This January, Horsham-based female personal trainer, Becky, shares her tips for the newest gym members – welcome to the club!
It’s still less than 10 years since I first set foot in a gym, fully expecting myself to hate it and give up within a few weeks. That I stayed, enjoyed it, and ultimately became a personal trainer still surprises me – here’s how I coped with being new, and convinced myself to stick around…
Joining a gym in January
The majority of gyms and fitness studios will offer January deals – discounts and programmes designed to get you through the door. Not all of them support you in staying, but that’s ok, because you can take charge of that yourself, even if you don’t know what you’re doing.
I may be biased, but if you truly don’t know what to do at the gym, working with a personal trainer could be the best solution – and I speak from my experience as a client.
Hiring a personal trainer in January
Yes, some of us will already be fairly busy, but there’s often a solution even if they are! I always start my relationship with someone new by doing a consultation – I prefer to do this face to face, partly so that you can come and see the gym we’ll be training in – and then letting them decide whether or not they’d like to book in.
All it takes is an email to let me know you’re interested, and I’ll liaise with you to find a time that works for us both. We’ll chat about where you’re at with exercise, what you’ve done in the past, any injuries or health concerns, and what you’d like to get out of sessions. Then it’s up to you to decide how often you’d like to have PT sessions and when!
Dealing with busy gyms in January
This is one of those things that’s easier said than done, but: there is nothing you can ever do about how busy a gym or isn’t. Think of it like the weather – you might not like what you get, but there’s nothing you can do to change it, all you can do is wait. Plus, when you wait, it does change, and you get to enjoy a different climate.
If you’ve been given a workout by a personal trainer, I have two pieces of advice: firstly, don’t be afraid to play with the order of exercises. Your PT has probably written the workout to be done in the “optimal” order in terms of complexity and energy levels, but your body doesn’t know that, so if there’s a piece of kit that just won’t come free, don’t be afraid of swapping around. Secondly, if it becomes a consistent issue, tell your PT. We aren’t mind-readers and we don’t necessarily know the gym you train in. Plus we work for you, so your feedback will make the service you receive better.
All the gym gear?
It often looks like everyone in the gym is wearing a super cool matching set, and brand new shoes, as well as carrying a massive bag of kit. Those are their preferences, they don’t have to be your choices too.
When I joined a gym for the first time, I had a very basic pair of trainers, plus leggings and t-shirts that were from the supermarket. I learned what I needed to lug around as I went along – one of the first things I added to my bag was a small towel, as I’m a sweaty person! A water bottle is essential, and most gyms have a fountain to refill it. It honestly doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.
Wear kit that fits your body. Choose shoes that are safe and comfortable. And, if you decide that you enjoy being at the gym, and want to invest in what you wear, or what you bring with you, do that as and when you can.
New gym users: you are welcome
There will be a lot of discourse throughout January about how “annoying” new people are, or irritation at the fact that gyms are busier. The latter is partly worsened by the fact that there is usually a significant drop off throughout December, so those who stick around get used to it being unusually quiet, and busier times then come as a shock.
Please remember that you deserve to be there along with everyone else. It will get less busy as the year wears on. If you stay, you will also learn how more things work and feel more confident – I promise. Just like schools and workplaces, you’ll soon find out who’s friendly and who’s best avoided – every gym has both types, it’s part of life. Give yourself, and the gym, a chance, and you might feel your life change.