[City]

Hi all,

I'm seeking some advice for getting started at the gym (I know, asking a gaming community is totally the right place). One of my work friends has encouraged me to start going after talking about life, and how it would help me build confidence for myself and feel better overall. I've never had a gym membership before, don't know how to use any equipment other than a treadmill, and am nervous about making myself look like a fool because of it. Don't even know what exercises or workouts to do, don't have any specific health goals just want to be active and maybe tone up a little bit. If anyone has any personal experience to share or any advice, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 

Additional context: been kinda discouraged and stuck recently, and through talking with this work friend I've been encouraged to find outlets/hobbies. He recommended the gym as a start. Occasionally on my days off I'll go for walks, used to bike but not really anymore.

[bunniey]

Every time you go, stretch first (stretches are all good), and start with like ten minutes of cardio.

As a person who has never really taken exercise seriously for more than a few months at a time, getting your body used to exercise is the biggest first step imo, getting over the hump of feeling winded by doing anything is huge, and focusing on cardio early on is a good way to get into that. Get your lung capacity up, get your stamina up, all that.

The rest, I'll leave in the capable hands of @jax or @dong or @stoked if they so choose to look at the forums, they're good at doing the gym thing.

[Norm Minder]

Make sure you're going consistently and regularly. Work it into your schedule accordingly and keep going until it becomes a habit and don't miss a day because you "don't feel like it".

The day you stop making gains is the day you stop going entirely. Too many people quit too early and never reap the benefits. Don't be one of them.

Also proper form is better than heavier weight always keep that on mind

[Spoon (2)]

For starters, create a realistic goal and highlight what it is you are ultimately trying to achieve. It is hard to begin your fitness journey with no clear mindset or vision.

As for how to begin, you will  receive various answers regarding your journey, but nobody knows your body better than you do and it’s important to keep that in mind.

I highly suggest speaking to your primary care physician before taking any advice from strangers online.

With those three things noted, I would start by understanding what resources your body requires to build muscle: carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals and so forth. It is important to understand what your body needs, and while you and I obviously need the same things, we are two different people and our bodies will require different caloric and nutritional values to maintain or grow.

My routine for general overall health and performance is a 5 day PPL split that I found online years ago (Push-Pull-Legs or Pull-Push-Legs to avoid leg day after deadlifting).

It looks like this:

PUSH
4x5, 1x5+ bench press/4x5, 1x5+ overhead press (alternate in the same fashion as the rows and deadliFs)
3x8-12 overhead press/3x8-12 bench press (do the opposite movement: if you bench pressed first, overhead press here)
3x8-12 incline dumbbell press
3x8-12 triceps pushdowns SS 3x15-20 lateral raises
3x8-12 overhead triceps extensions SS 3x15-20 lateral raises

PULL
Deadlifts 1x5+/Barbell rows 4x5, 1x5 + (alternate, so if you did deadlifts on Monday, you would da rows on Thursday, and 50 on)
3x8-12 Pulldowns OR Pullups OR chinups
3x8-12 seated cable rows OR chest supported rows
5x15-20 face pulls
4x8-12 hammer curls
4x8-12 dumbbell curls

LEGS
2x5, 1x5+ squat
3x8-12 Romanian Deadlift
3x8-12 leg press
3x8-12 leg curis
5x8-12 calf raises

I supplement my diet with 5 grams of creatine, whey protein and L-Glutamine; however, as I mentioned before, DO NOT take diet advice or supplement advice without the guidance of a licensed health professional. 

I also suggest watching videos from Jeff Nippard on YouTube. He has some great videos based on science.

Formatting sucks because I’m on mobile, so I may touch up on some things later on. Or maybe not. 

Hope it helps.

[dong]

Comment above me explained just about everything I'd tell you split wise. There are tons of helpful videos out there that go in depth on each exercise. If you're wanting to bulk up I recommend doing a clean bulk.. you'll have to reach exactly how to do that though. I did a dirty bulk for the culture, but you'll feel awful during.

Biggest piece of advice I can offer is to not lift more than you're capable of (essentially ego lifting). Find something that is uncomfortable, but you're still able to do 8-12 reps for 3 sets and not sacrifice your form. After awhile you'll build strength and keep upping the weight. You'll want to ALWAYS focus on proper form and make sure you feel all the different contractions. Allow proper time for recovery between each set unless you're super setting something.

I do cardio just about every session now. Times vary depending on what day it is for me, but I try to do at least a half hour. If you wanna cut weight you should try treadmill incline of 11+ and put speed at 3.5 or 4. It is a pain, but helps A LOT.

For supplements I just take daily men's vitamins, protein shakes/powder, creatine, sometimes pre-workout (that is NOT required).

[Market Down]

I came in here to say everything that Demi Lovato did.

Absolutely never be embarrassed to ask questions to someone in the gym that seems to know what they're doing! Even the biggest guys in the gym were beginners at some point, and they didn't get that big by accident. They know what they're doing and are almost always the most willing to share that knowledge.

I lost 30 pounds last year just getting up and doing the damn thing, and now it absolutely wrecks my day if I miss my gym time.

I'm currently trying to lose another 20 pounds, so I don't do creatine at the moment but if you're trying to bulk up I recommend it. I take a daily multivitamin and a protein shake.

[City]

Make sure you're going consistently and regularly. Work it into your schedule accordingly and keep going until it becomes a habit and don't miss a day because you "don't feel like it".

The day you stop making gains is the day you stop going entirely. Too many people quit too early and never reap the benefits. Don't be one of them.

Also proper form is better than heavier weight always keep that on mind

How often do you go, like 2-3x a week? Was trying to pick a gym close to my place to not make that an excuse to not go, but the closest one is an expensive LA fitness. I know everyone is gonna tell me not to cheap out on health, but I also can't be signing up for memberships that eat significantly into my budget, especially these days.

---

Comment above me explained just about everything I'd tell you split wise. There are tons of helpful videos out there that go in depth on each exercise. If you're wanting to bulk up I recommend doing a clean bulk.. you'll have to reach exactly how to do that though. I did a dirty bulk for the culture, but you'll feel awful during.

Biggest piece of advice I can offer is to not lift more than you're capable of (essentially ego lifting). Find something that is uncomfortable, but you're still able to do 8-12 reps for 3 sets and not sacrifice your form. After awhile you'll build strength and keep upping the weight. You'll want to ALWAYS focus on proper form and make sure you feel all the different contractions. Allow proper time for recovery between each set unless you're super setting something.

I do cardio just about every session now. Times vary depending on what day it is for me, but I try to do at least a half hour. If you wanna cut weight you should try treadmill incline of 11+ and put speed at 3.5 or 4. It is a pain, but helps A LOT.

For supplements I just take daily men's vitamins, protein shakes/powder, creatine, sometimes pre-workout (that is NOT required).

Appreciate it dong, I'm not the show off type so I don't bite off more than I can chew so to speak, I'm very risk-averse in life. Thanks for the cardio tip too, weight loss is def more of what I'm going for at the moment, not bulking.

[Market Down]

Appreciate it dong, I'm not the show off type so I don't bite off more than I can chew so to speak, I'm very risk-averse in life. Thanks for the cardio tip too, weight loss is def more of what I'm going for at the moment, not bulking.

If you're looking to lose weight, start tracking calories! I didn't see any movement on the scale until I started being really honest with myself about everything I was eating and drinking- including the oil in the pan and otherwise.

I use MyFitnessPal, it has most brands of foods and offers macro tracking as well if you ever get into that.

For burning calories, lifting weights is a fantastic workout, and walks are actually better for burning fat than running is- but that's getting deeper into fitness theory than I need to get on this post. The most important things are eating decent foods and getting your body moving, no matter what moving looks like you to! Dance is one of the best workouts for your body, so it could even be throwing on your favorite tunes and jamming out in your room.

Best of luck on your journey, if you have any questions at all you've got my info on Steam. Feel free to ask me any direct questions there- I would not have gotten where I am now in my own journey without the knowledge of the people in my life who have been on their fitness journey longer than I have!

[castilleja]

• cardio cardio cardio
  
• stretch and rest
  
• proper form above performance
  
• running and pull ups will completely change your life
  
• you will never grow your calves
  
• watch snap city videos so you never go there
  
• its okay to snort creatine
  
• lift big
  
• eat big
  
• sleep big
  

and most importantly

• have fun 
  

on a serious note: yeah cardio is gonna need to be a focus here. I implore you to run. learn proper form: try to land on the ball of your foot, not towards your heel. modern shoes influence people to basically stomp around and destroy their knees. watch form videos, have someone record you run. at any rate, unless you're morbidly obese, one mile of endurance is less than 2 weeks away. it might only take you a week. since you're beginning you shouldn't run every day, your legs and joints will need to rest. at some point they will stop hurting after every run and if they don't then you're good to run again. be prepared for shin splints, but they'll only happen once. stair master and incline treadmill are nice when sore. running is literally the fastest way to burn calories, so just do it.

[Jedi Master Nolegamer]

Hi all,

I'm seeking some advice for getting started at the gym (I know, asking a gaming community is totally the right place). One of my work friends has encouraged me to start going after talking about life, and how it would help me build confidence for myself and feel better overall. I've never had a gym membership before, don't know how to use any equipment other than a treadmill, and am nervous about making myself look like a fool because of it. Don't even know what exercises or workouts to do, don't have any specific health goals just want to be active and maybe tone up a little bit. If anyone has any personal experience to share or any advice, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 

Additional context: been kinda discouraged and stuck recently, and through talking with this work friend I've been encouraged to find outlets/hobbies. He recommended the gym as a start. Occasionally on my days off I'll go for walks, used to bike but not really anymore.

at first i thought this post was about the player lol. best of luck with the gains