New to the Gym; Flop Sweats

Being the new to the gym is not easy, your first time stepping out onto the gym floor might feel intimidating like everyone is staring at you. You look around and see muscle maniacs lifting dumbbells that weigh as much as a small car, there are women on the stair steppers for 35 minutes that don’t break enough of a sweat to make their makeup run.

Meanwhile, you walk in with grass stained reeboks, gym shorts from high school and casino shirt your cut the sleeves off from 15 minutes before you left home. You are nervous and to top it off you must use your sweat rag before you even decide where to start. Are you FLOP SWEATING at the gym?

Take a breath, I am here to tell you there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. All those machines may seem complicated, and some of them really are! You are not alone in feeling this way. Everyone had to start right where you are no matter where they are now. Even those hulking guys wearing those big leather belts everywhere, once had to walk into the gym for the very first time, and they had no idea where to start either. Here’s a few tips to give you peace of mind and help you on your way to a better you.

1.        1. Do your research before you start

Read up on exactly what type of exercise you want to pursue. There are many ways to get in shape and one method will not always be the best for everyone. Do you want to build muscle? Then read up on and watch videos from body builders. They will have many tips for safety and diet that will help keep you from burning yourself out in the first week. Maybe you want to run some races? Read up on endurance training and pick up a copy of “Runner’s World” to see what the pro’s are saying about newest running trends. It goes on and on. Yoga, palates, power lifting and boxing are all different and fun ways to get in shape. Do the research and take your pick or try them all!

2.       2. Develop a Plan of attack before barging into the gym

You would not start building a house before you have a blue print, so why would you start trying to build yourself before having a workout regiment in place? It is important to follow a regular schedule when pursuing an exercise routine. Too much focus on one area of the body or one particular activity can lead to injuries or imbalances. Use a resource like Bodybuilding.com to get an idea for workouts and safety tips, or to talk to other athletes (yes if you go to the gym I consider you an athlete). That site is not just for bodybuilders either! They have all kinds of information and resources for the average gym goer. 

Have you ever seen the kind of person that is referred to as a “bicep bro”? That is the guy who has massive arms, chest and back muscles but comically skinny legs. That dude or dudet focuses on upper body alone and thus has no strength or mass in the lower portion. Not only do they look goofy but that can lead to some serious knee and ankle problems later in life. Aside from that, having a clear understanding of what you are going to do at the gym will greatly relieve some of the stress on your first day. Talk to the trainers at the gym, or at least get a tour before hand to see what equipment they have available for you. From there you can put together your day 1 routine.

3.       3. No one is staring at you

Okay, so maybe sometimes it may seem like someone is staring at you, but in a room filled with mirrors and equipment that forces you to face one direction sometimes it is just unavoidable to make awkward eye contact from time to time. No one is judging you though. You can tell when someone is new, they walk around aimlessly and take their time reading the instructions on a machine (which you should definitely do before using new equipment) but no one cares! Because they have all been there before. If you have a question you can ask an employee or better yet, suck it up and ask that intimidating guy doing chest press. Here’s the secret; they are super nice people. They will jump on any opportunity to share their knowledge with the newbie. Some of them have been waiting for that day that they can teach someone the thing they are most passionate about. Wouldn’t you be?

4.       4. Eat before your workout

I was a full-time trainer in a big brand gym, and I have dealt with this before. For the love of God, eat at least 2 hours before going to the gym. Eat something that has healthy carbs and protein with calories to spare. Please eat. When you are nervous about something it causes all kinds of craziness with your blood pressure, as does rigorous activity. You do not want to be the person that faints at the gym. It happens, and it is not a big deal, but what are the chances that someone will return to the gym after they embarrassed themselves? Eat a good meal, you need those calories.

One more bonus tip that goes hand in hand with number 4 is breath. Everything is okay! Breath with your workout, get in a rhythm with your movements. If you are doing squats, breath in on the way down and out on the way up. Keep it up, get those sets in and remember that you are doing something good for yourself! Be proud!