It's Okay to Be a Beginner

Most of the time, when I see a beginner at the gym, they are doing good work.  But every once in a while I see someone in the weight room who is clearly a novice, but is trying to look like a seasoned veteran.  It’s understandable to want to look like an expert.  Everyone wants to impress people.  We want to look like we know what we’re doing.  That’s totally normal.  But not always practical, and maybe not safe.

Say you see a 16-year-old pull into a gas station in “his” car.  He swaggers out of the car and over to the gas tank.  Oops, wrong side.  He tries to look cool as he attempts to pry open the little door, but belatedly remembers you have to lift the little lever inside the driver side door.  He puts the pump handle into the tank but has to try a couple of times.  He gets the pump handle to stay and leans against the car with his arms folded.  Mr. Cool.  Too bad the pump isn’t actually running.  Wouldn’t you have respected him more if he’d asked for help?

Let yourself be a beginner.  Use the lighter weights.  Ask questions.  Do your exercise slowly while you get the hang of it.  Trust me, the other gym-goers will respect you far more than if you swagger and do bizarre things and risk injury with too much weight.

The number one thing I would like to see everyone, including beginners, do more in the weight room is warm-ups.  Just, do your exercise but with an empty bar or very light weight.  Your joints will thank you, especially if you're over 40, and you'll get a chance to practice perfect form while you're at it.

There's kind of an unwritten rule in many weight rooms: unless someone is about to hurt themselves, mind your own business.  This is good, because you don't want a bunch of bossy people barging in and telling you what to do.  But it also means, if you want some advice, or you're wondering what that thingie is for, or you're wondering if you're doing an exercise correctly, you'll need to ask someone.  Most people are flattered when you ask them something, so don't be shy.

Still wishing you could impress people at the gym?  Showing off won't work.  The folks who are impressed with flashy maneuvers, loud screaming, and too much weight aren't worth your effort, and certainly not worth a trip to the ER.  The sane, experienced lifters--the ones worth impressing--will be impressed when they see you regularly, using great form and challenging yourself.

So, get in there and be a great beginner!
That's how you become a great lifter, period!
The Friendly Lifter