Written by Rebecca

Working out can be incredibly fun. It can also be scary when you’re first starting out. There’s so many exercises and so many machines and everyone else looks like they know exactly what they’re doing. It’s important to remember though, that everyone had their first day in the gym. Not even Arnold came out jacked. With the right plan and the right diet (check out our article on high protein fast food options!), you can quickly see some results.

The first question is where to start? If you google “work out routines,” you’ll find thousands of options. It’s overwhelming and some of these exercises have crazy names. I still don’t even know what a windshield wiper is. Here I have for you a very basic “push, pull, legs” or “PPL” routine. Because this routine has only three workouts in it, it’s great for beginners and as a long-term routine. Do it for three days a week or for six, the choice is yours. I recommend every other day or three days a week if this is your first time ever in a gym (please keep in mind that I am not a qualified trainer and not responsible for any injuries!).

Push Day

A push day is full of “pushing” motions. The primary muscles worked here are your chest, shoulders, and triceps. We’ll start with one compound movement and then work on isolating individual muscles. Keep in mind that there will be a lot of tricep exercises because the tricep has three heads and we want to hit them all. The way the exercises are written are in a set by reps format.

• Warm-Up: (stretching)
• Bench Press (machine or barbell): 5×12-15 (each one set has 12-15 reps)
• Incline Dumbbell (DB) bench press: 3×12-15
• Chest Flies (machine or DB): 3×12-15
• Tricep Cable Kickbacks: 3×12-15
• Rope Cable Pushdown: 3×12-15
• Cable Underhand Pushdowns: 3×12-15
• Lat Raises: 3×12-15
• Rear Delt Flies: 3×12-15

To finish the day, do 30 minutes of cardio. Running, cycling, etc.

Pull Day

The muscles worked here are your back, biceps, and traps (those weird ones that connect the shoulders to the neck). I will be writing pull-ups into the routine, but no worries if you cannot do one yet– there are assisted machines in most gyms as well as variations you can find online!

• Warm-Up: Dynamic Stretching
• Pull-Ups: 5×12-15
• Romanian Deadlift: 5×5
• Preacher Curls: 3×12-15
• Hammer Curls: 3×12-15
• Standing DB Bicep Curls: 3×12-15
• Lat Pulldowns: 3×12-15
• Close Grip Cable Rows: 3×12-15
• Barbell or DB Shrugs: 3×12-15
• Cardio

Leg Day

Leg day is so important. If you regularly skip this day, you can’t tell first, but look up photos of people who skip leg day. I recommend stretching your legs and after the workout and over the next couple days as well. Trust me.

• Stretches
• Barbell squat: 5×12-15
• Quad Extensions: 3×12-15
• Hamstring Curls: 3×12-15
• Leg Press: 3×12-15
• Leg Press Calf Raises: 3×25
• Leg Abductor Machine: 3×12-15
• Leg Adductor Machine: 3×12-15
• Cardio (on leg day I do the stair master!)