I have spent so many years working in gyms that I admit I honestly forgot what it’s like to be on the other side. Being a member of a gym can be a wonderful and fruitful experience and most of us will have heard about the numerous benefits it can provide. The truth is, however, your chances of turning it into such a great experience are actually no better than 50 per cent, according to the figures.
The good news is that you can significantly improve your chances of successfully pursuing a potentially life-changing hobby. When you get it right, it feels less like a sacrifice and more like something you intentionally and happily prioritise over other less healthy leisure activities. Despite having been physically active my whole life, just over a month ago I did something I hadn’t done since I was 16, I joined a gym.
My own training had previously been limited to gyms associated with the various sports I’ve practised, or in clubs I worked at or was in some way affiliated with. This time round, I had a full-on genuine member experience and actually re-discovered the real joys of what I’ve been “selling” all these years. So here is a few simple and practical tips I believe can transform your member experience and significantly increase your chances of sticking with it long enough to achieve the goals that motivated you to join up in the first place.
Your first couple of weeks are critical. Entering any new environment can be daunting, especially when you are surrounded by super fit people who appear to be totally at ease and at home in a place you find so terribly daunting, for now. Rest assured, however, this phase of uncertainty does not last long. After your first few sessions you will already feel very much at ease.
The trick is to avoid allowing yourself to be overwhelmed. If the gym offers assistance to new members, take it. Otherwise stick to the basics and keep it simple. If walking on a treadmill is all you feel comfortable doing for now, fine, work with it. You’ll quickly find yourself wanting to try out something new.
Another initial peril is getting put off by debilitating muscular soreness after your first few sessions. Keeping things simple and not over-doing it at first will reduce your physical soreness and discomfort, but once it hits, remember that it is entirely normal and temporary. Avoid working out again until the soreness passes, which could take anywhere from two to four days.
As soon as you feel better, get straight back on the horse and work out again. Your initial bouts of soreness are always the worst. In fact, a time will come when you will actually miss this wonderfully clear feedback that you have “worked out” and that your body is “responding”.
Start out with a flexible approach and you will soon find yourself wanting to work out more often
While every gym has its rules, some of them are unwritten and respecting the system will ensure you don’t get in anyone’s way or fall into ill repute with the staff. Having a towel with you is always a safe bet as it protects you as well as other members from bad hygiene. Use it as a barrier between you and whatever piece of equipment you sit or lie on. Look out for paper towel dispensers on the walls and use these to wipe down the parts of machines you touched after you use them.
If you are performing an exercise in a standing position, try to avoid obstructing passage ways or parts of the gym subject to heavy foot traffic. When it comes to positioning, another big “no no” is performing exercises right in front of the dumbbell or barbell rack so nobody else can access the equipment. Along similar lines, avoid being seen to hog equipment. This means letting others “work in” with you between sets in the case of resistance machines, should they ask, and limiting your time on each individual cardiovascular machine to a maximum of 15 minutes if the gym is busy.
In the case of cardiovascular training, using a variety of machines is actually good for you as it will avoid you becom-ing too accustomed to any one movement, keeping things more challenging.
A truly fascinating aspect of the gym environment is its social dynamic, and here the “rules” are most certainly unwritten. There’s something quite raw and primal about people getting physical and primal traits do tend to surface. Men in particular tend to get territorial and aware of a sort of hierarchy or pecking order, defined by a number of factors, including fitness level, experience or muscular size.
It may actually sound quite amusing, but the fact that this hidden aspect of gym life is not often discussed does not disprove its existence. Of course the solution here is quite obvious and perhaps not at all different to that applicable in most environments.
Being cordial and respectful to all around you can avert unpleasant situations and ensure your interactions are consistently positive, in turn enhancing your general experience of, dare I say, “gym culture”.
Do not commit to programmes you have any doubts you can stick to. If you set out to train five times a week, you may struggle to keep up. Start out with a flexible approach and you’ll soon find yourself wanting to work out more often.
Let your transition to more advance programmes happen naturally, when you are genuinely ready and motivated to go for it.
matthewmuscatinglott@gmail.com