Prepare yourself to succeed in any environment
Eventually, no matter how hard you try, you’re going to end up in an unfamiliar gym. It doesn’t really matter whether you are fitness buff, or a noob or if you’re an athlete or someone who just wants to look and feel a little better. Maybe you travel for work or for the holidays, or maybe you feel like you want to start getting in shape or maybe you (against your will or better judgment) get dragged there by a friend or by some societal or media pressure that you have to be in a gym. (And by the way, these modern gyms that I speak of usually consist of some weight machines, a few free weights, and maybe some “cardio” equipment, in varying proportions and mixtures. They really would more suitably be called weight-rooms or stationary cardio facilities.) In these creativity-sterilized, homogenized environments, most people are going to fall prey to a handful of counterproductive behaviors…DON’T FALL PREY:
–Wandering aimlessly: “Ok, um, “cardio”. Check. Bench press. Check. Uh, ok what next? Hmm….that machine looks like I should be doing it. Crud, somebody’s on it. Ahhhhh…..ok, more bench press. Oh, that big guy’s doing a bunch of different curls. I guess I should be doing that. Ok.”
–Intimidation/lack of energy: “Man, it’s dead in here. Yaaawn. Hmmm….I wish I could talk to that cute girl. Hmmm…maybe if I could use bigger weights she would be easier to talk to….umm….what am I even doing here?”
-Manic. Burn yourself out working hard for 2 hours and then don’t come back for two weeks: “RAHH!! Push! Workin’ hard! Gettin’ jacked! Gotta do bench. Gotta do incline bench! Gotta do decline bench! Now gotta do dumbbell flys! RAHH!! PUSHH!!!!” Next morning: “Gah! I can’t move my pecs. Must. reach. shower nozzle…can’t. tie. shoes…….”
Over Thanksgiving I went to such a gym. From the second I walked in, I knew this place was lame. Most people on this day were suffering from the intimidation/lack of energy problem and were spending most of their time on sitting on benches and staring off into the distance. My buddy went off to warm up with some “cardio” and proceeded to be lethargic for the remainder of the hour. I, however, got in an excellent and dynamic strength workout using only dumbbells. I left feeling extremely energized. Afterwards I thought about this. Was it because I am somehow immune to de-motivation, shyness, or having an off-day? Of course not. But what I did was follow a few principles and common sense techniques that kept me focused and full of intensity.
Write out your workout ahead of time. Use a 3×5 card or a small sheet of paper (or if you want a laminated, reusable card). Tuck it into your pocket and keep it with you. Pick 4-5 exercises that will work many muscle groups through a large range of motion. The body works as a team, and unless you are no kidding a competitive body builder, isolation lifting does nothing for you and is a silly waste of time.
Bring an interval timer or a watch with you. On your workout card you will have written the proper rest in between sets. Having a timer makes you stick to your plan and trains your body to work when it needs to, not when you feel like it. (there are several timer apps for your smartphone, or you can get an amazing, simple, rugged timer at innovative-results online store. That is what I use.)
Prepare your mind to do work: You want some sort of results. Otherwise, why are you here? Write out what it is that you want. That is your goal. Remind yourself of what you want every time before setting foot in the gym. Workout time is time to move the body towards that goal. Be friendly, be courteous and considerate, but remember that you’re here to do work.
Prepare your body to do work: Have a good warm-up routine. Start with dynamic stretches from your ankles and move up all the way through your neck. If you want, do -3-5 minutes of faster, more aggressive movement after dynamic stretching. Your warm-up should make you feel a little uncomfortable. This is ok. It’s getting your mind ready for more challenging movements that are just ahead. (you can find a great warm-up sequence here.
Learn and perform at least 1 non-conventional technique per workout. These could be kettlebell swings, a variation on a squat, or some basic body-weight balance training. Doing something outside the box will make you feel cool, in-the-know, and more confident than the guy or gal next to you. (The Innovative Results team will teach you one or more every session)
Stick to your plan: Now that you have a plan that you put down on paper and a timer that is keeping you honest, there’s no need to try unnecessary machines or silly bicep-curl variations!
Have a coach: This could be a buddy who has a great attitude, a plan from a book, a trainer-turned blogger that puts out good information, or an actual personal trainer that you hire You HAVE TO have input and a support network throughout this process. Otherwise you’ll run out of all the ideas in your head really fast and start imitating whoever is working the hardest or lifting the biggest weights (even if they have no idea what they’re doing!)
If you can put these steps into action, then you are LIGHT-YEARS ahead of everyone else!
Steve Cederquist says
almost ready, KICK this stupid cold and IM IN!