morning because most gyms aren’t as packed as they are in the evening,
and the morning crowds tend to be fairly regular. You’ll get to know
other faces, and they’ll get to know yours.
Monday is always the busiest day in any gym — everyone’s trying to
atone for sins they committed over the weekend, like eating too many
Ding Dongs. Things trail off by Thursday or Friday (but don’t wait until
then to work out).Don’t feel embarrassed if you can’t lift much weight.Hey, you’re a
beginner. Besides, using only one plate on a weight machine doesn’t
mean you’re lifting nothing. Plates weigh anywhere from 5 to 20 pounds.
Don’t overdo it.If you push too hard, you may feel so sore that you
won’t want to come back. The morning after your first few workouts,
you should wake up feeling a little achy and tender — but not so sore
that you can’t stand upright. The discomfort usually is at its worst about
48 hours after your workout — a phenomenon known as Delayed Onset
Muscle Soreness. Don’t be alarmed: Most people are sore after their first
workouts, even if they’re careful. This is because your muscles aren’t
used to the extra work.
Delayed Onset Muscle Sorenessis caused by microscopic tears in the
muscles that you exercise. These tears fill up with fluids and waste prod-
ucts, and until the muscles recover, you’re going to be in a little pain.
The good news is that, after the muscles repair themselves, they’re
stronger and harder to tear. So after a few weeks of working out, you
won’t get really sore except after especially tough workouts.Don’t expect to master the equipment right away. You can’t learn
Italian in a week, right? It takes a while to become proficient with the
vocabulary, customs, and nuances of exercise as well. Even if you’ve
spent several sessions with a trainer, you’re not likely to remember how
to use each and every machine. Refer to your notes, ask a member of the
gym staff for help.
Make friends. Knowing other members can give you more encourage-
ment. One good way to meet someone is to ask for a spot — in other
words, ask somebody to assist you while you do a weight-lifting exercise.
Smile and look approachable. Someone may ask you to spot him. For
instructions on how to spot and be spotted, see Chapter 13.
In general, when you talk to people at the gym, stick to topics related to
working out. Ask if they’re done using a particular machine or bench.
Ask how to do a certain exercise. The worst approach is to go up to
people in the locker room when they’re naked, stick your hand out, and
introduce yourself.
Don’t worry about people staring at you.Most people are far too
absorbed in their own workout to pay attention to anyone else. But
if you really want to block out your fellow gym members, wear head-
phones; you don’t even need to turn them on. Just make sure your
headphone wires don’t get caught in any weight machines.
Chapter 18: Health-Club Primer: Getting the Most Out of Your Gym 277