Gyming – 7 Essential Things You may not have known

The thought of gyming can be fun, right? I mean you finally get to build those muscles or get in the shape that you always wanted. However, those first visits can be a little intimidating – even if you’re already the proud owner of a fully equipped set of home gym equipment.

Knowledge and preparedness can help decrease gym intimidation and distractions so you can stay focused and motivated. The following tips will help beginners maximize the gym experience from day one and professionals, brush up on their knowledge.

1. Understand that hygiene is important.

A gym is the type of place that sees hundreds of people come and go every day. Every last one of those people probably worked up a sweat while they’re there, meaning it’s easy for bacteria to spread. If everyone does their part, it’ll go a long way in reducing its spread.

After you’re finished gyming, do the courteous thing and use a towel to wipe it down the bench or machine you have used – thoroughly! You wouldn’t want to use a bench with someone else’s sweat dripping off of it, would you? Don’t make someone else do it.

2. Avoid ego lifting while gyming.

When you lift with your ego, you’re pushing or lifting more weight than your body is able or allowed to. The reason? To impress your friends or a good looking female on the other side of the room. STOP! You’re also doing so without considering your form at all, meaning you’re at a high risk of injuring yourself.

The temptation can be strong to try to impress others when you’re new to gyming or trying out a new gym. Nevertheless, stick to maintaining form and lifting weights that well, your body can carry. Experienced lifters can spot an ego lifter at twenty paces anyway, which you’ll soon learn is not a good look for you.

3. Understand the importance of form.

Touched on above, one of the easiest ways to spot a newbie at the gym is their form, which is typically improper. If your form is bad, the best-case scenario is a lack of results. The worst-case scenario could be a serious injury.

Set aside time to perform your lifts and exercises correctly. Check out a visual library for reference or you can easily ask for helo from a personal trainer or ask a gym attendant.

4. Realize that, when gyming, more isn’t always better.

When you’re new to gyming or working out in general, it might seem as if more is better. I mean, more sets, more reps, more time, and more weight – should only lead to faster, better results, right? In actuality, the quality of your reps and your time spent is a lot more important than the quantity.

Gym beginners should start out by focusing on a balanced, full-body workout. Start small and work up from there instead of risking injury by doing too much too soon. Worthy of note; When it comes to lifting, definitely don’t add additional weight just for the sake of trying it.

5. Always have a plan.

Fitness goals have a lot in common with other types of goals. If you’re serious about succeeding, you need a plan. Put together a workout routine right from the beginning so that you know which muscle groups you’ll be working on, as well as a detailed cardio schedule. Most importantly, track your progress by keeping a journal and/or using an app.

6. Make sure you’re properly balancing cardio with strength training.

The point above is perfect to usher us into this one. Anyone that’s been going to the gym long will have noticed a trend when it comes to who uses which machines. Most women tend to go only for the cardio machines, while most men make an immediate beeline for the weights instead. Sad truth; both are missing out on the benefits of properly balanced workouts.

Weight training alone will not make you lean and ripped. You need cardio to help melt away excess body fat and build endurance. Cardio alone won’t make you toned and fit. You need to lift to build lean muscle. Get your new workout program off to a good start by keeping things balanced right from day one. Speaking of balanced; you need a balanced diet as well.

7. Don’t forget about nutrition!

At the end of the day, you can work your butt off at the gym and follow your workout plan to the T. However, you won’t see the results you want unless your nutrition is in tune as well. When gyming, fuel your body properly with lean protein, whole grains, plenty of fresh produce, and lots of water. Make sure you’re recovering properly after your workouts; your body will thank you for it!

There you have it! 7 best practises that you may or may not have known. Now that you’re equipped to go kill it at the gym; Enjoy your gyming!