Suddenly, it’s eight years since I went from first setting foot in the gym as a member to working in one as a personal trainer. So I’ve learned a few things…
These reflections aren’t things I’ve learned as a personal trainer, but ones that I picked up during my general fitness journey. In 2017, I started from scratch as a new gym goer who honestly didn’t think they’d stick at it. Here are the most important things I learned.
When it comes to fitness, consistency is everything
With every day that passes, there’s more social media content about the best exercise to grow your glutes, or the optimal rep range to build muscle and why you should be aiming for the greatest amount of tension throughout an entire exercise.
Honestly? That stuff is sprinkles. It’s not even the icing on the cake, it’s the absolute fanciest garnish. Because if you don’t have the cake in the first place – that’s to say, you’re not exercising regularly at all – what on earth is the point of edible glitter?
Stick at it. Keep showing up, even on the days when you think your workout isn’t long enough or hard enough, and I promise you that each one will still build on the last. Which brings me to my next point…
Even once you’ve learned to enjoy the gym, you won’t love every session
I know. This is a tough one to swallow. But I have to tell the truth.
Those people you see turning up every time and getting it done and becoming stronger? There are days when they very much don’t want to do it. They’re tired. They had a bad day at work. They had a row with their partner/best friend/sibling/a stranger in the supermarket. They’d like to be at home in bed. They’d like to be at a party they’re going to later already.
Instead, they’re at the gym not loving their umpteenth set of walking lunges. And they’re doing them anyway. Because they know that it’s worth it, and they accept that if they wait for the day when they’re in the mood, a month might pass and then they’ve wasted time hanging around. And then…
Injuries happen
When I first met my personal trainer back in 2017, I told him that one of my top three priorities was not to get injured. Because I was scared that, if I had to stop, I wouldn’t re-start. He just nodded. Because he knew.
Injuries are inevitable. You can do all of the warm ups and all of the cool downs and get every single rep near to perfect… and you can still be walking down the street thinking of four other things whilst texting a friend and trip over a crack in the pavement, twist your ankle, and find yourself unable to squat for weeks.
If you respond properly from an injury, you learn a lot from it. That’s the best you can hope for. They are annoying. They are upsetting. Adjusting your training can be a headache on top of the other physical pain. And you do normally recover and improve as an athlete.
You benefit from shifting your fitness focus
Like many people, once I got bitten by the strength training bug, I wanted to lift heavier and heavier. The gains come quickly when you’re brand new and consistent. Then you realise how much effort to put in. And then sometime after that, you realise that you’re human.
I’m not too old to still be lifting heavier, though for my liking I’m getting close. The other factor is my lifestyle – I’m very busy with all sorts of things, and aiming for constant one rep maxes is hard work once you get to a certain level. You have less wriggle room in terms of recovery and nutrition, it’s no longer about just showing up and lifting.
So for that reason, and also to keep myself entertained, I’ve learned to look for other ways to improve my fitness and my general experience. After all, it should be fun! Seeking novelty is a way to maintain that for yourself within your hobby.
There’s always something new to try in fitness
Nobody knows everything. New sports and events are being developed – just look at the recent rise in events such as Hyrox, or sports such as pickleball alone – and there are so many ways to engage in the fitness community. Whether you try out a new club or decide to volunteer, or even take on a coaching qualification, there are so many ways you can move your body and learn more in order to broaden your approach and help yourself to increase your fitness.
Get active and stay that way. Keep pushing yourself to explore, and the more you learn, the better it will get.