The gym can be a terrifying place when you go for the first time. It can even feel like everyone knows exactly what they’re doing except for you. But in reality, they were once exactly where you are, so if they’ve hammered out a routine and figured out how the gym works, you can too.
When I first started going to the gym, I didn’t want to seek out help. I didn’t want to expose how little I knew, I just wanted to simply be at the gym and gain muscle through osmosis, but, sadly, that is not how it worked.
The truth was simply that I was afraid to ask for help. I was afraid of being seen as some sort of amateur who didn’t know what he was doing. Eventually, I was able to settle into a solid routine at the gym that keeps me on track for a healthy lifestyle. So if you are uncomfortable, consider the following:
No one cares what you’re doing
This is the biggest thing that you must understand. Everyone is at the gym to work on themselves. It can be tough to grasp this when you walk in and feel like 8,000 eyes are all on you but take a second and look around: you’ll understand pretty quickly everyone is focused on what they are doing. 90% of people have headphones in and half the people on cardio machines are watching TV. That leaves them little space to be judging you on what you’re doing.
For the most part, you can navigate the gym at your own pace.
Instagram trainers
There is a huge difference between Instagram fitness models and Instagram trainers. The former shows off all of the progress they made and tend to make their money through sponsorships and being an influencer.
The latter build their career through in-person and online coaching, but you don’t have to pay in order to gain some of their knowledge. A lot of them post helpful graphics of different exercises and diet tips to help you make progress. Some of them will even do Q&As through their Instagram stories where you can ask questions or just listen to the advice that they give other people.
Perhaps the best thing they do is post shorts videos breaking down different weight exercises and how to do them correctly. It is a lifesaver when it comes to avoiding pitfalls in form or learning new ways to weight train.
Use a mixture of cardio and weight training
Cardio is great. It is simple and an requires little know how to work properly. However, mixing it up with weight training and building muscle will shed weight and keep it off in the long run.
Compound lifts and free weights can be tough to grasp if you have no clue what you’re doing and can lead to injury if you don’t use the proper form. Consider starting with the weight machines that give you directions on how to use it and clue you in on what particular muscle they work.
Set up a plan
The biggest waste of time at the gym is not knowing what you’re doing and wandering aimlessly from machine to machine with no consistent plan. Maybe you’ll work out your shoulders for a minute and then focus on your calves, but at the end of the day, no real progress will be made without an idea of what your goals each time you go.
If you’re going for the first time think about what you want to accomplish that day. Do you want to work on your arms, legs, back or chest? Upper body or lower body? The first step to making real progress is having some sort of plan.
Use online resources and the weight machines to build a list of exercises to do to work on a specific muscle group and target those machines on that day.
Think about how many reps you want to do across how many sets. Three sets of ten reps are a good starting point and as you learn more about weight training and get a clearer picture of your goals you can adjust from there.
Weight train first, then do cardio
If you want your muscles to grow, lift first. If you want your endurance to go up, do cardio first, so if you are focusing on sculpting your body or losing weight, the best bet is to train your muscles first.
Don’t skip leg day
Yes, leg day sucks. We all hate it. Much like going to the dentist, it is a necessary part of life.
Lift slowly
Please don’t rip through a set to show off how swoll you are; the only thing you’re doing is inflating your ego. True muscle gain comes from moving through each rep slowly and feeling the burn in your muscles throughout the entire movement.
Pause at the end of a rep and get rid of any momentum before beginning the next one. You want each rep to function on its own without help from the previous one.
Also, make sure you are only using the muscle you are supposed to be using, If you are activating your back when working your bicep either you need to fix your form or the weight is too much.
Creep on people who know what they’re doing
Most of the stuff I do at the gym now is from creeping on people who have an established routine and look like they know what they’re doing. If I’m unsure about how a machine works or when I was trying to break into free weights, I’ll turn towards the people who are working out there to get a sense of what I should be doing if I try it.
Then, go at off hours to try things out
If you’re worried about prying eyes when you are trying something new, try going to the gym at times when it is not normally as crowded. Trying something new on a Monday around 6 PM almost guarantees a lot of people will be around, but going on a Sunday night will make you feel like you have most of the gym to yourself and you can try new things without feeling like the whole place is looking at you.
Set up a routine and don’t give up
Nothing happens overnight, rarely does any progress show itself within a month. As long as you are exercising consistently and eating right, you’ll notice a difference. It might not come as fast as you’d like, but rest assured, it is coming.
You got this.
Every penny from my writing goes to supporting my fiance pay off her student loans. Please read, clap and follow for more posts on teaching, reading, and basketball. Follow on Twitter: @kuujamzs
