New Year’s Gym Resolution: Navigation Tips for Long-Term Success

You just joined a gym as part of your New Year’s Resolution to get into shape, and maybe feel a little intimidated by the whole new environment. Congratulations on taking the first step toward fitness.

In the gym are dozens (sometimes hundreds) of machines and contraptions, all designed to get you into shape. You've also seen the calendar of so many fitness classes, it would take you months to try all of them.

You may feel confused and conspicuous the first few times you walk in the gym. However, the best place to begin is with the new member orientation.

Go to Your New Member Orientation

After you join a gym, you may be offered a new member orientation and/or free class with a fitness trainer. You might be tempted to skip it, but DON’T... you can learn super valuable information, even if you're a veteran exerciser.

During this appointment, a personal trainer or other expert will give you a tour of the club and give you the basics of how things work. Other things that may be included are a full health assessment; body fat analysis; instructions on how to use basic strength training machines; help in choosing exercises, reps and sets; how to use different cardio machines; and general workout guidance based on your trouble spots and goals.

Too often, new members skip the orientation either because they already know what they're doing or because they want to avoid a sales pitch for personal training. But, even if you already exercise, an orientation will show you where things are located, how to adjust the machines and it will also give you a familiar face at the gym. It's nice to have someone you can go to for help if you need it.

Cardio Section

Most gyms are divided into different areas with cardio on one side and strength training on the other. The cardio section may look like an endless sea of giant treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes with TVs scattered throughout.

Here's something to you feel better: Most machines will have instructions printed on the console that tell you how to get started. To help you even more, the following is a breakdown of the most common cardio machines and which ones are great for beginners:

Try choosing a cardio machine that you feel most comfortable with to start and allow time to learn how to use it properly. Then over time you can mix things up and do more variety.

Strength-Training Machines

The strength-training area may be the most confusing in the entire gym, full of odd-looking contraptions with handles, straps, and cables.

The good thing is that most gyms organize their strength-training equipment to help you navigate a little easier. For example, you might find machines categorized by muscle group, such as chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs and lower body.

You'll probably notice that there are a variety of machines for each muscle group—a regular chest press machine, an incline chest press, a pec deck, which all work the chest.

Your best bet is to choose one exercise or machine per muscle group. When you go through your orientation, the trainer will most likely show you the machines you can start with for a basic workout. But, an example of a beginner workout on machines might be:

Machines beneficial because they provide support while you learn how to perform the exercises with good form. They also don't require as much stabilization or coordination as free weights. Once you get stronger and more confident, you can add free weights to work on other areas of the body.

Free Weight Section

If the strength-training machines weren’t confusing enough, how about giant racks of dumbbells, barbells, plates? The free weight section usually will be close to the machines and you may find a variety of equipment including dumbbells, barbells, flat and incline benches, weight racks, and bench press stations.

If you're not familiar with dumbbell or free weight exercises, you might want to hire a trainer to get individualized help. You'll also find detailed free weight exercises in exercises for individual muscle groups.

Group Fitness Classes

Another section that may scare a new member is the group fitness area. Most clubs will have a studio with multiple classes offered. Some gyms may have separate areas for yoga or cycling-specific classes. Common classes offered at large gyms are yoga, Pilates, spinning, kickboxing, strength-training, dance classes, and barre classes. If your club has a pool, they might offer water aerobics as well.

Read through the classes your gym offers, you may find something you've always wanted to try... and now is your chance!

If you're shy, these tips might help:

Don't be afraid to try something new. Just make sure you read the class descriptions and choose workouts that fit your fitness level and goals. Remind yourself you can always leave if you don't like the class.

Be Confident in the Gym

You may feel nervous in the beginning, but with time you’ll feel more at home and comfortable navigating your gym. As with anything else, consistency is important. Get into a routine of going to the gym often because the more you go, the more comfortable you’ll feel!

Also, pay attention to unwritten workout etiquette, such as cleaning up after yourself and being aware of your surroundings.

According to one research poll, only 19 percent of people stick to their resolutions long-term (at least two years). To help you be one of the 19 percent, make your gym resolution convenient to yourself. This can be done by choosing a gym close to home or work, mixing up your workout routine, working out with a friend, going straight to the gym from work, putting it on your schedule, and rewarding yourself with new workout clothes or other non-food rewards when you hit your milestones in 2020.