Had my gym induction today...

H_Factor · October 2011

Wow - I'm glad I posted, you have all really helped. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

A sort of supplementary question: with the strength stuff, is there a kind of lower limit below which it's pointless? In other words, if the instructor recommended I do two sets of 12 on each machine (I'm not sure of the terminology here, sorry), but I feel able to start with just one set of 6 (for example), is there any point in me doing that, or should I just do cardio until I get fit enough to do the full set?

Hope that makes sense - I guess what has been making me so low is feeling that I didn't even meet the instructor's baseline, like I was wasting his - and my - time. Logically I know that can't be the case, but it's how I felt.

everyone has a different baseline. its fine to start off with 1 set of 6 reps and progress from there when you are ready.

taqefu · October 2011

Hey Cornwallis,

please DON'T feel intimidated. I can tell you one thing: Nobody in a gym cares about other peoples workouts. They're occupied with their own workouts, their own progress or the spots of their bodies they want to improve. (No matter how fit or toned or muscular somone is: they all have something they want to improve - that's basically why they're working out).

However, I can relate to your feelings. 3 years ago, I started to work out at a local gym. I wasn't overweight, but I was pretty flabby and unfit. I kept thinking that everybody else was watching my workout or care about the weights I was or wasn't lifting. I used to admire a female trainer at my gym who had a really nice body. Of course, she could run so much faster and lift so much heavier than I did. I felt bad about that.

I have been working out regularly since then and it really has done wonders for me. I lost 30 pounds and now I'm lean, fit and toned. My body actually looks like that other woman's body now and it feels great! And now I sometimes see new members at my gym, acting reluctantly around me the way I did in the beginning. They peek at my weights or my speed and compare it to their own. What a waste of time! I couldn't care less - I'm occupied with my own struggle. So I kill my legs with some serious sets of squats with an additional 30kg, and they just do a couple with their own bodyweight? Whatever. The point is: I'm pushing myself to MY limit - and they're pushing THEIRS! That's what workout is all about, no matter if you're just starting or if you've been working out for years.

So, please: Nobody in that gym is going to judge you (or even care about you). The only person who's going to care about your training - is you! Don't dissapoint yourself. You've made the most important step at all: You've started. Now just go ahead, push yourself, take one step after another. In the beginning you're going to see a really huge progress every week and you're going to see and feel the difference very fast! Sometimes you're going to hate your workout, but if you push yourself through it, you're going to be very proud of yourself, I guarantee! :-)

taqefu · October 2011

Wow - I'm glad I posted, you have all really helped. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

A sort of supplementary question: with the strength stuff, is there a kind of lower limit below which it's pointless? In other words, if the instructor recommended I do two sets of 12 on each machine (I'm not sure of the terminology here, sorry), but I feel able to start with just one set of 6 (for example), is there any point in me doing that, or should I just do cardio until I get fit enough to do the full set?

Hope that makes sense - I guess what has been making me so low is feeling that I didn't even meet the instructor's baseline, like I was wasting his - and my - time. Logically I know that can't be the case, but it's how I felt.

Whatever you can handle - start with it and work your way up. There's no "lowest limit". Every single bit you do is better than not doing anything.

Also, I think the instructor didn't set a baseline he was expecting you to meet. He must have been sort of testing out what you could and what you couldn't handle, in order to work up from there. You didn't disappoint him, it was just some kind of test of your overall fitness.

mon696 · October 2011

Does this gym have personal trainers? From what I experienced, they may have tried to get you to feel inadequate so you feel the need to get a personal trainer.

As far as getting started with strength training, work your way up. Try starting with 3 sets of 8 and if that is impossible lower the weight slightly. You don't want it to be easy but it still needs to be challenging. You are going to want to build a baseline and work your way up from there. Once you can do 3 sets of 8 then up the weight or reps or sets. Same with cardio, when I started at the gym, I could only last 5 minutes on the elliptical. I added a minute or two every week until I could do 30-45 minutes. You didn't get to where you are overnight and you aren't going to get to where you want to be overnight.

I hope this helps, I know the gym is intimidating but you have as much a right to be there as anyone else! You made a wonderful first step, now just put one foot in front of the other and keep pushing through!

sofaking6 · October 2011

:flowerforyou:

Wow - I'm glad I posted, you have all really helped. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

A sort of supplementary question: with the strength stuff, is there a kind of lower limit below which it's pointless? In other words, if the instructor recommended I do two sets of 12 on each machine (I'm not sure of the terminology here, sorry), but I feel able to start with just one set of 6 (for example), is there any point in me doing that, or should I just do cardio until I get fit enough to do the full set?

Hope that makes sense - I guess what has been making me so low is feeling that I didn't even meet the instructor's baseline, like I was wasting his - and my - time. Logically I know that can't be the case, but it's how I felt.

Every time you use your muscles, they will get stronger. There is nothing except sitting still that's not worth your time

Yes, you will improve more as you push yourself more, but a very important part of the process is learning what that healthy push feels like so that you can make yourself tired and sore without making yourself stressed or unhappy.

Also..you should really not be worrying about what this instructor thinks of you. Your gym dues are paying his salary..he is there to HELP you not judge you. Take whatever you can learn from him and chuck the rest out the window.

Everything that you do will help you and make you stronger. And hopefully will give you some boost in your confidence as well

Azdak · October 2011

I know you might have felt overwhelmed and discouraged, but, trust me, you did just fine.

A large number of the people I have dealt with over my many years in this profession have been severely deconditioned--due to age, medical issues, lack of activity, or some combination of all three.

Here is the secret to "exercise training" --unless you have severe medical limitations, ANY body can become more fit. Our bodies have an almost miraculous ability to adapt to whatever they are asked to do on a regular basis.

There is NO STARTING POINT that is "too low" to be effective. The key is to find a level of activity that is A) more than what you are used to doing and

something you can tolerate comfortably and without excessive strain. What the actual number is, is irrelevant.

If that means walking on a treadmill @ 1.5 mph for 5 min, or doing only 10lbs on a leg press, so be it. That's the starting point.
And you WILL improve.

It is quite common that I find that certain clients cannot do the minimum amount of weight on a particular machine. No problem--we just find another exercise.

I'm sorry you felt embarrassed by the lowering weight. Sometimes that happens--it's not necessarily the trainer's fault. With a new client, even after doing an assessment, you sometimes miss the mark when setting an initial workload.

Remember this: The "baseline" is not a fixed minimum. I am not sure how much time the instructor spent with you, but there ARE NO FIXED GUIDELINES--NO AMOUNT OF WEIGHT OR NUMBERS OF REPS AND SETS THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO EVERYONE. In other words there is NO WAY you could not "meet the instructor's baseline", because there is no such thing.

The only "baseline" is the level of work that you can comfortably tolerate--If you didn't "meet the baseline", it's because the "baseline" was wrong, period.

Do whatever it takes to gut it out and go back--and go back again. It shouldn't take more than a few sessions for you to start to feel more comfortable and confident--I know this will happen, so don't give up.

kmbrooks15 · October 2011

Wow - I'm glad I posted, you have all really helped. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

A sort of supplementary question: with the strength stuff, is there a kind of lower limit below which it's pointless? In other words, if the instructor recommended I do two sets of 12 on each machine (I'm not sure of the terminology here, sorry), but I feel able to start with just one set of 6 (for example), is there any point in me doing that, or should I just do cardio until I get fit enough to do the full set?

Hope that makes sense - I guess what has been making me so low is feeling that I didn't even meet the instructor's baseline, like I was wasting his - and my - time. Logically I know that can't be the case, but it's how I felt.

Start with just 6 if that's all you can do. If you stick with it, you'll find yourself able to do more and more. Pretty soon you'll be able to do all of the reps he said without a problem. At that point, up the weights.

Don't worry about his time. That's what he's paid for. And it's definitely not a waste of your time, unless you don't stick with it. Remember, you can't compare yourself to anyone else. At least you are up doing something! As I heard someone say, "Even at your slowest pace you are still lapping the person sitting on the couch!" So true. All of us have had to start somewhere. I'm going to have to essentially start again because I'm having stomach issues and can't keep enough calories down to be able to exercise. When they fix whatever the problem is (doc thinks it's gallstones), I will have to hit the gym again and I will probably have lost some of my progress. But there's nothing to do but just start again and do what I can to get back to where I was.

YOU CAN DO THIS! Hang in there.

Cornwallis68 · October 2011

I went back :-)

I was absolutely dreading it, but I went back. And it was OK.

I didn't manage anything like what the instructor suggested, but I *did* manage a whole lot more than I expected I would. And I know I will go back again.

Thanks.

wedjul05 · October 2011

I know you already got a load of replies but I just wanted to say that you did the right thing going back. Don't feel bad not doing what the instrustor gave you, start at your own comfort level and then slowly push yourself that bit harder. You've taken the 1st most important step, keep it up.

You will be delighted when you can increase the weights. THe key is to ask yourself is really pushing my body? If it feels like it isn't, up the weights. Push yourself, one step at a time. GOod on ye for going back. Brave and courageous.

sofaking6 · October 2011

Awesome, I'm so glad you went!

Had my gym induction today...

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