Come in with a plan

The gym can be an intimidating place, especially when you’re first starting out. Do you go to the machines or the free weights? Should you start with arms or legs? Are you allowed to use two machines at once? To limit these questions, it’s best to come into the gym with an action plan at the ready. Have a list of exercises written down in your phone that you can follow during your workout. Also, make sure to have a few backup exercises in there for good measure in case somebody is hogging the bench or machine you’re dying to use.

Pace yourself

You’ve made that commitment, dreamed up your goal physique, and planned out a fitness routine that you’re sure will whip you into shape. Confidence is going to be at an all time high this first week, but it won’t always be there. Watch out that you don’t overextend yourself in the gym to the point where you’re too sore to come back. It can be easy to overdo it during your first week and accidentally sabotage your gym motivation. The most important thing you can do is take it easy and give yourself the proper amount of recovery. Any workout is better than no workout.

Consistency is key

Like we mentioned above, consistency is where progress is made. Remember that you’re going to be immensely sore in your first few weeks of working out. That’s just the way it is with everyone. However, this soreness will lessen as you continue to go to the gym. Progress isn’t instant, but it will come given enough time and consistent training. Keep up your routine at all costs. Slight increases in effort over time will bring gains to all.