A Fresher's Guide To The Gym

Heading into the gym for the first time can be a daunting prospect. Those hot body girls performing each stretch perfectly, the buff gym rats lifting weights heavier than your own self, and the trainers hovering the gym floor like vultures, ready to prompt your technique.

And struggling with a 5-pound dumbbell won’t do you much good either. So, take a deep breath and take it easy.

Here are a few steps to settle you into your gym routine and turn you into a confident gym goer.

STAGE 1 – Warm Up

1. Stretch

Stiffen up your shoulders and slowly work your neck by rotating your head clockwise and anti-clockwise. Put your hands on your shoulders and move your elbows in a circular motion. Clockwise and anti-clockwise, both. Moving on, keep your legs stationary and twist your torso both left and right. Lastly, cross one arm in front your chest, then the other and repeat fifteen times. These are simple exercises to help you stretch before you start.

2. Treadmill

Let’s hop onto the treadmill next. Hitting the treadmill will burn your calories, accelerating weight loss. Whether your concern is to get in shape or losing weight, the treadmill is the best machine to help you reach your fitness goal. Start with a light jog or a brisk walk for 1 min and maintain a pace between 3 and 4 mph (4.8 and 6.4 km/h) for 20 minutes.

3. Cardio​​​​​​​

It’s time to move on from the treadmill and onto the cross-trainer. It provides a steady increase in intensity and opens up your body. The next is a session on a stationary cycle. It will help strengthen your bones and increase your muscle strength and flexibility.

On to the next stage.

STAGE 2 – Weight Training

Your body is now warmed up and ready to take on something more intense. Let’s turn the heat up and lift!

4. Push Ups

Push-ups are one of the best full body workouts and offer a great start to your workout regime. It mainly focuses on your arms, chest and upper body all at the same time. Push ups train your muscles to work together and become stronger. To do a proper push-up, keep in mind that your legs, hips, neck and head should be in a straight line. Lift your upper body off the floor using your arms and come back down to the exact same position.

5. Squat

Want to tone your legs, butt, and abs? Then squat is the best workout for you.
To start, place your fingers on the back of your head and slowly squat down. Your knees should be behind your toe line and keep your back straight. Now raise yourself back up and repeat.

Deciding to go to the gym is a big step in right direction.

It’s a path for bettering yourself.

Don’t worry about perfection, or having perfect form.

All you need is your devotion, dedication (and most importantly) your patience.

Get.Set.Sweat.