When It Comes to Finding Your Fitness Fit, Third Time's the Charm

By Lizzie Fuhr

Updated on 8/14/2014 at 7:52 PM

When you're brand-new to a group fitness routine, everything feels difficult. You're not sure what to wear, what basic moves you're expected to know, or even how to get around the gym! All of these things come naturally in time — consistency is key — but there is one important tip newbies should take to get into the groove and find the workouts that serve their needs: try everything three times.

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Every new workout will be a challenge, but it's important to stick it out and not feel intimidated by a mix of levels in your class or your current fitness state. If you felt challenged and enjoyed any part of the workout, try it again. When you attend the same class three times, you'll have the opportunity to get acclimated with the flow of the workout, build confidence, and get stronger — and just one or two times won't cut it. As you're determining what you like and what you don't when it comes to working out, keeping an open mind is absolutely essential, and this tip makes that possible.

To set yourself up for even more success, take these three tips to every new class:

  1. Keep a positive attitude: When you head into a workout with a bad attitude, it makes every minute feel more difficult. Leave your stresses at the door, breathe deep, commit to have fun, and don't be too hard on yourself. If you feel intimidated when you look around the room, remember that everyone was a beginner at some point!
  2. Introduce yourself: Don't feel awkward introducing yourself to the teacher before or after your first class. Giving the instructor a heads-up provides them with opportunity to offer pointers before class or extra instruction throughout the class.
  3. Give it your all: In the group fitness environment, it's easy to cheat a little or take a break. To make the most of the workout and challenge yourself, don't fall into this trap. When you give 100 percent, you're setting yourself up for success and you'll know you won't be left with any regrets.