newbie at the gym

joannchilds37
joannchilds37 Posts: 8 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
HELP. It will be my first day at the new gym tomorrow in town. I have no idea what to do when i get in there. I can already feel my anxiety starting to rise. Can somebody give me any advice or tips with what they do at the gym? I'm beyond excited to go and to better myself I'm just scared and have no idea what to do..

Replies

  • bzayzay
    bzayzay Posts: 10 Member
    What are your goals you want to achieve?
  • joannchilds37
    joannchilds37 Posts: 8 Member
    Lose weight and build some muscle. I dont want to just do cardio at the gym I want to do a bit of lifting too.
    bzayzay wrote: »
    What are your goals you want to achieve?

  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    Get this book and read it:
    http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women

  • minniestar55
    minniestar55 Posts: 350 Member
    Most gyms have some kind of intro for newbies, & some have PTs you can hire to help you design a program & show you the ropes.
  • swissmiss431
    swissmiss431 Posts: 22 Member
    It's January. 75% of the people you will see in there this month are new to the gym. Don't worry about it.

    Get on the treadmill, plug in your headphones, and walk or run.

    If you are really anxious and have no experience lifting weights think about hiring a PT for 2 or 3 sessions to get you into a weight lifting routine.
  • star1407
    star1407 Posts: 588 Member
    You'll be fine, take a deep breath and look around. Find someone who works there to give you some advice, you should have an introduction first to show you around. Like mentioned above, get on a treadmill or bike with headphones and tunes on, and go for it.
    As also mentioned above, January is the time when gyms are filled with newbies, maybe strike up a conversation with someone who looks new, as long as you don't interrupt their workout
    Remember, you have as much right to be there as anyone else
  • kirstyvdk1
    kirstyvdk1 Posts: 19 Member
    You could try a group fitness class - the instructor will tell you what to do. I know they are a little scary at first but soon you will be one of the regulars. Get to the class 5 - 10 minutes before it starts and tell the instructor it is your first class so they can help you set up and give you some advice for the workout. Other than that, the gym should have a Staff member on the gym floor to help you with your workout. Most gyms offer a complimentary fitness assessment and weights program which one of the gym Staff will take you through.
  • TheMetalMan0
    TheMetalMan0 Posts: 64 Member
    Best tip I can give is to have a plan of what exercises you're going to do before you go in, have them written down if you can't remember them. Then just focus on that list and just work your way through. Once you've done this a few times you'll feel a lot more comfortable.
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
    There are some good apps out there. Look at BodySpace for ideas to build a routine. I use Jefit and can download workout plans for free.
  • ailyou
    ailyou Posts: 10 Member
    I just went to a new gym yesterday and felt the same...i tried a fitness class... got on an eliptical for 15 mins. .and it wasnt that scary... i was still intimidated by the weights section tho.... (this isnt my first time at the gym but switching gyms and i still felt anxious lol)... no one cares or is lookin at u...u just go in and try the less scary options like treadmills..bikes...or elipticals..n when ur on it..take a look around..spot other areas u wanna try... when ur familiar it wont b as scary ...n take a class

Categories