This week I finally did it. It was nerve wracking, intimidating and exciting all in one. I. Went. To. The. Gym.
Now you may be wondering why this is such a big deal. I am a fairly active person. I walk 10-15 minutes to and from the bus everyday, walk around campus, give two tours a week. It was not the exercise that scared me. It was the actual gym itself.
In my past years at Brock, I got out of going to the gym by not purchasing a gym pass, (even though it was very reasonable) but now that an unlimited pass to Brock’s gym, which is called the Zone, is included in my tuition, I decided to try it out.
First of all, while the machines have a few more bells and whistles, they are mostly all basic fitness machines like treadmills, ellipticals and stationary bikes. I had used a treadmill before so I was comfortable there but I was unfamiliar with much of the other equipment. Then I saw a sign that said that there is a free, half-hour orientation offered through the Zone where a trainer will walk you through how to use each piece of equipment safely.
I came back to the Zone this morning for my orientation and any fears I once had of using equipment wrong were long gone. My trainer was very kind and
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taught me which setting to use with each machine and how many reps to do. She also gave me a written fitness plan that I could continue to follow over the next couple months. When I went back again, I found it a totally reasonable workout.
Now I don’t think I will become some kind of bodybuilder overnight, but a little bit of exercise in my week helps me reduce stress and feel good about myself. The trainers are very helpful and I have found the environment to be very friendly and non-judgmental towards people who are new to the gym.
If you are like I was, and avoided people named Jim out of sheer fear of the gym, just give it a try. Sign up for an orientation and who knows, you might even learn something!
