Walking into the gym for your first time can be a little bit intimidating. In one corner there’s two guys wearing tank tops doing bicep curls in front of the mirror. In the other corner is a large group of girls all doing a bodyweight circuit in perfect unison. Somewhere there’s a person who is clearly lifting a lot of weight because you can hear their sound effects the second you walk in. So, you freak out because you’re not really sure what you’re supposed to be doing. You walk out the door because you don’t want anyone to judge you. However, you need to remember that something drove you to the gym. You want to be there to workout. Just take a step back and realize that everyone in that gym, at one point or another, was in the exact same place as you.
How to Get Ready for Day One
Confidence and self-doubt are universal concepts that apply to almost every facet of life. Thankfully, this means that there are many people who have the sole purpose of trying to find ways to increase confidence and decrease self-doubt. There is a common theme that arises when you try and search for ways to boost confidence: Preparation is KEY.
Preparation
Scope out the Scene: You most likely wouldn’t walk into class the day of a presentation without having read over your notes, so why walk into the gym without having read over some resources? Most college fitness centers have a website that includes pictures and, occasionally, a list of exercise equipment that they have available. Using this information, you can familiarize yourself with where things are so that you don’t feel like you’re walking around lost the first time that you enter. If you don’t know what a piece of equipment is, google it! Many fitness lovers post instructional exercise videos on YouTube or social media to help people who are in the same position.
Come up with a Plan: Googling exercise plans is a great place to start, but make sure you are using reliable sources and not just relying on a random Influencer for all of your information! Websites like bodybuilding.com have great information on where to get started. Walking into the gym on day one with a plan will improve your confidence and ensure that you get the most out of your time while you’re in the gym!
Preparation is your first step to achieving your goals. Don’t forget that this is a step that everyone else in the gym had to start with too!
Written by GUADS member Katie, edited by GUADS staff member Emily
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