The health and fitness industry is failing any of us that feel that we are somehow not ready to get started in a gym.
I know, from personal experience, that the gym community is the most positive, supportive and respectful environment we could ever be in
People who work in the industry often care about the success of anyone they come into contact with a passion that would rival the best in any industry.
Anyone in the industry that doesn't get super excited when they see someone better their last effort and spend unpaid hours in conversation and creating support content doesn't last long.
Gyms can be scary places for a new starter, but they absolutely shouldn't be.
EMBRACE YOUR 'NEWBIENESS'!
You don't need to get fit to start, you just need to know where you are starting from, why and have a plan in place.
- Find your WHY
- Find your community, professional and social support
- Research
What is your REAL reason to get up and do this?
Who can help you that you trust to be honest and push you when needed?
Put some time to find out how you get fit and what happens when you start the journey. Knowing
what to expect and how you can keep on track is dynamite.
I've been there...
....walking into a gym looking at all the crazy machines, chunks of iron and lots of determined looking people.
It is a
natural fear of the unknown, yet on the other side of that fear is a stronger, fitter, more muscular and more confident YOU!
Some ideas to get you through the door:
- get new kit: smart new cool gear makes us feel good, is comfortable in the environment and represents they investment you have made to yourself
- take advantage of the free trials: try a guest pass, free PT session and any other introductory packages. This will get you around the environment plus introduce you to some people in there
- visit at quiet times: off peak times are less populated
- keep the first few months visits to similar times: everyone has a schedule, so coming
at the same time you will see similar faces after a while and this will make it all more familiar to you
- show up, often: easier said than done, however who said you need to go full on and squat your personal best. Just popping into the stretch area and taking your time often leads to a good workout...just be there.
- trust the process: once your research has been successful
in finding the best support you can find, stick with them, or the process, for a minimum of six weeks. Program hopping is similar to Yo-Yo dieting, it doesn't give you long enough to adapt
- make notes: diarising how you feel, mistakes you learn from, weights that increase, funny things that happen and above all, a place to note down the advice that you will get from other people in there
- smile: even if nervous do your best to smile at everyone. Most will reciprocate and it may even be their first day too. You will find out the grumpy ones to avoid quickly too
- get to know the trainers: we like nothing more than answering questions. We try not to offer unsolicited advice to people so may not always approach you(unless its a safety issue that needs intervention). PLUS, we are
not expecting you to book in 10 x PT sessions in return for advice, we are in this to impact the health of the nation so some quick advice shared is more 'valuable' to us!
- start with the basics: start with just coming in to work on ONE exercise. Learn all you can about it, master it and then add in another. Keep the weights light!
I've seen hatred of the gym turn to a love
affair with MANY clients that have simply focused on one thing from the above and then moved to the next, and so on...
Everyone in a gym is working on their OWN goals
The gym is a community where confidence building, personal
achievement and physical strength is made, show up enough and it will sweep you along with it!
It is your new tribe WAITING to congratulate you on how much fat mass you have lost, that perfect deadlift you just nailed or how inspiring you are to the NEXT new member coming after you!
Read that last paragraph again....to someone else YOU could be that person that they are looking at thinking 'I hope to be like them one day'.
Make the decision to start, find that WHY and do the research.
It is my job to help YOU take that first step.
Hit reply or give me a call
on the phone....its good to talk!
J
