We know tons of people that miss out on all the amazing benefits of weight training just because they are intimidated or self conscious about it. Now why would that be?
From 100s and 100s of conversations over the past 20 years we know people feel this way because they are nervous or embarrassed that they are doing things incorrectly or aren’t quite sure what they are doing and don’t want to feel judged because they are a beginner but don’t want to look like one. People are also scared to injure themselves which is totally understandable.
We see another group of people that have gained enough courage to jump on the machines but are still hesitant to try free weights. Now i’ll tell you right now free weights are unmatched when it comes to building strength, size, and even fat loss. Free weights create an entire different stimulus on the body due to the amount of muscle recruitment required to stabilize not only the weight but also your own body. So again a lot of people are missing out on so much by avoiding free weights.
How can we build confidence when it comes to weight lifting?
- Just Start- we talk about this all the time. No matter what we do in life we will always be bad at something before we are good. It takes time to develop the knowledge, skill, and control of lifting weights but we will never get there if we don’t try.
- Start Light- When we first step into “the deep end” we need to start super light. This will allow us to make mistakes without getting hurt. Believe me there will be mistakes. This is how we learn and it’s not catastrophic if we keep it light and allow body and mind to adapt to the new skill of weight lifting.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help- This is a big one. All successful people in life have asked for help at some point. Not only is this the best way to become comfortable with weight training but it will also drastically speed up the process and also keep you much safer. A good trainer will have eyes on you 100% of the time, ensuring things are being done properly, they will challenge you when you are ready to increase load and intensity, and they will customize everything to lead you towards your goals.
I highly recommend at least taking the first step right away when it comes to weight lifting. Let go of the ego. We all started looking like newborn deers in the weight room and anyone that judges you obviously doesn’t matter anyway.
Good luck and please reach out if you need some guidance.
Best
Coach Marcel
