By Andrew Weigel, CSCS, ATC

Whether you’re starting for the first time, or the first time in a long time, going to the gym can feel like a really heavy lift. Even as someone who enjoys going to the gym, I’d be lying if I said I always wanted to go and get my lift in. Relying solely on motivation to keep you going is a sure-fire way for you to fall o the wagon very quickly. If you’re going to have a successful gym experience that facilitates consistency and achieving your goals, you need to have a system in place to help you do so. Here are six things that will help you do that.

1. Know your goals and the why behind them

Knowing why you want to go to the gym and what you want to accomplish is the first step to having a successful gym career. Take some time and think about what you want to achieve by going to the gym and write these goals down. Whether it’s in your phone, on a calendar, or on the wall, be as specific as possible and make sure you’re going to see them multiple times a day. Once you have your goals written down think about the why behind those goals. Ask yourself why a few times, this will help you get to your actual reason on an emotional level. An example could be something like this:

Goal – Lose fat and build muscle

Why? – Because I want to be healthier

Why? – I want to be a positive role model for my kids

Now, it may take you a couple more times of asking yourself why to get to an emotional reason like this but spend the time and do it. Creating this emotional purpose makes your goals more important to you which will make it much more likely that you will work hard to achieve them.

2. Have a plan

Now that you have your goals and reasons behind them you need a plan to help you achieve them. No one has ever seen a significant amount of success at the gym by showing up and “figuring it out” as they go. If you have a program to follow, all the guesswork is taken out of the equation. You know what days you’re going to the gym, what exercises you’re going to do on those days and how long you’re going to follow the program for. Just remember, your goals design your program. If you want to train to be able to run a marathon, you’re not going to be doing the same thing as someone who wants to add 15 pounds of muscle to their frame. The best advice I can give you is to do some research and f ind a trainer or coach that can supply this for you. Whether it’s remote programming or working with them in person, it’ll be worth your time and money. Following a program that is designed with your goals in mind will keep you seeing progress which will keep you coming back to the gym.

3. Do exercises correctly

Now that you have a program to follow, make sure you’re doing the exercises in that program correctly. One would think this is common sense but there are complete social media accounts dedicated to the absolutely wild stu people do in the gym. By doing the exercises correctly you’re going to maximize results and more importantly, prevent yourself from getting injured. It’s awfully hard to achieve your goals when you’re laid up on the couch. High quality online programs will often provide video content of exercises for reference. If you’re working with a trainer directly, this should take care of itself because hopefully they’re telling you how to improve your position and optimize each exercise.

4. Create accountability

Try to find some way to keep you accountable for going to the gym. Working with a coach or trainer is great for this but sometimes it’s not practical due to schedules or financial ability. Having a training partner or participating in classes are great alternatives. Talk to your spouse, friends, co-workers or teammates and go to the gym together or participate in the same class at the same time on certain days of the week. It’s much harder to find an excuse to not show up when you have people who expect to see you at the gym.

5. Build the gym into your day

Physically put your workout on a calendar of some sort. Life is busy so hoping to find the time to get to the gym isn’t going to happen. If you plan ahead and build your workout into your day it’ll be just like going to school or work, it’ll just happen.

6. Don’t make going to the gym a chore

Saying something like, “UHG, I want to go home but I HAVE to go to the gym” is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Try to frame it in a positive light, whether it’s because you like seeing the progress you’re experiencing or you get the chance to see some people that you’ve grown to really know and like. Having a positive outlook on the gym will make the whole experience much more enjoyable and likely you’ll stick with it.

Andrew owns and coaches out of Lift Performance and Rehab in Florence. Him and his team provide strength and conditioning to individuals of all ages and abilities, specializing in injury prevention, rehabilitation and athletic performance. https://www.liftpr.co 413-586-500 info@liftpr.co

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