What to expect when you train at a gym
You have made the decision to take care of your health, you got yourself a gym membership! Congratulations! With healthy eating and discipline, you will improve and become healthier!
A gym is a public place, but it also comes with its own set of rules, so here are a few reminders of current gym etiquette that will help you go thru your workout in a more productive and less stressful fashion.
Gym clothes
Make sure you are wearing comfortable clothes, not too short, nor too tight, so you can do all your moves freely, focusing on proper form. People tend to sweat during workouts, so don’t forget your deodorant before your start. Have a small towel and maybe an extra T-shirt if you tend to sweat a lot.
Equipment
Some gyms require you to carry a towel during your workout, in order to create a shield between your skin and the machine, and to make sure the next person can have a clean piece of equipment too.
If you need to carry gloves, key, phone etc, try to have a small waste bag or purse, to make sure you won’t lose your stuff all over the gym
Some people really enjoy working out on their own music, you can come up with your own favorite upbeat music to keep on going
Respect goes both ways
Being a beginner and starting in new surroundings can feel a bit uneasy at first. Just relax, we have all been there!
Here are a few important things to keep in mind
- NEVER go talk to a person working out in the middle of a repetition. Wait until they have finished a set
- ALWAYS put your plates and dumbbells back on the rack, do not leave them on the bars.
- Ask for help to staff if some heavy plates were left on a bar, don’t risk hurting yourself!
- If your membership started in January, ask management when are the time slots that are the less busy, and train during those times for the first couple of months, it is a lot easier to adjust when you are not surrounded by a huge crowd
- If you are waiting for a person to finish using a piece of equipment, never wait too close to them. It is not pleasant and doesn’t help them focus. You can go continue your workout with another piece of equipment, if it’s the last exercise you have left to do, wait respectfully to a good distance from the machine, so that you are not in the person’s face.
- Don’t sit on a bench and stare at others or at your phone, a bench is a peace of equipment, once you are done with it move on. If you need to sit, use the specific rest areas .
- If you are interested in an exercise or piece of equipment, don’t go bother another member, unless you already know each other. You will disrupt his focus, and there are also chances he could be showing you the wrong form
- If you have never been to a gym before or haven’t for a long time, take advantage of the one hour with a trainer that most gym include, or pay for one, it is worth it, you will go thru proper use of the equipment and will only benefit from it in so many ways.
- Aim at 3 days a week at first, and stick to it. If you try to include 5 days a week of gym suddenly in your life, it might feel overwhelming and you will soon give up. Include your gym schedule in your calendar, and be as consistent as possible.
- Time at the gym is a special time for yourself, whatever your goal is, make sure you remember why you started, on those days where you feel discouraged.
- Leave your ego at the door. Safety first, do not use weights too heavy for you, focus on proper form for every repetition.
- Remember we have all been beginners, and discipline will eventually give you results. And mostly, make sure to be patient and do a workout consistent with your health status and knowledge, always be safe, do not.
- Enjoy the process!