Joining the gym: advice for beginners
Why Bother Joining a Gym?
There are so many different benefits to joining a gym as a busy student. From physical wellbeing, improving your cardiovascular health, strength, and stamina, to boosting mental health. Exercise actually reduces stress and improves your mood which is important for managing a busy or focussed life as a student…
There are also social benefits to joining a gym too as you might meet like-minded people and expand your friendship group with shared interests or things in common whilst chatting over a workout!
Finding the Right Gym for You
Student discounts are a good draw for students making it much more affordable to work out! Check around for deals, especially at the start of the academic year or new year! Many locations, like PureGym and The Gym Group, offer affordable student-friendly memberships.
Find a place close to campus or home to stay motivated and make it less of a chore to travel to workout! You can also find trial periods or sessions at most gyms, including free or discounted trials to help you find the right option for you.
Create a Workout Plan
Set goals to help motivate you along the way! Whether it’s improving specific areas of your fitness, de-stressing from studying, or meeting new people, writing these down can help motivate your workouts.
Start small with beginner-friendly sessions; some free apps or some YouTube channels offer beginner routines for starting up if you’ve not been to the gym before (or for a little while!) This will hopefully make the process a lot less daunting and a better de-stresser away from uni work!
Try to aim for 2-3 sessions every week to get into a habit and don’t overload yourself to start with!
Overcoming Anxiety
Before joining, or after signing up, you could visit during quieter times to familiarise yourself with the layout of the gym. You could also take classes, like yoga or spinning, which are structured and beginner-friendly if you don’t know what to do with any machines or complicated gear!
Remember to ask for help from staff too! They are there to help out with any equipment or your technique if you’re unsure.
Gym Bag Essentials
Comfortable and breathable activewear and trainers are the best idea for your workout gear. If you don’t have any specialist clothing, just something comfortable and unrestrictive is ideal on a budget! A water bottle, headphones, towel, and a lock for lockers are also good to think about bringing with you.
Alternatives to a Typical Gym
Not for you? Can’t quite afford a full membership? There are plenty of ways to keep active as a student! Many universities have gyms with student rates which can make gyms cheaper and more accessible.
Alternatively, free apps like MyFitnessPal or YouTube channels are a quick and easy way of getting started. You can also head outside for workouts in local parks, such as taking part in a free community ParkRun (a personal favourite) or doing a Couch to 5K running challenge by yourself!
