The Gym Doesn't Have to Be Intimidating - Here's Where You Should Start
I’ve been in the weight room since I was about 14 years old. I basically grew up there. But not everyone has that experience, and if you’re looking to get started training later in life, it can be extremely intimidating. The strong and fit people, the heavy lifting, the crazy conditioning workouts, the music, and the comradery in some gyms might seem to be too much from the outside.
Some gyms like Planet Fitness have built their brand around explicitly trying not to be intimidating. In the process, they’ve unfortunately abandoned most productive training methods. That’s another rant for another time. If you water something down enough, you lose what’s valuable.
The good news is that the weight room only appears intimidating on first glance. Sure, there are some gym idiots out there who make everyone else look bad. But the strongest, most in-shape people are often the kindest, friendliest, and most encouraging. I’ve made some of my best friends in the weight room.
Getting started with strength training isn’t easy. It requires effort and commitment. But it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Ask for Help!
Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed to ask for technique help if you’re unsure of what you’re doing. Every trainer I’ve ever met would always be more than happy to help in a non-judgmental way, and even have their own embarrassing gym stories. I’ve literally face-planted in the gym and given myself a bloody nose, gotten stuck on many bench presses, been yelled at by more experienced lifters, and done all kinds of other stupid and embarrassing stuff. We’re all beginners at something. And if someone is judgmental, you don’t want their help anyway. That’s their problem, not yours.
Have a Plan
Don’t just walk in the gym and do whatever machine looks easy. I have plans available here and here, or message me if you want a plan developed just for you. The important thing is that you have an idea of why you’re in the gym and what you’re trying to accomplish that day. That will get rid of that clueless feeling you may have just wandering around the gym. Preparation is key.
Train Your Entire Body
For guys, don’t just train chest and arms. For girls, don’t just train legs and abs. Sure, you can emphasize whatever you want or need, but you need balance across the entire body. A good way to set up a total body workout would be one squat-type exercise, one hamstring exercise, one upper body “pushing” exercise, one upper body “pulling” exercise, and something for abs to finish.
Don’t Kill Yourself on the First Day
One or two sets per exercise is plenty if it’s been a while since you’ve trained. Research doesn’t show any benefit to doing more at first. Making yourself excessively sore will only make you miserable and kill your motivation. Start small.
Putting together a strength program can be intimidating if you’ve never done it before. If you’re looking for a fitness trainer in the Mt Juliet/Hermitage/Nashville TN area, online fitness training, or just need some advice to get your fitness program started, contact me