Survival Tips for Your First Time at the Gym

Don’t get discouraged by the sight of all those fit people there who look like they exercise for a living because all of them were where you are at this moment – feeling a little anxious and wondering where to start.

You've finally made the decision to sign up for a gym membership. Congratulations on your big step. Now you need to go to the gym.

The first time you step foot into the gym can be very intimidating. Don’t get discouraged by the sight of all those fit people there who look like they exercise for a living. They are just like you – working people trying to make time in their busy schedules to get in shape.Keep in mind that all of them were where you are at this moment – feeling a little anxious and wondering where to start.

Now, here you are—new to the gym, lost and not quite sure what each machines does. Where do you begin?The biggest pitfall right now? Getting discouraged, intimidated, or overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve assembled a few tips for getting through those first tentative trips to the gym, so you can stick to your guns and meet your fitness goals.

Don’t overdo it

A common mistake people make is to overwork their bodies on the first day at the gym. It took time to get to the point where you feel like you need to lose weight, so it will take you time to get out of it.

Do a little more each day, but don’t spend 3 hours at the gym. You will overtrain yourself, which will lead to decreased performance, high blood pressure, decreased immunity and poor sleep patterns. Start with 3-4 exercises and move on from there. You’ll give your body time to recover, avoid soreness, and get ready for the next gym session.

Share your goal for the day

Accountability is one of the best ways to stay determined and consistent. You can’t lie you worked out if you didn’t even make it to the gym. Announce your plans on Facebook or tell the one person you would hate to disappoint.Recruit a friend to come with you. That way both of you can share the feeling of intimidation and laugh it off. 

What to bring

It’d be nice to bring a towel to wipe off your sweat after you’re done with an exercise. You can also lay it down on the machines you use to avoid getting other people’s sweat (and germs) on you.You don’t know it yet but you’ll be thirsty when you exercise. You need to replace all the water you’re losing in the form of sweat. Bring a bottle.

Warm up

Don’t even think about doing weight training without warming up. You need to get your blood flowing and muscles warm so that you don’t injure yourself. Dynamic stretching is one of the best types of warmups that will get you ready for your workout. It includes shoulder circles, arms swings, leg swings, and lunges. Use this time to look around and get familiar with what’s around you.

Do a beginner’s strength workout

You may feel like you can do more, but don’t push your body’s limits. Good resistance training for newbies is a simple one. Warm up for about 15 minutes. Use lighter weights so you can focus on your posture and technique. Once you’ve mastered the form, you can start adding weights to the bar and focus on progressing each workout. As a beginner, the first thing you need to focus on is technique. The weight comes afterwards. 

Try everything out

The key word here is “try.” No matter what you do, your body will be in shock. You are putting it through unfamiliar stress. You should not really work outmore than four days a week when you first start out. Each session should include more than three exercises for each muscle group. Thankfully, you have a lot to choose from. Don’t make two consecutive sessions the same. Test your body and see what exercises are right for you.

Take notes

Numbers don’t lie. Measure your progress. Don’t just step on a scale; take your measurements. You may be losing fat and gaining muscles, which means you’re getting in shape even though you’re the same weight.Write down all exercises, sets and reps you do. This way you will also know what not to repeat next time, which will keep every gym session a lot more interesting.

Congratulations, you did it! You might feel sore after a day or two, which is normal. It’s possible to still work out when you’re sore, even if it is uncomfortable. But the most important thing is that you keep going. No one gets more comfortable with exercising overnight or by going to the gym only occasionally.