The gym can be a daunting place, especially for women. Walking in and seeing the free weights section filled with men can be alarming enough to have us walk right out, thinking “it’s okay, didn’t need to work out anyway,” or making a beeline to the cardio equipment, where it feels safe. It can seem like such an intimidating environment at first, when it feels like everyone is looking at you and expecting you to either do something really amazing or super embarrassing. In addition, all of the wacky-looking equipment might be disheartening to try and figure out. But look no further! I’ve been there, and I know exactly what that feels like. Here are some tips for beginners who want to step out of their comfort zone and into the gym.
1. Familiarize yourself with the weight room
Don’t be afraid to take a look around and see where everything is located! Knowing where all of the equipment is can be essential to your comfort level in your surroundings. For the University of Rochester’s Fitness Center (inside the Goergen Athletic Center, or GAC), the machines are in the front of the room, with the free weights in the back left corner and the squat racks along the back wall. Upstairs, there’s the cardio equipment, like treadmills, ellipticals, and stair climbers. Keeping an eye out on the equipment you want to use next can be useful, since all of the squat racks fill up pretty fast, and there’s only one of each weight machine.
2. Plan your workout beforehand
Planning what you want to do beforehand saves the time of trying to decide while you’re at the gym. I also would recommend structuring your days based on how you want to work out, like doing legs one day, upper body another, full body another and so on. Having a structure can help you shape your gym time efficiently, particularly for when you might want to put heavier lifts (such as the barbell squat, bench press, and deadlift) vs. accessory movements (bicep curls, dumbbell lunges, and tricep extensions). Generally, heavier lifts should tend to be first, since you have more energy at the beginning of your workout. Accessory lifts can follow, to focus in on more specific muscle groups.
3. Know your resources
Youtube really does have videos on everything, you know. If you ever want to try a new movement, there’s most definitely a video on it somewhere on the internet, just waiting for you to click on it. Alongside that, most weight machines have a diagram on the side to show how it should be used, so that’s another resource that you can take advantage of. Gym staff are also always ready to help you and answer any questions you might have about equipment, so never be scared to ask! There’s really so many options for you to find what you’re looking for, whether it’s a question about a new movement, equipment, or anything gym related—you just have to know where to look.
4. Don’t be afraid to step into the free weights section!
Okay, I know it feels unsettling, and being surrounded by mostly big, scary-looking men isn’t super comfortable at first, but you just need to remember that everybody is so focused on themselves that they will not be paying attention to you. If you mess up, fall over, or drop a dumbbell on your foot and let out a yelp—none of that will have anybody blink twice. If you just remind yourself that nobody really cares about what you’re doing, the action of trying something new becomes much less frightening and less difficult to perform. So, walk in there with confidence, and you’ll walk out the same.
5. Don’t hold back, lift heavy!
There’s a common misconception that women benefit more from light weighted exercises; this is completely false. Everyone, regardless of gender, benefits from lifting heavier and getting stronger. Getting stronger means having more muscle mass, which means having a higher metabolic rate, reducing likelihood of injury, and improving your general health, amongst other benefits as well. If you’re afraid of becoming bulky like intense bodybuilders, that’s just not possible! Women do not have enough testosterone to grow big muscles in the same way that men do. So lift away, and add as much weight as you can handle (safely, of course).
6. Bring a friend!
If you don’t want to go for it by yourself, bringing a friend is always a good option. Having someone else there to help you try everything out, correct your form when needed and provide support can be so valuable to both of you. Also, you can spot each other for when you want to push your limits and have someone else to keep you accountable if you really want to be serious about working out. Lastly, having a gym partner can make the entire experience way more fun because you have someone to laugh with if either of you mess up and someone to push you to do your best.
7. Make sure you have everything you need (including your mask!)
Definitely bring a water bottle, your wallet (with your Student ID) and for COVID policies, you’re going to need a proper face mask. Right now, the Fitness Center at the GAC takes reservations for one hour blocks, so you just have to call the day before you plan to work out. They also take walk-ins, but you won’t be guaranteed a spot if capacity during that block is full, so I recommend making a reservation. The phone number can be found on the UR Athletics website, under Fitness Center FAQs.
I hope that now you feel more prepared with what you might be dealing with should you want to start going to the gym. It’s really not as intimidating as it might seem initially and you don’t need to be scared of trying something new. There’s going to be some time you need to adjust, which is totally okay! Just recall these tips and you’ll be a regular gym-goer in no time.