Is it okay to work out in the gym?

Of course, it is one of the most complete and most efficient fitness options at the moment, but it is by no means suitable for everyone. There is no need to praise it as "the only solution to fitness", and there is no need to dismiss it as useless.

Two years ago, I followed the video to practice buttocks at home. After squatting for three months, not only did my butt not curl up, but my knees always hurt. Later, I went to the gym to find a certified trainer, used the Smith frame to adjust the stance angle, and practiced targeted gluteus medius activation for two months. The knee pain gradually disappeared, and the hip line did lift a lot - after all, the lightest weight in the gym was 1kg. From dumbbells to hundreds of kilograms of barbell plates, from fixed equipment for training small muscle groups to knee-friendly aerobic equipment such as elliptical machines and rowing machines, as well as ready-made exercise classes and group training resources, it is difficult to assemble at home or in the park. If you have a clear goal, whether you want to build muscle, remove fat, or make up for certain body shortcomings, going to the gym can really save you a lot of detours.

But it’s no wonder that many people are resistant to gym fitness. Last year, a colleague of mine got a three-year membership card at a low price during the year-end promotion. He went there twice. The first time he was rushing to catch up with the rush hour, and he waited for 20 minutes before getting on the treadmill. The second time he did a deadlift without a belt and his movements were wrong. He just slipped his waist and lay at home for a week. The card is still collecting dust in his drawer. There are also many novices who just copy the training plans of online professional players, adding extra weight and struggling to maintain deformed movements. In the past two years, I have accompanied my friends to the sports rehabilitation department. At least three out of ten people have injured their rotator cuffs and lumbar discs by practicing blindly in the gym. It is no wonder that some people complain that "going to the gym to practice blindly is not as safe as walking downstairs."

In fact, to put it bluntly, the gym is like an open kitchen with all the ingredients and tools. Those who know how to use it can make delicious nutritious meals according to their needs. Those who don’t know how to use it will not only not eat well, but also may cut their hands and burn the pot. If you have a certain training foundation and know how to arrange plans and avoid movement risks, going to the gym is definitely a bonus. Several friends I know who compete in amateur bodybuilding competitions have basically been in the gym for four or five years to get in shape. ； If you are a complete novice and don’t plan to find a reliable coach for the time being, you might as well start with jogging in the park and using free equipment in the community. Once you have a clear understanding of your own athletic ability and real needs, it is not too late to apply for a card. You don’t have to follow the trend and make impulse purchases.