Gaining Confidence at the Gym

As a personal trainer and group exercise instructor, I meet people every day who are brand new to the gym. Some are just brand new to my specific gym, others it is literally their first time. And nearly all of them are looking to gain confidence.

The first time I joined a gym, I was about 19 or 20, and I’ll tell you why I was never afraid while I was there: I walked in specifically with the intent of hiring a personal trainer. I had gotten fed up trying to do things on my own without seeing any results, and I decided it was time to hire a professional who could tell me specifically what I needed to do.

Now I’m not trying to sell you on personal training. BUT! Despite my obvious bias, I do highly recommend you do a good few sessions with one. A) He or she can show you how to properly use the equipment and guide you on structuring your workouts. B) He or she can make sure your form is good!

You’d be surprised to learn just how many people I have to correct on even “simple” exercises like squats and dumbbell chest presses. And I put that in quotes because of course they’re NOT simple–there’s actually quite a lot that you need to think about when it comes to proper alignment, depth/range of motion, how much weight to use, etc. So it is definitely worth it even just to have someone affirm whether you’re doing it right or not.

Bad form is what’s going to create injuries over time that could even develop into chronic issues. You might not feel it tomorrow or even next month, but if you’re doing something with bad form and you do it that way enough times, eventually it’s going to catch up with you!

Aside from that, I recently asked on my (personal) Facebook what people’s strategies would be for surviving your very first day at a gym. Popular answers included:

• Bring a buddy
• Hire a good trainer
• Ask for a tour
• Bring lots of water
• Wear comfortable clothing
• Keep it simple/take it slow
• Try a class
• Stretch afterwards

I agree 100% with all of those.

Bring a buddy: I did actually join my first gym and start working with a trainer with a friend. And whether you choose to work with a trainer or not, at minimum, you and your friend can try out equipment or classes together and feel a little less self-conscious. Worst case, at least you won’t be the ONLY one doing it wrong haha!

Hire a trainer: Already told ya why. Most gyms usually offer one or two free sessions to new members. Even if that’s as far as you go with it, take advantage of it. More importantly, put what they’ve taught you to good use!

Ask for a tour: Every gym should be giving you a tour even before you sign up. If they don’t or they didn’t, ask. If they did and you need another one, ASK. If you don’t have a buddy to bring and you can’t afford a trainer or maybe don’t fit into their schedules, at the very least, knowing where everything is and what you can do in each section of the gym can open the door to feeling confident about what you’re doing while you’re there.

Bring lots of water: And make sure you drink it!

Wear comfortable clothing: You do not have to be all stylish in new workout leggings and a top that makes you feel exposed. Be yourself. Don’t wear anything that’s going to make you focus on how you look or if anything’s gonna fall out. You wanna wear looser-fitting clothing? No problem. Just be conscious that it’s not TOO loose–that could cause problems when using machines or doing certain exercises. You don’t want anything getting in your way.

**Buying new workout leggings? PLEASE don’t be afraid to check out every possible angle in the dressing room before you buy them. 😉 The last thing you need is to feel self-conscious about the one part of you that everyone can see except you.

Keep it simple/take it slow: Even if you’ve been working out at home for a good while, this is new territory for you and your body. Do not feel pressure to overdo it. That’s when you’re going to feel more sore than you need to, or maybe even get hurt, and you’re not going to want to go back. If you’re unsure, hire a trainer. Worst case, I’d rather you use weights that are too light in the beginning and slowly work your way up.

You don’t need to work out for more than 1 hour max. You don’t need to be there 7 days a week. On one hand, I do encourage you to do some type of movement every day, but on the other hand, you do need to be cautious about HOW you’re moving your body every day.

If you are going 7 days a week, mix it up. Don’t do strength training every day (I’m not even really a big fan of “chest day,” “leg day,” etc. kind of splits, but if you insist on lifting every day, then please do split it up). Do your cardio the day after strength training, or do some yoga, or go for a walk. Keep yourself active but allow your body proper REST. It is during REST that your body recovers, heals itself, and makes the changes you want to see. It doesn’t happen during your workouts.

Try a class: And don’t be afraid to ask for guidance here either. Ask what classes might be good for a beginner, ask what classes might be right for your specific goals. Or just take a shot–read the descriptions to find one that sounds interesting and just go try it! There’s nothing wrong with starting in the back row. There’s nothing wrong with modifying (ask the instructor if you need help, have any movement/joint/medical issues, etc.). Try the same class but with a different instructor to find who you click with best. And try the same class more than once before you make a judgement call.

Stretch afterward: Even if all you take is 5 minutes, stretching afterward is so important to prevent injury. It will also help your muscles as they go into recovery mode so they can grow back stronger and they can grow back properly. Maybe you think stretching is boring, and that’s okay, but I still implore you to do it.

I plan to write a completely separate post addressing the emotional side of gaining confidence at the gym. But these same tips are always a good start–in most life situations, not just fitness, confidence comes from gaining knowledge about what you’re doing. Confidence comes from REPETITION (no pun intended, I swear!).

Once you do something, you’ll realize it’s not as scary as you built it up to be in your head. The more you do it, the more that fear will go away.

Please feel free to share your tips on gaining confidence in the gym below!

(Still not quite ready to take that step into a gym? Or just don’t have time and need to work out at home? Check out my FREE Supercharged Workout!)