# Your first week on gym machines: a simple plan

> New to the gym? Machines are the friendliest place to start. Here's a week.

[Guides](https://nomae.com.au/guides) · 6 min read

Machines guide the movement for you, so you can learn to push and pull with control before you worry about balancing a barbell. Here's a simple first week.

## The plan

Two or three sessions, with at least a day between them. Each one is the same full-body routine:

| Machine | Sets | Reps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Leg press | 2 | 10 to 12 |
| Seated row | 2 | 10 to 12 |
| Chest press | 2 | 10 to 12 |
| Leg curl | 2 | 10 to 12 |
| Lat pulldown | 2 | 10 to 12 |
| Shoulder press | 1 to 2 | 10 to 12 |

Rest about two minutes between sets. Session length will depend on your rest and how busy the gym is.

## Picking the weight

Start light enough that 12 reps feel smooth. Stop the set when you think you have two or three good reps left. Next session, if all your sets felt easy, move the pin down one plate. Write down every weight so you know where you were.

## How each rep should feel

- About a second or two to lift, about two seconds to lower.
- Full range you can control, no bouncing at the bottom.
- Breathe out on the effort, in on the way back.
- Stop if a movement hurts or feels wrong; ask a qualified professional about persistent or concerning pain.

## Gym manners

Wipe the machine down after you. If someone's waiting, offer to swap sets with them. Put the pin back at a light weight.

## After week one

Keep the same routine for a month. Try to add a rep or a plate each week on each machine. When it feels routine, read [progressive overload on machines](https://nomae.com.au/guides/progressive-overload-on-machines).

Where NOMAE fits

New to machines? NOMAE shows when your last reps start slowing right down, which is a handy sign you’re near your limit. Counts your reps too.

[Buy now · A$199 launch price](https://nomae.com.au/tracker#launch)

[Will it fit my machines?](https://nomae.com.au/fit)

General information about training, not medical or personalised advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a doctor or physiotherapist first.

## More guides

[**How many sets and reps? A plain-English guide**: Rep ranges, weekly sets and how close to failure, without the jargon. · 5 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/how-many-sets-and-reps)

[**Automatic gym machine rep counters: what works and what to check**: How automatic rep counting on weight-stack machines works, what the sensors measure and what to check before buying. · 4 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/automatic-gym-machine-rep-counter)

[**Gpath in Australia? NOMAE vs Gpath Pin compared**: Gpath doesn't list Australia in its store. How NOMAE, designed in Brisbane, compares with the Gpath Pin on price, shipping and use. · 3 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/gpath-australia)

[**Velocity-based training on gym machines: a beginner's guide to rep speed**: What velocity-based training is, what rep speed and slowdown can and can't tell you, and how to use them on weight-stack machines, with the research. · 5 min](https://nomae.com.au/guides/velocity-based-training-gym-machines)

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Source: https://nomae.com.au/guides/first-week-on-gym-machines
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Contact: hello@nomae.com.au