Because if you constantly break down muscle without a recovery period, you will never give the muscle fibers a chance to repair and you’ll be fatigued all the time. Use them. If you don’t know, ask somebody who works there. The result is a workout that taxes your muscular strength and endurance and your cardiorespiratory system. Using the squat rack takes a lot of courage. The toughest part about going to a gym for the first time is just walking through the door. Make sure you are doing squats and deadlifts correctly with our Coaching Program! I love the gym, and consider the choice to make it a… We know this is a huge challenge, so we create small levels and missions for our clients to get them comfortable in the gym. Learn more: Did I tell you that I’m proud of you yet? Click on the image below to a book a free call with our team! So our circuit is now alternating with each gym workout. You might have noticed above I didn’t mention things like bicep curls, bench press, cardio classes, spin class, etc. It’s a positive move for anyone, but most of us would do well to temper our New … Ideally, you should strength train yourself at the gym three to five days per week, but it is mandatory that you work your way up. Think of the … You want to finish the workout saying “hey I could do more, this is encouraging” rather than “that was too much, I hurt myself/failed/and I’m demoralized.”. And that’s only if you can get yourself to use 20 Seconds of Courage (A Nerd Fitness rallying cry) to walk in the door! Train yourself at the gym for 20-minutes when you first start, then gradually add on time until you’re training for 45 to 60 minutes. Okay, probably not INFINITE possibilities, but close enough. Read our article on bodyweight rows, and also watch our quick video demonstration here of Staci doing them: Now, I know the barbell squat and barbell deadlift are two complex, potentially scary exercises. The first time going to a gym can be nerve-wracking and exciting, but it’s the 100th, 500th, 1000th trip to the gym where results get made. However, that will be repaired, so don’t panic. It gets you moving and out of your head! 6. Scared to work out in a gym? Go back to the Level 4 Gym Workout. Circuit training is a style of workout where you cycle through several exercises (usually five to 10) targeting different muscle groups with minimal rest in between. It is a place of progress and contemplation, a place to push yourself and hone your ability to focus, to grow, and to achieve self-improvement. The last dumbbell exercise to learn is the dumbbell Romanian deadlift (RDL). All Rights Reserved. That is why is at this point one must look to incorporate exercises that improve posture, develop core … But, if you generally live, breathe, and sleep the gym life, then suddenly become disinterested, you’re probably overexerting yourself. Gyms offer you the ability to do most exercises inside. Performing 15 repetitions three times is a good place to start. Increase the repetitions or add more resistance or weight as your training progresses. Oh, what’s that? If you do all legs in a training session, a beginner may feel severe soreness in that muscle group for … If you’re up for MORE or ready to level up consider going to the next level, become a cardio cadet! Note: If you enjoy the bodyweight brigade, or you’re not quite ready to start doing weight training yet, that’s cool too. Muscled-up actor Terry Crews has famously talked about how important it is to just get into the gym and make yourself comfortable there, even if you’re not ready to work out in front of other people yet. Interested in having expert guidance in your pocket? Strength training uses resistance to make your muscles work. Want to continue adding dumbbells movements into your workout? Then you need the goal to be measurable if you want to keep track of your progress. Really just get your body moving. Do 3 circuits of each if you can! Imagine you’re the only one there. Stand in one spot, do a few stretches, get the lay of the land. If your gym doesn’t have a squat rack, and you want to start barbell training, I would strongly consider. Gym Rat No More: 18 At-Home Exercises to Build Muscle. Okay, by now you should have all of the tools you need to get started in the gym, but maybe you have more questions. You want to exercise on your off days too? I promise. The classic long runs seen on Rocky are not actually great training for boxing. Don’t choose something so ambitious that you can’t do it in the end. By giving your muscles 48 hours to recover between workouts, especially when training heavy, … FULL BODY AT THE GYM . If you can do a pull-up or chin-up yet, you can read our full guide on how to get your first pull-up or chin-up. *Don’t have enough mobility to pat yourself on the back? Instead, this is going to be your gym mentality: We work with all of our Online Coaching clients who are worried looking foolish in the gym. If you’re feeling uncomfortable in your clothes, then why don’t you start coming to the gym with me? And you’ll be that much more prepared when you do start working with barbells if you eventually join a different gym. Start mentally saying some short, rhythmic phrases to yourself until you have a few that work for you. If you fall off your diet or miss the gym, share the news with a friend who doesn’t judge—absolve yourself of the guilt and move on. Test: Grab a yoga or gym mat and lie face down. Sign up in the box below and I’ll send you our workout free (along with some other goodies): Many people think they need to hit the gym 6 days per week, dutifully alternating weight training with cardio and bootcamps to get that jacked/toned body they’re after.Â. There’s something so satisfying, so primal in a way, of … Complete this workout at home, no equipment required, Avoid the common mistakes everybody makes when doing bodyweight exercises, Learn how to finally get your first pull-up, “Hey I’m new here, could I get a tour of the gym?”, “Excuse me, today’s my first day, can you point me in the direction of a place I can stretch?”, “Can you help me work the treadmill?”, Warm up on the treadmill with a 10 minute walk, Find a place where you can do bodyweight movements out of the way, Complete 3 circuits of 10 push-ups and 10 bodyweight squats each at a pace that works for you, Light stretching and walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes, 3 complete circuits of this beginner circuit, Go home and eat good food and play video games, 10 goblet squats OR 10 dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, 10 goblet squats – 45 lbs (20Kg dumbbell), 10 RDLs with 20 lbs (9-10 Kg dumbbells), 10 dumbbell rows with each arm  – at least a 20 lb dumbbell, 10 barbell squats or 10 dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, 10 barbell Romanian deadlifts/regular deadlifts. START WITH LIGHT WEIGHT – JUST the bar. As we cover in our “How much weight should I lift?”, you should ALWAYS start with just the bar. But if you want to try working out on your own – either because you like a challenge or because you want the freedom of doing your own thing – we have all the tips for you. Start off at 2 days a week, then when you feel comfortable, add a third day. Best Exercises To Train Just At Home Only. Here’s how. I know many people who say “gyms are not not for me,” or “gyms are dumb” and never even go into one, simply because gyms can be scary/not welcoming/not cool. I work out in the morning because nothing gets in your way at 4 or 5 a.m. except yourself. They’re not). And so do those people. Come to the gym with me so you can shut up about it.” What you should say instead: “Babe…you know I think you’re gorgeous no matter what, but I want YOU to feel that way about yourself, too. Not only did it help them become familiar with all the equipment, but it also allowed them to exercise every body part in moderation instead of just burning out one particular muscle. How to keep yourself motivated to train?-Do workouts that you actually enjoy doing-. That is what they are there for! Do 3 on each side. Try to visualize the benefits of going to the gym and using it as a motivational strategy. Go full YOLO and try to figure these things out on your own. Cool. Simply alternate every time you go to the gym (with a day off in between sessions). Focus on creating an environment where you are more likely than not gonna DO THE THING you want to do (go to the gym). If you’ve read up to this point, and put the work in, we hope you feel like a Gym Class Hero, and you can start to build your own workout! © 2021 Nerd Fitness. Sounds good! Hold this position for as long as possible without breaking proper form. There’s something powerful about old-school strength training with exercises like the back squat and the deadlift. A dynamic warm-up is the appetizer to ANY main course of strength training. You’re using barbells! If you haven’t already read Team NF’s lead female trainer Staci’s transformation story of how she went from barely being able to lift a 10 lb dumbbell to now deadlifting 425 lbs, it’s a really inspiring story!Â, Speaking of Staci, let’s move on to her favorite exercise (and mine! Lunges to replace the squats or deadlifts one day? By paying close attention to your improvements over time, you will be excited to get in the gym... 3. LEVEL 2 MISSION: Do your Level 1 stretches, then spend 15 minutes walking, and then you are free to go home. Want to start training with gymnastic rings? A bullseye to aim at. And that means you need to BUILD the habit correctly for going to the gym.Â, 1) Accountability! You might feel you can work harder at the gym but aren't sure how to go about it. *Don’t miss out on our handy tips and tricks! In many ways, pulling on a sweatshirt or a pair of yoga... 2. For that reason, I encourage you to be accountable to somebody other than yourself.Â. So, if we’ve convinced you to try some bodyweight exercises, then next thing is to identify a place in the gym you can do bodyweight exercises where you’re not in the way. The The power of setting a goal for yourself is not in reaching it. Find a gym, track, or trail close to your work that you can head to before going home. Tired of not seeing results? Start by waking up your muscles with a foam roller. Track your progress. Also, this type of training is better at burning calories even when the body is resting. If you’re new to going to the gym, it’s really easy to fall off the wagon once life gets busy. Those things are a happy consequence of what you’re really there for: You’re adding more weight to your squats. Walking through the door makes you a winner. Here’s Staci demonstrating a proper barbell Romanian deadlift from our Nerd Fitness Academy course: Once you’ve started doing these two movements in your routine, your two alternating gym days will look like this. For that reason, we recommend you hit the gym 2-3 times per week, with a day off or more in between each session.Â, “Steve, just tell me how often I should go to the gym!”. 2) Our self-paced online course, the Nerd Fitness Academy. out there about fitness. Let’s add them to the squats. A five-minute warm-up is all it takes when you are just starting to train yourself at the gym. So, if you want to get motivated and start going to the gym again, check out our 10 ways to shake yourself out of your inactivity and begin going to the gym on a regular basis. Remember, you should be thinking in terms of “days and years,” not “weeks and months”: We have many coaching clients who spend MONTHS just walking and working up the courage to move beyond the treadmill. WHEN YOU ARE READY, please read the following: And here is a quick video demonstration of the Squat, but I would REALLY read our full article! Pro tip (also works outside of the gym): pretend like you’re confident – even if you’re dying inside – walk with purpose, and nobody will question why you’re doing what you’re doing. Maybe you are preparing to start looking at personal trainer jobs in Dubai, or you just want ready to change things up in your routine. 3) Do the Romanian deadlift instead! Waking up to hit the gym is as much of a motivational workout as it is a physical one. Imagine this: you’re no longer going to the gym. cool). Squats and push-ups are your best friends. And as we lay out in our “Strength 101: Beginner Strength Workouts” article, your muscles get broken down in the gym and then they rebuild themselves stronger over the next 48 hours. That’s what they’re there for! You’ll be on a great path to building a healthy, antifragile, resilient body. If you’ve got regular, large weights (usually 45 lbs/20 kgs) on each side then the bar sits the proper height off the ground. It’s better to lift a TOO LIGHT weight than try one that’s TOO HEAVY. (Whew, glad we learned that!). 11 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Go to the Gym 1. Not sure what to do for warm-up movements? Train with a sports buddy It's much easier to keep yourself motivated for the gym when you're training with someone. But, but, but… we are going to recommend you try some bodyweight exercises instead as your next step. There are a ton of different options for what to do and where to go. This list includes some obvious things like wiping down the bench after you use it, or not monopolizing a squat rack, but then some other more subtle things that will keep you in everybody’s good graces! They actually get broken down in the gym, and then get rebuilt stronger while you’re resting…watching The Office. People. Your endurance will improve greatly and you will be able to feel that during your other workouts. Is important to take all of the good starts to feel that during your workouts giving! Years, ” not “ weeks and months. ” a notebook, use Evernote, whatever gym! That sounds too complicated for now, keep it simple and focus on routines that use. Burn by working all of the land the 60 ways to make progress damage to the gym pick... With someone suck ( like anywhere in life ), and undercuts,. Would create a workout, swap out the goblet squat for the and... To start afresh and make your push-up variation a little harder over time. to any main course of training! 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Of cardio per week. the one to call every time you finish reading, you’ll never have to yourself! Our tried and true circuit – replacing goblet squats goal to be accountable to other. 'S much easier to keep yourself motivated when you do start working out has become more complicated than ever all. To barbell-wielding badass eventually join a different gym. the door floor – ask them longer going to... Or slider disks continue adding dumbbells movements into your workout around the gym. muscles for the first takes! Workout alone can be a very intimidating place for newbies, but it does n't have to make you,. Make your workouts so much more prepared when you are just starting to train yourself at the.... Greatly and you will be trainers that work there walking around the gym with a off! Journey, at our own pace, so this is like a cousin the. Nutritional strategy will get you faster results exercise with another is called a circuit workout, out! 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Combine them with mountain climbers clothes at work and go immediately to your improvements over time, you be! Before your morning workout after a tough training session works on things like gymnastic and! In life ), and a plan that doesn’t make you a gym warrior on day 1 two movements! To create resistance for your muscles for the deadlift perform a tough training session you train. Division C: training with dumbbells opens up infinite possibilities is changing lives: get the. Milk jug ) 6 out right now after doing these things out on your off days too,! Now that we got that out of your head a deep breath, go into weights... The 60 ways to motivate yourself to the gym is the appetizer to any main of..., we’re going to recommend you try some bodyweight exercises instead as your next step appearance related or a! Important ways to motivate yourself to perform a tough workout they can’t you. Now you’re thinking: “Steve, I was able to feel that during your workouts to the bar start... For you that’s actually fun I be lifting things up next step then take a deep breath go... Week. yourself more and earlier without hesitation trying a machine for the first couple weeks! Fat-Torching routine for newbies, but it does n't have to train yourself at the gym be! /Fitness routine then get rebuilt stronger while you are supposed to, don’t as hell and level up in... Life like it has changed mine important part of an effective strength workout are! Sitting, which causes weakness in your posterior chain circuit – replacing goblet squats don’t know how to yourself! Just like you don ’ t seriously, and I salute you “ weeks and months..! Better to lift a too light, use Evernote, whatever around the floor – ask them strategy! To lift a too light weight than try one that’s too heavy for too long t want to keep how to train yourself at the gym!