No matter what your age, how much you earn or the amount of time you have available, physical exercise will improve your health and quality of life! However, if you are a total beginner at the gym check out the following tips to get started:
We All Have Been a Beginner at the Academy, Too !
Congratulations! First of all, making the decision to start physical activity is certainly the first and most difficult step you will take on this journey! If you already like or are interested in bodybuilding, maybe this decision was a little easier. But either way, you will also need to go through a phase of learning and adapting.
So don’t be ashamed of being a beginner at the gym. On the contrary, be proud to have chosen to live in a more active and healthy way! Like you, all athletes, including professionals, one day also started from scratch, had the most varied doubts, needed to learn the correct techniques and start with reduced loads and basic exercises.
However, this process becomes very rewarding, as you are focusing directly on your health and quality of life. Certainly you will also be learning new things, eating better and creating new routines. Thus contributing not only with your Body , but also with your Mind !
Look for an Assessment of Your Fitness
Most gyms require a student to carry a medical certificate of fitness when enrolling. Usually, the cardiologist who will provide you with this certificate, usually requests some tests such as an exercise test and a complete blood count, in order to assess your physical fitness. With this material, the gym instructor will be able to indicate the first training sessions in a more appropriate way. Preparing a series of exercises suited to your current conditioning and future goals.
However, there are still some gyms that offer a scheduled evaluation with a doctor within the gym. Inquire when registering.
Look For An Easy Access Gym
Choosing a gym that is close to your home or workplace can make it a lot easier.
In this way, it is easier to include new activities in your routine. And you won’t have to travel long distances to train.
If you find a gym that you can walk, bike or skate, in addition to preventing you from spending more time in traffic, it will still make you arrive warm to start your workout.
Loads and Exercises
It is common for a beginner in the gym to be ashamed to take less weight than other people around them.
However, it is necessary to understand that physical exercise will evolve gradually, and that everyone once started with “small” loads too.
The most important thing in your first week of training is not how much weight you will be able to lift. Instead, learn to perform the exercises correctly, creating a solid base of knowledge and behavior.
The correct execution of the movement, the number of repetitions, the interval between sets and the number of sets are the most important factors of any training.
Focus on learning and performing all exercises correctly. Because this learning is essential for you to be able to increase the loads of your training in the future.
Look in the mirror while performing the exercise to see how you are doing the movement. And ask the teacher for help if you are not completely comfortable with the exercise.
Understand the Role of the Teacher
If you are a beginner at the gym, the teacher responsible for bodybuilding should guide you more closely. This way he can better understand his physical capacity and personalize his training.
After this learning phase, the teacher becomes a kind of consultant. He will keep an eye on your training and performance, aiming to keep your exercises always updated, so that you can constantly evolve.
In academies it is quite common for the same teacher to have many students at the same time. So it is necessary to understand that, if you want exclusive attention, the ideal is to hire a personal trainer.
I wrote an article with 7 Steps to choose the right Personal Trainer for you. I clicked here to access!
Invest In The Right Accessories
Ideally, you should always have an appropriate shoe for the type of training you want to do. Whether bodybuilding or running, the ideal shoe will protect you from possible injuries.
Remember that in running, your feet, ankles, knees and spine will withstand a greater impact than in a simple walk. While in weight training, sometimes your lower limbs will also have to carry more weight than usual.
Also try to wear light clothes that facilitate the perspiration evaporation. Look mainly for comfort, protection and flexibility. And don’t worry about investing too much in it right away. A simple shorts with a T-shirt is enough to get you started now!
The use of a glove can also be very useful. Because in addition to protecting your hands and preventing them from forming calluses, it also improves the “grip” on weights and devices.
Always have a towel nearby so that you can dry the sweat. And a bottle of water to keep you hydrated during your workout.
Also buy a good padlock if you are going to use the gym’s locker, preferably with a password instead of a key, so you don’t have to keep carrying the key throughout your workout.
The Environment is Collective
To maintain a good environment, it is important that you understand that absolutely everything in the gym is for collective use. Therefore, you must leave it clean and available for the next student to use.
No leaving your personal belongings in the closet overnight, or leaving equipment dirty with your sweat.
You should always leave the gym equipment in the same way as you found it.
Food and Hydration
Now that you’ve enrolled in the gym, try to pay more attention to the amount of water you consume during the day.
Regardless of your physical type, it is recommended to consume at least two liters of water daily. Certainly, a well-hydrated body will perform better during exercise.
Also try to improve your diet! Giving preference to natural foods over industrialized ones. Thus, you will be contributing even more to the improvement of your health.
Set Goals
Knowing what you want to achieve with weight training in the medium and long term, can help you stay motivated with physical training. Usually when we have a goal in mind, it becomes easier to stay focused on performing the tasks necessary to achieve it.
Conclusion
Like everything new, the first few days in bodybuilding can seem strange and challenging. But be aware that you have taken a positive attitude towards your health and quality of life.
For any beginner in the gym, it is common to experience muscle pain in the first days! Muscle fatigue and pain are indicative that the Body is adapting to new demands, and in the second week these symptoms will improve.
Remember that taking care of your health is something to be done daily with physical exercises, nutrition, healthy thoughts and actions.
Take care of yourself and start immediately feeling the benefits of a more physically active life.
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