How to Get the Most From Your First Day at the Gym

Always remember, it does not matter if this is your first time ever stepping foot inside a gym, or you are simply switching to a new facility — your first day at the gym can provide a lot of information about your membership, showcase the equipment and services available, and ensure you get the most out of your workout experience if you’re open to it. 

The Bionic Barbell complex has over 15,000 sq ft of space, and every inch of it is put to use. That’s a lot to cover on your first day. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with new equipment and the feeling that you need to fit in or prove yourself day one. 

The goal we have for our members is progress and growth, so we’ve put together a few suggestions for how you can feel comfortable on your first day. Feeling comfortable allows you to be yourself, get into the zone, and feel good about the workout — which is kind of the whole point. 

Even if you’re not a member yet (or if you’re not even looking for a gym in Las Cruces and you just found our blog site), we hope this is helpful and inspires you to get the most out of your first day at the gym. Good luck!   

Have a Plan

You’ve joined a gym for a reason. Are you training for a marathon? Feel solid with cardio, but want to add some muscle mass? Have a New Year’s goal? Just want to improve your general wellness? All of us go to the gym because we’re trying to achieve something. Thinking about this before your first workout is helpful when starting at a new gym because it can give you some focus. 

A lot of people go to the gym for the first time and walk around aimlessly hopping from one piece of equipment to the next or trying out a cool-looking new machine — whether or not they even know how to use it. These new members often leave feeling like they did not get much of a workout in, confused about what goal they actually accomplished, and possibly even hurt themselves. We want to help you avoid any of those negative outcomes.

That’s why we encourage you to ask yourself a few questions before you even step foot in the gym:

1. How many days a week do you want to try and go to the gym?
2. How long do you want to spend at the gym each time?
3. What are your fitness goals? 
4. What type of exercises will help you achieve your fitness goals?
5. What do you need to bring with you to the gym?
6. Do you need help figuring out any of the 5 above questions? (Hint: This is why we are here for you.)

And with any plan (whether short-term or long-term), don’t keep this stuff in your head. Write it down. A lot of people have a workout log or journal, and there are a ton of apps for your phone to track routines and progress over time. It’s amazing how much power there is behind the simple act of writing down your plan. And don’t forget, these plans can evolve over time into elaborate weekly schedules, or they can be a simple reminder. 

Get To Know the Facility

Alright, so you’re feeling good, have a plan for your workout, and have arrived at the front door with your gym bag in hand (or at least everything in your pocket)…now what? 

Odds are you took a tour of the gym when you signed up for your membership, but it’s totally ok to ask for ANOTHER tour (or a first tour if you need it). In fact, we encourage it. Do you know where the locker room is? How about the bathroom? Where’s the water? Which section of the gym has the leg press vs. the lat pulldown? Where can you stretch? Just ask. 

And bonus — remember that you’ve already thought through what kind of workout you want to do, so the question can be something as simple as, “Hey, this is my first day and I’d like to start with a few minutes on the treadmill to warm up, some stretching, and then focus on legs today. Can you remind me where all of this stuff is located here?” Then a nice person who gets paid to help you answer all of these questions is going to say, “sure, let’s do this” and you’re on your way. This same friendly face can help you when you have other questions too.

That’s the beauty of a gym, it’s meant to help you improve and advance your goals. You’re not meant to use every piece of equipment every day, and you can ask more questions as you get more comfortable or more curious. Based on your goals, you will probably not even get close to using certain equipment. . . ever. And that’s ok. It’s all about figuring out what’s available in your gym, why it is available, and what equipment and resources make the most of YOUR workout routine. 

Pace Yourself

Above, we said a first-day workout could look like a few minutes on the treadmill to warm up, some stretching, and then focus on legs. Remember, you’re at the gym to improve, and you’re making a commitment to a goal. If you’ve never in your life done 200 lb lifts on a leg extension machine, your first day is not the day to start. Your workout plan mentioned above comes in real handy here and can look like this:

• 10 minutes on the treadmill at no incline 
• 10 minutes full body stretch
• Rotating leg exercises of 3 sets of 10 reps on the (1) leg press, (2) leg curl, and (3) calf machine
• 10-minute walk cool down on the treadmill at no incline 

Done! Great first workout, feeling good, sweating it out, check, check! 

Naturally, this is a sample workout. It’s generic and probably not ideal for you. That’s why we have trainers and staff. They can help you customize a workout that is tailor-fit to your goals. In fact, you should expect as much from your local gym.

Now, we can talk all day about Mondays being leg day for quads and hamstrings, Wednesdays being leg day for calves and cardio, maybe throw in a few arm days, etc. but we think you’re getting the idea. 

Also, if you’re a new lifter, your muscles do not know what’s about to hit them, and you are going to be a little sore after your first workout. A little sore means you can recover, and it’s a natural part of the whole building muscles process. A lot sore, or inhibiting pain, is bad (and it also means you’re less likely to come back to the gym tomorrow. . .or the next day). 

Oh, and make sure you hydrate and replenish those nutrients (note to add a link here). 

Ask Questions, Ask for Help, & Do Research

Slow and steady wins the race in the game of fitness goals, and a big goal is not to hurt yourself. If you’re not sure how much weight to start with on a machine, ask a trainer or gym rep. How does this machine work? What is this for? What does this pin do? Why is this attached here? How do I turn this on? ASK! Being stubborn is a good way to hurt yourself and break equipment, so don’t be that person. 

Along the line of asking questions, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Are you on a machine and need a spot? Do you know what a “spot” is? Remember that point about not hurting yourself? 

Our fitness experts might look big and scary at times, but they have a passion for fitness. They really do enjoy this stuff, and they’ll be happy to answer your questions. In fact, we’re confident that you won’t find better expertise at any gym in Las Cruces.

Another way to feel comfortable at the gym is to just do some workout research. There are a ton of workout routines for all kinds of body types, fitness goals, time commitments, etc. so you do not need to reinvent the wheel. The fun thing about a gym is that you can start working out with a super simple routine that someone else came up with for you (whether it’s from one of our trainers, a friend, or a suggestion from a workout blog). 

It’s a start. As you become more and more comfortable with the gym, the equipment, and ultimately with yourself, you can expand what these routines look like and include. If you don’t enjoy research, don’t feel like you have the time, or just don’t know what to look for, that’s another thing our trainers can help with. That’s the beauty of a gym membership. You’re not alone. 

Advance Your Workout

If you’re a member and just need or want more information, we’re here seven days a week, so just contact us. We can help answer any workout questions or concerns you have, help with goal setting, and talk through your membership options and advancements. If you’re in the Las Cruces area and think we’re the type of gym for you, feel free to stop by our location at 700 Stern Drive for a consultation, or call/email us for more information.