Overcoming Gym Intimidation

Here in the UK and undoubtedly many other places, there's a lot of people trying out their new gym or fitness club membership.  While this a hugely positive thing to do, there can be a few challenges if you don't join the right gym or have the right mindset.

With a few tips, those early concerns should melt away and before you know it, you'll be seeing great results and be a seasoned gym client.

I'm including a couple of things here.  Firstly a few tips from an old blog post which still hold true followed by a really helpful Infographic I came across from Aaptiv which captures the issue well.

1. Ask if a personal trainer can set you a training programme to help you achieve your goals.  If you can get this as part of the deal, this is valuable.  Some personal trainers are real experts and know the answer to any query or question, plus they can help keep you motivated.  They can also show you how to use the various machines and suggest what would be the right speeds, weights, repetitions etc for you.
2. When you start, make a note of your measurements and weight, so you can see how you improve over time!
3. Make a commitment to yourself about how often you will go and then stick to it.  How often depends on your circumstances but I'd suggest 3 work outs a week is a good start.  They key is to stick with it.  Afterall, diets only work if people have the discipline to stick with them!  Be realistic as well: going to the gym for 3 hours a week may not make a huge difference on it's own.  Try to make other changes in your life that will bring some fitness benefits (walk, cycle more, take the stairs instead of the office lift, consider what you're eating).
4. Always "warm up" when you arrive at the gym.  A cross trainer is ideal for this and give yourself 5 minutes on it.  This gets the blood pumping around your body and warms your muscles.  One of the most vital reasons is a way of preventing injuries to your muscles during your work-out - cold muscles, tendons or ligaments being stretched or strained can become torn and set you back for a while.  Likewise, if you have had a strenuous work-out where you have been sweating and pushing yourself hard - finish with another 5 minutes on the cross trainer to gently ease back down.  This is called "cool down" and your heart will benefit and also your muscles as you move that lactic acid on - it is not about burning more calories.
5. Does it hurt? Some people say "no pain, no gain" or some tee shirts say "pain is your weakness coming out".  Don't be fooled.  If you're doing something which hurts you, especially if it is a sharp sudden pain, back off because you're probably going to cause yourself an injury.  Chest pains might be something more serious!
6. Talking to your Doctor might be a good idea, especially if you have any medical issues.  Chances are your Doctor will be supportive of you taking more exercise but s/he might have some specific advice for you.  Please note I'm not a Doctor myself, you need to make that decision for yourself.
7. Clothing. Although a personal choice, I think many people get it wrong.  Don't worry about the latest fashion as this could be unnecessarily expensive and useless.  Synthetic, moisture wicking materials are best and they work well if they are in contact with your skin.  Cotton tee shirts or cotton track suit bottoms simply absorb sweat, smell and appear unsightly; plus you are more likely to over-heat if you're working hard.  It's up to you whether you wear shorts or full length pants, long or short sleeves.  Women might find a sports bra is helpful but that's not something I have any experience of!
8. Be mindful of hygiene and don't be afraid to point out short comings to the staff.  Remember that as other people might drip their sweat and splutter all over the equipment, you will be doing the same also.  So, take a small towel with you so you can wipe things over ready for the next person.
9. Don't use your mobile phone anywhere in the gym.   You might get people worried you're filming them - once I got a bit concerned while I was stark naked getting dressed in the changing room and I realised someone was pointing a phone at me.  I reported it and you should do the same.  
10. Enjoy the gym as it could be one of the best things you can do in life.  Remember you don't always need a gym or a fitness club to get yourself into shape but it can really help.

And here is the helpful Aaptiv Infographic which I mentioned:

I hope this is helpful, please feel welcome to leave a comment or suggestions that might be helpful to other readers.

Related:

the benefits of running a little and often

tips for new runners

the slobusfaticus

First run of 2018

My first run of 2018 in numbers:

Distance - 3.1miles
Pace - 8:46mins/mile
Calories - 445
Other runners - 3
Creaky ankles - 2

With all of my daily running in December, I thought I would have a little rest at the start of January.  Besides, life has not been too amenable to running.  Crap weather, cold, dark, work pressures and so on.

So with today's run in mind, I did feel strangely apprehensive.  Has my fitness gone?  Will I be able to run?  Will I ache afterwards?

The run itself was fine.  I tried to set off nice and slowly and before long got into a normal running pace.  It certainly didn't feel fast at all.  I was encouraged through seeing a few other runners who were spontaneous in giving me a nice smile. That was nice, thank you, perhaps 2018 will see some kind of camaraderie emerging on the Busway?

And afterwards?

Thoroughly enjoyed a red-hot shower once I'd come back.
My ankles ache a little now (I have put on 4lb in weight!).
Nice dose of the Runner's High afterwards - surprising for such a short run?
Spent some time stretching afterwards as I'm feeling very stiff and inflexible.
Got reminded of how lovely running really is.

Keeping up with old friends

Every year we always exchange Christmas cards complete with a few words of "hope you're keeping well, must catch up with each other soon" and then we seldom do.  Does this sound familiar?

Yesterday I looked up one of my friends, who fitted that situation perfectly.  It was definitely worth the drive and time to catch up with a long standing friend.  I reckon we have known each other for about 36 years.  Yes, THIRTY SIX YEARS!  That's over half my life.

It was nice talking about people we knew as college friends, wondering what had happened to them.  It is amazing to think how we have all gone off in different directions from those days when we were all full of ambition and optimism.  Most if us, myself included, were very idealistic in wanting to make our mark on the world, or even change the world in some small way.  Where are we now?  How many of us are on the same career pathway which we started in the early 1980s?  The answer to that is just a few, a very small minority.  I can't count myself amongst those, in fact I was one of the first to realise that career pathway wasn't for me and subsequently went off in a different direction.

I met my friend's mother, she's now 97 or 98 and still has her marbles in tact.  We shared a pot of tea, a pizza and a can of coke, just like the old days.  My friend still smokes a bit but was respectful in keeping a distance between us when he needed to have a puff.  He lives in the same house, he has the same bedroom and although the house has been renovated, it still has a good number of features which I remember from years back.  I remember staying there for a couple of nights when there was too much snow to hitchhike home, the low ceilings and all the china nick-nacks all around. There are some fir trees in the front garden; I remember when they were quite short as opposed to the lofty trees which they have grown into.  I remember his Mum's home cooking and being told I was too thin and needed plenty of Polish sausage meat to build me up.  I remember going there so often!

As I drove home, I reflected on our lives.  While we had much in common back in the 1980s, how much do we have in common nowadays?  Our lives have gone in different directions, our values, aspirations, our family life and almost everything else is very different.  We show the effects of ageing a few decades as well; the leanness of youth has almost gone, hair is thinning or going grey and our short term memory is shocking.

And yet there is still a bond of friendship that's still there.  Why?

There is something special about a long standing friendship.  My friend could remember some things which I had completely forgotten, places we'd been to, conversations we'd had and so on.  We have shared something of our lives with each other and known each other well in our early adult lives.

As the years have flowed by, I asked myself if we would be friends if we met nowadays?  Being brutally honest about this, the answer is probably negative.  No, we wouldn't strike up a friendship these days but that doesn't detract in any way from the friendship we already have.  Because we've been friends for such a long time and done all kinds of crazy things with each other, our friendship has stood the test of time.  And long may it continue!

Related: The importance of saying "thank you"