Since becoming a mom, it has been a bit more difficult to keep my motivation up with regard to fitness. Motivation and time dipped even lower when I went back out to work.
I love being active, I really do. But when you have to muster up every bit of energy to get everything you need to get done as a wife, mom and employee, you sometimes have no energy for yourself.
Though, you could up your energy levels if you make the time to exercise. Ah, the gift of irony. 😐
Anyway, this post is not about my never-ending health and wellness journey. It is about what happens when you go to a gym for the first time. While I have been to the gym before, I hadn’t visited in some years.
I am generally awkward and klutzy (but in the most loveable way) when I am faced with new situations. As such, the visit to the gym yesterday with my sis would of course follow the same vein.
I am not a big fan of gyms. I prefer group workouts – walking, spin, Zumba, aerobics, aqua-aerobics. Anything but the gym (EXCEPT running.)
Yet I actually had fun. Probably because I had company to be awkward.
But there are some things you can’t avoid when you go to the gym for the first time. It becomes so obvious that you are a newbie. Read on for a list of 5 of these things.
1. You need a map
Now, this might be more the exception than the rule but yesterday we could have used a map.
The gym we went to was on a compound that had other facilities. Furthermore, it had three floors (that we know of). We initially were going to a spin class that we thought started at 10:00 am but it actually started at 9:15 am.
Nonetheless, we decided to use the facilities. But it would have been easier if we knew where things were.
The first floor seemed to be designed for bodybuilders which we clearly were not, so we went to the second floor. Most of the cardio machines and other gym equipment were here so we knew we were in the right place. But we were speculating where the spin class room was. We didn’t see anyone leaving around the time we estimated the class to be over. Eventually, a lady showed us a set of stairs leading to a third floor where she said the class is held. Climbing down three flights of stairs after a spin class? All I could think was “allyuh too wicked!”😆
The pinnacle of needing a map came after our workout. My sis decided to go wash her face and sashayed straight into the men’s washroom. To her credit, the door was open so we didn’t see the sign and I thought nothing of it until I saw a guy also sashay in the bathroom, not even correcting my sister. She ran out laughing while another lady was looking on in confusion.😕 She did point us to the female bathroom though.
2. You don’t know proper gym etiquette
I think I broke almost every proper gym etiquette rule during our visit. 😟
First of all, I forgot to walk with a towel and I started sweating within 5 seconds of my workout. Sorry fellow gymmers (gymborees? gymnastics?). I will do better next time.
Then we didn’t clean the equipment at first. But that was because I thought there were no provisions for us to do this. Then I noticed the paper towel thingamabobs and disinfectant spray bottles. So we started cleaning up after ourselves.
Furthermore, with my non-observant self, I went to use a leg machine without realising it was already taken. While I was trying to figure it out, my sister pointed out that there was someone’s water bottle and phone in the little pouch of the machine. I looked up to see a guy looking on, thankfully not upset. He encouraged me to stay and even helped me figure out the machine. Of course this was after an awkward exchange, when he asked me which leg muscles I was trying to work on. I stared blankly at first, then laughed and told him that I was working out whatever I could.
I really had no strategy at that point. My sister and I were just looking for the machines we could figure out. 🤷♀️
3. All machines look complicated
So yeah, we were working our muscles by a process of elimination. We used whichever equipment looked the least complicated or looked like one we had used at some point before.
But before that, we had to figure out the cardio machines. I had been to this gym before but it was a while ago and they were at another location. So they had gotten even fancier equipment than I remembered. We got on the treadmill and tried to set it manually with no concept of what a beginner set up would be. Long story short – we started way too fast. Thankfully these machines are set up so they can be adjusted quickly.
While most of the other equipment had instruction manuals, they didn’t exactly cater for newbies who cannot even adjust the machines. A few times a couple persons intervened to help and only one time I thought I was going to break my arm. 😖
4. You feel awkward and ungraceful during…
After we gave up on figuring out the equipment, we decided to lift some weights.
My sister is much more accustomed to lifting weights than I am, so I was following her lead. Except in the grace department. She was looking so cool doing it but I looked so awkward holding them.
The fact that we were doing it in front of a mirror didn’t help my case, I kept chuckling at myself.
I guess the grace will come with practice.
5.…But you feel like a million bucks after
Despite all the slight misadventures, I really enjoyed our gym session. I felt proud and triumphant. I felt strong and motivated. I felt like I gained some arm muscles and butt muscles.
Okay, so maybe that last one won’t happen in just one workout but I swear after the stepper, I felt like I had some buns of steel! Or some buns of copper for the very least.
Working up a sweat makes you feel so great. I live for those endorphins!
Having company in your awkwardness is also a plus.
So maybe, just maybe, the gym will see me again…
The fitness journey continues…
So did you have any similar experiences when you went to the gym for the first time? Do you have any tips for newbies? Share in the comments!🙂
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