Lifestyle July 19, 2019
Pick things up and put them down.
So you’ve decided to start lifting weights. After sitting in your car for 15 minutes pumping yourself up to Beyonce, you’ve finally managed to step foot in the gym. Great! But, now what?
We’ve all been there; we walk into the gym and are immediately surrounded by fit guys lifting massive amounts of weights and girls with rock hard abs, it’s intimidating. Where do you stand? What’s an effective exercise? How do you use this strange machine? Questions buzz in your head and you end up running on the treadmill for 20 minutes before making a quick exit.
Gym-timidation is REAL but, that doesn’t mean you can’t get past it and lift weights confidently. The following are five easy tips on how to start lifting weights.
Gym clothes don’t have to be skin tight, thin, or revealing for you to have a great workout. There will always be super fit girls wearing nothing but biker shorts and a sports bra, and big muscular guys wearing a tank top cut way too much at the sides. Let them do their thing, and you do yours. If you’re comfortable in leggings and an oversized t-shirt, then so be it. If you’re wearing clothes you’re not confident in, doing an activity that you’re not confident in, then you’re basically setting yourself up for failure. Once you start lifting weights, you’ll be grateful that you’re in clothes you’re comfortable in. Even if you feel that people will judge you, the reality is, they’re so tuned in to their own workout they don’t pay attention to other people anyway.
One of the biggest reasons people don’t follow through with their fitness journey is because they don’t have a set gym exercise plan. Knowing what to do before you get to the gym is one of the best ways to boost your confidence and shake off any nerves you have. You’ll be confident enough to walk into the gym knowing what weights you need to use and how to use the machines.
Some of the best resources for workout ideas when you first start lifting weights are Instagram fitness influencers. Ashley and Brad Bromlow are a super fit married couple that have been lifting weights for years and have built up immense credibility in knowing what exercises to do in the gym. Screenshotting a workout you find on social media and having that guide on your phone in the gym to follow can provide you with a sense of purpose and make your time at the gym less stressful.
This should go without saying but music is a great self-esteem booster! We all have our own concerts in the shower, so why not have that same energy while we get fit? Songs that make you want to dance and sing are great to put in your gym playlist. If you’re a beginner, this is an excellent way to get over the initial stages of starting to lift weights and helps you focus on YOU. After all, it’s your body that will ultimately benefit from it so pop your headphones in!
I doubt any of us could have made it this far without a few good friends. So, why go through your fitness journey alone? Having a workout buddy is a great way to hold yourself accountable to sticking to your workout routine. It definitely makes navigating the unknown gym floor easier with two sets of eyes to scope it out. You can help each other out when you’re unsure of what to do or where to go next. Surrounding yourself with people who have like-minded goals as you can give you motivation and a support system to always fall back on.
It’s so easy to compare yourself with the girl or guy exercising next to you. Once you start thinking about how their stomach is flatter than yours or how their arms are more muscular, you create a negative mentality about working out. Everyone had to start somewhere. You don’t know the years of hard work some people have put into getting that flat stomach or huge biceps. They started somewhere, just like you. It’s important to remember the beginning of your fitness journey shouldn’t be compared to the middle or end of someone else’s.
Lifting weights is a big step in any fitness journey. It can be a nerve-wracking experience for a lot of people, especially those who have just started lifting weights. Consistency is key and finding what works for you is so important. These five simple tips can take you from a weight lifting beginner with little-to-no gym experience, to someone who walks confidently into the gym with a mission and plan. So go forth into that dark night, and lift your hearts out.
