First Time to The Gym for Weight Training as Beginners? Must Read This!. No doubt your first time in a gym may be a bit overwhelming. Even seasoned gym goers get that uncomfortable feeling when something new is introduced. You probably have questions such as “What do I wear?” and “Where do I go?” and you may wonder if people will be staring at you and thinking you look out of place. Chances are good that you will feel like the new student at a school. Don’t worry. We have all been there. Most people are not even paying attention if they are serious about their own training. Someone who’s staring is either a trainer looking to pull you in as a client or a person wasting time and probably no one you need to worry about. Starting a weight training program at a gym is intimidating and is the number one reason why people don’t work out! This chapter arms you with the basics so you understand what to wear, what to say, and most important how to act so that you are not easily identified as a newbie.
Learning the language of the gym can also help you feel more comfortable and allow you to communicate clearly. Much of the terminology used by weightlifters has developed from the anger, frustration, happiness, and success people have experienced in the gym. Some terms are part of the basic language of exercise. Many describe particular techniques or strategies. Others are simply words lifters use to describe how they feel when they lift weights. Learning this language, like any, can be difficult because new words are added daily, exercise names are modified, and the language isn’t the same everywhere. But no matter how you say it, as long as you understand the essentials, you will get by fine whether at home in your local gym or when traveling.
A pair of gloves that fit well will prevent the development of calluses. Gloves serve no other functional purpose in weight training. Not wearing gloves will force your hands to toughen up against the bar’s knurly surface. So the decision to wear them or not is a matter of personal preference. Avoid using wrist straps, knee wraps, and belts. These devices tend to prevent strengthening of the wrists, knees, and trunk. When extra support is given to weak joint areas, those areas do not develop the strength they need. Such crutches are needed only when you have an injury; otherwise you will not benefit from their use. True, the initial few workouts will potentially make your wrists and knees sore, but this will also be the time when you strengthen them to withstand further stresses.
Quite interesting and generally unknown is that a belt serves as a wall for the abdominal muscles—not your back muscles—to press against. This raises the pressure in your trunk and forces your lower back to stabilize. Although weak abdominals is the reason most often cited for using belts, the longer you use a belt, the longer it will take to strengthen your back and abdominals. Having said that, it is advisable to use a belt when lifting very heavy weights to ensure that you have enough support, but for routines using light to moderate weights, a belt is not necessary.
Wearing the right clothes and shoes will get you started on the right track, and the rest of this chapter will finish preparing you for other characteristics of gym culture. However, don’t forget that before you hoist that first barbell, you will need to prepare your body for action. In chapter 4, you will learn
about warming up, cooling down, and stretching. All three elements are vital to a good exercise program.
Avoid walking in front of anyone who is completing a set
No matter how tempting it may be, never do this. It is very distracting to the person lifting. Walk behind the person, or wait until the set is over. Yes, the person lifting may be standing right in front of the rack of weights (and he shouldn’t be standing there—see the next rule), but you, being the well-mannered gym patron that you are, will wait your turn.
Provide plenty of space
You are not the only person in the gym. If you are standing in front of the entire dumbbell rack, step back, move to the side, or take your dumbbells to another area. Let others have access to the equipment. Don’t crowd an area, either. Make sure to give people a little extra personal space, both for safety and for comfort.
Look before you leap
As this old saying goes, you need to think about your next move. Remember, safety is first and foremost. Before you pick up a bar and start walking, take a look around. Almost all gym accidents happen because people just don’t pay attention to their surroundings.
Clean up the equipment
C’mon, nobody else wants your germs or needs to bathe in your sweat. Do your part by keeping your bench clean. Most gyms offer a towel and have cleaners available if you make a mess, but if not, at least bring your own towel.
Share and be polite
“Can I jump in?” is a common question heard in gyms. If you can’t let someone else use the equipment in between your sets, chances are you are not lifting hard enough. You need a rest, they need to lift; this seems like an obvious compromise.
Spot rather than stare
It is easy to stand around and watch someone squirming about on a bench. Don’t wonder what is going on, either help or move on. Yes, some people do some strange things. Some are correct, and some are not, but keep in mind what comes around, goes around. You wouldn’t want to be the freak show everyone else was looking at, would you?
Rack your weights
If everyone did this, the gym would be clean and you wouldn’t spend 10 minutes looking for another 5-pound (2.5 kg) plate. Treat a gym like your own home; picking up after yourself makes it better for the next person. And for those of you who lift super heavy, take the time to unload the leg press. Besides, if you are that strong, it should be a piece of cake for you.
That's the article about first time to the gym for weight training. May this article useful for all readers who will start to go to the gym and become knowledge how to act in a gym place. Thanks
Learning the language of the gym can also help you feel more comfortable and allow you to communicate clearly. Much of the terminology used by weightlifters has developed from the anger, frustration, happiness, and success people have experienced in the gym. Some terms are part of the basic language of exercise. Many describe particular techniques or strategies. Others are simply words lifters use to describe how they feel when they lift weights. Learning this language, like any, can be difficult because new words are added daily, exercise names are modified, and the language isn’t the same everywhere. But no matter how you say it, as long as you understand the essentials, you will get by fine whether at home in your local gym or when traveling.
Clothing and Accessories
The great thing about weight training is that you don’t need to rush off to the store to buy new clothes the way you would for some other sports. Except for a few guidelines, pretty much anything goes. Wear loose, comfortable clothing to permit easy movement, allow full range of motion, and increase overall comfort. A good pair of shoes will absorb pressure at the ankles, knees, and lower back during leg work and standing exercises. If you wear jewelry, make sure it cannot get caught in any moving parts of the machines you use, or better yet, just leave it at home. Rings, in particular, can pinch fingers, possibly causing blisters.A pair of gloves that fit well will prevent the development of calluses. Gloves serve no other functional purpose in weight training. Not wearing gloves will force your hands to toughen up against the bar’s knurly surface. So the decision to wear them or not is a matter of personal preference. Avoid using wrist straps, knee wraps, and belts. These devices tend to prevent strengthening of the wrists, knees, and trunk. When extra support is given to weak joint areas, those areas do not develop the strength they need. Such crutches are needed only when you have an injury; otherwise you will not benefit from their use. True, the initial few workouts will potentially make your wrists and knees sore, but this will also be the time when you strengthen them to withstand further stresses.
Quite interesting and generally unknown is that a belt serves as a wall for the abdominal muscles—not your back muscles—to press against. This raises the pressure in your trunk and forces your lower back to stabilize. Although weak abdominals is the reason most often cited for using belts, the longer you use a belt, the longer it will take to strengthen your back and abdominals. Having said that, it is advisable to use a belt when lifting very heavy weights to ensure that you have enough support, but for routines using light to moderate weights, a belt is not necessary.
Wearing the right clothes and shoes will get you started on the right track, and the rest of this chapter will finish preparing you for other characteristics of gym culture. However, don’t forget that before you hoist that first barbell, you will need to prepare your body for action. In chapter 4, you will learn
about warming up, cooling down, and stretching. All three elements are vital to a good exercise program.
Gym Etiquette
Understanding the unwritten rules of the gym will help you know what to do and what not to do and will make you a favorite of the staff and other gym members. Plus, you will feel more comfortable when you begin training because you will reduce the number of unfriendly interactions. The following rules will help you navigate the gym floor as if you’ve been lifting for years.Avoid walking in front of anyone who is completing a set
No matter how tempting it may be, never do this. It is very distracting to the person lifting. Walk behind the person, or wait until the set is over. Yes, the person lifting may be standing right in front of the rack of weights (and he shouldn’t be standing there—see the next rule), but you, being the well-mannered gym patron that you are, will wait your turn.
Provide plenty of space
You are not the only person in the gym. If you are standing in front of the entire dumbbell rack, step back, move to the side, or take your dumbbells to another area. Let others have access to the equipment. Don’t crowd an area, either. Make sure to give people a little extra personal space, both for safety and for comfort.
Look before you leap
As this old saying goes, you need to think about your next move. Remember, safety is first and foremost. Before you pick up a bar and start walking, take a look around. Almost all gym accidents happen because people just don’t pay attention to their surroundings.
Clean up the equipment
C’mon, nobody else wants your germs or needs to bathe in your sweat. Do your part by keeping your bench clean. Most gyms offer a towel and have cleaners available if you make a mess, but if not, at least bring your own towel.
Share and be polite
“Can I jump in?” is a common question heard in gyms. If you can’t let someone else use the equipment in between your sets, chances are you are not lifting hard enough. You need a rest, they need to lift; this seems like an obvious compromise.
Spot rather than stare
It is easy to stand around and watch someone squirming about on a bench. Don’t wonder what is going on, either help or move on. Yes, some people do some strange things. Some are correct, and some are not, but keep in mind what comes around, goes around. You wouldn’t want to be the freak show everyone else was looking at, would you?
Rack your weights
If everyone did this, the gym would be clean and you wouldn’t spend 10 minutes looking for another 5-pound (2.5 kg) plate. Treat a gym like your own home; picking up after yourself makes it better for the next person. And for those of you who lift super heavy, take the time to unload the leg press. Besides, if you are that strong, it should be a piece of cake for you.
That's the article about first time to the gym for weight training. May this article useful for all readers who will start to go to the gym and become knowledge how to act in a gym place. Thanks
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