Beating “Gym-timidation”
Let’s face it, the gym is intimidating. Everyone seems to be dressed from head to toe in gym shark and have their pre-workout in hand. I instantly feel out of place wearing my TJ-Max leggings with an old soccer shirt. I want to walk right back out the big double doors and retreat to the comfort of my twin bed and potato chips. But then I remember the hardest part is over - I got myself off my butt and into the gym. So now what?
I see a lot of people head straight to the cardio machines, stay on those for about an hour, and then call it day. This is a great way to burn calories and get your body warmed up, but it is not a sufficient workout routine. If you are truly trying to build muscle and change your body composition, you need to be lifting weights.
Lifting has so many benefits for your body, including raising your metabolism, preventing injury, increasing bone density and improving strength and endurance. Above all that, I feel f*cking INCREDIBLE after leaving the gym knowing I set a new PR and pushed my body beyond what I thought it was capable of.
However, the unfortunate truth is that so many people stray from lifting because they are too intimidated or they do not know what to do. Let’s change that.
There are so many different ways to educate yourself about different exercises to try at the gym. My favorite way to find new workout routines is to go on Instagram and look up fitness influencers. They post full workout routines with the names of each exercise and how many sets and reps they complete. They also include videos doing the exercises so you can see the proper form and what equipment to use.
These influencers range from professional personal trainers to college students who have a passion for fitness. Whoever you choose to follow, make sure that they are well informed and knowledgeable. Along with their workout content, they also post a lot of helpful information about fitness. They explain how working out is so important for your overall health, not just a vehicle for losing weight. I truly recommend following fitness influencers to expand your knowledge on exercise and improve your workout routine.
Here are some of my favorite influencers to follow:
@Natacha.oceane
@Whitneyysimmons
@Libbychristensen
@Nattbfit
@Krissycela
@Madfit.ig
@elon_fitness
Keep following our weekly articles for more advice on how to feel comfortable and confident at the gym and how to maximize your workouts.
