#gym advice

[sir-big-bass-knight-of-ur-mum]

Guys…. Do not mix creatine and vegetable supplements into the same 16 ounces of water. The little bit of saved time is not worth what happens when it’s been digested

[weevil-enthusiast]

ok guys. it’s the new year which means a lot of people want to start going to the gym for one reason or another. here are some tips from an under qualified 18 year old who has been lifting and running consistently for almost four years.

1. make sure you know your goal. have you heard of SMART goals?

S- specific. your goal is specific. it isn’t “i want to run more” it is “i want to run four times per week”

M- measurable. you can measure your progress towards your goal. not “i want to have a heavier deadlift” it’s “i want to deadlift 200 lbs” and then you can track your deadlift from week to week to see how the weight you use changes

A- achievable. this is a goal you can achieve. i think this is a part that really trips people up. is running a sub-2 hour half marathon an achievable goal? yeah, for me. but if you haven’t run distance before or haven’t in a long time, you might not reach that goal. this also means your goal has a specific end point. you can point to a day or time and say “this is when i achieved my goal”

R- relevant. is this something that makes sense for you to work towards? obviously, everyone has different reasons to go to the gym and work out. if your over arching goal is to improve your squat, does it make sense to set a goal to do 10 push-ups? maybe! maybe you also want to improve your upper body strength. but if you are solely focused on lower body strength, setting the goal to do 10 pushups might not make sense to your progress.

T-time bound. there is a set time by which you need to achieve your goal. for a lot of people, this might be 1 year. for others, it might be more or less time. either way, having a deadline helps you stay focused on what you are trying to do.

2. when you are setting a goal, it’s ok if it doesn’t fit the SMART goal structure. one goal i have is to prevent knee injury because i run a lot and have a history of knee injuries. there are things i can do to prevent injury but i can’t exactly set a deadline or measure how un-injured my knee is. maybe having a deadline makes you more likely to obsess over a goal (i know it does for me) so maybe you choose not to have one. maybe you really do just want to be stronger or faster. make sure you know what that looks like for you. being able to see your progress is super helpful for motivation. this might be keeping track of the weight you use for your exercises over the course of many sessions over many months or keeping track if your pace as you run.

3. a lot of gyms will have machine orientations! staff will teach you how to use machines which is important if you are brand new!

4. be kind to yourself. you will likely be sore and tired after your first few workouts. that’s ok! make sure your give your body time to get used to a new routine. don’t dive headfirst into working out five days a week. start by going on your first day. then gage how your body feels, what you think you can do, and adjust accordingly. it might take a few weeks or more to work up to going a set number of times per week. just remember that they more you work out your muscles, the less sore they will get as you go.

5. listen to your body. this can be kind of tricky if you (like me,) tend to get obsessive about goals. if something hurts in a “not just sore” kind of way, take a little time off, avoid exercises targeting that area, and talk to a doctor if necessary.

6. there is unspoken gym etiquette. here are some things i’ve noticed at my local ymca.

try to avoid going on a machine directly next to someone if it is avoidable. try to pick a machine that allows for the maximum amount of other people to also follow this rule.

when swimming laps in a pool, you can split the lane with someone meaning you each swim up and back on one side.

try not to remain on the same machine for a super long time (like 30+ minutes), especially if it is the only one of its type in the gym. that doesn’t mean you can use it for 30 minutes but be conscientious of how much time you are there for, how many people are in the gym, and if you can let someone work in with you (alternate with you to use the equipment) (this isn’t so much etiquette as it is something i wish more gym bros at my gym would do)

7. people are likely not judging you. if they are, chances are you will never even know. don’t let what people might be thinking about you keep you from working out.

8. people might come up to you to help you with your form! it can be scary to have someone talk to you unprompted but don’t worry. most of the time, they are just trying to help. i’ve gotten some good advice from people on how to do bulgarian split squats. if you feel like they are giving you advice in bad faith, just thank them and ignore it. don’t let them ruin your time.

9. figure out what is fun for you. you aren’t going to want to stay consistent if you don’t enjoy what you are doing. try out different classes! try different gyms if you can! try different workouts! try different exercises! i love to run so i do a lot of running! i love to jump rope so I do a lot of that! i love to do hang cleans so I incorporate it into my workouts on fridays! if you like to dance or swim or roller skate or play basketball or cycle or walk, include it in your workout! exercise can be fun!!

[write]

Gym for beginners

If you’re new to gymming and weightlifting I would recommend you start by doing compound exercises (exercises that work multiple muscle groups) and practice them with good form and no weights or low weights until you’re confident in your form.

It is not a competition to do the exercise as fast as possible, rather a good place to start is doing about 2 seconds eccentric phase (lowering the weight) and 1 second concentric phase (lifting the weight).

When I change my routine and add new exercises I always start with low weight until I feel confident in my form.

Remember form is always more important than how much you lift!

Straight back, chest up, shoulders down, tight core.

[stargazer-fit]

For those scared of going to the gym

I’ve talked with a couple of my friends who have been interested in started working out and I’ve noticed they all had some questions and worries about entering the gym!

Things such as ‘but won’t people stare because I’m so big/small’ and ‘But I don’t know what to work on’  Don’t stress it! I’ve decided to make this post to talk about what helped me when I just started going to the gym :)

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If you’re worried about people staring at you while you work out

- don’t worry! Most people will just take a quick glance and go back to whatever they were working on, people don’t actually care as much as we think they do

- Most people wear headphones at the gym and you could too! Turn on your favorite music and get in the zone!

- Often you yourself might find yourself having a look around, people tend to zone out during their breathers between sets or they might take note of exercises other people do so they can implement it in to their own program

(You should try it ngl, helped me a lot when I didn’t know what to work on or when I got stuck in a routine for months on end)

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Aren’t I too big/small to be at the gym, won’t people laugh at me?

- Absolutely not! No matter if you’re skinny, chubby or on the more heavy side, you can do whatever you want and that includes going to the gym! We all have to start somewhere

- People who work out a lot tend to be quite nice (From what I have noticed) I’ve never seen anyone make fun of another person at the gym and from what I hear from others this tends to be true in general, we’re all just happy to see you at the gym trying to become a better and healthier you!

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I can’t really concentrate when I’m at the gym/I’m not motivated

- I had this problem a LOT when I first started myself, it’s mostly about getting used to it and finding your own pace. Having a gym partner and listening to new songs motivated me a lot and got me more invested when at the gym.

- Set goals! Doesn’t have to be big ones and they don’t have to be very deep or inspiring either, you’re doing this for yourself after all. What do you want to achieve? is it a healthier life style or do you just want to look a certain way? There’s no wrong answers!

- Even if you aren’t motivated but still really want to go to the gym, do it anyways! Make a schedule and follow it for the nect 1-2 months, force yourself if you have to, that way it becomes a habit and from there on out you’ll just want to go naturally! (Works for most people from what I’ve heard, can’t guarantee it works 100% )

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Don’t think too much about it, it’ll come naturally if you keep doing it!

[imlostandillneverbefound]

I've been trying to go to the gym more so I can be more comfortable with myself but it's hard when you have no idea what to do. Someone send help pls

[lil-miss-confidence]

So I'm trying really hard to get into a routine for the gym, but I cant figure out a good split. I go at least 4-5 days a week, but the machines make it difficult to split up muscle groups, especially the upper body machines. What do you guys do?? I'm trying to do lower body at least twice a day, with a glute focused day. But besides that it kinda all goes together

[ratchetwhispers-]

Gym/Fitness things

Don’t not eat carbs. They are a source of energy and by not eating them you are starving yourself. Complex carbs are good for you and should be eaten.

Eat breakfast. Smoothies are great in the morning but should not be the only thing you eat. If anything you should eat some sort of carb like quinoa or some shit so that you’ll be less hungry throughout the day and it is a source of energy. 

Just because you decide to go vegan. vegetarian or pescatarian does not automatically make you “healthy” please be aware of that and find new ways to find nutrients.

Green tea is great and whoever said that it is good before bed lied to you. The shits is caffeinated. If you want to drink tea herbal tea is good for sleep but if you’re dedicated to green tea before bed make sure there is no caffeine.

IG fitness people and models have been going to the gym for years and some people have muscular bodies genetically. The results you get are your own and should be special to you. Most of them are just maintaining an already “fit” body.

While working out and weight loss can do wonders for the self esteem please do not forget that many people replace eating disorders for working out and that also isn’t healthy.

When working out and trying to lose weight. You should not just be eating less. You need to eat strategically because you should not be hungry. 

When going for greens, try going for spinach because there are more nutrients in it compared to cucumbers, lettuce and celery and so if you were to replace all your carbs for greens (not a look) try doing for leafy greens like spinach as there is no taste. You  can also throw it in everything. 

Juicing is a lie. You should not just be drinking juice. 

Flat tummy tea is just green tea and laxatives. An alternative would either just be green tea (in the morning) or just a smoothie with flax and/or chia seeds as they make you regular and they are filled with fiber.

Meal prep is your friend. Do it. Commit to it. A smart thing to do would be doing two meal preps a week so you do not get bored throughout the week and it will add more variety. Also doing one big meal prep can be time consuming so splitting it is a wave.

Go grocery shopping with recipes in mind. It’s better for your wallet and it gives more incentive to cook and shit. 

Beans are the wave.

Just because you’re eating “healthy”does not mean you do not need spices.

Do not deny yourself foods you like. Just find alternative. Rather than longing for a cheat day. Find healthy versions of shtis you like. EX: I like sweets. I shouldnt be eating sugar or dairy. SO, Vegan pastries are a wave because while it is still a pastry I dont feel as trash and also there is less bad things. Anyhow, I eat vegan pastries because I still want good shits.

Do not deprive your body of shits. If you want to change your diet. Transition into it. 

Raw veganism is a joke.

If you are hungry drink water and if you find yourself still hungry, eat. There is a difference between being bored and hungry and actually being hungry. As a hoe that has been poor I know it. But your body is yours.

You can still enjoy food you like while working towards your fitness goals. 

Currently I am trying to cut (so lose weight) which means that I am eating less carbs and sugars but I also am eating mad protein because I train muscles. So currently my diet looks like this:

Breakfast:

Green Tea (nothing added), cereal or peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat and a green smoothie with fruits, kale, spinach, protein powder, flax and chia seeds. I hate breakfast but other things I will be trying are breakfast salads with quinoa, strawberry and spinach and protein powder crepes. 

During the day I snack on fruits, spinach, my brownie and a fruit rollup. I drink water constantly. 

Lunch: Chicken salad with spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, yellow bell pepper shredded carrots and red cabbage. My chicken is seasoned to my linking and I put a lot so that I have my protein. 

I eat the salad until my work day ends. It is a pretty large bowl and I have tea at around 1:00pm.

Dinner: Same salad or lettuce wraps. 

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Anyhow your body is yours. Fitness is a lie and it is relative but if you are working towards a goal and shit. You should really inform yourself. I’ve just been annoyed at the posts about fitness because they’re filled with tall tales. As someone that has been working out for almost 5 years these are tips and things that have been great for me. I’m gonna finish this later with actual workout things as well. 

Be mindful of yourself and your body while working towards your goals. 

[squatcode]

So live it to the fullest!