Your first week at the gym, machine by machine

Walking into a gym for the first time is a lot: rows of machines, clanking plates, people who seem to know exactly what they're doing. Here's a calm plan for your first week.

Before you go

Skim the machines page. You don't need to memorize anything, but knowing roughly what a leg press or lat pulldown looks like makes the floor feel a lot less foreign.

Session 1: legs and shoulders

Start with the big, supported machines. They guide the movement for you.

1. Leg press, then leg curl, then leg extension
2. Side raises with light dumbbells
3. Face pulls on the cable station

Do 2 sets instead of 3 this week. The goal is to learn the setups, not to get sore.

Session 2: chest and triceps

1. Chest press
2. Machine fly
3. Triceps push-down

Session 3: back and biceps

1. Lat pulldown
2. Seated row
3. Preacher curl

Every session

• Warm up with 5 minutes of easy treadmill walking.
• Pick weights with the 12–15 rep rule.
• Rest about 60–90 seconds between sets.
• Finish with 10 minutes of any cardio if you have energy left.

What to skip for now

Barbell squats, deadlifts, and anything that needs a spotter. They're great lifts, but machines let you build strength and confidence first. When you're ready for the full routine, the 3-day plan has every exercise laid out.