I know how hard it can be to start going to the gym for the first time.
For a lot of people, working out in a gym full of strangers is outside of their comfort zone, it was for me.
I remember the first time I stepped into the local gym.
Feeling like everyone is constantly staring at you.
Not knowing what to do, and thinking everyone is going to judge you for doing things wrong.
One of the most important things you need to remember, is that no one is REALLY watching you.
Maybe you will get some glances, mostly out of curiosity.
For the most part, a lot of people in the gym are always glad to give you tips, or show you the proper way to do an exercise.
This brings me to my first tip for getting started in the gym - Bring a friend.
Having a friend work out with you will relieve some of that nervousness, and they will also come in extremely handy as a spotter.
Using a spotter when working out is not only safe, but will help you push through plateaus by assisting you in squeezing out the last, very crucial reps.
The second tip is to start eating properly.
If you are going to be working out, you might as well keep your body in good working order while you're at it.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and getting the proper amount of protein throughout the day.
Also, don't neglect the carbs because you think you are going to get "ripped" if you do, carbs actually help burn fat.
We will get into this in a later article.
The third tip is to workout in moderation.
If you have never lifted weights before, and are eager to gain muscle and strength, you might be tempted to workout for hours at a time.
More is better, right? Wrong.
Your body is not used to the stress, and in the beginning will need more time to recover and grow.
I would suggest starting with a 3 day split, meaning, you will workout 3 days, and take 2 off.
You can find tons of these online.
The fourth and final tip (remember, this is just the basics) is to stray away from the thousands of "muscle building" supplements that you see in the bodybuilding magazines.
There are effective supplements for building muscle for sure, but in the beginning you should make sure your diet is on point before you start digging into these.
One supplement I would recommend however, even for a beginning is a pre-workout.
These are supplements that are taken prior to working out, and they provide a large boost in energy and focus (some better than others, check out our pre-workout review section for more details).
For a lot of people, working out in a gym full of strangers is outside of their comfort zone, it was for me.
I remember the first time I stepped into the local gym.
Feeling like everyone is constantly staring at you.
Not knowing what to do, and thinking everyone is going to judge you for doing things wrong.
One of the most important things you need to remember, is that no one is REALLY watching you.
Maybe you will get some glances, mostly out of curiosity.
For the most part, a lot of people in the gym are always glad to give you tips, or show you the proper way to do an exercise.
This brings me to my first tip for getting started in the gym - Bring a friend.
Having a friend work out with you will relieve some of that nervousness, and they will also come in extremely handy as a spotter.
Using a spotter when working out is not only safe, but will help you push through plateaus by assisting you in squeezing out the last, very crucial reps.
The second tip is to start eating properly.
If you are going to be working out, you might as well keep your body in good working order while you're at it.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and getting the proper amount of protein throughout the day.
Also, don't neglect the carbs because you think you are going to get "ripped" if you do, carbs actually help burn fat.
We will get into this in a later article.
The third tip is to workout in moderation.
If you have never lifted weights before, and are eager to gain muscle and strength, you might be tempted to workout for hours at a time.
More is better, right? Wrong.
Your body is not used to the stress, and in the beginning will need more time to recover and grow.
I would suggest starting with a 3 day split, meaning, you will workout 3 days, and take 2 off.
You can find tons of these online.
The fourth and final tip (remember, this is just the basics) is to stray away from the thousands of "muscle building" supplements that you see in the bodybuilding magazines.
There are effective supplements for building muscle for sure, but in the beginning you should make sure your diet is on point before you start digging into these.
One supplement I would recommend however, even for a beginning is a pre-workout.
These are supplements that are taken prior to working out, and they provide a large boost in energy and focus (some better than others, check out our pre-workout review section for more details).
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