Ten Things I Learned From A Decade In The Gym

I've been working in the fitness industry since I was 19 years old. At age 30, and thanks to the Coronavirus, this is the first year of my adult life not spent in a gym. Since the world and business have changed so rapidly over the past year, I don't see myself going back anytime soon. Reflecting on a decade working in the temple of iron, I realized I learned a lot about the realities of the fitness industry, and some may surprise you:

1. Diet is more important than anything you do in the gym

This is probably the most important thing to know about fitness. Your workout is secondary. Your diet is and always will be the most crucial factor in body composition.

There is an old saying, "You can't outrun a bad diet."

I think that saying was before the sport of ultrarunning because if you are an ultra runner or Olympic swimmer, you can do enough exercise to offset a bad diet. However, if you have other things going on in your life besides exercise, you may want to consider improving your diet.

2. The people who work the hardest don't necessarily get the best results

Contrary to popular belief, the people who work the hardest don't get the best results. The people with the best genetics do. It sucks, but it is the harsh reality. I've trained a lot of people. And I've trained people of the same demographic with the exact same exercises, and they have gotten different results. Muscle and strength are something everyone can build, but it is undoubtedly easier for some.

In general, men have an easier time gaining muscle and losing weight but not always. Your genetics play a significant role in the speed at which you see results. Although with consistency, everyone will see results. Especially with their strength goals. Which brings us conveniently to number #3 –

3. Programing matters less than consistency

You can be doing the best strength program in the world, but if you aren’t consistent, you will get worse results than the person who works out every day. While going to a gym or strength training does not have to be a daily activity, the diligently scheduled people at the gym always see the best results.

Whether you come three days a week at 10 am or twice a week in the evening. Set a schedule and stick to it. In terms of physiological benefits, it probably doesn't matter too much when you train. However, it’s much easier to stick to it when you have a routine.

4. Everything works

Similar to number #3, but it is worth stressing. I have seen people make significant body composition changes with all of the following: yoga, rock climbing, boxing, cycling, weight lifting, cardio, and group fitness (often light weights and high reps). At the end of the day, it doesn't matter that much what activity you choose.

Sure certain activities will help you accomplish weight loss or muscle gain much faster, but they all work. I've seen people lose over 100lbs doing any of the above activities. They were all consistent and improved their diets. I'm sure if I were in a gym that offered swimming or goat yoga, I'd also know of people that have gotten incredible results.

5. If you don't rack your weights, you have no soul

I cannot tell you how many times I've removed 45lb plates from a bar for a badass older lady. There are plenty of older people who want to squat a barbell who unfortunately cannot pull 45lb plates off the bar. And they shouldn't ever have to.

Racking weights is part of working out in a public space. It is a social contract that you agree to, like returning your shopping cart after getting groceries. You don't do it because you have to. You do it because if you don't, you are making someone else's life harder. And I'll let you in on a little secret. It is rarely the staff that re-racks the weight, 90% of the time; a considerate gym-goer fixes it.

If I believed there was a hell, there would be a special place in it for those who don't rack their weights. Right next to those who don't recycle and people who don't appreciate how talented Sara Bareilles is.

The best part of COVID has been not having to interact with individuals.

6. Bring a water bottle

Typically, the strongest people you see at the gym are carrying a water bottle. Staying hydrated is just about the most important thing you can do for your health while you're conscious. I don't think I must list out the innumerable benefits of drinking water, but I leave you with one.

Appetite suppression, the more water you drink, the less hungry you'll be. If you aren't hungry, sticking to your diet is a whole lot easier. Since your diet is the number one influencer of body composition… Drink. More. Water.

7. Money is a fantastic motivator

I used to run special small group strength classes that added another $100+ to your monthly membership. You better believe that the majority of people paying that extra money would show up and get their money's worth. It is easy to justify skipping a day with a regular gym membership, but it is tough to rationalize missing your workout when you are paying for additional services.

Accountability is the most valuable service a gym offers, and it comes free with every membership. Although if you don't want to pay for additional accountability, there is a great free substitute, workout buddies.

8. The more friends you have at the gym, the more you'll go

Social pressure is real. And training with other people keeps you accountable. If you agree to meet a buddy at the gym at 6:30 am, you will feel like a real butthole if you don't show up.

Working out with someone is also a great way to push yourself. If possible, try to find someone stronger than you to train with. The more challenging the workouts, the more weight you lift, the faster you'll reach your goals.

*to an extent, overtraining with weights can cause injury and have diminishing returns

9. People are looking at the gym

50% of the people at the gym are there to get their workout in and GTFO. Get home to smash dinner and watch some TV. They don't want to talk to you; they don't give a shit about what you are doing in the gym. They aren't going to spare you a glance.

The other half are single people who view the gym as a social club. Generally, there are more single people at the gym than married people. Some of the single men approach the women in inappropriate ways, but most of the time, everyone is friendly.

If you want to meet someone at the gym, group fitness is for you. Regularly go to the same class, be social, and you'll make friends. If your goal is to meet a special someone, your demographic will determine the class/gym you go to. The clientele at a rock climbing gym is very different than a country club.

10. If you aren't working out with your significant other, someone else is

I rarely train with my significant other because we prefer different activities. I like to climb and snowboard, and my girlfriend likes to run. Training with your partner is far from necessary. However, group fitness classes, the weight room, are places where people meet.

More than once in my career as a trainer, I've seen some and heard about more infidelity. And I never asked anybody about it. Ever. Seriously. Not once. Yet, I can think of a few people whose personal lives I know way too much about.

I've learned a lot more than ten things with a decade of experience in the gym, but male locker room etiquette and how to sell personal training aren't as relevant to your average reader.