Current Events > Should I try out a gym for the first time ever?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Anytime fitness Is giving a 7 day trial. Thought I would give it a shot. And start going after work. But I wouldn't know where to begin on the weights.
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Yeah, of course. Just remember it can take a while to get into the habit of going and you will likely be sore for the first bit (don't let that put you off though!)

You can look into some beginner routines. I used to see Rippetoe's Starting Strength recommended a lot.

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No, Im sick of overcrowded gyms in January

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No, just sit back and enjoy some burger king man

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You only need to do a few exercises to work your entire body, all the other ones are just bros adding extra fluff to their workout

Bench
Squat
Rows

Just YouTube how to do them

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Should I try out a gym for the first time ever?

Why would I tell you no?

Improving life requires experimentation and breaking out of your shell.

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Colorahdo posted...

You only need to do a few exercises to work your entire body, all the other ones are just bros adding extra fluff to their workout

Bench
Squat
Rows

Just YouTube how to do them

Deadlifts?

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Dragon239 posted...

Deadlifts?

You'll hit all the muscles deads hit with squats and rows, but of course you can also add deads

Hell TC, you could literally just do deadlifts and get a good body

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I've been deadlifting 5 years and it doesn't even look like I lift

don't bother TC

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Turtlebread posted...

I've been deadlifting 5 years and it doesn't even look like I lift

don't bother TC

lol

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Start out one day with simple isolation workouts. Biceps, triceps, chest, back, core, legs, whatever you want to focus on. Find your target weight that you can barely finish 10 reps of it in about 30-45 seconds, and rest for a minute or two. Do at least 3 sets of those 10 reps for each muscle group. Log down all your exercises, sets, reps and weights you used. Rest for a day or two, then try some compound exercises like loaded squats, push-ups, loaded carries and deadlifts. Those all work multiple muscle groups. Then maybe after day or so of rest, do some cardio. Treadmill, rowing, cycling, step-climber, whatever works for you.

It might all be intimidating so if you aren't comfortable alone with all the equipment, so maybe go with a friend, co-worker, or relative.

Also make sure you get at least 7+ hours of sleep, eat plenty of balanced nutrition (essential protein, healthy fats, fibrous veggies, low sugar) and possibly find a pre-workout drink to give you a boost. I recommend an electrolyte drink or powder over anything, those stimulate your body and give it actual energy. Don't drink anything with sugar and caffeine, all those do is make you "un-tired" and mess with your adrenals. It you need caffeine, drink something like a small black coffee or tea, or a small sugar-free energy drink if you're in a pinch.

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Yes. But be sure to bring fire types. Milo is a grass, remember that. Dont get too pumped because hell go easy on you. Dont push your Pokmon and youll be ok.

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so you are getting some good advice in this topic but imo the people posting in here are really overcomplicating things, it's like they forgot what a gym/working out is like when you are first starting out.

i highly suggest starting with the resistance machines, dont bother with barbells/free weights/cables/etc at this point. walk around to all the machines, look at the little diagrams on them to figure out how to use them and then give them a shot. most resistance machines will have a picture of a dude's body on them with the muscle group they hit highlighted, so try out different machines that target different groups. dont worry about only doing specific muscle groups yet, focus on getting a general full-body workout, and make sure you give yourself a day or two in between workouts to recover.

using these machines first instead of going to free weights or trying to deadlift or whatever is optimal, IMO, because it will teach you what it feels like to isolate different muscle groups, it will dramatically minimize the chance of injury due to poor form, and it will help you build up a baseline of strength. you'll also develop gym confidence on these things because as you are using a machine you are observing the ppl around you, you're seeing the kinds of routines they are doing and eventually as you watch them, build strength, read shit online, whatever, you'll likely feel more confident to work on free weights.

just my two cents. personally i believe in starting small and working your way up. at the beginning i dont think its important to get into complicated barbell routines or have a particular diet, i believe it's more important to learn what it feels like to work out properly and develop consistency, so going to the gym multiple times a week becomes an automatic routine for you

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start with a simple powerlifting routine and then incorporate accessory exercises as you develop more confidence. Each day should be focused on a specific body part. There's nothing wrong with a "bro-split" despite what people say.

Example:

Day 1: Overhead Press (then add side lateral raises, shrugs, rear delt flys, etc.)
Day 2: Squats (then add leg press, lunges, calf raises, etc.)
Day 3: Bench Press (then add incline press, flys, cable crossovers, etc.)
Day 4: Deadlift (then add dumbbell rows, bicep curls, lat pulldowns, etc.)

You could do this routine for about 2 months and you'll notice immediate gains.

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just look up a 3x5 routine, prob google "starting 3x5"

"starting strength" is popular, but doesn't get your whole body

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Romulox28 posted...

just my two cents. personally i believe in starting small and working your way up. at the beginning i dont think its important to get into complicated barbell routines or have a particular diet, i believe it's more important to learn what it feels like to work out properly and develop consistency, so going to the gym multiple times a week becomes an automatic routine for you

A lot of us forget that we are talking to a complete beginner, and you did a great job of making it more simple and easy to explain (I forgot to mention that resistance machines are perfect for beginners, that's what I did at first), but saying that it's not important to have a particular diet is nonsense. If you are going to the gym and planning on either losing weight or bulking up, then you need to evaluate your diet and eat the right foods. Good quality proteins, healthy fats, plenty of salads and fibrous veggies, some complex carbs, small amounts of fruit, and as close to zero as possible with sugars and refined grains. 80% of the work on weight loss is done in the kitchen, 20% is done in the gym. The body cannot breakdown and rebuild muscle efficiently if you don't give yourself good nutrition.

I'll mention sleep again as something that many people overlook but is super important, your body needs plenty of sleep, as that is when the muscles will rebuild and become stronger.

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Ultima Dragon posted...

You can look into some beginner routines. I used to see Rippetoe's Starting Strength recommended a lot.

It's by far the best beginner program if done correctly. It's the one I do every time I start back in the gym.

But TC isn't going to do it correctly unless he reads the actual book for the program, or finds a trainer who coaches with that specific program (rare and probably expensive).

If you're brand new to the gym, just go in there, do exercises that look appealing to you, talk to people in there and make friends. You'll slowly learn how to work out more efficiently this way, as trading advice is pretty much the standard conversation people have at the gym (though you will meet all kinds of people and end up having conversations about all sorts of weird things, just like any other place people gather).

Just make sure you're having fun while you're there, TC. You'll naturally gravitate to being more serious later on, if you stick with it.

To add more to my above statement, I was talking to a kid at the gym once who was a complete noob. He was insecure that he was drinking Dr Pepper instead of water/Gatorade like everyone else. I told him it's not ideal, but the important thing for him to do right now is to enjoy being here. If that means drinking Dr Pepper, then drink it. When I was a noob, I took smoke breaks during my workouts.

You see, as a noob, the Dr Pepper kid wasnt going to be lifting heavy enough for the dehydration to kill him or anything, as long as he was fit enough to work out otherwise.

One thing I witnessed another time, that pissed me off, was I saw this young kid, not older than 15. This older man kept interrupting every set he did, being like "You're supposed to do it this way." I never saw the kid in there again. That's why I told the Dr Pepper kid to do what he wants, and that's why I'm telling TC to do what he wants. Enjoy. The. Gym. Is the only advice I have for a noob.

You should probably figure out what you want to work on. Like me, I just go for cardio. Thats the only thing I have trouble with for my test. But some only do lifting, and some do stuff for a better look on their bodies or whatever. So, you should figured out what youre going for...
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Why pay to exercise when it's free to do it at home?

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SamsungGearS2 posted...

Why pay to exercise when it's free to do it at home?

Some gyms are free. Some offer free trials. And if hes in the military, or knows someone in the military, you can use the base one for free...

The reason for a gym can be many. Exercising with others, taking a specific class, getting a trainer, using the machines, or just being there. Because if Im at home, I can easily put it off until I have no time left. Where that can be a little harder when youre at the gym...
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See if they have an indoor, heated pool you could do laps in year round. Recreational exercise is still exercise.

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SamsungGearS2 posted...

Why pay to exercise when it's free to do it at home?

There is no o supplement for weighted squats or deadlifts. You can not achieve the same results with any bodyweight exercises.

While its true you can workout at home, the gym atmosphere can actually be better mentally than your living room or garage. Being around a lot of other people striving to achieve a fitness goal is a powerful motivator.

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