Beginner Looking to Join Gym

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  [Deactivated] on 11/10/2018 - 10:59

  +6

  Do I need to hire a personal trainer for a couple sessions to show me the ropes

  Yes. Be careful who you hire. You're hiring a PT to show you the ropes not to run you through a workout. Ie, they should be teaching you how to move and be safe and teach you how to plan your workout NOT shout motivation and count reps.

  Go to the most convenient gym. If there are a few that are equally convenient, choose the one you feel like you're going to enjoy more. Getting exercise to be a routine is challenge enough. If you outgrow the facilities at your gym, it's easy to change gyms.

  YouTube guides I found useful - AthleanX (professional quality videos) and Alan Thrall (home made quality but instructions and details are the best so far).

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    nahkk on 15/10/2018 - 15:37

    +1 for AthleanX

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  HighAndDry on 11/10/2018 - 11:02

  +1

  Most gyms will have introductory packages which include a few sessions with a PT when you join, or that you can add to your membership for an extra fee.

  If you have a clear goal in mind, it might be worth looking into joining a gym that will sit down with you to formulate a program (including calorie intake, etc). Otherwise a few sessions with a PT can help you work out what exercises to do and how to use the free weights and machines.

  It would be ideal though to have a friend who gyms go with you too - to correct your form, spot you, things like that. If you don't have one, I'd invest in many more sessions with the PT until you have all the forms down solidly, because it's easy to injure yourself, or just be exercising ineffectively, at the gym without proper guidance.

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  sghetti on 11/10/2018 - 11:09

  +2

  I only joined a few years ago. I would recommend finding a deal that includes a session to show you the ropes. I didn't do this as I simply observed who I perceived as being experienced and observed different exercises and movements. I'm generally a fit person to begin with, but had never used gym facilities before this.

  Also apps like Strong Workout for iOS include most of the different exercises you can do and have animations and guides on the correct movements and positioning. You can find most of what you need online about different exercises.

  Start easy, don't over-do it trying to impress or make it look like you lift heavy things for a living. Getting the movements right first is the most important thing, otherwise it leads to injury.

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  pf2 on 11/10/2018 - 11:14

  Not uncommon for gyms to have trial period and/or free PT sessions when you sign up. You can try negotiate free sessions and try to get them to waive joining fees too. Perhaps you can try a few near your house and work and see which you like before you lock yourself in one.

  I like going to classes as that motivates me to go and push a bit harder than if I went by myself. You can meet new people and trainers should show you how to do things properly. Specialised classes such as kettlebells or TRX etc would give you good ideas on different exercises and how to use the equipment properly. Others don't like classes and prefer doing their own thing. Classes tend to be more spin/circuit cardio/light weights based though.

  If you intend on doing heavier weights I would definitely recommend getting some PT sessions to show you the correct technique because you can really hurt yourself with bad form. Alternatively if you have a buddy who is into fitness/gym get them to show you the ropes. Start with light weights to get correct technique before building up to heavier weights. Watch lots of YouTube videos. Do not get intimidated at the weights section, no one is paying attention to you and if you ask nicely I'm sure people would help you out with tips. Remember to always rack your weights up or wipe down equipment after use!

  There are plenty of fitness apps that gives you ideas on routines, goal setting etc. Combine with a healthy diet you should see progress in no time!

  Good luck!

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  BarginHunter on 11/10/2018 - 11:33

  Thanks for all the responses so far. So far everyone has pretty much recommended I hire a PT which leads me to ask, how do I find a good PT?

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    sghetti on 11/10/2018 - 11:42

    +2

    As pf2 has said, if you have a friend who's experienced, it could be a good start to get them to show you. Otherwise the PT industry is rife with people doing 6 or 12 week courses and coming out with an "accreditation" to be personal trainers. Trainers with uni degrees in body mechanics etc. would be much better than someone with an AIS 12 week course behind them. The issue is, the more experienced or better the PT is, the more expensive their services will be.

    If you're just looking to understand some of the machines or correct techniques the PT offer from a gym would be a good start. Combine this with popular Youtube fitness channels with instructional videos to reaffirm what the PT has shown you is correct.

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      [Deactivated] on 11/10/2018 - 13:50

      PT industry is rife with people doing 6 or 12 week courses and coming out with an "accreditation" to be personal trainers.

      It's called skimming some kinesiology without a physics nor biology background. Good recipe for spitting out accreditations because they can always call these people back in to fill in the knowledge "gap".

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  spiff on 11/10/2018 - 11:34

  I also recommend a PT for a couple of sessions to get comfortable in a gym and maybe set up some goals. If you're ok with spending the money then by all means keep going with the PT. However if you want to be frugal there's no better channel for general resistance training than Athlean X on youtube.

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  87percent on 11/10/2018 - 11:58

  Most gyms give you free PT sessions when you sign up, but I would recommend having an idea of what sort of work outs you want to do , and then doing tours of your locals and seeing if they cater to it. Also, don't discount F45 gyms, IMO, as a beginner, you're more likely to go if there's other people

  Also, look at gumtree/Facebook for people wanting to transfer their membership to save some money

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  defro on 11/10/2018 - 12:09

  Most gyms will give you a free session with a pt from the get go.
  I would recommend getting a pt starting out.
  Right now you are developing movement patterns for these lifts and it's much better to get it right from the start as apposed to later on when bad movement patterns are ingrained.
  At the very start i'd recommend a full body routine where you are focusing on squats, deads, bench, overhead press as your main lifts this way every session with your trainer you are going to be going over the bread and butter lifts and getting your technique down.
  Even if your goals are to get swole the most jacked trainers won't always be the best when it comes to form and knowing what they are talking about.
  Ask around to see which trainers come most recommended and see if they align with your goals.
  As your just starting out I would recommend you try and take advantage of your noob gains for muscle mass.
  The first few months of training is where you will make the most muscle gains of your training life unless you are on the gear meaning I would recommend not focusing on losing fat at the start and eating a calorie deficit but rather eat a carlorie surplus, put on some solid muscle mass and then cut down later.
  Just my 2c.

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  DarthAntz on 11/10/2018 - 12:57

  -1

  do the couch to 5km to start with. get your cardio up. dont consume anything with sugar in it, and get your sweet fix from bananas.

  blood type diet is my recommendation too

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  cansydint on 11/10/2018 - 14:16

  +3

  DO NOT GO TO A COMMERCIAL GYM AND EXPECT ANY PT THERE TO GIVE YOU ANY VALUABLE INFORMATION

  You can easily spend some time on youtube, bodybuilding.com, simplyshredded.com, etc and find some easy workout plans to follow. Google videos of the exercises and figure them out on your own.

  Don't get roped into a PT program, they are useless and a waste of your money. Teach yourself, learn, and take this actual journey into your own hands. I've witnessed countless (and i mean countless) people start a gym, get a OT, do it for a few weeks and drop off program/gym routine

  Be consistent, if you set a goal to train 5 Days/week then do it. Taking time off is the enemy, skipping the gym for a few weeks is the enemy.

  All of these sites will also have easy to follow diets/meal plans to follow.

  By all means, go for a free PT lesson but go there with a plan of what YOU want to learn. Dont let them (profanity) you around with a goofy circuit, if need be join a few classes that the gym may offer to get your foot in the door. Fitness is a self journey, please dont waste your time and effort paying someone with zero actual knowledge to baby you and not teach you squat (put intended)

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    [Deactivated] on 11/10/2018 - 15:32

    The problems you mention with PTs are rife but there are good PTs out there. The crap ones are dead easy to identify because they usher you from one workout to another.

    The PT isn't there to tell you to "drop and give me 20". They are there to check your form. One pushup is all it takes. It's up to the client to repeat that form.

    The problem with googling exercises is that you're never going to know if you're doing it right. You need a competent PT to teach you how to engage particular muscles.

    The worst kind of PT is the one that takes clients through the machine circuit. The whole point of the machine is that they are idiot proof but they are also the least effective way to exercise.

    It's sad that people who don't learn how to lift properly resign themselves to machine movements. It is another thing to see people pay PTs to put them on machines.

    Get a good PT. A good PT will show you good movements. They may not even want to see you weekly and eventually, they'll want you to move to a level where you don't need them. These PTs are usually fully booked and probably in the vicinity of $120-200 per hour but it's money well spent. They're definitely much more qualified than 6-12 week PTs.

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  SnowDragon on 11/10/2018 - 15:15

  +1

  I've never had a PT - just did what my mate did and also did a bit of research myself and found exercises my gym catered for.

  I go to Zap Fitness. From what I can see the person who actually works at the front desk takes the newbies around and shows them how to use the equipment. They may or may not have accreditation though.

  As mentioned by others, there are plenty of guides online. Some more detailed than others. Here is a sample guide on BodyBuilding.com.

  I'd recommend not getting into an expensive gym when you're not sure on what you want. I've seen people go to $40+ a week and go maybe once a week if they're lucky. Some gyms also get you to sign contracts locking you in.

  Good luck on your adventures OP.

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  nahkk on 15/10/2018 - 15:43

  If you are aiming only for weight loss and not strength training or bodybuilding, consider your diet first. From my personal experience, I can confirm that having a controlled diet alone can do wonders for weight loss. I have been following a low-carb diet restricting my daily carbs input to 100g / day from my usual 350-400g/day. I lost 10kg in 5 months. However, note that every body is different and responds to same technique differently. Do consider the diet first. A good PT would also ask you to watch what you eat.