How long is a good gym workout?

A solid gym workout routine shouldn’t be determined by the number of minutes spent in the gym. It’s easy to half-arse an hour of “exercise”, spending most of the time on your phone and not challenging your weights, while you can get in and out in 30 minutes still having bossed your workout. What you should be aiming for is focused minutes, completing reps and sets efficiently with correct rest time, good form and challenging but appropriate weights. As with almost everything else in life, quality trumps quantity when it comes to gym workouts.LaylaBird//Getty Images

A good gym workout focuses on proper form and challenging weights

How to start a gym workout for beginners?

WH’s best practice for beginners at the gym is:

• Always warm-up – check out our round up of the best dynamic stretches to do before every workout
• Keep workouts simple
• Stay consistent
• Start lighter than you think – use your bodyweight, or a weight that means you can easily complete three sets of 8-12 reps, without compromising on your form
• Follow an expert plan not a bunch of random Instagram posts
• Always include rest days in your weekly plan – read on for more specific advice on rest days from the experts
• Always do a cool-down after a workout – we’ve rounded up the best cool-down stretches

There’s always scope to add on weight if the weight isn’t enough, but starting too heavy runs the risk of injury, especially in the early days as your body adjusts to a new routine.

What makes a good gym workout for a beginner?

‘As a beginner, it’s important to focus on nailing your form and technique while lifting,’ Laura Hoggins, PT at The Foundry advises.

‘Recovery is also essential. So, depending on your goals, scheduling two strength training days and two cardio conditioning days, with a day off after each strength day would be ideal. We want to challenge the body and give it the time to make positive adaptations to your workout demands.’

‘Once you feel confident as a beginner with free weights or resistance machines, you may benefit from splitting your strength days like so:

• Upper and lower body sessions, to form a workout split
• Or push and pull exercises

Ideally, complete your cardio after strength or preferably, on another day completely. ‘We want to work hard but we must focus on our recovery!’ she adds.

A beginners’ full-body gym workout plan for women

Try these nine moves as a 30-minute gym workout once a week.

• Do: three circuits, starting with exercise one and ending on exercise nine.
• Rest: two minutes in between each round (from one-nine).
• Focus: on the area you’re working to really feel the burn and maximise effects.

1. Dumbbell hip bridge

This exercise benefits: glutes

1. Sit on the floor with a box or a bench behind you and a dumbbell over your the crease of your hips (the amount of weight you go for should be informed by your goal and capability).
2. Roll the bar so that it’s directly over your hips and lean back so that your shoulder blades rest on the bench.
3. Drive through the heels of your feet, pushing up your hips (shoulders and feet supporting you).
4. Squeezing your glutes, extend as high as possible. Hold for 5 secs then slowly lower. Do 20 reps.

Side note: if there’s no barbell available you can use one heavy dumbbell instead, positioned horizontally across your hips.

2. Deadbug

This exercise benefits: abs

1. Lie on your back with your arms skywards and legs raised and bent at 90 degrees.
2. Slowly lower your right arm behind you, as you extend your left leg out in front.
3. Exhale, then gently return to the starting position and repeat, this time extending the right leg and lowering your left arm behind you. Reduce the weight if your back arches off the floor. Do 10 reps per leg.

To take it up a notch, hold a 6kg dumbbell.

3. Dumbbell lunge

This exercise benefits: glutes, quads, hamstrings

1. Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Step forwards into a lunge on your left leg. Hold for a beat.
3. Push off your left leg to return to the starting position and repeat. Do 10 reps per leg.

4. Renegade row

This exercise benefits: abs, shoulders

1. With a kettlebell in one hand, start in a high plank position, keeping your pelvis as stable as possible and hips lifted.
2. Row your right arm back without twisting your shoulders, keeping your elbows tucked in to engage your lats.
3. End with your wrist by your hip, then lower the kettlebell back to the floor.
4. Repeat for 10 reps, then switch sides.

5. Romanian deadlift

This exercise benefits: core, hamstrings

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, keep your knees slightly bent, your back straight and your core engaged.
2. Hinge forwards at the hips, keeping your upper back and arms straight so the dumbbells lower directly in front of your legs. Hold for 3 secs then return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips forward (remember to keep your back straight). Do 10 reps per leg.

6. Floor press

This exercise benefits: shoulders, triceps

1. Lying on your back, hold two dumbbells in each hand in front of your shoulders. Tuck your pelvis under and keep your core tight.
2. Push the dumbbells overhead, holding your wrists strong. Then reverse to the starting position. Do 10 reps.

7. Goblet squat

This exercise benefits: hip flexors, quads, lats, calves, glutes, hamstrings

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell by its head in front of your chest, elbows down.
2. Push your hips back, keep your back straight and torso forward, and bend your knees to lower into a squat, elbows brushing the insides of your knees. Hold for 3 secs then push yourself back up. That’s one rep. Do 20.

This demonstration is shown using a kettlebell. Both a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell is fine for this exercise.

8. Russian twist with kettlebell

This exercise benefits: core, abs

1. Sit on the floor with your ankles together. Hold a kettlebell by its bottom with both hands. Twist your arms to one side so that your torso follows but your back stays straight, clasping the kettlebell firmly.
2. Twist as far as you can so that the kettlebell is nearly touching the floor. Engage your core and twist back through centre and over to the other side. Do 10 reps.

9. Forearm plank

This exercise benefits: core, abs

1. Get into a plank position with your forearms on the floor, elbows stacked under shoulders, toes tucked and hips raised so that your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet.
2. Engage your core (it should feel as though you are tensing) and hold for 30 secs. Remember to keep your hips raised, breathe and try not to arch your back.

20-minute lower body gym workout plan

If you know you want to focus on your body, make these four moves into a circuit.

• Do: three circuits, starting with exercise one and ending on exercise four, performing each exercise for 40 seconds.
• Rest: 20 seconds between each exercise, and 60 seconds between each round (from one-three).
• Equipment needed: one pair of dumbbells (between 4-8kg, depending on how much of a challenge you want) and one kettlebell (between 6-12kg, again depending on how intense you want the workout to be).

1.Bodyweight squat

1. Standing with feet hip-width apart hinge at the knees to come into a squat position – making sure your knees track over your toes and don’t extend past.
2. With the weight in your heels push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.

2. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, keep your knees slightly bent, your back straight and your core engaged.
2. Hinge forwards at the hips, keeping your upper back and arms straight so the dumbbells lower directly in front of your legs. Hold for 3 secs then return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips forward (remember to keep your back straight). Do 10 reps per leg.

3. Kettlebell lateral lunge

1. Standing at the top of your mat with your feet together, holding a kettlebell by its bottom at your chest, engage your core and lunge laterally, pushing your bum out behind you and keeping your upper back flat.
2. Push through the heel of your lunging foot and repeat.

4. Dumbbell glute bridge

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and a dumbbell balanced on your hips.
2. Keeping your chin tucked in, push up through your hips to lift your bum off the floor.
3. Clench your bum at the top – your shoulders, hips and knees should be in a straight line.
4. Lower back down in a slow, controlled movement and repeat.

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How to fuel your gym workouts

Regardless of diet choice, good pre and post-workout nutrition is crucial. While there are a number of beliefs and practices to correctly fuel an exercise routine, there are a couple of core tenets to keep in mind too. You may want to consider a calorie deficit, or using a macro calculator to ensure you’re including all food groups in your diet. Follow our guides to make sure you’re all set.

How to achieve your goals with gym workouts

Whether your goal is fat loss, to improve your strength, or otherwise, there are a few key things to remember when doing your gym workouts:

• Avoid overtraining by including regular rest days
• Eat a balanced diet, including all food groups
• Stay hydrated
• Remember to warm-up and cool-down; this will prevent you from getting injured
• Ask a professional or a PT at your gym for help if you need it
• Always focus on form; check out our exercise library with technique tips and instructions on every exercise

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