So, you’ve decided you need to do something about your health and fitness but are terrified of joining a gym? That’s understandable – they can be scary places. You might be stressing about the prospect getting something wrong when it comes to gym etiquette or simply be embarrassed that people will be looking at you as you slowly die on a cross trainer. Not to mention not having the first clue what to do on any of the equipment.
Gyms don’t have to be terrifying places though. With these top tips for gym newcomers, you’ll soon feel comfortable and wonder why you EVER worried about joining a gym.
Getting expert advice…
Attend the induction
Any good gym worth joining will offer you an induction when you first join. The induction basically involves a demonstration of all the equipment in the gym and how to use it and an explanation of what everything does.
Use a personal trainer every four to six weeks
Some inductions will also set you up with a basic training program but you should also have a personal training session once every four to six weeks. You may be able to book that through your gym but if not, don’t worry – in 2016 there were nearly 300,000 personal trainers working in America so there are plenty to go around! A personal trainer can review how you are getting on at the gym and offer a specific program to help you work on areas that need working on for the next month.
Attend your gyms free classes
Your gym may offer free classes and if it does, make sure to sign up for them. They are free and will help you feel more comfortable around the facilities and with the equipment.
Don’t be afraid to ask
The most important thing when it comes to getting expert advice in a gym though is never be afraid to ask. No question is stupid and there will always be an expert on hand to help you out if you need it.
Things to remember when you are in the gym…
Warm up
You might be keen to dive straight into lifting weights but always remember to warm up. There are plenty of Pre Workout Tips out there but you can’t go wrong by taking on cardio work to start as a gentle warm up before every session. Warming up reduces the chances of injury and the last thing you want is to get injured before you’ve even started.
Don’t start with too much
When you start out, especially with weights, you should begin using light, machine weights rather than heavy weights or free weights. That way you’ll be using simple equipment and getting your muscles used to lifting. Once you’re body is used to lifting, then you can start trying to bench press as much as Dwayne Johnson!
Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated
Most important of all is that you should never allow yourself to be intimidated in the weights area or anywhere else in the gym. Intimidation is one of the main worries of gym newcomers but you have as much right to be there as anyone else. Get into that mindset and you’ll be fit and healthy before you know it.
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