First day at the gym: a survival guide for newbies

That’s it, it’s decided, you’ve signed up for a gym. (maybe even after reading the article “getting into sport: advice from a lazy old man”: D) It took you a bit of courage – and certainly a large part of your savings . But, and I can completely understand, we have ALL been there, the first time .. we are not very comfortable. Sometimes we even get stressful. So that should be your moment for yourself, or you let go. So we are going to start from the beginning, and make sure that it goes well . (and that you want to go back. And the next day too. And the day after tomorrow too. And every other day

  1. We team up

There is no point in running (well yes, but not there right away), it is better to start on time. So we choose an outfit that goes well.

A. Clothing

Everyone does what they want, the goal being to make you feel GOOD in it . We forget everything that spins complexes, it is pointless to add stress.
Personally, I am very tight black tank top and capri pants or shorts – my uniform for 3 years, because that’s how I feel the most free, but it’s really how YOU feel it.
The idea is that no one except you will pay attention to it anyway, but it’s a shame not to dare to do such and such an exo “because we’re going to see my belly” or “I got not shaved the calves ” (yes, girls have that kind of consideration.)
Note that some rooms prohibit shorts / bras / tank tops for women, suddenly we find out before. (It only happened once that I was asked to change because I was in a tank top with thin straps, I put on a sweater to finish my session. And never came back. These rules are often due to worry caused by guys who are too insistent in the gym … And out of the question to train in turtlenecks because a bunch of morons can’t hold their hormones.)

B. The shoes.

It all depends on whether you plan to run or not. If so, choose the right running shoes carefully.
Otherwise, you are free to choose. For machines and free weights, prefer shoes with completely flat soles for better stability (you can look in the “training” section at Nike for example) and for co classes, slightly light sneakers are always preferable. It’s up to you to see your usage during the first sessions

C. The rest:

I will write an article on the accessories I use in the gym, but in the really essentials, we find:

  • A bottle of water – staying hydrated before, during, and after exercise is essential.
    You can use supplements (such as BCAAs and pre -workouts) but if you are just starting out, a good old water bottle full of mineral water is enough!
  • A towel – most gyms want everyone to have their own towel, to put on the machines and mats, so as not to let everyone benefit from their perspiration. (normal.)
  • weight training gloves (if you have fragile little legs) afterwards it’s a question of comfort and aesthetics. Personally, I really like the gloves from G-loves because they are 100% unique, but you will find them at all prices in sports stores.

Oh, and I’m putting it there, but if you’ve really been out of sports for a long time, a little doctor’s check-up can’t hurt. Just to make sure that everything is fine, and that we start on a healthy basis.

2. We take courage with both hands

We’re equipped for battle, so much the better. Now we are physically ready s. Now, we’ll have to take the plunge and go for good. Often, the gym is chosen based on price and proximity, and you rarely have a choice of ambiance. So it’s easier (but a little less motivating) to go if (when you’re a girl) it’s a “girls” club a la Lady Moving or Amazonia. It’s reassuring, and there are no tough guys to mess around with the weights, and you feel at home faster. If this is a tough gym, and even for guys, it’s not easy to go and screw up there in the middle, will have to play down. Because that’s just THE IDEA you have . These guys, they started out like you at one point, there was a time when they weren’t muscular at all (even too thin / overweight, and that you won’t know at first glance) and they are far too busy with their own training to pay attention to you, the new kid, who arrives with your towel under your arm. Even better, they’ll be happy to help if they can. Don’t forget that working your body necessarily starts from 0, and EVERYBODY goes through it.

So .. mentally you should be prepared too. You are motivated, you have goals to achieve, it and will be time to go give it your all.

3. We do our (first) quiet session or

There you are, fully equipped, and it’s time to get down to business.

I don’t know how to use the machines:

So ok, sometimes the machines look a bit threatening. Like the people who are on it actually. But that’s not to worry about either. Already, in the vast majority of cases, there are little drawings on each that show how to use it : what movement to do and what muscle (s) it works. If there’s one you are unsure of, stand in a corner and watch someone else use it.
But most importantly, the gym staff are here to help you . They are all trained in the optimal use of the machines and they will be able to guide you on the right position to adopt and the right movement to achieve to obtain as much gainzzzz as possible

I do not know what weight to put:

Again, nothing could be simpler. Whenever you encounter a new machine, land on it, and by experimenting find the weight with which you can only do the entire stroke once. Then take roughly 70% of that number , and use it as the base weight for your sets. You can start with 3 or 5 sets of 8-10-12 movements. The last set must be difficult, but not impossible. There is no point in checking yourself. The idea is to gain weight as soon as it gets too easy, and it should happen about every 3 weeks. (in addition, it gives you a rhythm.: D)
After each use of a machine, you wipe it down with the provided paper towel, so that it is clean for the next one.(for the rest, there is everything in this fabulous article on “which sport to choose / what to do at the gym“)

4. We plan the rest of the events

And there you go! You have been there once, and now that you have realized that it is not the worst place on earth, dangerous and hostile, but rather a place of mutual aid with very loud music and people sweating , it will be time to think about going back.

I know, I know, in our busy lives, blah, we don’t always have time, blah. We rarely have time for anything anyway. But we will have to find a time slot . (because you didn’t screw that money down the drain, not from a pipe!) I’m not saying you have to go every day either, but if we can aim 3-4 times a week, that would be great .

A tip: in the morning, there are a lot less people , we still have plenty of energy AND once it’s done there’s more to do, you don’t have to to sacrifice the evening out, even if it appears by surprise in the schedule.

We also set goals: Registering indoors is fine, but why? Losing so many pounds? Lift so much weight? We set short-term achievable goals to achieve the long-term goal.

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