How do I begin lifting and improving myself physically?

marshcatguy · 2016-05-13T04:57:09+00:00

Download the app "Starting Strength 5x5" and watch the provided videos on form. Do that for at least 3 months and eat anything in sight.

balalasaurus · 2016-05-13T05:34:15+00:00

You seem to be asking us more how you should go about getting over your fear of embarrassment than how to begin. At the end of the day if this shit is important to you then who cares if you embarrass yourself?

Besides, you're not that important.

ponkyol · 2016-05-13T11:45:49+00:00

Don't worry, nobody at the gym cares. You're literally too small too see.

Surfincloud9 · 2016-05-13T12:30:55+00:00

Most people do not care who is in the gym. Put in headphones and just go to work. Anybody that is in the gym with me is a cool and good person because they are improving themselves. That's how it is. If you are improving yourself it don't matter what you are at now as long as you are consistent and open to learn.

You need to eat more. Get mass gainer protein powder. Get my fitness pal, track your macros and eat eat eat. Lift as much as possible. When I first started I did PPL. Push Pull Legs

Push; bench, incline bench, dips, military press, overhead press, forearm curls, tricep ext

Pull; lat pull down, bicep curls, hammer curls, rows, chin ups, standing barbell rows, face pulls, shoulder shrugs

Legs and abs; squat, pistol squat, hamstring extension, quad extension, lunges

I have done this everyday and Sunday yoga for the past 365 days. Missed only one day. Don't worry what people think about you bro. Get it done.

cheechawcheechaw · 2016-05-13T09:17:53+00:00

Everything worth having is outside of your comfort zone. Nobody will give a shit that you are there. Read through the FAQ of r/fitness if you wanna take it seriously.

DBsix · 2016-05-13T16:22:02+00:00

I found r/fitness much before I found r/trp. I suggest you go read their sidebar. It has all the info you need. Participate in the sub, ask questions etc. there. A lot more people there to answer all your newbie questions.

HelpMeRP · 2016-05-13T15:02:21+00:00

1) Where to start- Try the Recommended Routine over at bodyweight fitness. You don't have to worry about people seeing you.

2) Where to go from there- Lift weights at the gym. No one cares about you unless you are using equipment they want. Even then, they don't care about what you are lifting. Wear long athletic pants and a long sleeved shirt if you are self conscience about your body.

introspect2314 · 2016-05-13T05:53:57+00:00

This is a great question. We've all been there -- being afraid to step into a weight room and start getting to work. That's really all it is about.

You need a plan as to what you're going to do. I use programs I find on bodybuilding.com and rotate through a few each year. They're very simple. Most have videos that brief you on what you're going to accomplish each week. Then there is a daily plan, and even an app you can use to log and track your progress while you're at the gym. I am currently following Kizzito Ejam's Chiseled program, and it has been my favorite thus far. A great beginner program is Jim Stoppani's Shortcut to Size, which teaches you all of the fundamentals over the course of 12 weeks. (Yes, I said 12 weeks.)

The basic supplements you need to gain size are protein powders and a pre-workout drink, preferably one that contains creatine. I suggest following the guidance of the program creators on those two fundamental supplements. Everything else can be ignored until you get really serious about this (or have more money to spend on the additional stuff).

You need to make time to go to the gym every day. In the first week or two, bring headphones and an iPod or whatever so you can focus on you and not what anyone else is doing. Afterwards, you can either be open to socializing, or continue listening to your music. Either is perfectly acceptable in the gym culture.

The reality is, nobody at the gym actually cares about what you're doing. I have been a member of a large university gym and a suburban athletic club gym, and I currently work out at a small community gym with a bunch of bodybuilders, cops, and other serious alpha types. We don't care when we see new people come through, regardless of how big they are. This has been my experience at every gym. What's amazing about people who are consistent about going to the gym for the first time is the size gains they see within even 2-6 weeks. Once you start growing physically, you mentally become much more confident both in and out of the gym, and all of the worries you are currently describing completely evaporate.

Don't be embarrassed about starting with small weights. Everyone uses them from time to time, which is why they're there. Do NOT ever overdo weights involving your back unless you want serious back pain. The number one thing you can do as a newby is follow a plan, lift an amount of weight that allows you to perform the number of sets described in your plan, and go to the gym consistently. Soon enough you will be addicted to this and will not be able to go a day without going to the gym.

Dive in and good luck.

Title	How do I begin lifting and improving myself physically?
Author	OneInAZillion
Upvotes	9
Comments	9
Date	May 13, 2016 4:39 AM UTC (10 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/4j4qdc/how_do_i_begin_lifting_and_improving_myself/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/how-do-i-begin-lifting-and-improving-myself.105369 https://theredarchive.com/post/105369

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