By Christian Gastelum and Erica Roa, March 5, 2024
Every day is a challenge to be greater than the last, joining a gym can be filled with uncertainty, but it’s all for the betterment of students mental and physical wellbeing.
The gym is home to various athletes, including body builders, powerlifters, runners, or members who go for their daily health. Every member has a different goal in mind, but the overarching objective for gym goers is to feel more confident in their image.
“I go to the gym because it makes me feel good and feel less stressed; that’s what keeps me going in,” said kinesiology student Isaiah Ramirez. “If I was angry or stressed out, I would go get a lift in, and it would make me feel better. It helped a lot more that I was seeing progress, so it changed my mentality, it made me more disciplined.”
It is no secret the first time in the gym can be daunting. The gym experience can be unique to many, depending on participants’ expertise.
“I was just getting into the gym to do cardio, but I wanted to learn how to lift weights. and it was intimidating because the guys there were more experienced,” Ramirez said. “Having the courage to go into the weight section when you’re not really that experienced feels kind of excluding because you feel like you don’t fit in.”
The common stereotype that most gyms are filled with “gym bros” or judgmental stares and attitude leave newcomers weary about joining.
Courtney Hall, an apparel merchandising and management major, utilizes the BRIC (Bronco Recreation and Intramural Complex) at CPP going in between her classes, and despite her just beginning she has the will to learn. She recently been going to the gym consistently for the first time and found it challenging. She explains how she is foreign to the gym environment; she uses tools like social media to help her navigate workouts.
“It was intimidating to get out there because the people around me all knew what they were doing and I didn’t,” said Hall. “It made me self-conscious and sometimes I didn’t even know how to use certain machines, so I definitely had to resort to Instagram or TikTok for my workouts.”
Newcomers, may feel intimidated entering the gym for fear of judgment, according to Hall, but her confidence in the gym only grows as she becomes more familiar with the workouts she learns. Her consistency attributes to her experience each day she works out.
Ramirez started in the gym with expectations of judgement from others, but in the end, they recognized a supporting atmosphere that welcomed him. With six years of gym experience, Ramirez simply wants to see every member succeed and grow healthily.
“What’s good about the gym is if someone needs help with a spot, everyone is usually willing to be there, so I feel like it’s a friendly environment,” Ramirez said. “Once you’re consistent and start seeing people around, they’re going to want to help you, spot you, and show you tips on what to do.”
According to Ramirez, lifters encourage each other to consistently show up to see the most results and challenge your mind and body with determination. But daily lifters also know the adversity standing between consistency and complacency. Lack of motivation, time management and fear of judgment are all factors that decipher the reason why the line, “tomorrow I’ll start” stays relevant.
“It was hard for me at first to stay consistent, not because of motivation, more so because I wanted to go with a gym partner opposed to being by myself, and I had to learn to be independent,” said Paola Perez, sociology major.
Newcomers at the gym often feel insecure about diving into a foreign environment, but for many the outcome is even more rewarding.
“As soon as I looked at going to the gym as investing in myself, things changed for me,” said Perez. “After a full day of school, work and being consistent at the gym, not only did it do wonders for my physical wellbeing, but mentally I felt like I was on top of the world.”
Perez uses the gym as an outlet, yearning for the reward at the finish line.
Feature image courtesy of Casey Villalon