“SMART START” What the new person needs to know – Group Exercise

Nobody will be looking at you. You will find that everyone in classes will be focusing on themselves so you don’t need to be self conscious about what you are doing.
It doesn’t matter if you have two left feet. If you are moving you will burn calories even if you go in the wrong direction or use the wrong foot first.
You don’t have to do the whole class first time. If you aren’t sure you can do the whole class straight away speak to the instructor – we will be happy for you to give it a try and leave after a few tracks if that feels right for you – you can keep building up how you long you stay for over a few weeks. Some exercise programmes have specific plans in place for this (for instance Les Mills have SMART START where you can build up how much of a class you do over a few weeks / classes)
Classes tend to look more intimidating than they really are. If you look in on a class it will look like everyone is super fit and coordinated which can put some people off giving them a go. In reality everyone works to their own fitness levels, limitations and for their own reasons so there is no set standard of fitness or ability required.
There are always options. You don’t have to jump or run or do any particular exercise that you are not comfortable doing – the instructor will always give you alternatives and they will not make the class any less effective or less of a workout if you take them.
Try to arrive early. Just five or ten minutes will do. That gives you time to get set up and speak to the instructor without rushing or getting stressed – this is especially important if it’s a Group Cycle class or Body Pump class (or any other class which requires equipment) as having the equipment set up right here can make the class a lot more enjoyable.
Tell the instructor you are new. We try and look out for new faces but we don’t always manage to pick out everyone new in a busy class. When we know you are new to the class we can make sure you are set up, know what to expect, check for anything we might need to know to make sure we offer particular options that might help you.
Class goers tend to be friendly. Everyone remembers the first class they went to and you’ll find people will be happy to help you set up or give you a hand during class if you need one and the instructor isn’t close by (still go introduce yourself to us though!). If your nervous just give someone a smile or a hello and they will more than likely start chatting.
Take water. You will need it!
Have fun. My favourite thing about group exercise is that an hour moving to music goes so much quicker than an hour in the gym. Don’t worry about how good you are at what you are doing, have fun a do what you can and hopefully you’ll find that you soon see results without feeling like exercise is a chore.

What the new gym person needs to know

Nobody is judging you. We were all new once and only dicks take the piss out of new people in a gym- the rest of us take the piss out of those dicks (not new people).
Most people in a gym are not experts so don’t assume what that person in the corner who looks like a pro is doing is ‘right’.
There is no one way to train so don’t worry if people are doing different things to you.
If you aren’t sure how to do something ask a member of gym staff.
Book in for an induction – gyms are a lot less scary when you know how the equipment works.
Get a programme if your gym membership offers it- it will give you a good starting point.
Try classes. They can be a great place to start if you aren’t really sure about the gym itself.
Smile at people. Gym regulars tend to be a friendly bunch and we don’t think it’s weird talking to people we’ve never met in the changing rooms.
If you aren’t keen on the first thing you try try something else – there will be something you enjoy and that will be the best way for you to get results.
You don’t need to train every day. If you currently never exercise doing something once a week is a 100% improvement on your activity levels. You will still see results – it doesn’t have to be seven training sessions a week or nothing.

What Should I Wear To The Gym?

Simple answer.

Whatever you feel comfortable in.

And that answer is fine if you spend a lot of time training and know what does and doesn’t work for you. This blog isn’t for you though.

Because that answer isn’t very helpful if you are thinking about starting some form of exercise in the New Year and really don’t know what to wear. Then it’s just another obstacle to getting started. I know because years ago when I was overweight and knew that I probably needed to do something not knowing what I should wear (and not feeling comfortable in a ton of lycra) was a good enough excuse to keep putting getting started off.

So here’s some tips to get started:

You don’t need to spend lots of new kit. If you want to and can afford it and it will make you feel more confident by all means go splurge in Victoria Secrets. If you’re starting to dip your toe into the water you don’t need to though – go to Sports Direct or Primark and buy a couple of pairs of bottoms, a couple of tops and a couple of pairs of socks (and if youre female a couple of sports bras). They don’t need to be any fancy materials to start, as long as you feel comfortable and can move about in them they will work to get you started. As you get more into training and get to decide what you enjoy doing you can then invest in kit that works for that particular sport in time – right now those expensive compression running tops could be a waste of money if you find out that really you much prefer Zumba.
You don’t need super expensive trainers. Same as with clothes. Once you settle on a sport or area of training you may wish to invest in certain shoes (lifting shoes, dance shoes, running shoes, cycle shoes) but to start just buy a pair of trainers that are comfortable. Think about what you are planning on doing. If you are going to try classes out a trainer with a spin spot on the sole (a circle type mark on the sole will indicate this) can be useful as it allows you to turn on the spot (which you will do in most dance based classes but is also useful in classes such as Body Combat) – most trainers in the ‘studio’ section on a sports store website will have this. These shoes will also work well if you plan on venturing into the gym. If you are going to go running look for a trainer in the running section of the store / website- it doesn’t need to be expensive right now. For cycling classes you may eventually want to be a cycle shoe you can use cleats with but until you know it’s the exercise for you just pick a trainer with a decent sole (very thin soles will make the class a little painful).
You don’t need to wear very fitted clothes. Of course you can if that’s what makes you feel good but don’t feel the pressure to go super skimpy lycra clad if that will make you feel self conscious. People wear all sorts of things to the gym from baggy tops to brightly coloured comic strip style leggings so whatever style will make you feel good is the style to pick and if that means covering up or wearing something loose go for it (just try and make sure it’s not so baggy it impedes safe movement / is something you risk tripping up on!)
You don’t need to expose lots of flesh. As above, wear what makes you feel good. Some people like wearing shorts or a crop top to train in, others people prefer to wear leggings and vest tops or long sleeve tops – it has nothing to do with how ‘fit’ people are or what their abs look like – it’s just personal preference as to what makes people feel comfortable whilst training so go as covered or uncovered as you wish.
Your basic kit shopping list might look something like this:

Gym bag (big enough to fit everything in)
A sports bra (females) and a comfortable pair of knickers / Boxers
Leggings or shorts
A comfortable, breathable top (t shirt, vest, crop top) – not something like a jumper because you’ll just be too hot
Socks
Trainers
Hair bobble if you have long hair
Water bottle
Small towel

Gym to Office: A Packing Guide

What To Pack:

Gym bag – Small gym bags are cute. They are also impractical for the gym to office routine and will end up frustrating you. Pick something big enough to allow you to carry a winter outfit and boots as its better for it to be a bit roomier in summer than too small in winter. It’s a plus if they have a section for trainers / wet towels.
Towel: Ideally a microfiber one as they take up less room, are light weight and quick drying (can also be used multiple mornings before they need washing). Most common thing to be forgotten – emergency tip: use your gym kit as a makeshift towel when this happens!
Shower gel, Shampoo (2 in 1 with conditioner if you can) and deodorant. miniatures are expensive and don’t last long so just take full size ones. Keep them in a toiletries bag though because a leaking shampoo bottle is never fun.
Other toiletries – These will depend on what’s a non negotiable in your morning routine. I’m pretty minimal which helps from both a packing and getting ready with speed point of view but you may need moisturiser, hair spray etc. Remember though, the less you use the less you need to carry.
Hair brush. Mine is foldable to save space.
Hairdryer / straighteners. Now I don’t dry or straighten my hair as it’s naturally straight so I don’t need to. You may have a gym that has these in the changing room anyway. If you ned to use these products and the gym doesn’t have them consider getting travel sized versions to assist with packing.
Underwear. Second most common thing to be forgotten. It’s never fun going commando to work or wearing a sweaty sports bra (ladies) so just try not to!
Work clothes. You may or may not have a choice what you wear to work. If you can choose go for things that don’t easily crease.
Make up – Pack what you need for that day and no more. It helps save time getting ready and space.
Shoes – Third most common thing to forget. Some pro packers I know keep a spare pair in work for such occasions!

Benefits of paying someone else to programme a fitness plan for you

I’m a fitness professional and could quite easily programme my own gym workouts without the help of an online coach.

Instead I get a personalised programme every month. There’s a number of reasons why working with someone else, whatever your level of knowledge, can be beneficial and this is why I think it’s a good idea to work with someone on your gym programming, even if you don’t want or need a PT to physically be with you during your sessions.

Variety

If you programme for yourself the urge to stick to the exercises you like and avoid those you find tough completely is strong. If someone else does your plan for you, you will probably find yourself doing a wider variety of sessions and mixing in those moves you find challenging allowing you to get better results.

Another Perspective

Letting an outsider look at your goals and provide advice can be hugely beneficial to your results as they can often see your areas of weakness more objectively than you can and provide ideas on training that you may not have thought about.

Accountability

Checking in with a PT can provide enough accountability to keep you committed to your workouts.

Support

Having someone to check your technique or movement patterns or discuss concerns you might have can help you progress in a way you may not on your own. A coach / PT can give you that kick up the bum we all need sometimes. Likewise, having someone to cheer your successes and push you to reach your goals is equally as useful.

Online Training can provide great value and an alternative to face to face PT sessions (of course these are also super useful) and it allows you to work with someone outside your local geographical area. This means you can select someone with a particular specialism, to suit whatever your goals may be.

If you are looking for support for your training next year this is a great option to consider and if you need advice on how to pick someone I’d be happy to help!