Anxious to get started? You're not the only one.

COVID changed things - a lot. Things that we once did without a second thought, like going to the grocery store or stopping at the gym after work, need to be rethought and new routines developed.

The grocery store was solved with a good mask and some online shopping, but losing the gym was a whole other story. Under normal circumstances, reprogramming my workouts for myself using what I had at home wouldn't have been a problem, but with all the additional stress of everything else, it wasn’t a smooth transition.

Here in Manitoba, we've been lucky; gyms have been able to reopen under certain conditions. Unfortunately, the gym I've been working at for the past four years was not one of them and, like many of you, I had to find a new gym.

Even for an exercise professional, this was scary. I found myself in the same situation as many of my clients, unsure of myself in an unfamiliar environment. "What if I don't know how to adjust the equipment?" "What if I can't find what I need? " "What if I just have a panic attack and leave without doing anything?"

Clearly, being alone in an unfamiliar environment was terrifying for me (even an environment that I was performing an activity that was, proficient in to say the least).

I told myself to do what I suggest to my clients: Have a general idea of something you want to accomplish during your first workout at a new facility (for example, lower body). Have a plan, but think of it as an "intro" workout that may not align perfectly with your programming.

This takes the pressure off of needing to perform at a certain intensity or needing specific equipment or accessories. It allows you to explore what your facility has to offer, how to adjust the different brands of equipment and gives you an idea of the layout before you begin your "real" workouts.

Another thing, coming from someone who's worked as a gym attendant for years: Ask questions! The people who work there are not going to judge you for asking for the location of something, how something is adjusted or if they have something specific, it's their job. Plus, they probably wouldn't be working there if they didn't want to help others.