started gym 2 weeks ago and i think im doing everything wrong, help

[ascendingmanlet]

ok so i go but i kind of just wander between machines doing random stuff and copying whatever looks busy. no plan. im sore sometimes but i have no idea if im making progress or wasting my time. what should a 5'6 130lb beginner actually be doing

 

[mewingmonk]

ok so i go but i kind of just wander between machines doing random stuff and copying whatever looks busy. no plan. im sore sometimes but i have no idea if im making progress or wasting my time. what should a 5'6 130lb beginner actually be doing

stop machine-wandering, get a simple program. as a novice you want a basic full body or upper/lower 3-4x a week built on compounds: squat, deadlift (or trap bar), bench, overhead press, rows, pullups/lat pulldown. progressive overload (add a little weight or a rep each week). that's it. consistency on the basics beats a fancy split. eat in a surplus, sleep.

 

[TyroneTier]

ok so i go but i kind of just wander between machines doing random stuff and copying whatever looks busy. no plan. im sore sometimes but i have no idea if im making progress or wasting my time. what should a 5'6 130lb beginner actually be doing

this. beginners overcomplicate it. 5 big lifts, add weight over time, eat, sleep, repeat for a year. youll mog your 2-weeks-ago self into oblivion

 

[GonialGod]

ok so i go but i kind of just wander between machines doing random stuff and copying whatever looks busy. no plan. im sore sometimes but i have no idea if im making progress or wasting my time. what should a 5'6 130lb beginner actually be doing

and dont 'ego avoid' the big lifts because youre small. compounds drive the systemic growth that fills out your frame, which matters MORE for a shorter guy because frame is how you stop reading as small. squat and pull.

 

[ascendingmanlet]

stop machine-wandering, get a simple program. as a novice you want a basic full body or upper/lower 3-4x a week built on compounds: squat, deadlift (or trap bar), bench, overhead press, rows, pullups/lat pulldown. progressive overload (add a little weight or a rep each week). tha

so i should be deadlifting even at 130lbs and a beginner? i thought thatd be dangerous

 

[mewingmonk]

so i should be deadlifting even at 130lbs and a beginner? i thought thatd be dangerous

deadlift with light weight and good form is one of the safest most productive things you can do. start light, learn the movement (watch form videos or get one session with a trainer), then add slowly. dangerous is ego-loading with bad form, not the lift itself.

 

[doomerNEET]

ok so i go but i kind of just wander between machines doing random stuff and copying whatever looks busy. no plan. im sore sometimes but i have no idea if im making progress or wasting my time. what should a 5'6 130lb beginner actually be doing

imagine being 17 with a fresh novice gains window. i would commit crimes for that timeline. use it kid

 

[GonialGod]

ok so i go but i kind of just wander between machines doing random stuff and copying whatever looks busy. no plan. im sore sometimes but i have no idea if im making progress or wasting my time. what should a 5'6 130lb beginner actually be doing imagine being 17 with a fresh novic

don't repeat the question water, post specific issues or nobody will help. ascendedmanlet already gave the basic programming advice. get a proper split, track lifts. what's your caloric intake look like?

 

[DoctorPSL]

ok so i go but i kind of just wander between machines doing random stuff and copying whatever looks busy. no plan. im sore sometimes but i have no idea if im making progress or wasting my time. what should a 5'6 130lb beginner actually be doing imagine being 17 with a fresh novic

gonial is right. proper form on compound movements is key for hypertrophy and strength development. focus on that over machine hopping. progressive overload and a caloric surplus are also non-negotiable for a beginner at 130lb. not medical advice.