From stage fright to triumph, how to survive your first bodybuilding sessions: 5 golden rules

2023-06-07 16:00:34

We all remember his first time… when we timidly entered, trying to avoid eye contact to rush into the first machine that came to a corner of the room…

5 to 10 repetitions later, the session was over.

The thing is, stepping into the gym for the first time can be something very intimidatingand this, for the first few months following your “iron baptism”!

So, if you want to avoid having to wonder what you can “do here”, here are some basic rules to get you started. in the best conditions (and the best state of mind) possible.

1/ Everyone only has eyes for themselves

I know, you’re afraid of being judged on your curtain rod physique, embarrassed, or doing something wrong like rip your poom poom shorts in the middle of a squat…

It’s understandable, but you absolutely have to know one thing, the population in the weight room only think of one thing : her little buttocks!

So much so that no one will look or judge yours.

Everyone is here for a common purpose, to get better and healthier.

Even that guy (mostly him actually) who’s been squatting the rack for 30 minutes doing a bicep curl is too busy looking at his reflection in the mirror to pass judgment on you.

The thing is, everyone’s been there and started somewhere.

Although people are basically there for thembut don’t be afraid to ask them for help.

As we know, practitioners who receive support through coaching or other have more chance of success in their goals.

Put your shyness and your pride aside and go to peopleyou may meet great people!

Bodybuilders are generally kind and happy to help, just don’t ask those wearing headphones, they just want to be ignored.

Read also: 20 tips I wish someone had given me when I started bodybuilding

2/ Don’t be afraid to use free weights

shadow boxing man — Don’t want to be looked at weirdly? Maybe you should put your t-shirt back on and stop doing shadow boxing between each bench set…

There is something comforting about machines. Coiled in, we are apart, secure.

On the other hand, we can quickly think that free weights, dumbbells and other bars are dedicated to the pros… nay!

The machines have guided trajectories, small explanatory notes and are considered to be “simpler” to use, of course.

But their pattern of fixed movement can also have its constraints.

For example, if we compare the deadlift to the smith machine with the free bar, we have on one side a natural movement and on the other a fixed trajectory (on the machine) which can make the exercise more complicated and less efficient.

This does not mean that all machines are bad, but using the right tools according to the exercises is essential.

and bref, get into the habit of using the right gear from the start, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone. Ask the local coach to give you a tour of the facilities.

3/ Train as if your mother were there

put the weights back — Avoid grabbing all the weights in the room and above all, remember to put them back in place when finished

If there’s one thing people don’t compromise on, it’s not putting your weights away after use.

In a utopian world, influencers would film TikToks of themselves put the weights used in the right placesinstead of exposing their pairs of buttocks wrongly and through pork.

Well, in reality, it is quite likely that you will enter a room where it is anarchy, with all the weights on the ground, not in the right places, bars loaded and abandoned…

More Just because others aren’t doing it doesn’t mean you shouldn’tthink back to your dear mother and the education she passed on to you.

Be civilized and see it as part of your training, putting the weights away means lifting more, therefore claiming more muscle gains.

Similarly, we will avoid growling like a warthog and drop the weights heavily to the floor on each repetition.

4/ Above all, never forget…

woman sweating profusely — Sweat it out, but don’t forget to moisturize and replace!

Your water bottle!

As logical as it may seem, it’s good to remember, our body is mostly made of waterwe lose about 1 L via sweat per hour of sport.

Also Read: Secrets of Athlete Sweat: 9 Amazing Facts You Need to Know About Your Sweating

If you don’t want to get dehydrated and underperform, bring your bottle.

Imagine pulling yourself out of your last set of dehydrated squats, finding that your only option to replace the lost puddle at your feet is…the gym fountain.

Well, it’s not that bad, but having your own water bottle is always a good thing!

Last advice, pell-mell

Finally, here is a last list that will be useful to you, please copy it 50 times to your training log:

“I shouldn’t eat less than an hour before my workout unless I want to test how quickly the staff cleans up a vomito,”
“I will not practice the ego dumbbell”,
“I don’t need pre-workout or protein powder (as long as I get enough of it on my plate)”,
“I shouldn’t do my training in a pair of tap shoes, unless I want to have black nails without varnish”,
“My physical transformation is a marathon, not a sprint, 5 sessions per week will not help me if I stop after a month”,
“I shouldn’t stare people who train in the eyes, it’s very uncomfortable”.

One last word ? Bravo !

Just hitting the gym is a big step you’ve taken, and as silly as it sounds, you should congratulate yourself for it.

Enjoy the process, the first two years are great, your body will change for the better!

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