Anonymous wrote:Going to the gym for the first time in a long time. What do I do there? Not sure what machines to even use!

Do it all, just don't overdo it at first.
Learn how to use everything properly, as form is most important.
After that you will start deciding what you want to work on and do.

Anonymous wrote:My circuit:

Walk on the treadmill.

Ride the stationary bike.

Stair stepper.

That sounds more like my commute than the gym.

Anonymous wrote:If you have room in your budget I would recommend paying for some trainer sessions to get you started. Also, you may find group classes to be motivating.

This is what I was going to suggest too. They'll give you a routine, and make sure your form is good so you won't injure yourself.

It depends on your age, fitness level, willingness to learn, goals (cardio vs strength), time available, and gym type.

1) Most gyms, even cheap basic ones, will give you an overview of the equipment and guidance.

2) AI is perfect for this very general question. Tell it a few sentences about yourself and your wishes, and it will come up with a very generic workout suggestion. You can try that and then adjust as you wish.

If you have room in your budget I would recommend paying for some trainer sessions to get you started. Also, you may find group classes to be motivating.

I'm old. I do 20 minutes of "stretching" which means I do various arm lifts with 4-lb weights, mat stretches, random barre stretching, some crunches, etc. When I first started going to the gym, I was only doing this for 5 minutes, but I've worked up. Then I walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes, going at least 1 mile. I monitor my heart rate and shoot for between 120-130 during part of my workout. I've worked up to a higher speed and a better elevation since I started this, and have to work harder to get my heart rate up now. My weight is also down.

The machines are a little intimidating for me.

Anonymous wrote:My circuit:

Walk on the treadmill.

Ride the stationary bike.

Stair stepper.

don't need to pay for a gym for this "circuit".

My circuit:

Walk on the treadmill.

Ride the stationary bike.

Stair stepper.

pp here. Should have added, that your can and probably should do rows instead of pullups for the "pull" exercise.

Erg rower

I'd start with a basic dumbbell routine like this one: https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/absolute-minimalists-strength-workout

For each exercise, start with a light warmup set, rest as much as you need, and increase the weight on the next set until you're familiar with how heavy your body can handle (it may vary by day).

I found that weightlifting became more intuitive to me when I started thinking in terms of movements (e.g. push, pull, hinge, squat) more than body parts. Routines like this one allow you to get comfortable with these basic movements.

Going to the gym for the first time in a long time. What do I do there? Not sure what machines to even use!