5 things I wish I knew starting the gym

“I will just join a gym and get ripped in 6 months or so” you can’t deny the enthusiasm of people setting out to achieve their dream physique. However, in a world where we want everything, and we want it now, it’s not common to achieve your dream physique in such a time frame. 

After weight training for over ten years, in which I gained (and lost) serious amounts of fat and muscle. These are the 5 things I would tell my skinny teenage self when starting the gym. 

If I could go back and tell my then-teenage self 5 tips to fast-track my results, these would be it; 

Find a workout rhythm that you can be consistent with

Weightlifting is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. To get the best results, you need to do whatever you choose consistently. 

If you are just starting out, getting up at 5 AM 7 days a week might burn you out physically and mentally. You are far better off finding a workout rhythm that you can commit to and do it consistently. 

Training partners. It can be fantastic for supporting you through your fitness journey or can be the polar opposite. If you and your partner want to train at different times or have different goals, it might be worth trying to find a new training partner. 

Not all weight is good weight.

When I started the gym, I weighed about 68kgs (149lbs). After nearly four years later I weighed in at my heaviest weight of 106kgs (233lbs). While some of that weight was muscle, plenty of it wasn’t. 

I was under the impression that bigger was better, but this isn’t true. I was slow, unfit and pound for pound pretty weak. Fast forward a few years, and I weigh between 84kgs (185 lbs) – 88kgs (194lbs) all year round. As for my strength, all my barbell activities (squat, bench and deadlift) are all still the same weight.

Now some of those additional kgs definitely would have helped my muscle development grow faster than being consistently lean. Still, I think that that benefit was negated by having to ‘cut’ to lose the weight. 

Learn to lift first, then get heavy

How often do you hear “3-5 reps for strength training and 10-12 for gaining size”? Firstly, it’s not true, but this deserves its own article, so we will link it through when it’s available.  

To gain muscle and size, lifting heavy weights is the best way to achieve results quicker. However, first, you need to learn how to lift correctly. 

There is no point in ego lifting heavy weights with bad form just because it’s heavy. Start with a rep range that allows you to get good form, then periodically increase the weight. There is no excuse for bad form, there is loads of free good information available to learn how to lift weights properly. 

Everybody is different. Comparing is pointless.

Every new year the joke of the “new years resolutioners” circles the gym. “Don’t worry, they will be gone by February” is often what the regulars say. The truth is we all start somewhere. At least they are there showing up, giving it a go, showing them some support and not putting them down will only make you stronger. 

It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others, that doesn’t mean it is helpful. Not everybody in the gym has the same goals, situations, genetics, circumstances. I can assure you that you will get the best results comparing yourself to you than anyone else. 

The “big guy” at the gym might be a professional athlete that works out hours every day to pack on that muscle, or they could be genetically gifted and puts muscle on effortlessly. You just never know. 

The moral of the story is there is a difference between healthy competition with training partners and categorising others. 

Set good goals

Setting any goal and achieving it in life has to be the most satisfying feeling, right? Fitness goals are not different. Setting fitness goals not only sets you up for success. It gives you motivation, improves your discipline, increases your drive. 

One of the most common first mistakes people make is setting the wrong goals. We will write another article about goal setting. But in summary, you need a realistic short term and also a long term goal. 

To achieve your absolute dream physique, it might take you a quarter of the time it took someone else, or you may never even reach it. My recommendation to people starting is to have a;

Conclusion

If you are thinking about getting into the gym or have just started the gym, the advice is simple. Set goals. Be consistent. Enjoy the process. 

What would be your advice to people starting at the gym?