First Rule of Gym Life: Be Nice & Slay This Day.

With the new year, I’ve seen this meme make the rounds on social media and it really struck a chord with me. There are two important sides to this meme and the message we are trying to send by sharing.
First, is the comfortable gym goer. This person has been going to the gym for years. People know their name, they have a favorite locker, cardio machine, gym space, whatever it may be. The gym is a comfort zone. If you are this person you can play a very positive or very negative role for someone else. It can be as simple as a smile or head nod, or as negative as a dirty look, side comment to your friend or even worse a picture or video you take then share to facebook, instagram, snapchat, twitter, etc.

I was given a good piece of advice early in my career in the fitness industry: When a new gym goer walks into a gym they feel like every exercise, stretch, run, jog, or core movement is done standing on top of a plyo box. Imagine how daunting that can be for someone just trying to improve themselves.     

The other person in this equation is the new gym goer. The last sentence is the most important thing to remember when going to the gym: you have the same right to be there as everyone else. The gym can be a daunting place but it doesn’t have to be. You will be surprised at how many employees or other members would be happy to help or offer a smile. Remember, you are at the gym for you, not for the meathead in the squat rack or the cardio bunny watching “Friends” reruns. Make 2019 the year of you!