Do you love starting new things or does being a beginner scare the bejeezus out of you?
Someone in my nutrition coaching and accountability group shared this with us the other day and I think it will resonate with many of you.
Source: Girls Gone Strong Instagram
“This girls gone strong post showed up in my feed today and for some reason it really connected with me. Thinking back to when I joined SOS I wasn’t sure what I was in for. My fiance told me it was like Crossfit, but not crazy like Crossfit. I didn’t know what that meant. I would be lifting weights, but had never done that before – I was a runner. Yet, I pushed those feelings aside and went for it. It’s been great and it was due to the coaches, feeling accepted (even though I really didn’t know what I was doing) and the member support that made it possible. Makes me shed a tear…. 
“
… by the way, this is not a knock on Crossfit. You do you, okay? There are some great Crossfit gyms out there and some people who are excellent candidates for that type of workout. The point of me sharing this is about being a beginner, not about what you choose to begin.
The woman who shared this image, and her thoughts, is no longer a beginner in our group training program at the gym. However, she still continues to make progress to this day because she is consistent as hell, embraces our training systems here at SOS and keeps things new and fresh by trying out new things.
Including our nutrition coaching, Elite 8 group, and 6-week kettlebell skills course. {<—all three of these start in January again!}
Five things that rock about being a beginner in the gym.
- You haven’t learned “how” yet so you can’t be doing it wrong. We love newbies at SOS. It’s much easier to teach someone a new skill if they haven’t been practicing it incorrectly for years.
- Our enthusiasm for “new things” is usually quite high. Once we get past the initial leap of stepping outside our comfort zone, the early stages of learning something new is usually fun. Use this to build momentum so when the newness wheres off, you’ve got habits in place!
- You’ll have an easier time learning to accept your mistakes. When we’re good at something we tend to be really hard on ourselves. Vice versa, when we’re a beginner usually it’s a bit easier to accept our mistakes, and better yet, learn from them!
- Beginner gains. If you’ve never lifted before, you’ll be able to make some serious progress and gains in the beginning. Trust me, it’s really fun watching your numbers improve week to week.
- You realize how awesome people can be. If you put your ego aside and ask for help, you start to see that there truly are some great people in the world. Most people want to help you and share their experience and expertise if you just ask!
How to Succeed at the Gym if You’re a Beginner
In today’s TWO THINGS TUESDAY I’m sharing a few posts to help you fully embrace being a beginner in the gym, even if you think you might hate it. Don’t forget, if you’ve been reading something you think I’d love and should share it here, please let me know!
- How to Love the Gym. This is a great post from a member of ours at Skill of Strength who NEVER pictured himself loving the gym. He’s been a member here at SOS for several years now, but here are 6 things he shared about his success.
- Five Tips to Help you Succeed at the Gym. We know it can be intimidating to get started at a new gym. Use these tips and before long, you’ll be the one helping the beginners out.
It might be easier to craft a lifestyle where you stay in your little comfort zone and avoid being a beginner. Learn to be a beginner again. Embrace guidance. Learn from your mistakes. Ask for help. GROW, baby, GROW.
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