The Gym - for noobs

So, you've decided to make getting your lift on part of your GAIN HP game plan. Sweet! But where do you start? How do you not make a fool of yourself? Well, here are some tips based upon my own experiences.

1. It's ok to be a noob.
Ok, chubs, you're not fooling anyone by trying to act like you're Schwarzenegger. We know those aren't real lats. They're flab lats. FLATS. People don't go to the gym because they're in top-notch shape. They go to get into shape. Remember that when you feel self-conscious when you're surrounded by people who have been lifting regularly for some time. Just think, with time and dedication, that could be you. On the other hand, do walk in there with unreasonable expectations. You're not going to bench 300lbs on day one. One week isn't going to magically transform you into an Adonis. Ask any body builder at any level, and they'll tell you how much toil and sacrifice it took them to get where they are.

2. Have a reasonable goal.
It's cool to think that you want to get shredded, but that's a long term goal. How do you plan to get there? Set attainable goals for yourself that put you on track to met your long term goal. You want to drop 30lbs? It's not going to happen overnight, but you can pace yourself. Lose five this week. Three the next, and so on. Setting attainable goals helps you motivate yourself by providing proof that your routine is working.

3. Warm up before you dive into the workout.
Do some low weight exercises first to prepare your body. Diving right into any workout is an invitation for injury. You're never so tough that a good warm up won't do some good. This goes for all exercise. A walk or easy jog before your run is a good habit to get into.

4. She's not here for you.
The woman on the treadmill with the ipod? Yeah, she's here for the treadmill. The one doing the concentration curls is busy. Don't bother her. Unless you want to work in, or you need a bit of advice for your own routine, leave the ladies alone. And no, there is no working in on the treadmill.

5.You can't have it all.
You're either lifting for tone, or for size. You can't do both at the same time. If you're trying to loose weight, go for the tone first. Low weight and high rep. That way you're building muscle which helps burn fat, but you're not bulking.

6. Put things away.
The most annoying thing at the gym is wasting time trying to figure out where the other 25lb dumbbell went to. A close second is tripping over a bar someone left in the middle of the floor. Everything has its proper place. As a courtesy to other, put everything back when you're done.

These six beginning pointers can make your initial venture into the land of the gym much easier. For more tips and ideas, check out BodyBuilding.com