How to use the gym

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Hi all. I've got a few issues with going to the gym and it's causing me to get fat. I used to be able to go outside and do physical activity like bike riding but since I moved to the Atlanta area about 1.5 years ago I am unable to do any of the stuff I used to.

So I was thinking of using a gym. I have a few questions about it though. How do you get over the disgusting machines that have had all kinds of sweat poured over them? How do you go about creating a routine? I've never been to the gym before so I don't have any idea what I would be doing.

Always visit the gym before you join. Staff will walk you around and you can observe how the keep up with equipment. I would suggest visiting around the time you intend to work out to see the crowd and make sure they are following gym etiquette by wiping down machines.
Research the best workouts for your age, body type and goals. Try to have two or three routines to switch up as you plateau. Also, variety will help prevent repetitive motion injuries.
Establish your baseline when starting and keep a record. Good luck.

Ditto what trick70 said.

Staff can likely aid in coming up with a routine that is suitable for your age, health, goals, etc.

I have found that going to the gym and doing just doing cardio like bike machines, treadmills, stair climbers, and so on can be very beneficial both physically and emotionally. Socially, I like to keep to myself but I very much enjoy the opportunity to people watch while on a cardio machine. I am often struck by how much my few, limited social needs can be met just by going to and hanging out at the gym for a while, even without interacting with anyone.

Sanitation wise, I always carry a clean towel to wipe down gear before and after use. That is just common courtesy. Otherwise I just follow the same guidelines I do wherever I am: limited face touching and so on.

Good luck!

For me it's the crowds I don't like so also think about if you can avoid peak times. I try to go on weekends or later in the evening, but also early mornings before work can be quite quiet.

I also bring a towel with me, but a lot of gyms usual have good maintenance, so as suggested make sure you look around the gym before joining. You'll also just have to give it a go and figure out what type of exercise you prefer, whether it's the cardio machines, free weights or body weight resistance exercise as you'll find it easier to get a routine if you like the exercises more.

And some gyms might have clean towels available for you to use so you don't have to bring one from home, and some might not.

And I just try to wipe the machine in matter-of-fact fashion without making a big deal about it.

I bring a towel and lay it on the parts of the machine that my body touches. I also bought some running gloves for the parts of the machines I touch with my hands.

I like a 24 hour gym so I can go in middle of night when I can see before I enter how many human beings are inside. Anytime Fitness is excellent for me. Dunno if your village has that franchise.

Use free weighs instead of machines, and keep it simple. Lastly, don't go to Planet Fitness.

Lol, over here all the street thugs were always hanging around the weighs area acting all Al Capone and whatsoever, making it difficult to even get close to there without getting judged, mocked or even assaulted if you were a wirey shaped newbie.

Felt like high school all over again back in those desperate gymming days.

No wonder I train at home now.

That's odd. There's no bullying whatsoever in the weight section of any gym I've ever been to. To me, the weight section is the safest place in the world; people there are nice to each other, nobody cares about poor social skills, and people help each other out if there is anything. It's not like soccer practice where people yell at, blame, badmouth, or criticize each other.

why not?

Most Planet Fitness gyms do not have free weights, and they do not let you grunt or slam weights.

Why would anyone want to slam weights? I thought that was bad form.

Actually, deadlifts do not have an eccentric phase, and unless you're Benedikt Magnusson, lowering heavy weights slowly when deadlifting is impossible.

Yeah it was specific to that fitness only, shame I was with a friend there every time (who lived nearby) so I couldn't swap.

Actually I still went to school back then too, now that I remember.

In the gyms I have gone to the majority of the guys who use free weights stand around looking at themselves in the mirror and hitting on the females than they do lift weights. And when they do lift weights they typically only work the parts of their body that are easy to get noticeable results with.

These guys are not "working out." They are ego masturbating. Biceps, triceps, shoulders and glutes. Maybe some chest work. Its all done to impress people, mostly themselves, not for health. Rarely do you see the guys from the free weight section putting 40 minutes on the treadmill, elliptical or stair machines. Unless there are females in that area. I so despise mirror gazers.