Beginners in the gym: 7 tips

Pin It

The gym is still a mystery to many. You have your own picture of it in your head and often you are surprised when you are standing there for the first time.
I was like that and how it feels for women in the gym, I have already told in an extra post.

Today we are going to talk about how to get off to a good start in the gym as a beginner, so that you can train in the best possible way. Because just because you're enrolled in the gym doesn't mean you know directly how best to get started. After all there are a thousand possibilities!

It starts with the fact that you are not familiar with the equipment, the unfamiliar atmosphere may be a bit intimidating and you do not know the rules of conduct. I would have liked some hot tips on how to get started there in the beginning – so I'm sharing my experience with you now as 7 Tips for Beginners in the Gym.

Find the right studio for you

Super much depends on your choice of gym. You must feel comfortable there and like to go there. And you must be able to do everything there that you actually intend to do. You need to know where your focus is and what is important to you:

• As many different devices as possible
• Live courses (note course selection)
• Additional Services
• The atmosphere and the target audience
• there is a free training area
• What about accessibility (public transportation, parking, etc.)?.) from

Fortunately, in most gyms you can take one or even more trial classes. I can only recommend this to everyone to get a feeling for the respective studio or chain. If you have friends who already train there, this is always a good way to learn a little more about the studio of your choice.

With me it became, after some trying around, John Reed. I really like the mix of the cool facilities there (see pictures) and the many possibilities. I am in the gym to define my body. To do this, I need to do strength training on different equipment and need a wide range of options. But so that I don't get bored too quickly, I also like to go to classes now and then. At John Reed there are almost daily live classes with trainers from belly, legs butt to Zumba and Hiit. Plus: There is a large Functinal Area, which I think is a bit like a cool playground for adults. The free machines allow you to gymnastics around and once again challenge completely different muscle groups than on the static machines. It's fun and offers variety that keeps you working out.

This means: Being able to train effectively and with variety in a stylish atmosphere. If you would like to have a trial lesson in a John Reed, just have a look at the site!

Set goals and plan

This is another point you need to consider before choosing your gym: What do you want in the gym and why?? This way you can decide what the right studio for you actually has to offer. And only in this way you start with a plan and do not run the risk of losing motivation after a few weeks.

Goals can be

• Lose weight in general
• Build up muscles
• Define the body (reduce fat, tighten tissue)
• Get fitter and build fitness
• uvm.

If you have this clear for you, get a suitable training plan. No one who is new to fitness can just know what exercises and workouts are the right ones to do. That's why it's super important to get a workout plan. Even during the trial sessions, you can talk to competent trainers in many studios and get advice on how to achieve your goals. Also at John Reed you get a great, individual consultation, so that you never feel lost and left alone. There you will find out if you can join classes, work on the machines or do a mixture of all of these. Of course, the entry plan is never forever. You will grow over time, your goals may change and adjust again. Fitness and training are always a process, so you do not have to be afraid to choose the wrong start. With good advice you create a good foundation in any case and could become safer and more independent over time.

No fear of “stupid” questions

You can't imagine how impressive I found it that so many people adjusted the devices so naturally. Pull a lever here, push a button there and something was changed. And then I stood in front of the equipment and didn't even know what it was for. Staring at the instructions forever is also unpleasant. How should you know how to adjust the equipment correctly?? Here is the rule: Don't be afraid to ask the professionals!

In my experience, everyone is very nice and helpful. I've also super often just walked up to the entrance area and asked stupidly how to set up the equipment properly. The trainers will come with you right away and show you exactly how to get it done and which settings are right for you. If you don't ask, you stay stupid – that's what Sesame Street taught us. 😉 And even worse: If you train with the wrong settings on the machines, you risk injuries. If you want to have fun training for a long time, you simply have to train properly – this includes using the equipment with the right settings. Otherwise you will only slowly (if at all) see success and develop frustration. So it's good to be sure that there is always competent and friendly support at your side in the studio.

Just do it! Do not worry too much

I guess we're all not free from worrying about looking stupid. Especially when we do a new exercise and have no idea if it's the right thing to do. There are people in the gym who look like they do nothing but hang out there all day long. You quickly feel intimidated and may feel stupid. But this will hinder your workout.

From experience I can say: Nobody is really watching what you are doing there. The people are all busy with themselves and their training and are not in the studio to judge others. That is the beauty of the gym. You are there among people, but in a very value-free zone. No matter how much you weigh, how fit you are, how long you've been training, or how much of a clue you have. You can pursue your own goals there in a relaxed way. Just do it instead of thinking too much about it. Try it out and you will notice that no one looks at you stupid or even laughs at you. And before you know it, the gym will also be your familiar territory and you'll notice that you're naturally going to equipment that was a big challenge for you a few weeks ago.

Learn the netiquette

You will notice that the cooperation in the gym also depends on how collegial one behaves. For this, there are a few super simple rules that actually apply everywhere. Get used to this right from the start and you will see that you can actively shape how comfortable you feel in the gym. This includes

• Cardio equipment (treadmill, cross trainer etc.).) are wiped off by you after use. For this purpose, studios usually provide paper towels and disinfectants.
• Generally you will train with a towel on the equipment, so you don't leave your sweat there for the successor.
• Used dumbbells and smaller equipment (e.g. in the Functional Area) you put back in its place after use. Nobody wants to struggle through chaos or have to search for the second dumbbell forever. You just as little as the one who trains after you. So keep things tidy and make it easier to get along in the gym.

Don't forget to warm up and cool down

It can be annoying to first do a warm-up or after the workout still remember stretching exercises and Co. to think. But: They are super important! Not only to prevent injuries but also to give you greater training success and to prevent muscle soreness.

If you are in a hurry or impatient, these preparations and stretching exercises after the workout are often unwelcome – I can understand that. But remember you are doing this for you and not for anyone else. If you train with unheated muscles, they are less efficient and you can quickly suffer from strains and other injuries. get. Then you may have to take a very long time off from training altogether. Therefore: It is better to invest 10-15 minutes beforehand and do it right the first time.

Your training goal does not end when you leave the gym

Another tip that many people don't realize: Your workout doesn't end when you leave the gym after your workout. No matter whether you want to lose weight, want more muscles or simply value health and fitness. Not for nothing it is called “abs are made in the kitchen”. Healthy nutrition, sufficient recovery periods and a balanced lifestyle support your training goals. And do you good!

• Make sure you get enough sleep
• Drink enough
• Never train the same muscle groups directly one after the other. They say that two days of recovery is necessary for the muscles to be stimulated to grow again afterwards.
• Eat healthy and as clean as possible. It's obvious: When you do sports, your body needs strength. Nutrients and the right “fuel” are essential here! So make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet. That is, do not give up anything extremely for dietary reasons. And don't treat yourself to a pizza every day just because you burned calories in the gym before. 😉

Achieving your goals is always work too. I'm not going to lie and say that working out in the gym and working towards defining your body can't be exhausting. You must also pay attention to “around” many things, if you want to see successes. But: It pays off double and triple. And if you have a gym that you feel comfortable in and that supports you in your goals, it will soon start to be fun. For me, going to John Reed has become a regular part of the evening routine. This is the time I take just for me and do something good for myself.

And how about you?

Advertising note: I cooperate with John Reed. This means that I can train free of charge in the following studios. However, this does not influence my opinion – the cooperation came about because I had already enjoyed training privately in the studios before.