Okay folks it's that time of year again. Everyone takes stock of their health and their appearance and decides
January 1st to take on the health quest. It's time to lose that unwanted weight, build that sought after muscle, quit smoking, cut out the drinking, shy away from the desserts and pick up the weights and hop on a treadmill. Well good for you and I wish you the best.
This isn't your standard resolution write up. While I want everyone to succeed at their fitness goals, this is directed at the already dedicated and initiated fitness buff. We are about three days away from the annual influx of well intentioned fitness newbies and hopefuls embarking on their journey in every gym across this country. For some if not many this will be their introduction into the world of resistance training, weight lifting, bodybuilding, and it is important that we as fitness enthusiasts, gym rats, bodybuilders, power lifters, strong men and women welcome them with open arms.
Remember back, if you can that far back, to your first day in a gym. You probably felt a little out of place, unsure where to start or what to do. And if you were lucky maybe somebody pointed you in the right direction, or you had someone you could watch and learn from. We are going to see all types of people entering our sacred grounds. Those who are uninitiated to the ways of the gym, those without athletic prowess, people who are heavy, and really heavy. Realize that in all these instances it takes a lot of courage to walk into that environment and try not stand out and attempt to succeed. Help them, offer assistance, offer information - and if it's met with a negative reaction, be nice, smile and go about your training. You can't help everyone.
Please realize that any snicker you make, any sigh, any under your breath snide remark you direct at the awkward or heavy...they've heard it all before. Why do you think they are trying to make a change? You will add nothing original to the dialog by being negative. Smile, be helpful to these new folks and think bigger than, "they are in my way and I can't complete my superset". Understand that this is not only the right thing to do, but it also helps our image.
Sure, there are negative inferences with being heavy, but there just as many negative connotations with being overly built and big. Muscle heads are dumb, they are all on steroids, they fly off the handle cause they roid rage, they are narcissistic, they are all fighting an inferiority complex of some sort, etc. Believe me when I tell you that if these newbies first experience with an overgrown, shaved gorilla of a human being is that he smiled and offered a helping hand, or that an attractive fitness female complimented something they were wearing, that it will leave a lasting impression. If that person never steps foot in a gym again after March 1st they will always remember the muscle bound guy who smiled and was nice to them, or the nice fitness girl who was complimentary.
So please treat all these newbies with respect and patience, it's the right thing to do and will in turn help more people maybe be a little more understanding and open to our culture as well. Thank you, have a wonderful New Year and lift hard.
- Ty
