GYM101- Intro to working out. Part 1: Introduction

There are a lot of websites on workouts and this is not like those. Almost all of them are by foreign experts, not Indians, and definitely not by or not for students. This post is exclusively for Indian students.

I'll keep posting stuff on workouts in this blog every now and then. Obviously, I cannot put everything a beginner needs in one post. Will take some time, so keep visiting. 

The differences between us and the Pros- ( You can skip this part)

1. Recovery- A pro body builder or lifter does very few other things, hence takes a lot of rest after each workout. Students don't have this luxury. Especially going to classes in hurry, skipping breakfast, staying out late night, not getting enough sleep and the most important, sitting for long hours in classes in a very uncomfortable position, all these are things that are not supposed to be done.

2. The diet- pros don't eat rice and idli and dosa, they take high protein food. Indian diet, more specifically south Indian, has a lot of fat and sugars and relatively low protein content. The food we take doesn't help much in recovery or in building mass.

3. Intensity- Pros go with a goal whenever they workout. They have a well planned workout and don't pick whatever weight they find. Most students who start working out in the gym probably start because of wrong reasons- reasons like "my friends go there", "I wanna build a 6-pack", "I wanna build huge biceps".. and most are really not ready to go the hard way. I've seen many people go with full intensity in the first few days and then drop out and things like that.



Now some very basic stuff, things to be done even before you get into a gym.

Body fat:
                                  If you have a lot of fat in your body and you start working out, you just put on fat but not muscle. Many big guys feel they've got some muscle when it's really fat. This is not something I'm guessing, it is suggested by pros- loose your fat before you start working out. The best way to loose your fat is cardio- jogging, quick walking, swimming, skipping, treadmill.. all of them would help. Will soon post more on this.

Basic strengthening exercises:
                                 Try doing some pushups and chinups. If you can't do pushups or chinups, you really have no business going into the gym. Check out youtube videos on how to do pushups or chinups. Many guys just give up when they have to do pushups or chinups and instead do dumbell exercises for biceps or some other arbit muscle- doesn't help. For some 2-3 weeks before you go into a gym, do a lot of pushups, chinups, free hand squats (again, check in youtube) and a little stretching. A couple of sets of abs workouts would also help. Don't go too heavy, just take it easy. This is only to get your muscles ready for other exercises.

Tune your mind, set your goals:
                                The biggest mistake many make- they go to a gym but really don't know why they're there. Old people go to a gym to get some cardio. Fat guys go to loose fat. Athletes may go on endurance training. Some go for fitness, some go for strength, some for endurance, some (like me) go to get some peace of mind and some to build muscles. You need to be clear about why you're going- your workout has a direct bearing with what you want to achieve. For God's sake, don't go into a gym just because your friends are going.



@ Beginners who want to start working out in a gym:
Work on the three things I've mentioned. Will put my next post soon. Cardio is very very important, especially for beginners. It increases the effectiveness of your body to use stored fat and also reduces the resting heartbeat and increases blood circulations... forget all that, JUST DO IT. Will try to put a post on how to do proper cardio workouts....
THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to do when you join a gym is to know the gym coach. Never hesitate to ask him what or how to do.
Good Luck