Detoxing your Body, your Mind, and your Life

Oct

27

Does Going To The Gym Make You Uncomfortable? Pt 2

Filed Under fitness

Mental obstacles aside there are some easy choices you can make to help you feel comfortable in a gym. Choose a gym that’s right for you. It doesn’t cost a dime to take a guided tour of gyms in your area. You will be escorted around the gym by a gym staffer who will answer any question you might have. You’ll be able to get the lay of the land, look at the equipment and get an overall vibe. There are a lot of woman out there that don’t like working out in the same gym as men, no problem! The options for all woman gyms have exploded in recent years. My wife belongs to one. I am not aloud to go past the threshold and she loves it! For the most part the large chains do a good job making the gym appealing to a wide variety of people but you may find a smaller boutique gym in your area that’s a perfect fit. Ideally you’ll be at your gym for multiple days a week so make sure you make a good choice but that’s no excuse not to muster up the drive and join one soon!

Another deterrent for many is the gym equipment. Without fail, every time I’m at the gym I see someone using machines improperly and I’m not surprised, some of the machines can be difficult to use for an advanced person- I see them making mistakes too. The little diagram on the machine can be no help at all. Again, everyone has to learn how to use these things properly so take the time to do this. If you haven’t heard it before- FORM is the absolute king in the gym. Don’t worry about the weight you’re using or the speed or anything else until you have mastered the form for any exercise. If your form is not right you are cheating yourself out of results and risking injury. There are a couple things you can do to learn the equipment and make sure you have the right form. The best one is to use a personal trainer. These guys and gals have been trained and certified to help you! What I suggest is to use the free session they will most likely give you when you join. If you’re already a member buy a session. When you meet the trainer tell them upfront that you’d like to learn how to use the machines or equipment. Take the hour and make a round of the gym, watch how they set everything up, listen to them about form. If you enjoyed that and can afford to keep seeing your trainer then by all means keep it up! Trainers should take your body data and design a custom work out plan for you and keep you on top of it. If you’re ever working without a trainer and you’re having problems with a machine or exercise you can always grab another one at the front desk for a few minutes to ask if you’re doing it right, they should be happy to help.

If you have a friend that wants to work out also go together. Having the extra support can a tremendous benefit. Having a familiar face with you makes going to the gym easier but be sure make rules with each other. Tell them that you are serious about doing this and that means no cell phones, no drawn out conversation- you can still gossip but do so in small doses between sets! I’ve spoken to many people who started going to the gym with a friend and eventually, as they became familiar with their surroundings, they had no qualms to go by themselves.

Another tip to getting comfortable in the gym is the clothes. I think this more valuable for the woman out there than the guys but a little style never hurt anyone! You no doubt have those favorite items of clothing. You need to find a workout outfit or two that you really think is cute, if that means a little shopping trip then I’m sure you can make it happen. So get out there shop for some things you enjoy wearing, join the right gym for you (yes, there is one out there for you!), take your time to learn the equipment ad proper form and soon you’ll be excited to go to the gym and not threatened or intimidated! The sooner you do this the sooner you can enjoy the detox, fitness, and physical benefits!

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