Getting Started

[wannagetbig83]

First of all I'm sort of new to the forums, I've been reading stories for awhile though. I've always been looked down upon by my peers and I've decided I wanted to turn my life around. I was just wondering if anybody had any advice to get me started. I'm sort of self-conscience and I've been to afraid to try to work out before school or after school. I just want to know how to get started.

~Thank you.

[muscle_mastah]

I think I know where you're coming from. Being self-conscience kept me from going to the gym until I was in my forties. Damn, I missed a lot of growing potential.

What I found, as self-conscience as we are, generally people don't care if you're a beginner or not and if they do then they aren't worth bothering with. There are a number of forums out there that have exercise splits to choose from and sites that have excellent demonstrations.

This one I have found to be particularly good with types of exercises and form: http://www.exrx.net/Exercise.html

With dedication and consitency, you can improve from where you are to a huge hulking mass of muscle if you're inclined. I'm not done yet either and I plan to be a lot bigger.

[glammaman2000]

..used to overwhelm me.But I learned a lot from landscaping work.Let's say,you're facing 2acres of property with construction material buried under the surface.It looks like it'll take forever.What do you do?A)Begin.B)Continue.If you follow these simple rules,eventually;the job gets done.The hard part is A.

[wannagetbig83]

First of all, thanks both of you...I still feel self-conscience about starting to work out in public. I just get this feeling in my stomach. One of the main things about that is that I have alittle extra body fat, I'm not heavy I just have extra fat that really is just flabby and there. I looking on that site you said and it is about toning, I want to burn off my fat first...sorry, I didn't include that above.

[brent]

Originally Posted by wannagetbig83

...
...I still feel self-conscience about starting to work out in public. I just get this feeling in my stomach.
...

Don't get that feeling (if you can help it) it's just silly. Everyone in there started somewhere. Some may have been fatter, or scrawnier than you. So most people will be nice, and helpful, because they remember what it was like to start. Anyone that isn't like that can fuck off, because they are petty people.

Tomorrow (or today if it's early enough) I want you to go to the gym and start. When you look around, don't look at people as being buff, fat, or skinny: just see them as other people that are at a different stage in a path you are embarking upon. Then just keep going so that one day you will be the big guy, and it will then be your task to be welcoming to the new guys.

Also, since the gym is a business, it won't be like school. You won't have jocks making fun of you & stuff, so don't even think about that.

[claygrant]

big83 (that will be your name soon),

we've all been there. I know I have. Do you have any friends who are interested in lifting? That's the easiest way to start. Whenever I'm in the gym with friends, I can tune out the strangers easily.

Personal training is another first step, but it costs a lot of money.

Otherwise, ask people here for more links and websites to get you started!

[muscle_mastah]

If you only have a little flab to go then you might find getting into the gym will go a long way to consuming your calories to drop fat without having to specifically diet.

I've tended not to change my workouts too much when I reduce calories to lose fat. I change my workouts usually to suit myself for a strength phase, growth phase or because it was time to do something different. I change my calories to either lose fat or to bulk up.

There are lots of sites out there that can help, however the reason I pointed to that one was for a couple of things. 1. It has a list of exercises for each body part. Show a small animated gif on how to do the exercise and which muscle it hits directly or supporting. 2. There are sample workouts and splits. Which may help you construct a routine if you're having trouble getting started there. There was a section on tonning, however there was also sections on low volume, heavy or light and olympic training. All that could be overwhelming now but won't be as you get into it.

Like the others have said, take the first step and get into the gym. Before you get there, pick a few exercises for the body part you want to start with and try it out. PM me if you feel you need some help on a routine. I'm no trainer nor expert but I've done a fair number of routines and know my way around a weight room.

[Brahma]

*reads the replies*

With all this motivation, I think he'll be Big83 in no time. What a great bunch of folks you are.

[brent]

Originally Posted by claygrant

big83
...
Personal training is another first step, but it costs a lot of money.
...

There are ways around that. First most gyms will give you 1, or 2 complimentry sessions when you join. Make sure you join one that does, so you can get a work ut done for you, and you get shown around the equipment. Also, many gyms offer special deals on packages. For example, the gym my parents go to has a 4 sessions for $99 deal.

[Padraig]

Hi there -

I'm not sure how old you are or what you can afford, but I can tell you about my experience. I'm 37 years old, and for the past 15 years I tried to settle into a regular gym routine. I have belonged to one since I was 22, and even though I had a secret desire to get leaner and stronger, I was never able to get there on a regular basis.

One of my biggest problems was that I thought I needed to work out at night ("I'm not a morning person," I told myself), but nearly every evening there was a distraction: a phone call, an emergency for work, "Law & Order," etc.). From 2002 to early 2004, I ended up getting to the gym maybe a couple dozen times.

As a result I got fatter and fatter, finally reaching 320 pounds last October. And as I got heavier, I also felt more and more "ashamed" about working out with a bunch of muscleheads. Eventually I gave up completely.

My stroke of luck came when I was driving near my house and saw a sign for a personal training studio that had just opened up. It was quite a bit more expensive than the gym, but because the trainer would work with a group of 5-8 clients at a time, it wasn't as expensive as going solo (he charges $15 per session). The trainer sold me on the experience by telling me that all I had to do was show up and he would take care of me.

I joined in October 2004, and right away I really liked it. Each workout consists of circuit training and only lasts about an hour. My lack of knowledge was not a problem, because he literally spelled everything out for his clients. The trainer has also tailored the workouts for my special needs and even given me a lot of nutritional advice to help me shed pounds.

I also started working out in the morning, and other than the times I have been out of town, I haven't missed a session. It's so much better to get it out of the way before the stresses of the day pile up and distract you from your goals.

Plus, because I go at regular times, I get to work out with pretty much the same people, and we've all become very supportive of one another. It is definitely not a social hour when we work out, but we do care that everyone is achieving their goals.

So what are my results? In six months I have lost 50 pounds of fat and gained about 15 pounds of muscle. Even though I still have a long way to go before I reach my ultiumate objectives, I feel so much better about myself and love the way my body is beginning to look. And Im so much stronger - it's amazing to me how much more I can lift now, and I can't wait to test my newfound strength every time I get back in the gym.

I guess what I'm saying is, if its possible, you may want to consider joining a group training studio. There's a lot of benefits to be had there for a beginner.

And for the record, I work about 55 hours per week, and I started a series of graduate classes the same week I joined the gym, as well as began remodeling my condo at the same time. I somehow found the time because I am realizing my dream of getting fit.

Thanks for listening!

Padraig

[CelticMuscle]

Originally Posted by Padraig

Hi there -

I'm not sure how old you are or what you can afford, but I can tell you about my experience. I'm 37 years old, and for the past 15 years I tried to settle into a regular gym routine. I have belonged to one since I was 22, and even though I had a secret desire to get leaner and stronger, I was never able to get there on a regular basis.

One of my biggest problems was that I thought I needed to work out at night ("I'm not a morning person," I told myself), but nearly every evening there was a distraction: a phone call, an emergency for work, "Law & Order," etc.). From 2002 to early 2004, I ended up getting to the gym maybe a couple dozen times.

As a result I got fatter and fatter, finally reaching 320 pounds last October. And as I got heavier, I also felt more and more "ashamed" about working out with a bunch of muscleheads. Eventually I gave up completely.

My stroke of luck came when I was driving near my house and saw a sign for a personal training studio that had just opened up. It was quite a bit more expensive than the gym, but because the trainer would work with a group of 5-8 clients at a time, it wasn't as expensive as going solo (he charges $15 per session). The trainer sold me on the experience by telling me that all I had to do was show up and he would take care of me.

I joined in October 2004, and right away I really liked it. Each workout consists of circuit training and only lasts about an hour. My lack of knowledge was not a problem, because he literally spelled everything out for his clients. The trainer has also tailored the workouts for my special needs and even given me a lot of nutritional advice to help me shed pounds.

I also started working out in the morning, and other than the times I have been out of town, I haven't missed a session. It's so much better to get it out of the way before the stresses of the day pile up and distract you from your goals.

Plus, because I go at regular times, I get to work out with pretty much the same people, and we've all become very supportive of one another. It is definitely not a social hour when we work out, but we do care that everyone is achieving their goals.

So what are my results? In six months I have lost 50 pounds of fat and gained about 15 pounds of muscle. Even though I still have a long way to go before I reach my ultiumate objectives, I feel so much better about myself and love the way my body is beginning to look. And Im so much stronger - it's amazing to me how much more I can lift now, and I can't wait to test my newfound strength every time I get back in the gym.

I guess what I'm saying is, if its possible, you may want to consider joining a group training studio. There's a lot of benefits to be had there for a beginner.

And for the record, I work about 55 hours per week, and I started a series of graduate classes the same week I joined the gym, as well as began remodeling my condo at the same time. I somehow found the time because I am realizing my dream of getting fit.

Thanks for listening!

Padraig

Now that's the story we love to hear. Someone realising that they can do better than they are and taking postive action (are you listening national news media!). Can I ask a couple of questions regarding this?

First, your name sounds Irish, are these events listed in Ireland (as I live in Wales and I have never heard of anything like that on this European side of the Atlantic Ocean)

Secondly, is a question I have to ask. When's your first contest?

[BigSteve6ft3]

Originally Posted by wannagetbig83

I'm sort of self-conscience and I've been to afraid to try to work out before school or after school. I just want to know how to get started.

It seems everybody here is recommending you get yourself into gym or get a personal trainer. While those are probably the most effective ways to make progress, if your problem is self-consciousness and an aversion to social situations revolving around your body, and you just can't force yourself over that barrier, there is another solution: work out at home.

Buy a book or two on weight training to learn the basics ("Arnold's Bodybuilding for Men" is a good start. Despite the title, it's aimed more at the neophyte than at advanced bodybuilders. It has lots of illustrations showing proper form, etc., and advice on the basic equipment you need.) Then buy yourself some weights and a bench. If you're so self-conscious you're too embarrassed to walk into a sporting goods store and buy what you need, shop online and have it delivered.

Once you have have a few months of home workouts under your belt, you'll probably find your confidence has risen to the point where you don't feel too self-conscious to go to a gym.

Progress and the positive attention it garners do wonders for your self-esteem. I remember when I was in your position. When I was in college, I bought some dumbbells (the adjustable kind, with multiple plates you can add to increase the weight) and worked out in my apartment. I didn't even have a bench. I just did bicep curls and shoulder presses with the dumbells, pushups and dips (between a couple of chairs) for chest, squats while holding the dumbells for legs. Not a very thorough routine, but it got me started. I started out very thin, but made pretty quick progress. One day a visiting friend noticed the dumbbells. I usually kept them out of sight because I was kind of embarrassed about working out, being so thin and all. But I had left them out that day. I thought she was going to make some joke at my expense, but she just looked at the dumbbells and asked "Are those yours? Are you working out?" and then looked at me appraisingly. She announced matter-of-factly, "Well, it definitely seems to be working." Big ego boost. After that, and a few similar episodes, and bit more growth, I ceased to be embarrassed about my body, and became much more confident in general.

So anyway, if you simply can't force yourself into a gym situation, the at-home option is a good alternative to get you started. Once you're more comfortable inside your own skin, you can start doing the gym thing.