have general training and need to pump each muscle group separately, do more exercises on lagging muscles.

For beginner girls, a training program that works the entire body at each gym session, 3 times a week, will work better.

If you have such a work schedule that you cannot always go to the gym on the same schedule, then it is much more convenient to do exercises for all muscle groups at each workout. Then it won’t turn out that you missed one of the workouts during the week and, as a result, did not train your legs or back even once in 7 days. This is especially true for girls during menstruation, when due to pain it is simply physically impossible to go to the gym to train.

It is best if you train with a break of one day. For example, three days a week: Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday. But if your schedule doesn’t allow it and you have the strength, then sometimes you can do two workouts in a row.

How to exercise without a trainer

As mentioned, beginners in the gym need to decide on the purpose of their classes:

Burning excess fat, highlighting relief.
Increasing weight, correcting body proportions, for example, training with an emphasis on the buttocks and legs.
Keeping fit.
Increased flexibility.

Then the girl must create a complex taking into account the goal. For example, fat burning training combined with a small amount of strength training is suitable for effective weight loss. You can also order a training plan from a trainer or find it on the Internet.

Important! A big mistake for beginners is to conduct classes in the gym without understanding how the machines work and what the complex should be like. This threatens injury (sprain, ligament rupture, etc.), at best there will simply be no effect, or progress will quickly stop

Beginning athletes should remember an important rule for successful training - adherence to technique. It is important to do exercises in the gym correctly. Only when a girl learns to feel the target muscles can she consider that she has mastered the technique. It is difficult to achieve this on your own, but it is possible:

Work with your weight at first.
Move slowly.
Establish a connection between your brain and the muscle you are working so that you can feel its tension.
If necessary, look at yourself in the mirror to control your movements.

It should be remembered that 6 exercises with the correct technique are more effective than 10-20 without it.

Athletes should include basic movements in their training, during which several muscle groups work. Such loads allow you to form a beautiful body and increase muscles. Isolating fitness elements help to work out individual muscle groups, for example, the back (lats, trapezius, etc.).

Attention! Keep a training diary in which you will record your results and track your progress. Write down your complex there, which can be adjusted if necessary.

Always start your gym workout with a warm-up to prevent injury and improve results. And after the main complex, do some stretching so that the functioning of the cardiovascular system normalizes.

How to choose exercises for a woman

Beginning athletes in the gym should perform exercises to pump large muscle groups, for example, chest, back, and then shoulders, biceps/triceps, forearms, wrists, or first the gluteal muscles, and then the thighs, calves. The workout can include cardio, strength, basic, and isolation elements.

If a girl’s weight is normal, then she can do strength training exercises without cardio to increase her mass. General strengthening training is suitable for those who want to stay in shape and work out all the muscles in the gym.

It all depends on the goal: lose weight, build muscle

The choice of exercises depends on the girl’s goals. If an athlete wants to lose weight, then she needs to work on a fat-burning program in the gym. To do this, you need to exercise on a treadmill, exercise bike, orbit track, or stepper. This is the most popular equipment that will help remove excess fat and tighten muscles. Minimum operating time is 30 minutes.

Most novice athletes want to remove belly fat. They should know that excess calories are lost evenly from the entire body (somewhere more, somewhere less), so the whole body will lose weight, and not just one part of it. Only then, after the fat layer has been reduced, can the shape be adjusted.

To lose weight, a girl can combine aerobic (cardio) and strength training. Combined exercises for beginners will help you lose weight and build muscle. Power movements are performed 12-20 times three times quickly and with minimal weight. The pause between sessions is from 40 to 60 seconds.

Aerobics and circuit training are also good for weight loss. The last type of training consists of performing each exercise for 1 set without a pause, then the girl rests for 1-2 minutes, after which she does the second round, etc.

Effective strength training for beginners helps build muscles. To do this, the girl performs basic/isolating exercises from 6 to 12 times with heavy weight. This can be a full-body workout or a split program, when in 1 day you need to pump up a specific muscle group (buttocks, legs or chest, shoulders, arms). The pause between sets is 2 minutes. Cardio can only be used for a warm-up or gentle cool-down.

Cardio and strength training: technique

To lose weight in the legs, buttocks, abdomen and other parts of the body, cardio exercises are recommended, which increase heart rate. During training, it speeds up metabolism and burns fat faster. These types of activities include not only cardio exercises, but also jumping rope, running, swimming, special exercises, for example, “climber”, burpees, etc.

Popular strength movements in the gym for beginners:

Squat with weights (dumbbells, barbell). While lowering your pelvis, keep your back straight, tilt your body slightly forward, move your buttocks back, and press your heels to the floor.
Do lunges (while standing or walking). At the lowest point, the knee of the front leg should not go beyond the toe, the back is straight, the torso is slightly tilted forward.
Perform barbell deadlifts without weights to tone your lower body as well as your back. While squatting, you need to smoothly transfer the weight to your buttocks.
Do barbell presses (without weights) to pump up your chest, triceps, and deltoids.
Perform abdominal crunches with your feet elevated.
Do a plank (straight, on your side, with your arm or leg raised). And if you stand on an unstable support, the load on the muscles will increase.
Raise your knees to your chest on the horizontal bar.

These exercises for beginners will help accelerate muscle growth and make the relief more pronounced.

Exercises on simulators

If a girl prefers to exercise on simulators, then she can include the following elements in the program:

Press a block with your feet in the simulator. If the feet are placed on the upper part of the platform, then the load on the buttocks and biceps of the thigh increases, from below - on the quadriceps muscle, with a narrow position of the legs - on the outer part of the thigh, with a wide position - on the inner.
Extend your legs in the exercise machine. Make sure that your shin is against the floor and do not fully extend your knee.
Pull the lower block towards your stomach by tensing your back to pump it up. Fix yourself and try to bring your shoulder blades together as much as possible.
Pull the upper block towards your chest to pump up your back.
Bring your arms together to pump up your chest. Do not straighten your elbows completely, move smoothly.
Do push-ups to put more stress on your chest, tilt your torso slightly forward.
Extend your arms on a block to pump up your triceps. Do not arch your back, fix your elbows near your waist.

Important! These elements are suitable not only for beginners, but also for professionals, the only difference is in the scales.

Program options for beginners

If desired, novice athletes can use ready-made programs for weight loss or muscle building. Classes in the gym should be carried out three times a week, and the effect will be noticeable after 4 weeks.

Women's weight loss complex

To burn excess fat and make your body slim, you need to follow this plan:

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Cardio for warming up – half an hour.	Cardio – half an hour.	Warm-up – half an hour.
Perform hyperextension.	Do the mountain climber exercise.	Perform loaded hyperextension.
Squat with a weight (barbell).	Squat with weights.	Squat down (legs wide apart, toes pointed out) with the weight.
Do lunges in place with weights.	Perform weighted lunges.	Do back lunges in Smith.
Spread/close your legs in the exercise machine.	Press the vertical platform with your feet.	Perform a deadlift.
Bend your legs in the machine while lying face down.	Pull the top block towards the back of your head.	Raise the dumbbells towards your biceps.
Extend your legs while sitting.	Raise your arms with dumbbells while standing.	Do overhead rows to the chest on the machine.
Pull the lower block towards your chest.	Press dumbbells while leaning on a bench.	Do pull-ups with the support of an assistant.
Perform crunches on a bench with a downward slope.	Do push-ups in graviton.	Pull your knees to your chest on the horizontal bar.
Do a cardio workout for 15 minutes.	Perform crunches.	Do crunches on a bench.
Stretch for 5 minutes.	Cardio – 10 minutes, stretching – 5 minutes.	Aerobic exercise – 10 minutes, stretching – 5 minutes.

This weekly complex involves visiting the gym 3 times in 7 days. Each element must be repeated 15 to 18 times three or four times. A beginner athlete should use minimal weight. Pause between sets – from 60 to 90 seconds.

Fitness program

A workout for beginners in the gym for muscle growth looks like this:

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Do a joint warm-up - from 10 to 20 minutes.	Warm up for about 20 minutes.	Warm up for 15 minutes.
Perform hyperextension.	Do burpees (squat jumps).	Twist the body.
Twist the body onto the press.	Raise your legs while hanging on the horizontal bar.	Squat with weights.
Squat with a barbell.	Perform a deadlift.	Walk with dumbbells in lunges.
Walk lunges with projectiles.	Do backward lunges in a Smith machine.	Press the barbell while standing from your chest.
Bring your arms together in a butterfly motion.	Bench press the barbell.	Pull the apparatus (barbell, kettlebell) to your chin.
Raise your arms with dumbbells.	Perform overhead rows on the machine with a narrow grip.
Press the dumbbell.	Do push-ups or pull-ups (wide grip).	Pull the dumbbell from behind your head while lying down.
Pull the top block towards your head.	Do crunches.	Twist the body onto the press.
Perform muscle stretching exercises – 5 minutes.	Stretch for 5 minutes.	Stretching – 5 minutes.

The girl must perform each element from 6 to 12 times with maximum weight. The pause between sets is 2 minutes.

Training programs for girls in the gym

Power training

Barbell squats (strengthens thighs and buttocks):

stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart;
place the bar on your shoulders;
squat, keeping your back straight;
lean forward with your upper body and place your body weight on your heels;
hold for a couple of seconds;
return to the starting position;

Vertical pull-down (upper back strengthening):

take the starting position, keep your back straight;
spread your hands wide on the holder;
pull the holder forcefully towards you;
slowly return to the starting position;

Bench press (arm, shoulder and chest muscles):

prepare the barbell;
take a position on a bench;
Place your hands wider than your shoulders;
lower the bar to chest level;
as you exhale, lift the barbell to the starting position;

Barbell row to the chin (muscles of the back, chest, arms and shoulder girdle):

place the barbell on the floor;
take with an overhand grip;
straighten your back and hold the barbell at hip level, bend your arms slightly at the elbows;
as you exhale, pull the barbell to your chin;
hold for a few seconds;
return to the starting position;

Crunches (press using a bench):

take the starting position;
tighten your abdominal muscles;
as you exhale, lift your body and twist your back;
pause for a second;
lower as you inhale.

For weight loss in the gym

To effectively lose weight in the gym, you need to alternate between strength and aerobic exercise. The first visible changes can be obtained after just half a month of intensive training according to a properly designed program.

Barbell Squats using a barbell (15-20 reps, 2-3 sets):

stand up straight;
legs slightly wider than shoulders;
place the bodybar on your shoulders and squeeze your shoulder blades together;
sit down, leaning forward slightly;
Shift your weight to your heels, tighten your abs;
hold your breath at the top point;
after rising, exhale;

Dumbbell row towards the waist (15-20 repetitions, 2-3 sets):

rest your hand on a special stand;
put your leg forward, move your pelvis back;
as you exhale, raise your arm with the dumbbell up;
while inhaling, lower the dumbbell down;

Lunges with dumbbells in hands (15-20 repetitions, 2-3 sets):

take the dumbbells in your hands and take a step forward;
lower yourself down, placing your thigh parallel to the floor;
Place the other leg behind;
push off with your front foot;
return to the starting position;

Dumbbell flyes in a lying position (15-20 repetitions, 2-3 sets):

sit on a bench and take dumbbells in your hands;
lie down with dumbbells so that your head does not hang over the bench;
lift the dumbbells in front of you at a right angle;
while inhaling, spread the dumbbells to the sides;
as you exhale, return your arms to their original position;

Arm extension on a block (15-20 repetitions, 2-3 sets):

stand up straight;
Take a short, straight handle with a straight grip;
press your elbows to your body;
place your feet in a straight line;
bend your arms and lower the weight down, using your triceps;

Seated dumbbell or barbell press (15-20 repetitions, 2-3 sets):

sit up straight, straighten your shoulders and squeeze your shoulder blades together;
Bend your lower back slightly forward;
as you exhale, lift the dumbbells to shoulder level;
As you inhale, lower it down.

For gaining muscle mass

Train 3-4 times a week. The duration of the workout is at least 20 minutes, the emphasis is on strength exercises. To gain muscle mass, use heavy weights and fewer repetitions.

Start your workout with cardio and core stretching. Warm up your muscles and stretch your joints to avoid injury.

Workouts for gaining mass include basic exercises:

deadlift with a barbell;
squats with a barbell on the shoulders;
leg press in the gym;
lunges with dumbbells;
Smith machine exercise;
close grip barbell press;
seated press;
barbell pull to the chin;
bench press;
leg curls lying on a bench;
standing and sitting calf workout.

To maintain physical fitness

Workouts to maintain physical fitness include exercises:

Squats (20 reps);
Raising the body (20 repetitions);
Push-ups (20 repetitions);
Lunges (20 repetitions on each leg);
Deadlift (20 reps);
Scissors (20 repetitions);
Plank (minimum 15 seconds for the first time, increase over time to 2-5 minutes);
Pelvic lift (20-40 repetitions);
Swings (20 repetitions);
Leg raises (20 repetitions).

How to create your own personal training plan

When a girl comes to the gym, she should already have a ready-made plan. Beginners are advised to work their entire body during training to strengthen their muscles. To do this, the complex can include 2-3 exercises for large muscles (chest, back, lower limbs), then 4-5 for secondary muscles (shoulders - legs, biceps - back, triceps - chest). Don't forget about warming up and stretching.

Attention! When losing weight after the complex, you need to devote 20-25 minutes to cardio.

It is better for a beginning athlete to take the basic complex as a basis and adjust it at her own discretion. However, it should be remembered that its specifics depend on goals and age.

When creating a gym routine, take into account your body type and physical fitness. If you are working out for the first time or after a long break, then create a simple complex. After strengthening the muscles, you can slightly increase the load. The training plan needs to be changed every month.

How to create a training program for a girl

Distribute the intensity of exercise for each month depending on the menstrual cycle. This will allow you to work out more effectively in the gym. When creating a basic training program for girls, consider the following points.

Don't forget that the muscles of the chest and back need the same load as the buttocks or legs. Therefore, you need to select a comprehensive exercise program for the whole body. For an example, check out the following basic workout.

The duration of an ideal workout for girls should be at least an hour. It is this load that will allow you to work out all muscle groups of the body and do the required number of repetitions. Under no circumstances should you distribute workouts for different muscle groups by day of the week.

These are the main points that influence the preparation of a fitness training program for girls. Use them in your practice, it will help you achieve more significant results.

How to speed up weight loss

To lose weight, a girl must not only work out in the gym, but also adjust her diet. To do this you need to follow these rules:

It is important to create a small calorie deficit, give up simple carbohydrates, and maintain an ideal balance of proteins/fat/carbohydrates. For the last question, it is better to consult a nutritionist or use online calculators.
The drinking regime should be observed. This will help speed up your metabolism and fat burning process.
You need to avoid stress, normalize your daily routine, sleep at least 8 hours, give up bad habits.
Girls can speed up weight loss with fat-burning supplements based on caffeine and L-carnitine. However, you should know that they are only effective with exercise and diet. In addition, dietary supplements may cause adverse reactions, so consult your doctor or experienced trainer before using them.

It is important to completely change your lifestyle to burn fat faster.

Advice from professionals

Fitness experts recommend doing a few workouts with a specialist before working out on your own in the gym. They advise immediately defining the goal and creating a complex in accordance with it. Girls should train regularly, do not skip warm-ups, cool-downs, and give their muscles time to rest. It is also important to follow the technique of performing the exercises. To see results faster, a novice athlete must adjust his diet.

Anastasia Simakova, coach

The master of sports in swimming advises girls who want to lose weight to supplement their gym sessions with a visit to the pool. You can swim, pedal a bicycle or do synchronized swimming. This is a great way to lose weight without suffering and improve your mood. Exercises in water will help you work your triceps, abs, and lower body. In just 10 days you will be able to tighten your body and get rid of cellulite.

Anton Begalko, coach

An experienced fitness trainer advises beginners to remember that the workout consists of a warm-up, a main complex and stretching. None of these points should be neglected.

Warm-up prepares the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and warms up the muscles.

The main part, which consists of 6-8 exercises (1-3 elements for each group), will help to maximally load the muscles in the gym.

The final part of the training – the cool-down – helps normalize breathing and blood circulation.

According to the specialist, exercise in the gym should be supplemented with proper nutrition and quality rest.

Yuri Samsonov, coach

A fitness and aerobics specialist recommends carefully selecting training programs in the gym, as there is a lot of unverified information on the Internet. Therefore, choose reputable sources.

The training schedule needs to be arranged so that there is time left for muscle recovery. For beginners, it is enough to exercise 3 times a week and not load the same muscle group more than once (in 7 days).

The specialist reminds that when working in the gym you need to remember safety, as there is a risk of injury. To avoid this, you need to work with a trainer or at least take a few lessons before training on your own.

Training program for girls for 12 weeks

A 12-week program is considered optimal. During this period, training in accordance with the given schedule, you will be able to gain impressive volumes and achieve significant success in body correction.

An important principle of this program is that as you move forward, the number of repetitions decreases and the load increases due to increased weights. The number of approaches remains the same. The program involves four workouts per week.

After its completion, you will rejoice at your own reflection in the mirror, because your body will be radically transformed.

Main conclusions

With great desire and responsibility, a girl can work out in the gym without the help of a trainer, but to do this she must follow these recommendations:

Determine your goals: weight loss, weight gain, relief.
Based on your goals, choose a program, for example, for weight loss - a cardio and strength program or circuit training.
Visit the gym regularly - 2 to 3 times with a break to restore the body.
The duration of the training is from 30 to 60 minutes.
Follow the exercise technique.
Include basic as well as isolation movements in your complex for beginners.
Keep a training diary.
Don't skip the warm-up and cool-down.
Eat right and stay hydrated.

If a novice athlete follows these recommendations, she will notice the first results after independent training in the gym within 4 weeks.