Beginning at the gym - how to get started?

Every person who regularly attends a gym today once started out and has various memories of their first visits. Beginning at the gym is undoubtedly not easy for any newcomer, and it's normal that there is often a lot of apprehension about how to properly perform exercises, how to operate fitness equipment and the mere presence of other people. So let's check out how to start regular workouts at the gym and what you should know before you cross the threshold of your nearest fitness club.

• First visit to the gym - is there really anything to fear?
• How to prepare for your first workout at the gym?
• Which gym activities should you choose?
• How to start training at the gym?
• Why is it worth training at the gym?

First visit to the gym - is there really anything to fear?

It is difficult to expect that at the beginning of your adventure with the gym you will not make any, even a minor mistake, and will perform all exercises technically correct. This is not possible, and it is worth realizing this even before we cross the threshold of the nearest gym for the first time. This will help us set ourselves up properly for our first strength training and not judge ourselves too harshly for all the mistakes we make when performing exercises. Learning from mistakes is the basis of effective learning, and it is impossible to perfectly master the technique of performing difficult strength exercises without making mistakes. Many people coming to the gym for the first time also have a strong fear that other exercisers will look at them, and thus they may become an object of derision and criticism from others. In fact, the vast majority of gym-goers are tightly focused on their workout and often listen to music using wireless headphones, and during breaks between series they usually check notifications on their smartphone or talk to a friend. Besides, if we are strongly paralyzed by anxiety before our first workout at the gym, it's a good idea to bring along an experienced colleague or friend who will be a great support to us and explain the basics of strength training and point out our technical mistakes. If you still have concerns then you can read our topic"5 reasons to exercise", in which we will help you decide to start your adventure with training.

How to prepare for your first workout at the gym?

For your first workout at the gym, all you need to take with you is a large backpack or sports bag that can hold a comfortable workout outfit, sturdy athletic shoes, a towel, shower gel and a bottle of water and/or isotonic drink (only if your workout will last more than 90-120 minutes). It is worth emphasizing at this point that in order to properly perform your first workout at the gym, it is not necessarily necessary to have expensive brand-name clothing and footwear. If the main purpose of your first visit to the gym is to learn the correct technique for weightlifting exercises, then it is worth getting good quality shoes designed for weightlifting. Buying the right shoes for the gym will allow you to use them often for several years. And for the treadmill, stationary bike and orbiter, running shoes that are comfortable, hold the ankle and have a properly contoured sole will work great. A versatile shoe that will work well for both strength and endurance exercises (e.g., riding an orbiter, running on a treadmill) are crossfit shoes.

Which gym activities should you choose?

The gym is still associated by many people mainly with stocky men who press barbells while lying on their chests and flex their arms while standing with dumbbells for biceps. Nowadays, it seems that only modest neighborhood gyms in small towns can still function like this. In contrast, in big cities we usually have to deal with large-scale chain gyms and fitness clubs, which, in addition to the possibility of attending the gym itself, have a wide range of classes for clients, including, for example, general development circuit training, functional training with TRX bands and/or kettlebells, indoor cycling, Pilates, healthy spine, ABS, Zumba, or Tabata. Therefore, if there is a need to participate in organized sports classes led by a qualified instructor, it is advisable to carefully review the range of exercises available at a given fitness club at the reception desk and on the website. Participating in a wide variety of sports activities will help you improve your physical condition, improve your exercise technique and find the ones that best suit your needs and preferences. It is also worth asking friends about the possibility of joint training at the gym, as there is then a good chance that we will find someone among them who will go regularly to train with us, which will help to increase and at the same time maintain long-term motivation to exercise.

How to start training at the gym?

The first training plan for a complete novice should be properly selected in terms of capabilities, needs and goals. A beginner who decides to start his adventure with the gym with a training plan found on the Internet from a leading Polish or foreign bodybuilder can only lead to overloading the muscular-bone and nervous system, as well as other injuries. You need to measure your strength by your intentions, which is why it is best to first master the technique of the main strength exercises most commonly used in beginner training plans. For this purpose, an exercise session with a personal trainer, bodybuilding instructor or an experienced colleague can be extremely helpful. Beginners are usually recommended to do general circuit training, which engages all muscle parts during a single exercise session. At the beginning of your adventure with the gym, it is also worth noting that the first training plan should be implementable and not immediately involve 5-6 visits to the gym each week. It's best to start with 2-3 workouts a week and only as time goes on should you increase the frequency and intensity of your strength training.

Why is it worth training at the gym?

At the end of 2020, new World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on physical activity were published. The latest WHO recommendations emphasize the importance of regularly performing not only aerobic (endurance) exercises, but also strength training exercises that strengthen muscles. Gym workouts that increase power, strength and muscle mass, at moderate to high intensity, that involve all major muscle groups are recommended for all ages at least twice a week, as they provide additional health benefits. The list of benefits of systematic and correct strength training is long and includes both the physical and mental spheres. Among the most important health-promoting benefits following regular gym workouts are:

• increased muscle strength and endurance,
• improved physical performance,
• increase in muscle mass,
• improved body composition and body shape appearance,
• increased strength of bones, ligaments and tendons,
• strengthening joints,
• improving neuromuscular coordination,
• reducing blood pressure,
• improvement of blood lipid profile (lowering the concentration of cholesterol
  LDL fraction and increase in HDL fraction cholesterol),
• relieving mental tension and improving mood,
• reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke,
• reducing the risk of osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer.

Sources:

• Westcott WL.: Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2012 Jul-Aug;11(4):209-16.
• Suchomel TJ, Nimphius S, Bellon CR, et al: The Importance of Muscular Strength: Training Considerations. Sports Med. 2018 Apr;48(4):765-785.
• Hart PD, Buck DJ: The effect of resistance training on health-related quality of life in older adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Promot Perspect. 2019 Jan 23;9(1):1-12.
• Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdala G, et al: Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897.
• Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, et al: Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum. Sports (Basel). 2021 Feb 22;9(2):32