6 Mistakes to avoid when you join a gym for the first time

The first hurdle is simply convinc ing yourself to join the gym. The second is to figure out which one fits your budget and timings. Signing up at a gym is only half the battle won. You need to be regular, patient and dedicated if you want to see results. You also need to remember that as a gym rookie, things can either get exciting or ugly real quick. Exciting if you listen to your trainer and ugly if you let your ego do all the exercises. Stop trying to look an experienced gym goer since you aren't and make sure you are not making these mistakes.

1 Don't overdo things

While it might seem exciting to try out everything in the first week itself, your body needs time to get used to this new regimen. You might want to lift weights but form and technique are more important than behaving like you know it all. You might want to show off but trying to push yourself more than you can will only result in unnecessary injuries.

2 Never neglect your lower body

The legs comprise almost half of your body but many people don't even spend an entire hour training their legs. A typical gym goer spends almost five days on their upper body and just one day on legs. While leg workouts can be painful, you need to start working out legs at least twice a week with as much passion as you hit your upper body.

3 Treat all muscle groups equally

We all have a favourite muscle group but that doesn't mean that we will only train that group. Every group has demands and must be given equal training importance.

Some people have the ten dency to hit the same body part day in and day out.

That is a big mistake, say experts. While you can bring up a lagging body part by training it more, it doesn't mean you should over-train it. This results in an imbalanced physique and increases injury risks.

4 Know the difference between stretching and warm-ups

Hate it or love it, cold stretching is stupid. It's not advisable to stretch before lifting weights.

Most people are not able to differ entiate between warm-up tech niques and stretching and use them interchangeably with each other.Studies have actually shown that stretching before a workout can hinder performance. Do it after the workout or anytime during the day , just not before starting a working out. Remember: Warm-ups are to be done before a workout and stretches after a workout.

5 Avoid cardio before lifting weights

There is nothing wrong in running on a treadmill for 10-15 minutes but doing it just before your weight training session will only make you tired.Unfortunately , a large number of gym goers in India spend the initial 30-40 minutes in the cardio section before moving onto weights and then complain continuously about the lack of energy .If you want to do cardio, do it either after a weight training session or in a separate session.

6 Don't leave everything to memory

When you join a gym, there are chances that you might feel overwhelmed with all the new exercises that you're suddenly doing.Therefore, it is important to keep a diary where you can jot down your workout sessions each day . This will help you keep track of what you're doing and also help you figure out if you're doing anything wrong. Lastly, don't forget to ask for help when you need it.

Here's how to break the ice with freshers


With the new academic year beginning, students are starting a new phase in life.As terrifying as it can be, here are some tips that seniors can consider while welcoming freshers to their college...

CULTURE CHECK

Learn about the students' cultural patterns in order to help make them feel at home. It helps them open up and feel comfortable in a diverse crowd.

BEYOND BOUNDARIES

Activities that are conducted outside the classroom play an important role in creating a fun and balanced peer environment. These activities can include a short introduction to the college or an interactive session among students. Non-verbal activities like displaying paintings and photographs curated by the freshers can boost their confidence.

FRESHER BUDDY

Assign a buddy to help a fresher settle s in the college. A buddy can show t them around the campus and spend time with them during breaks and free time.

`CLUB'BING

Form interactive clubs that connect freshers to each other. This helps create a common ground to get acquainted to like-minded people.

ADVENTURE CAMPS

Some colleges conduct camps for students who are inclined towards adventure sports. These camps facilitate interaction among groups that stay together for a short period of time.

FRESHERS PARTY

Playing the host involves organising a party for the newcomers. This party is an effective way to bring them out of their shells and socialise with seniors, as well as peers. But make the bash fun by having interesting and fun themes. You can host events where both seniors and freshers dress like yesteryear actors and dance to classic hits. Give things an intellectual twist by hosting a mock parliament session.

SELFIE BOOTHS

Set up a selfie booth in the campus, where freshers can click pictures with seniors. Make sure the poses are crazy so they can become comfortable with each other in the five minutes they spend there. Some interesting snaps can be published in the college's annual magazine as well.

FRESHMAN FEARS DEBUNKING COMMON MYTHS ABOUT STARTING COLLEGE


With the end of summer vacation around the corner, college looms over students' heads like an impending doom. While the prospect of returning to university might be exciting for sophomores and seniors, first-year students who are yet to begin their journey are bound to be a scared and confused bundle of nerves. To make things easier, we list some common college myths that are just that -myths!

I WON'T MAKE ANY NEW FRIENDS

A universal fear that plagues all freshers set for college is the anxiety of not meeting any like-minded people and forming new connections. It mostly stems from the reluctance to step away from childhood friends and into a whole new world. But it's all unfounded, says Sneha V , senior at a city college. “Although the first couple of weeks may be dull and daunting, you will eventually find good companions at college -some of who may become your lifelong friends,“ she assures.

THE FRESHER 5

An idea that originated in the West and quickly spread like wildfire, the `Fresher 5' is a term that refers to the apparent weight gain at first year of university. Although this belief is founded in actual logic -a freshman is more likely to exhibit weight-gaining behaviour (like drinking and over-eating) because of hisher initial excitement or stress -statistics have shown that this five-kilo gain is nothing more than a paranoid myth.

SHIRKING RESPONSIBILITIES IS SUPER EASY

With hectic schedules and discipline of high school firmly in the past, it is easy to assume that college means skipping classes and leaving assignments undone, with no consequences at all, especially in the first couple of semesters. But with most universities imposing strict attendance policies and periodic evaluations, college is definitely not the place to play hooky .

COLLEGE WILL CRAMP MY STYLE

Based on what's shown on the big screen, one might quickly presume that Thinkstock college entails a whole load of sacrifices. From putting up with ragging seniors to living only on cereal and instant noodles, movies make it seem like college life is just one disaster after another.

“But it really isn't like that,“ says Jai Krishna, sophomore at a university .“All institutions have strict anti-ragging rules and discipline is taken very seriously in the campus. Also, most seniors actually care for you; from helping you with notes and projects to aiding you in finding a job, they have your back. Handle your finances well, stay true to yourself, and it'll be no different from school.“

`ADULTING' IS CHILD'S PLAY

Considering the additional baggage that often pairs with starting out at college -such as living by oneself or making time for a long commute -it's no surprise that college is synonymous with additional responsibilities. However, no matter how simple it all seems in theory, rest assured that everything (from budgeting to scheduling) is going to need honest, hard work.

OLD FRIENDS FOREVER

This belief goes two ways -students not only believe that school friendships last forever, but also that whoever they meet first in college is who they're going to be friends with all through. Old relationships will undoubtedly undergo some amount of strain once college begins, and it's equally true that bonds constantly change even during the graduate years. Rarely does it hap pen that who you start your freshman year with is who will be at your side while graduating.

EVERYBODY IS EQUAL

This one, actually , is no myth. Every single person that enrolls into an university is automatically put on one platform, with the same degree of opportunities made available. “I used to think that my credentials from school would give me an edge in college, but I was wrong. If you were once a topper or a star student, be prepared to have all that nullified, because everybody else has tons of achievements in their roster, too. Nobody has an upper hand,“ says Gokul V , a second-year student.

Riya Somaiya, second-year commerce student, adds, “My friend and I had topped the exams in school and were confident of being everyone's favourite in college as well. But we found that almost every other student had some great quality or ability. My classmates are from across the city and some are even from other states. So, I got to learn a lot from their experiences.“