Starting Out

3 Tips For Starting Out At The Gym

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

— Oscar Wilde.

One of the hardest parts of starting a fitness journey is just that, starting. There are so many unknowns and it is natural for us to feel scared of the things we don’t know. Especially when you add in the fact of being in a public place being surrounded by people who you think all know more than you. But these shouldn’t be a reason that keeps you from starting a journey that can change your life. So I am going to give a few tips that can help you to feel much more comfortable with whatever type of gym you walk into.

Tip 1: Its ok to create a workout plan as you go!

Lots of people think you shouldn’t go into a gym until you know exactly what your doing and how to do. Truth is most people don’t have set workout plans either, no matter how long they have been working out. It is OK to learn as you go!! One of the best ways to learn about different workouts and how to use machines is to see someone else doing it. The first couple times you go to a gym walk around and see how people are using the machines and some of the different workouts that are available to you. This will help you to build up your knowledge quickly, and then you can go and try out the machines to see how they feel and what muscles they are working out.

Tip 2: For whatever workout you do, use a 3×10 format.

What I mean by the 3×10 format is with each workout you perform you should do 3 sets of 10 reps. This is the standard of rep format because it is a great platform for building your strength. Its enough to work and build your muscle while not over working the muscles and causing more problems. As you gain more experience and create your own workout plans you can play around with your rep count to be hit your specific workout goals.

Tip 3: Don’t be afraid to learn from mistakes.

This can be one of the hardest things to do in life, but It can be true in so many different aspects. While learning your way around and gym and how to do new workouts it is inevitable that you are going to need some time to learn. Be patient with yourself and be willing to take tips and advice from those that may be more experienced than you. Others in the gym can be very helpful and friendly when it comes to honestly asking for help or assistance on a lift. If you aren’t comfortable doing that, try working with a personal trainer for a couple sessions to gain a base line of experience that you will be able to take and workout on your own. And much like other aspects of life, things are always changing in the gym. There will be new machines and you will see people doing new movements, so your learning will never be done!

The biggest lesson here is don’t let as lack of knowledge or experience hold you back from getting in the gym and bettering yourself!!