In February 2020, I made a resolution to get a gym membership and start strength training regularly. I know, bad timing.

I was already working out fairly regularly — jogging, going to yoga classes — but I wanted something more. As someone with a small frame, I wanted to feel stronger. And when I looked at my friends who lifted weights, I wanted what they had. I took the three free sessions with a personal trainer that came with my brand new YMCA membership, and went to the gym a few more times after that, always feeling a little awkward when I did the few weight lifting exercises I knew.

Then, the pandemic hit. So I started working out at home, following along with YouTube videos as I did bodyweight exercises; and I invested in light three-pound weights and resistance bands from Target and read articles on how to do some basic weight lifting exercises depending on what I wanted to target — curls for biceps, lateral raises for shoulders, flyes for chest, reverse flyes for back. I was lucky enough to have a partner I could ask questions about weight lifting, too.

“It’s easy enough to say that lifting weights is for everyone — but it’s not as easy to actually head into the weight room as a beginner. I get it — I’ve been there.”

It’s easy enough to say that lifting weights is for everyone — but it’s not as easy to actually head into the weight room as a beginner. I get it — I’ve been there. But when the world opened back up and I started back at the gym, I had a pretty good idea of what I was doing, which helped. Most people aren’t lucky enough to squirrel away for a few months to watch weight lifting videos and get comfortable with everything before training at the gym for the first time. Usually, you just have to go for it.

My motivation came from a place of wanting to feel and look better — but it turns out weight lifting does so many good things for your body, from improving mental health to strengthening bone density. Since it is a male-dominated activity, weight training can get a bad rap among women who fear that it’ll make their body “bulky” or “manly.” In reality, it takes upping your calorie intake while lifting to really build muscle mass — otherwise, you’re simply toning your muscles. 

With research suggesting that we should really make it a priority, I wanted to speak to some experts and offer my own tips for how to get started weight lifting and feel confident at the gym.

What are the benefits of strength training?

Strength training “helps to reduce body fat, it can optimize your hormone function in both men and women, increase your metabolism, protect your bones and joints, and increase your coordination,” says Meredith Castelli, a coach-level certified personal trainer through NASM at Bay Club Redondo Beach.

In addition to strengthening muscles, it can even make your bones stronger. Just like weight training builds stronger muscles, it also puts stress on your bones which sends your body signals to rebuild your bones stronger, improving bone mineral density and making you less susceptible to osteoporosis and fractures as you age.

“In addition to strengthening muscles, [weight lifting] can even make your bones stronger.”

And along with weight lifting’s more obvious physical benefits, like helping you reduce your risk of falls and injury and promoting better mobility, it has some other, more inconspicuous benefits. It helps you manage your blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of diabetes since skeletal muscle mass increases your insulin sensitivity. It can even improve your brain’s cognitive function and lower anxiety, too.

Plus, “[weight lifting] helps your heart health by keeping your vascular system fit, and helps with general movement and balance, which is especially important as we age and our sensory system declines slightly,” explains Beret Loncar, a personal trainer, yoga therapist, and the owner of Body Mechanics NYC.

So, as long as you’re physically able to strength train, we highly recommend doing so — even if it’s minimal. “If you can hold a thing, you can lift a weight,” says Loncar. “Most people are already doing some form of weightlifting already, and they don’t even know it. Carrying your kid at the zoo or grocery bags? You’re weight lifting.”

How to feel more confident at the gym

Walking into the weight training room alone for the first time can be the hardest hurdle to overcome. “When I first started, I felt really intimidated,” says Sabine Schopke, a life coach and professional bodybuilder who started lifting weights for the first time in her late 40s.

“Imagine little 49-year-old me lifting weights next to world-class bodybuilders at Gold’s Gym in Santa Monica,” she says. “What got me over that was the following: They all started where I started.”

“Walking into the weight training room alone for the first time can be the hardest hurdle to overcome.”

“Bringing a buddy with you the first time or two can also make you feel more comfortable,” says Castelli, so if you have a friend who you know lifts weights, set up a date! Castelli also recommends hiring a qualified personal trainer for at least a couple of sessions, too, to help you feel more comfy.

“Hiring a PT to have someone waiting for you when you first walk in is priceless,” she says. “You will feel more confident and learn some great moves to get you started and on your way!”

Read up on the below tips, too, to get more comfortable with the idea of lifting weights and to arm yourself with knowledge. The hardest part is starting.

Strength training and weight lifting tips for beginners

1. Start slow.

“Don’t get hung up on things like squat racks and fancy machines,” says Loncar. “Start where you’re comfortable.” You can start with just one or two free weight exercises like curls or shoulder presses, or just one or two machines. A workout doesn’t have to keep you in the gym for over an hour to be effective — it can consist of just a few sets each of a couple of different exercises.

“A workout doesn’t have to keep you in the gym for over an hour to be effective.”

Start slow and start small, with lighter weights than you think you’ll want, to “avoid injuries and build muscle in a healthy way,” says Schoepke. “You can always go up. If it’s light, just do more reps.”

Exercise routines don’t have to be complicated, says Loncar. “[Many exercises] are simply about picking things up and putting them down.” (Remember that Planet Fitness commercial?)

Consider following this basic routine from Loncar: “Warm up however you are comfortable warming up, like a treadmill or some gentle stretching. If you know four exercises like a squat, a carry, a bicep curl, and an overhead lift, that is enough to make a circuit. Do three or four rounds of that, and that can be a workout. As you get more comfortable, you can add more.”

2. Do your research. 

You can open up the small computer in your pocket whenever you want and look up virtually anything. Whenever. (I’m talking about your phone, of course.) Use this to your advantage before the gym! YouTubers like Naomi Kong and HASfit have tons of videos geared toward showing beginners how to work out. It’s helpful to look up breakdowns of more complicated exercises, too, like Romanian deadlifts or dumbbell squats, so you can learn exactly what the move should feel like when performed safely.

“You can open up the small computer in your pocket whenever you want and look up virtually anything. Whenever. (I’m talking about your phone, of course.)”

“Look for resources from trusted [names] in the industry such as articles from NASM [National Academy of Sports Medicine] and ACE [American Council on Exercise] to get your basic moves down,” says Castelli.

You’ll find plenty of info that’ll help you build your own simple routines. Folks often split upper body workouts into two categories — push (chest, triceps, and shoulders) and pull (back, biceps, and shoulders). Look up a chest exercise, a tricep exercise, and a shoulder exercise, all with free weights, and combine your three favorites into a simple routine you have in your head the next time you walk into the gym. Knowledge is one of the best ways to boost your confidence.

3. Work with a trainer.

Many gyms offer free personal training sessions when you first sign up — capitalize on that! “It’ll make all the difference in the world with how effective your workouts will be,” says Schopke, and “it also helps you prevent injuries.” Not only can the trainer show you exactly how to do several exercises, both with free weights and on the machines (which, admittedly, still intimidate me unless I have someone show me how to use it first), but they’ll also show you how to do them safely.

“Many gyms offer free personal training sessions when you first sign up — capitalize on that!”

And unlike watching videos or reading articles online about how to correctly do certain exercises, a trainer can speak with you about your specific goals. Want to grow your glutes? Tone your arms? Reduce back pain? You can talk things through with them. And they’re especially helpful if you can’t do certain moves because of an injury. And if your gym doesn’t offer a free session, it’s well worth the money even for just a couple of appointments.

4. Ask questions.

The gym staff is there to assist you — when in doubt, ask questions! If you’re interested in using a new machine for the first time, any of the gym’s staff members will probably be thrilled to show you how it’s done. And they can help with questions about whether or not you’re doing a certain free weight exercise correctly.

“The gym staff is there to assist you — when in doubt, ask questions!”

It’s helpful to learn what times are busier and slower at your gym — which will take some time, but is so useful to know. It’s easier to ask for help when it feels like you’re one of the only people there.

Even when it’s crowded, use that to your advantage, says Schopke. “Gyms are an amazing community. Tap into the camaraderie and let them support and help you,” she says. “And if you have days where you don’t want to be social, put on a set of big headphones.”

5. Don’t think about what others are thinking, because they’re not.

“It’s very common for people to feel like ‘everyone is watching them’ stepping onto the exercise floor, but truly, most people are not and they are into their own routines,” says Castelli. It’s the easiest yet the hardest barrier to overcome — wondering what you look like to other people. 

“Almost definitely, no one is looking at you.”

“It is really important to remember that everyone feels uncomfortable when they start something new,” says Loncar. Almost definitely, no one is looking at you. And if they are, we all started in the same place.

Remember, everyone had their first day at the gym.

Natalie Gale is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!