GYMTRAINER
Your Training Starts Here
Workouts, equipment reviews, nutrition guides, and everything you need to train smarter in the UK — from beginner to advanced.
Featured guides
Editor’s picks — start here, then browse by topic.
Beginners
Never been to a gym? Start here. What to wear, gym etiquette, basic exercises, and how to walk in on day one without feeling lost.
Read
3-day full body
A 45-minute, three-day full-body programme for PureGym and home setups — exercises, rest, progression, and what to do when a rack is taken.
Read
Protein UK
How much protein UK gym-goers actually need, Tesco and meal-deal sources, and when a whey tub is useful rather than decorative.
ReadAlso worth your time
Progressive overload
How to add weight, reps, or sets in a UK gym so you actually get stronger — logging, smallest plates, and what to do when you stall.
Find a PT
What to look for in a UK personal trainer — qualifications, red flags, costs, and how to find a PT who actually knows their stuff.
PureGym vs Gym Group
A practical comparison of PureGym and The Gym Group for UK lifters — hours, kit, apps, peak crowding, and how to choose by postcode not brand loyalty.
Adjustable dumbbells
How to choose adjustable dumbbells for a UK home gym — selectorised vs spin-lock, floor risk, and when fixed dumbbells are the better spend.
Etiquette
Unwritten rules for PureGym, The Gym Group, and similar UK floors — racks, wiping, peak hours, and how not to become the person everyone side-eyes.
Editorial
Who publishes Gym Trainer UK, how we research programmes and gym chains, and how to send corrections — Tabaconda LLC, Florida, USA.
Start Here
3 guides Beginners Never been to a gym? Start here. What to wear, gym etiquette, basic exercises, and how to walk in on day one without feeling lost. Open 
Etiquette Unwritten rules for PureGym, The Gym Group, and similar UK floors — racks, wiping, peak hours, and how not to become the person everyone side-eyes. Open 
First week A seven-day plan for new UK gym members: three full-body sessions, what to skip, how to book an induction, and how to leave without hating the place. Open Train
9 guides
Workouts Beginner, intermediate, and advanced gym workout programmes. Push-pull-legs, full body, upper-lower splits — all designed for UK gyms. Open 3-day full body A 45-minute, three-day full-body programme for PureGym and home setups — exercises, rest, progression, and what to do when a rack is taken. Open 
Push pull legs A realistic PPL split for PureGym peak hours — six-day and four-day versions, swaps when the bench is taken, and when to stay on full body instead. Open 
5×5 strength How to run a 5×5 strength plan in a British commercial gym — A/B days, stalling, deloads, and why you should not skip the squat. Open 
Progressive overload How to add weight, reps, or sets in a UK gym so you actually get stronger — logging, smallest plates, and what to do when you stall. Open 
Home gym How to train at home in a UK spare room or garage — floor, neighbours, condensation, and a programme that does not need a 12-metre rack. Open 
Recovery Sleep, rest days, soreness, and deloads for UK gym-goers — how to recover enough to add weight next week without a £90 ice bath. Open 
Warm-up A 6–10 minute warm-up for UK gyms that does not steal the workout — ramps, not a 25-minute yoga class you will skip. Open 
Compound form Practical cues for squat, hinge, press, and row in a UK gym — what to film, what to skip, and when to hire a Level 3 instead of a comment section. Open Fuel
4 guides
Nutrition Practical sports nutrition advice for UK gym-goers — protein, supplements, meal prep, and the best UK brands. No bro-science, just evidence. Open Protein UK How much protein UK gym-goers actually need, Tesco and meal-deal sources, and when a whey tub is useful rather than decorative. Open 
Calorie deficit How to lose fat without wrecking your lifting — modest deficits, protein floors, scale noise, and why 1,200 calories plus 5×5 is a bad idea. Open 
Budget meals Cheap UK meals that actually support training — frozen chicken, eggs, tins, oats, and a week of examples without a £400 meal-prep influencer fridge. Open Kit
6 guides
Equipment The best dumbbells, benches, barbells, and home gym gear you can buy in the UK. Honest reviews, real prices in £, and Amazon UK links. Open 
Adjustable dumbbells How to choose adjustable dumbbells for a UK home gym — selectorised vs spin-lock, floor risk, and when fixed dumbbells are the better spend. Open 
Starter kit A staged shopping list for a UK home gym — from a yoga mat and dumbbells to a bench and barbell — with what to skip until you actually train. Open 
Gym apparel Shoes, lifting belt, chalk, and training clothes for a UK home gym — searches, not a dump. Open 
Recovery kit Foam rollers, massage balls, and sleep basics for UK lifters — optional, not a personality. Open 
Cardio kit Jump ropes, sliders, and kettlebells for conditioning without a treadmill in a UK spare room. Open People
2 guides
Find a PT What to look for in a UK personal trainer — qualifications, red flags, costs, and how to find a PT who actually knows their stuff. Open 
Become a PT The complete guide to becoming a qualified PT in the UK — Level 2 and 3 qualifications, costs, providers, career paths, and earning potential. Open Places
3 guides
Gym Reviews Honest reviews of the UK's biggest gym chains — PureGym, The Gym Group, David Lloyd, Virgin Active, and more. Prices, equipment, and atmosphere. Open 
PureGym vs Gym Group A practical comparison of PureGym and The Gym Group for UK lifters — hours, kit, apps, peak crowding, and how to choose by postcode not brand loyalty. Open 
Membership maths Cost per session, peak-hour reality, PT add-ons, and when a home gym beats another year of PureGym — arithmetic without the sales floor. Open Library
2 guides
Glossary Plain-English definitions for UK gym training — CIMSPA, RDL, PPL, progressive overload, REPS, and the other words people throw around without explaining. Open 
Editorial Who publishes Gym Trainer UK, how we research programmes and gym chains, and how to send corrections — Tabaconda LLC, Florida, USA. Open