experiencelifemag.com Print › | Back › Gym Rookie Cheat Sheet When all else fails, you can fake it until you make it. Here are some basic steps to boost your confidence and get you in and out of the gym without feeling like a beginner. By Gina DeMillo Wagner January-February 2010 Map out your plan before you go. Knowing before you arrive that you’re going to start at the locker room to change, go to the mats to warm up, then lift weights for 15 minutes and finish up with the stair climber for 20 can help you manage your time effectively, help you look like you know what you’re doing (because you do) and trigger you to bring along the right gear for the activities you have planned. Acquire some terrific togs. You don’t need a whole drawer full of workout wear, but having the right clothes for your chosen activities can go a long way toward helping you feel capable and prepared. Make a point of acquiring some good-quality workout apparel that helps you feel happy, pulled together and confident. Having a couple of simple, well-fitting tops and bottoms you can wear interchangeably will cut down on the time you spend preparing to go to the gym — and eliminate the possibility you’ll skip the club simply because you have “nothing to wear” or because whatever you do have is in the wash. Pre-pack. Strive to keep some standard, flexible essentials (MP3 player, water bottle, toiletries, shower shoes, heart-rate monitor, cross-trainers, socks, basic apparel) in your gym bag at all times, and in one of the bag’s front pockets, also keep a list of the variable items you might want or need for a given day’s workout (say, a racquet and goggles for squash, a mat and headband for yoga, swim gear for pool workouts). That way, you’ll be less likely to forget something crucial to a particular workout — and even if you do, you’ll be prepared to do something active. Make a date. Even if it’s just for the first few visits, bringing a friend along or planning to meet a workout buddy at the club can ease anxiety and help you feel that you belong right from the beginning. It can also add an element of fun to your workout experience. You might also ask a more experienced gym-going friend if you can tag along with him or her once or twice just to get the hang of things. Have your card ready. Be ready to swipe your card or show your ID when you walk through the front door of your club. Fumbling around in your wallet or purse can make you feel rushed and flustered — particularly if there’s a line forming behind you. Ask for what you need. While you’re at the desk checking in, ask any questions you might have regarding the location of equipment, class availability, even sign-ups and so on. It will save you the trouble of looking for a staff person once you’re inside. And if necessary, the receptionist can ring someone who will come directly to the desk to tell or show you what you need to know. Think about next time. After your workout, before you head back to your car, note how much time it took you to complete your workout and also scope out what you might want to do during your next visit. Check the times for group-fitness classes, take a walk past the pool, ask the front desk about the climbing wall or schedule an appointment with a trainer. You’ll leave better informed, equipped with a plan of action, and you’ll naturally feel more motivated to come back.

Gym Rookie Cheat Sheet

When all else fails, you can fake it until you make it. Here are some basic steps to boost your confidence and get you in and out of the gym without feeling like a beginner.

Map out your plan before you go. Knowing before you arrive that you’re going to start at the locker room to change, go to the mats to warm up, then lift weights for 15 minutes and finish up with the stair climber for 20 can help you manage your time effectively, help you look like you know what you’re doing (because you do) and trigger you to bring along the right gear for the activities you have planned.

Acquire some terrific togs. You don’t need a whole drawer full of workout wear, but having the right clothes for your chosen activities can go a long way toward helping you feel capable and prepared. Make a point of acquiring some good-quality workout apparel that helps you feel happy, pulled together and confident. Having a couple of simple, well-fitting tops and bottoms you can wear interchangeably will cut down on the time you spend preparing to go to the gym — and eliminate the possibility you’ll skip the club simply because you have “nothing to wear” or because whatever you do have is in the wash.

Pre-pack. Strive to keep some standard, flexible essentials (MP3 player, water bottle, toiletries, shower shoes, heart-rate monitor, cross-trainers, socks, basic apparel) in your gym bag at all times, and in one of the bag’s front pockets, also keep a list of the variable items you might want or need for a given day’s workout (say, a racquet and goggles for squash, a mat and headband for yoga, swim gear for pool workouts). That way, you’ll be less likely to forget something crucial to a particular workout — and even if you do, you’ll be prepared to do something active.

Make a date. Even if it’s just for the first few visits, bringing a friend along or planning to meet a workout buddy at the club can ease anxiety and help you feel that you belong right from the beginning. It can also add an element of fun to your workout experience. You might also ask a more experienced gym-going friend if you can tag along with him or her once or twice just to get the hang of things.

Have your card ready. Be ready to swipe your card or show your ID when you walk through the front door of your club. Fumbling around in your wallet or purse can make you feel rushed and flustered — particularly if there’s a line forming behind you.
Ask for what you need. While you’re at the desk checking in, ask any questions you might have regarding the location of equipment, class availability, even sign-ups and so on. It will save you the trouble of looking for a staff person once you’re inside. And if necessary, the receptionist can ring someone who will come directly to the desk to tell or show you what you need to know.

Think about next time. After your workout, before you head back to your car, note how much time it took you to complete your workout and also scope out what you might want to do during your next visit. Check the times for group-fitness classes, take a walk past the pool, ask the front desk about the climbing wall or schedule an appointment with a trainer. You’ll leave better informed, equipped with a plan of action, and you’ll naturally feel more motivated to come back.

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