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In this new
environment most people feel a bit out of their element at
first. This passes once you start to understand the ways of
the natives. Most will wait to see if you make it through the
6 week mark as 85% of new gym members never stick to their
workout this long. Once you make the 6 weeks, you'll be
surprised at how friendly everyone can be.
There are 3
steps that you can do to help your self and others around you
feel more comfortable. After all if you don’t feel
comfortable you’re not going to go back.
Know what you’re doing
Gym Etiquette
Pencil it in
Some people don’t go to
the gym out of embarrassment. They don’t want to be the
smallest, weakest or the fattest. Since you change your whole
workout program every 2 to 3 months you’re always starting a
new program. This means everyone is at the same level as you
are. In shape or out of shape your muscles still need to be
trained the same. The only difference is that the people at
the gym have been doing it longer. TOP
Another issue to
remember is that people like to help people that are willing
to do the work. Even if you are obese, when the patrons
see you coming in and trying week after week, they will begin
to encourage you, cheer you on and help you. Within a
few months you'll find you have a new family and a tremendous
support system. They don't see you as fat. They
see you as someone with the courage and the guts to change.
And watching you is inspiring to them. After a length of time
you’ll get bigger and stronger or lean and slimmer. People
cheer for winners. Don't walk in afraid. Walk in
knowing you're a winner and inspire yourself and those around
you. Walk in and give the regulars someone to cheer by
sticking with it and showing what you're made of.
TOP
Know what you’re
doing
The most
important concept to remember is know the exercises you’re
doing. This means understand what it does, the proper
execution and the correct amount of weight versus repetition
to achieve the results you want. The best way to do this is
to have a professional personal trainer spend a session with
you. A trainer will be able to help you understand and do the
exercises correctly, at least in a basic sense. Trainers are
expensive and not for everyone. Even without a lot of
cash there are still ways you can help train yourself: TOP
I. Practice
the exercise first. Start each exercise with one slow set
(about 6 repetitions) using very light weight, if any. Use a
slow consistent speed and do not throw the weights. Behave as
you would using real weights. As you do this “practice
set” take a mental note of the position of your joints. There
should never be any sideways pressure on any joint.
II. You
may not know the name of it but try to feel the muscle that’s
flexing the most with each exercise. Once you’ve found it,
this will be your target muscle for that exercise. You can
position yourself and the weight, to isolate that muscle as
best as possible.
III. Don’t
feel that you need to compete with the other guy. Too much
weight is just that, TOO MUCH WEIGHT! It hurts your body and
makes you look foolish. Fitness experts know you're using too
much and it makes you look like an amateur, not a stud. A good
rule of thumb is if your doing as much or more weight than
some one who is in better shape then you, go ask someone
(preferably a licensed trainer) what your doing wrong. If you
isolate a muscle then you don’t need to use as much weight,
and in turn it will be a more effective exercise.
IV. If
you find that the weight you’ve added is too much, take some
off. Men tend to over do the amount of weight on chest and
arm equipment; using a 45 lbs plate on each side of a 45 lb
bar comes to 135 pounds. 135 pound may not seem like a lot
but at 4 sets of 6 repetitions it gets heavy fast. Adjusting
the weight your using is okay and expected.
TOP
You see many
people using several weight on any given machine. The most
notorious for this is the thigh and butt machines and the
woman who use them. Simply working a muscle does not make it
toned, a strong muscle is strong; it may not be shapely. In
other words it does not necessarily affect the fat surrounding
it. Read
The Female Body& How to Reduce
Body Fat. Women that work out like this only
make the area bigger, not thinner. She is defeating her
purpose of slimming and toning. Know this and don't
follow her example. She's working harder but you are
working smarter.
TOP
When you first
start to work out or you’re restarting after a time off, it
feels like everyone is looking at you from the corner of his
or her eyes. This is just not true, yes some people are
looking but they’re just looking to see if you’re looking at
them. You’re there for a purpose so keep focused between your
sets try not to let your own doubts about what your doing make
you lessen your intensity. If your doing the workouts wrong
or right you will still see the most dramatic changes in your
body in the first 2 months.
Now that your comfortable with what
you’re doing, you need to know how to act.
TOP
Gym Etiquette
Below is a
general list of rules or a guideline for making the most of
your gym visit and not becoming a hassle to the owner or other
patrons.
Yes some of
these seem obvious. You'd be surprised by how many people have
extremely poor gym etiquette.
TOP
1.
After you use a piece of equipment remove your sweat
from it (with your own towel).
2.
Many people socialize this is fine but keep in mind
that some people don’t have much time to workout and that they
may need to use the machine that you are on. Try not to
include the whole room with your stories.
3.
On equipment with removable weight like the bench or
leg presses, when your finished remove all plates except one
(you can remove that last one too but it is not expected).
4.
When you work out hard you may get cottonmouth.
Keep in mind you are inside don’t spit. This is true for the
water fountain as well. Please don't spit in the water
fountain.
5.
Don’t throw the weights down at the end of your set.
This is very dangerous for others and your joints.
6.
If you work out in the mornings you’ll find that most
people shower after the going to the gym. This is acceptable
but do remember to brush your teeth first. You'll be exhaling
around others. Some deodorant doesn’t hurt either.
7.
This one I would think is a given but it does need to
be mentioned. Clean gym clothes are always expected; it keeps
you from developing acne (from the dirt and sweat) and makes
other people happier to be around you.
8.
Jeans should not be used to work out in. It looks bad
and jeans may keep you from getting into your work out.
Besides the buttons/rivets on your pockets might cause damage
to the upholstery.
TOP
Pencil it in
For the first
couple of weeks don’t try to “feel the burn”. This will only
make you burn out. If you are female and don't want to end up
looking like a man once in shape, read
The Female Body& How to Reduce Body Fat. Women that
want to remain womanly should never "feel the burn".
Instead try to keep it light. After all you have a
lifetime to get better at it.
A schedule is a great thing to keep you on your fitness track
but keep it flexible, what I mean is if you miss a work out or
a cut your routine short don’t get discouraged, just pick it
up again the next day. I’ve seen many people wait months to
start working out because they want to start a “schedule” only
to be forced to miss a day a week into it and not go back.
This is your life what does it matter if you miss a day, or
you skip a muscle group? You’ve got a long time to make it
up. So don’t wait for things to be right before you start,
you know next year, month, or even next week. Stop kidding
yourself do it or don’t, it’s up to you. |
