It is so easy to be intimidated in a gym full of men! I understand, I was there once as well! BUT there is only ONE way to OVERCOME your fears— conquering them! Ladies have a hard time in general because we tend to care about what everyone thinks of us. That is perfectly OK, just don’t let it get in the way of your fitness goals. As you slowly become more and more accustomed to the gym, you will start to feel more comfortable! Soon enough you will be walking around like you own the place.
Here are a few tips to ease into gym sessions:
PLAN for Success. Whether you can afford a trainer or not, go in with a PLAN! You are less likely to give up and go home when you set out on a mission to succeed. Check out different Web sites, Google or YouTube certain exercises, pick up your favorite FitnessRx for Women magazine, etc. As long as you have a plan going in, you are setting yourself up for SUCCESS!
Proper Form. As you perform your routine, make sure the form is correct. You can ruin a full workout with bad form! Focus and concentrate on each muscle you are working, feel the “burn” in each muscle group. Focus on each individual muscle fiber and really challenge yourself to use proper form.
Happy Medium. Don’t go TOO heavy and compromise form. Don’t go too LIGHT and miss out on the burn. Lifting heavier will increase your metabolism and burn more fat throughout the day. Women are NOT weak; it’s all in your head! Go ahead and pick up the heavier weight and challenge yourself! Push yourself but use a reasonable weight; slowly increase over time, challenging yourself!
Switch it up. The human body is smarter than you think! Switch it up and perform different styles of training each session. Examples such include Tabata, high-intensity interval training, heavy weight training, etc. Different training techniques will also target different muscle fibers and over time create more muscle definition.
Resting periods. Keep up with a faster pace if your main goal is fat loss. Rest in between sets, but not long enough for a conversation with a friend. Wear headphones or a hat so others don’t distract you! This is “me” time, so we may have to become a little selfish when it comes to the gym!
Go Often. Training once a week is not going to benefit your body. Ease in to the gym scene, but start with three times a week. With time, bump up the sessions, go more and more and reap the benefits!
Getting started is simple. Even though it is a little intimidating, don’t let the gym get the best of you (in that way) ;) OVERCOME and CONQUER your gym fears! Give it some time and soon enough you will become more comfortable with your daily routines. The gym doesn’t have to be intimidating; it is a fun atmosphere with like-minded people staying fit and healthy!
Till next time, stay DEDICATED and DETERMINED! “The SKYE’s the limit”!!!
SPECIAL THANKS TO ISAAC HINDS OF LIFT STUDIOS FOR THE GORGEOUS PHOTOS OF SKYE. Head over to www.liftsutdios.com to see more of his work and find how you can shoot with one of the fitness industry’s best.
