Gyms can be a very intimidating place if you are not used to them, large halls full of metal, atmosphere saturated with testosterone fuming from big and well built, hulky men that scream like hell every time they lift a weight, usually the size of your car's tire. It's quite easy to develop what feels like an inferiority complex when you first go to a gym, thinking of your self as the weakest link, the bottom of the food chain. Whether in a good way or a bad way, this will surely affect the way you work out. Some take advantage of what they see, and work hard to look like or better than those who've been doing it for a while, while others will continue working out in a wrong way, trying to look as if they know what they are doing while they are not actually doing it, or simply stop working out, preferring a lousy diet, which will probably fail, instead of sweating their bodies in the gym regularly. Talking about the obstacles for the first-time gym-goers, coach Adel Al-Kraimy, body-building trainer in Jeddah's Fitness Time Health Center, said: “Most first timers don't feel uncomfortable on their first visit to the gym, since they are expecting to see well built people. “Some might feel shy to be starting with light weights while the guys next to them are lifting heavy stuff,” he said. But this feeling of discomfort can be easily turned into something else, according to Coach Adel who explains that this feeling doesn't last long, since rookies usually notice a quick increase in the weights they can lift, which motivates them to keep on lifting. But its not only their efforts that keep them in the gym, according to Coach Adel, who explains that it is the coach's job to get those training with him in the mood, encouraging them to keep working out sand removing any negative feelings they might have about lifting light weights. “Some coaches restrict their job to giving instructions on how the exercise is done, these usually end up losing those training with them because they are not motivating them to continue showing up” says Coach Adel. Still, being over motivated in the gym might be dangerous for some. Left unsupervised, overexcited rookies might try and lift more than they can to impress others, which might result in muscle tears, joint dislocations and other injuries. Coach Adel adds that once new comers and the coach have established rapport, its much easier for them to accept , follow and seek instructions without any sort of discomfort. In addition, communicating with others that workout at the gym and forming relationships with them can help in easing the pressure on rookie trainees. As for what to do when you first hit the gym, Coach Adel says that first timers must be evaluated first, so that an appropriate exercise system and diet are designed for them since what works for one person might not work for others. Yet, gyms might not be appropriate for every one, which is why the minimum age requirement for joining a gym is 18 years since those younger might suffer from health complications and are more prone to sustain. As for people suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, the coach says that they are actually advised to join. He explained that exercise is quite important for these groups, adding that special work out programs are tailored for these groups as well as other groups like elders, in which they are not stressed during exercise. __
