3 Things We Wish We Knew Before We Started Gymming
Starting a fitness routine can be intimidating, but with the right mindset and approach, it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life! Want to make a change by going to the gym but don't know where to start? Here are 3 tips to make your first gym experience a great one!
1. Set Goals For Yourself!
The first step to getting started in the gym is setting clear goals for yourself. For example, what do you hope to achieve in the gym, be it at the end of a session or over 3 months? Goal setting is crucial as it sets the foundation upon which all your progress is built! Without it, it can be easy to lose motivation and direction. Setting goals allows you to focus your efforts, track your progress, and measure your success as well!
When you set a specific goal, such as losing 10kg or being able to do 10 pull-ups, you know exactly what you are working towards. This can help you create a workout plan that is tailored to your specific needs, and keep you motivated as you work towards your fitness goals. Additionally, the sense of accomplishment that comes after achieving what you set out to do at the beginning can be incredibly rewarding and propel you to set even more ambitious goals for the future!
Want to know more on how to set SMART and sustainable goals for yourself this year? Check out our tips on how to successfully set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely fitness goals here!
2. Know The Basics
While you don't have to know EVERYTHING about fitness or the gym before getting started (trust me, even the most experienced guy in the gym doesn't truly know everything), some fundamental knowledge of training terminology and equipment mechanics can really help kickstart your gym journey!
Don't know where to start reading? We got your back! Here's a cheat sheet of some of the commonly used terms in gym programmes that will be useful to know:
Warm-up: refers to any bodily movement performed in preparation for the workout; can be in the form of stretching or performing the exercise at a lighter weight
Rep: short for repetitions; the number of times an exercise is performed in a set
Set: number of rounds a certain number of an exercise is performed (e.g. 3 sets of 8 reps = 24 times the exercise is performed)
Superset: 2 or more exercises performed back-to-back
Rest: period where no work is done between sets
Strength Training: refers to exercises that make muscles work against a weight or force to improve muscular strength, size and/or endurance
Cardio: refers to moderate-vigorous intensity exercises that get your heart rate up and improve your cardiovascular system (e.g., running on the treadmill, cycling, swimming)
HIIT: acronym for High-Intensity Interval Training; refers to exercises which alternate between short bouts of high-effort and low-intensity recovery periods
Free Weights: barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells -- any equipment you can find that you can move about in any way you like
Cables: pulley system with different handles that can be attached to various machines and workout systems to target different muscles
Machines: various gym equipment designed to target different muscles by guiding your movement along a fixed path
Curious as to what the various gym machinery are, what muscles they work and how to operate them? Check out our Intro to Equipment Series on Youtube to find out more on machines such as the Flyes Machine and Smith Machine!
While the list above is not exhaustive, it does give a good idea of what you can expect to see or do in the gym. More information about fitness and the gym can be found easily from various platforms such as the internet and even Tiktok! If you're unsure of how to do an exercise in the gym, you could also ask a stranger or the friendly gym staff. However, remember that with the vast amount of information out there, it is important to double check if the knowledge provided is correct or not. Check out our Instagram for more credible, bite-sized fitness facts to expand your knowledge in this area!
3. Consistency > Intensity
You've set your goals. You now know the basics of the gym. You're excited to start your fitness journey and make progress as soon as possible! Motivation is at an all-time high and you want to go hard every day. That's great! But my advice? Go slow at the start and pick up on intensity once you've found a comfortable rhythm for yourself. And most importantly, be patient and consistent.
Consistency is important for beginners because it allows the gradual adaptation of the body to the demands of exercise. At the start, it is better to exercise regularly at a low-moderate intensity than to exercise sporadically at a high-intensity! By consistently challenging the body over time, beginners will start to see improvements in strength, endurance, and overall fitness without risking injury or burnout. Going too hard at the start can lead to strains, sprains, and other physical problems. The body needs time to recover and repair itself between workouts, and if it is not given that time, it can become fatigued, making it more difficult to make progress. Additionally, consistency in exercise is important as it helps to form good habits and ingrains it into one's daily routine!
A balanced approach with a mix of cardio, strength, and rest days is recommended for optimal results as a beginner in the gym. Not sure how to go about programming such workouts for yourself? At FITLUC, our team of devoted Personal Trainers is here to help! With a clear understanding of your goals and both the demands and limitations of your body, our trainers can and will customise a workout especially for you to achieve your fitness goals. Personal Training can make achieving your fitness goals easy and stress-free! Just leave it to us. All you need to do is show up!
My final piece of advice? JUST. DO. IT. Take the first step. The more you procrastinate, the more time wasted! So what are you waiting for? Give us a try and #GetThatFITLook! Drop us a WhatsApp message at +65 8812 0110 or book a Personal Training trial with one of our dedicated trainers to explore if Personal Training is the best choice for you!
Just a heads-up, it will probably be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.
This article is written by Rachelle Sim.
About FITLUC
Looking for a Personal Trainer in Singapore? Look no further! At FITLUC, we specialise in In-Person and Online Personal Training, and we also offer house-call PT with a small additional fee. We currently base our Personal Training clients at a well-equipped gym just a stone's throw away from Outram Park MRT.
We are recognized as one of the Top 12 Best PT in Singapore and were featured on Mothership, The Straits Times, YES 93.3FM, Yahoo News, etc. Our Personal Trainers have worked with clients aged 13 – 84, from Celebrities to CEOs, working professionals and homemakers, with goals ranging from fat loss, weight loss, muscle gain to athletic performance and elderly training. Our celebrity clientele includes Tay Ping Hui, Maxi Lim, Hazelle Teo, Tayying, Lee Teng, Ze Tong, Benjamin Tan, Jaspers Lai and more.