The first question many people who begin their gym journey is where they should start. It’s a simple yet overwhelming question; what routine will I follow? What will I focus on? Do I want to build muscle of just lose fat? There are incredible misconceptions with people and the beginning of their time in the gym.
The most classic example people do in the gym is the excessive amounts of cardio and starvation based diets. Sure, they’ll help you lose weight, and maybe you’ll be able to develop a good cardiovascular system so you don’t lose breath walking up the stairs, but it will be unpleasant, hard to remain consistent, and you could very easily “drop out” from a routine if it’s nothing structured. You’re better off combining a mild (at least) weight training routine combined with cardio; and I’d recommend biking or swimming over endless days of running (unless it’s not always on the treadmill), as it could be very bad for your shins/knees.
People continue to be concerned with getting “too bulky,” this is an issue I’ve seen in lots of women when they want to go to the gym, and how they’re concerned about putting on too much muscle and looking too much like a dude. I think that’s nonsense; you can have a rigorous weight training routine and not look like the female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger. If you are really concerned about bulking up in areas you don’t want to bulk up in, don’t do weights for upper body, do body weight exercises such as pull-ups, dips, and push-ups. In exchange, do rigorous leg work, such as squats, deadlifts, leg curls, etc; and even some weighted ab exercises. You’ll still get pretty fit and not get “too bulky.”
The next big misconception is the belief that you need to workout 7 days a week. Not allowing rest times for muscle development will get you no where, no matter how much/little you eat. Split days aren’t recommended either unless you’re an athlete, an experienced lifter, or are on illegal substances.
All in all, moderate weight lifting, combined with some cardio, for 3-4 days a week (and not doing cardio on all those days) is what new gym goers should look into to start.
The Gains Game 