Help, I have a gym membership and I don't know what to do!
It’s a new year and you have a gym membership. Maybe it’s a new one or maybe it’s one you’ve had but haven’t used in years. It’s understandable. Fitness can sometimes feel like a big secret at a cool kid lunch table you weren’t invited to. It can often incite more dread than excitement and can exist in your mind as a scary or intimidating place. I say with complete sincerity, most health club employees, trainers, instructors, and coaches genuinely want you to feel empowered in the gym. What if it could be a place you look forward to going to, where you find joy in moving your body and feeling good?
The first step is getting started and throwing fear of judgement out the window, or at least turning the volume down. Honestly most people who come to the gym are focused on themselves. If there are those at the gym who would turn their nose at others’ efforts, it’s likely their opinions aren’t ones you are seeking anyway. We can’t control other peoples’ attitudes or behaviors, only our own, but our attitudes and behaviors can have palpable impacts on those around us. What if we all entered the gym focused on our success and cheered on those around us?
Despite what you might have heard there is no one right way to exercise. You can lift weights; you can not lift weights. You can walk; You can not walk. You can do Crossfit; you can not do Crossfit. Fitness professionals can get carried away with the “right” way to exercise, “good” and “bad” exercises, and turn their noses up at certain modalities. I have certainly fallen into that trap before, but the truth is how you move or not move your body is your choice. Instead I can provide you with the evidence that supports certain results based on your desired fitness goal and listen to what you like. As a Strength and Conditioning coach, I tout the benefits of a variety of styles of resistance training[1]and am an advocate for building strength and increasing mobility to enrich your quality of life. Ultimately, the choice is yours.
What do I do first?
Sometimes just getting to the gym can be a struggle, so give yourself a pat on the back for taking the first step. If you are a brand-new member of the gym, you are likely to be offered a tour of the facility. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the equipment and services available to you. Most commercial gyms offer complimentary assessments and sessions with personal trainers. You can glean a great deal of information about where you are and the steps you can take to reach your goals in these sessions as well as build a long lasting relationship with a trainer who can serve a supportive role, but I’ll shed some more light on that later.
Don’t hesitate to ask staff for help. It may seem as though everyone in the gym already knows everything about fitness and never needs help but that is likely not the case. Staff can help you adjust a machine, provide a spot, or help you find a group exercise class that fits your needs.
Wear the clothes that make you feel comfortable when you work out. The gym can certainly be a place to show off the latest fashion trends and if that makes you feel strong, powerful, and ready to conquer your workout then go for it! But also remember, there is no required uniform for the gym and barring any facilities’ policies, typically instituted for safety reasons, you can wear what you want.
It’s possible you’ve had reservations about the gym because you are worried about judgement from others. Unfortunately this is a feeling that can permeate many areas of our lives, but remember an overwhelming number of people are truly focused on their own goals and their own workouts and wouldn’t think to spend their time passing judgement on others. Many gyms are full of cheerleaders, willing and eager to celebrate your success. Find a gym that feels like a community, a place where members and staff alike smile and offer a helping hand. Do your best to tune out the outliers and remember that the gym can feel like an intimidating place for many, sometimes among those we least expect.
What exercises should I do?
The question of exercise selection and programming can require a very lengthy response and many fitness professionals have spent countless hours of study, school, and hands on work honing personalized answers. While that can serve as the gold standard for training, there are some simple generalized tips that can serve as a jumping off point for reaching your goals.
· Get medical clearance- Be sure you are cleared by a physician to exercise. Safety is key when beginning a new exercise program.
· Start conservatively-If you are currently sedentary or have limited experience with consistent exercise, start small. Consider bodyweight versions of exercises to ensure proper form and pain free movement before adding significant load. The same applies to length of time. You may choose to begin with 15 minutes of exercise and increase the duration as your fitness level increases.
· Get good and warm- A good warm up can be important in reducing the risk of injury[2]. Actually getting your body warm, increasing your core temperature, is one piece and can be achieved with a few minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise (treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, etc.) or with dynamic warm ups like you might see athletes doing before a sporting event. Your warm-up could also include movements similar to the exercises you will be doing in the workout so that you can prepare those particular muscles for what they are about to do. For example, if you are planning to do squats you might do body weight or assisted squats in the warm-up.
· Opt for full body compound movements first- Compound movements (exercises that involve multiple large muscle groups) can be most demanding neurologically and physiologically[3]and can be performed most safely at the start of the workout. Squats, deadlifts, push-ups, and pull ups are a few examples. Unilateral (exercises you do on one side) and single joint (exercise that involve one joint ex. Bicep curls) can be great supplementary exercises.
· Choose equipment that fits your goals- You may have heard that one piece of equipment is vastly superior to another, but it isn’t necessarily so clear cut. More accurately, certain pieces of equipment may be more appropriate based on the particular goal of an individual. While a barbell is a terrific piece of equipment and can be used by anyone in the gym with the proper guidance, if you aren’t interested in the sport of weightlifting or your goal is to increase your endurance, you can certainly create a challenging and appropriate program using dumbbells and kettlebells instead. The same goes for machines. If you are returning from an injury, it may be appropriate to start with a machine that allows you to build strength in your given range of motion without having to test your balance or stability. (NOTE* There are plenty of other reasons to use machines. I am merely simplifying for an example. That is a whole different article for a different day!)
Potential snafus!
Don’t let a little mishap derail your progress. Instead, use some of these tips to troubleshoot unexpected roadblocks and do what you can to get back on track. Anticipation can be the key to consistency.
· You are too tired- Sometimes just committing to 10 minutes of low impact, low intensity exercise can be enough to energize you and make you feel awake enough to work out a little more. It can also be a good indicator that you are, in fact, too tired and doing any more would be pushing it. Ultimately you are the best judge of your well-being and you can prioritize some rest over exertion so that you can return to exercise when you are ready!
· You forgot your gym clothes- There are a few ways to work around this. If you feel like you can move safely in your street clothes and they adhere to your gym’s dress code (if they have one) then you may not need to change. Some gyms also offer workout clothes for sale. While this may not always be an option financially all the time it can certainly help in a pinch. Consider leaving an extra set of workout clothes in the trunk of your car or your work bag. These can be ones you only ever have to use if this very situation arises.
· The equipment you wanted to use is occupied- Sometimes the gym can be very crowded. What an awesome problem to have! But this can mean what you were intending to use is occupied. Your first option is to ask that individual to “work in” or let you use the equipment while they are resting. If this doesn’t apply, like with a piece of cardio equipment, you may have to shift your plan. Consider going to the gym with a program but also with some back-ups or alternatives just in case.
· You keep going to the gym but you aren’t noticing any progress- This is a common challenge for gym goers because there are so many contributing factors to reaching a fitness goal. It may mean it is time to seek out some guidance or accountability from a personal trainer.
What can a trainer offer?
It can be difficult to remember, especially with the barrage of fitness information that comes at us from social media, news outlets, and our friends and family, but exercise science is a discipline that is studied at the collegiate and post-graduate level. There is a rich wealth of existing research that continues to grow daily and there are many reputable certifying bodies that provide trainers with high quality education and require them to stay current in their field. There are many career personal trainers whose value extends beyond a quick exercise suggestion or a form correction. Personal trainers develop lengthy exercise programs tailored to your goals and history that progressively overload your body to elicit change. They serve as cheerleaders, coaches, teachers, and listeners, aiming to facilitate a life-long fitness habit. This also means that they charge for their services as it is their livelihood. Personal training can be seen as a luxury service and often comes with a price tag that matches so it is important to weigh what you believe you can invest.
Many gyms will help you find the personal training option that best fits your budget. Consider taking advantage of your health clubs’ complimentary personal training offer where typically you can meet a trainer who will provide an initial assessment and an introductory workout. Be sure to ask to be paired with someone who will understand your goals and can provide the kind of coaching that best supports your progress. Imagine how empowered you could feel with a little help!
[1]Westcott, W. (2012) Resistance training is medicine: Effects of strength training on health. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 11(4):209-216, July/August 2012.
[2]Fradkin,A.J., Gabbe, B.J., & Cameron, P.A. (2006). Does warming up prevent injury in sport? The evidence from randomized controlled trials? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 2006, Jun;9(3):214-220.
[3]Baechelle, T.R., & Earle, R.W. (2008). Essentials of strength training and conditioning. Third edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
