Joining a gym is scary for some people! We get that.
For many of our clients, joining SOS is a huge deal. It’s far from what they have done in the past for fitness. Just the other day a client submitted our contact us form ending with “it’s scary to hit submit, but here we go.”
This woman is not alone. Working out is very personal. Whenever you start a new training program, you’re likely stepping outside of your comfort zone. Maybe it’s your first time training in a group setting, you look around and everyone else seems more fit than you are or the idea of any gym frankly seems a bit intimidating to you.
We can’t speak for your gym, but at SOS our staff is committed to helping our clients feel comfortable, have fun and reach their health and fitness goals. If you’ve recently joined SOS (or any decent gym worth their weight ;-)), check out some tips for success as you enter your journey towards a healthier and more fit life.
Here are a few ways to feel more comfortable at the gym.
With these tips, it should be easier to develop a routine that sticks and get the results you want!
1. Ask questions!
Don’t be shy! If you have a question, ask a trainer and anyone will be happy to help. (Trainers by nature are usually helpful people!)
As in most areas of life, there is no such thing as a dumb question. When in doubt, ask away!
At our gym, we strongly encourage members to ask any and all questions. If you’re a member at SOS and you need help with exercise technique, weight selection, or anything in general, please reach out to us! Seriously, don’t be afraid to speak up!
2. Don’t Rush
Some of our members have been with us since we opened the doors. They know the gym and the way we run our classes so well, they could probably teach a class themselves!
Once you are adjusted to a new training system, you can increase the speed of your workout, but at the beginning, don’t rush. It’s much better to slow down and learn proper exercise technique. This way you’ll stay safe while getting stronger.
At SOS, we have members focus on quality, not quantity. Its much better to slow down, own the movement and progress in a slow and steady fashion. You can always add speed down the road once you nail the exercises and feel more comfortable with your new fitness routine.
3. Don’t be too competitive…yet!
Some Skill of Strength members are in great shape. They are extremely committed to their training program and many train with us 3-4 days a week.
At our gym, some members have been with us for years and they understand our training system. They can fly through the workouts without hesitation and really push their limit in the conditioning component of the class. They may even get a bit competitive with each other. 😉
With that being said, don’t try to keep up with the veterans at your gym just yet. Sure, you want to work hard, but you never want to put yourself in a scenario where you feel sick, or get injured. Most members start out feeling exactly the way you do and if you put in the time and effort, someday you’ll be a veteran and a competitor too!
We recommend all clients work at a perceived rate of exertion (PRE) of 6/7 out of 10. This way, you are working at an appropriate rate for you instead of comparing yourself to the rest of the gym crowd and trying to match someone else’s intensity or load.
4. Track all of your workouts!
We’ve trained hundreds of clients. Clients who get the best results show up consistently and train hard, but they also track their workouts.
At Skill of Strength, we provide workout logs for all of our members. It’s that important.
For the best possible results, you should record your weights every time you workout. This is a great way to track your progress and it also takes the guesswork of weight selection. Work with a trainer to determine where you should start weight-wise and then progress as you find things get easier. Make notes to yourself about how you felt and what you think you should do next time during that exercise.
Side Note: Keep in mind, you’ll have days where you can lift more, recover better, train harder and then you’ll have days where you just feel like crap. That is normal. Stress, sleep and training schedule are three possible factors in the equation. Don’t beat yourself up if you have one bad training day!
In order for any coach to give you the best recommendation, it’s important to know where you are at from a strength standpoint. If you continue to lift the same weights that you did a month ago or two months ago, there will not be progress.
Frankly, it will be much harder to lean out and burn calories if you don’t work towards getting progressively stronger in your workouts.
5. Be consistent!
We saved the best for last!
As mentioned briefly above, the most important thing you can do to guarantee results is show up consistently 3 to 4 days a week. If you don’t have time, you need to find a way to make time or be honest with yourself. It’s just not a priority to you right now. However, if it’s not a priority, don’t expect results.
Committing to training 3-4 days a week is absolutely a pretty big commitment, but nothing good comes easy.
We’ve had some clients lose 20+ lbs in a month just by being consistent. Seriously.
Sure, life happens, but if you make your health a priority, it will positively impact all other aspects of your life! Try it!
