Your First Month In The Gym

The unwritten rules, written down

• Re-rack your weights. Every time. This is rule one for a reason.
• Wipe the bench down.
• Do not stand directly in front of the dumbbell rack — step back so other people can reach it.
• Ask to share a rack or a bench. 'Mind if I work in?' is normal and welcome.
• Do not sit on a machine scrolling your phone between sets.
• If you film yourself, keep other people out of frame.
• Put dropped collars, clips and bands back where they came from.

What to actually do for the first month

Two or three full-body sessions a week, the same handful of movements every time: a squat or leg press, a hinge, a push, a pull, and a carry or core movement. Two or three sets each, leaving a couple of reps in the tank. Add a little weight or a rep when the last set feels easy. That is it. The American College of Sports Medicine's beginner guidance looks much the same: total-body work, two or more days a week, progressive.

Expect soreness, not damage

Delayed onset muscle soreness peaks a day or two after new work and fades. Sharp joint pain during a lift is different — stop and get it looked at.

The fastest way past the awkward phase is walking in with a written plan. Billy writes them.