TL;DR Find a gym, Have a goal, Research, Maintain motivation, Keep Fucking going

Long time member, but not very vocal. I realize many of y'all are familiar with body building and working out, but this post is for those who are newer to the game. For those of you finally deciding that with the start of the New Year that you want to better your SMV physically, you may not know where to get started. Now I'm not claiming that this is the only or best way but I've found that through the years this has helped many people I've come into contact with.

  1. FINDING A GYM

    • This is a very key and important thing. Picking the right gym is just as important as picking the right car or picking the right house/apartment (metaphorically speaking). Make sure you make a list of what is in your area and visit EVERY SINGLE ONE. Ask them for a free day pass and test it out (test drive). That way you can get a feel for the place and decide if it will suit your fitness needs.

  2. HAVE A GOAL

    • Decide what it is you want to accomplish. DO NOT SET A GOAL THAT IS TOO HIGH FOR YOU TO REACH! Now I'm all for pushing yourself to the limits to achieve greatness. But a lot of times people will quit when they aren't seeing the progress they want. START SMALL THEN GET BIGGER.

  3. RESEARCH

    • Now that you have your realistic short term goal, go online and research how you can train to achieve it. This will be where you decide on your workout routine, and see each workout in action. This step will also be where you make a diet plan if your goals include one.

  4. MAINTAIN YOUR MOTIVATION/STICK WITH IT

    • Nothing is more discouraging than not seeing any improvement. Exercising isn't something you can do for a month or two and then just stop. YOU WILL NOT BE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU START SLACKING OFF. It may just seem like one day here or one day there, but the minute you start making excuses for why you can't go is the start of a slippery slope. Remember YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN. Stick with it, your SMV grows the more you do.

  5. LASTLY, ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS

    • Once you finally start reaching those short term goals, you will finally start being able to make bigger and more long term ones. I know I may sound like a broken record but, DON'T STOP ONCE YOU REACH YOUR GOAL. Remember that this is just a taste of sweet sweet success; there is always something you can improve. Strive for greatness, the more you achieve the more you should want it.

Remember that it's a slow start and it's an uphill battle, but it's one that you can do. Like all things in life, if it was easy then everyone would be doing it.