Tag: new year resolution

How I got over my fear of the gym

Everyone is talking about resolutions, working out, and eating right. It’s that time of year. But what you won’t hear about is a fear of the gym. For the longest time when I had first started, I was afraid of the gym. If you’re a complete beginner, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about.

“Where do I start?”

“Where is all the equipment?”

“Am I going to get in someone’s way?”

“Am I going to look like a complete idiot?”

Those were just some of the actual things I had racing through my head. It didn’t matter if it was solo or with friends. I was just so uncomfortable and felt out of place.

Now, maybe that’s all just me, but if you clicked on this link it says that you might have some hesitations and concerns yourself. I’m here to tell you that it’s completely normal and OK to feel that way. You’ve just got to get in the groove.

I thought long and hard about those days imaging a barbell come crashing down on me with weights spilling all over the floor. Luckily, that never happened, but it’s terrifying to think about.

Hopefully these 10 tips will help you with getting over the fear like l did so you can get down to business.

1. Find the right place for you

If you’re going to be spending an hour per day in a place, you better be sure you like it. Take a day to check a few places out and talk to the owners. Feel them out. The people that manage or own the place really set the tone. If possible, go at peak hours (before work, lunch, immediately after work). This will allow you to see how busy the place actually gets. I went to four gyms in one day. Really put some consideration into their approach as well. Do you want group fitness classes? Do you like the idea of small group fitness? Mom and pop shop? Chain facility? They’ve all got very unique feels.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

There was a guy named Greg at one of the first gyms I joined. I didn’t know him well, but he kept in good shape and taught fitness courses at the college. Every once in a while I’d ask a couple questions. I soaked in as much information as I could. I recommend finding your own Greg.

3. Train during off-peak hours

While it might be a good idea to scope our your new potential gym during peak hours, it might not be the best idea when actually starting out. Those peak hours such as before work, lunch break, and post-work can be mayhem. And while your schedule may not allow for it in the long run, try and go at odd hours when the crowds are thinner in the beginning. It will be less overwhelming. Plus, that’s when most of the real hardcore-not-about-the-scene guys go so maybe you can learn some stuff from them.

4. Find your spot

To this day I’ll find myself in super-crowded gyms where I’m unfamiliar with the space and people. If you have a chest and back day planned that requires you to be all over the place, just slow down for a few minutes. Find a spot and do some push ups, planks, foam roll, etc. Take your time and feel it all out. Plus, you should be warming up anyway!

5. Pick a solid beginner plan

You’ve got to have a plan. Failing to plan is planning to fail. You 100% need a mission for everyday in the gym. After you’ve chosen one, learn and watch closely how to do each move. Got questions? Ask them! I personally like the Foundation workout plan for beginners. (Or the 4-week Very Beginner workout plan for very beginners).

From there you can progress onto something like The 6-week Redemption workout plan, or the The 6-week Reconstruction plan. Still not finding what you’re looking for? Check out all 30+ FREE workout plans here.

6. Watch videos that get you fired up

When first starting out there was a period of time that for 10 or 20 minutes before I planned on going to the gym I would watch inspiring videos to get me excited. Guys just killing it with some cool beat in the background. Majority of this battle is mental and that was a big part of getting me riled. (I remind myself of that every day. In fact, I made sure to have those types of videos created for EVERY workout program we launch. That way you can get as stoked as I did.) I suggest watching all of these: The Holiday Schedule, The Detox, Built for the Beach, and Redemption.

7. Build your most epic of all epic playlists

A great workout playlist is clutch. Similar to the inspiring videos, this is clearly a given. I suggest making a few different playlists based on the different genres you like. Don’t listen to your party or chill music. Listen to your, “I’m going to beat the living hell out of the gym today” music. I personally have a several different ones lined up for lifting days, running days, and yoga days.

Must read! How to always have your best possible workout

8. Invest in new training gear

You don’t need to go nuts, but the gear you wear just becomes a part of the whole process. There’s nothing wrong with making it a little special. Doesn’t matter what it is, this is your world, get set up the way you want to.

9. Crush it with a friend

If you really think you can’t do it on your own just yet, that’s cool. A good training partner when first starting out makes things 100x easier. You’ve got someone to get through the grueling sets and reps with, but it can also help with getting acclimated to the social scene. (Yeah, there’s probably a scene of some sort at your gym.) Also: make sure it’s someone that’s down to really make it happen. A crappy training partner can kill you—and your plan. Check out this 3-day strength-building plan we produced for training partners with brothers Ryan and Eric Johnson.

10. Remind yourself every day why you’re doing this

There were plenty of days I didn’t want to go to the gym (and there still are). But the most important thing to remember is that with every single day you step foot in the place, you’re getting better. A 1 mile run is better than a no mile run. Three sets of 10 of one exercise is better than no sets of 10. Go at your own pace, the more you do it, the more you love it. But never, ever forget to continuously remind yourself why you’re doing it.

Must read! How do you stay motivated to work out?

January 6, 2023
23 Ways to Get Stronger in 2023

2023 is here. It’s scary how fast time goes by. Let’s get stronger — both physically and mentally — in 2023!

How are you looking at the new year? Are you seeing it as a time to start fresh? Or, as a time to build on what was built the year before, and the year before that, and the year before that?

Every year, HFP grows because we’re able to add to our collection of content that we’ve created to bring value to your life. Since our inception in 2009, we spent a tremendous amount of time and energy creating new material and refreshing and expanding our older pieces to improve your experience.

As we head into 2023, we’re more committed than ever to serving this community as best we possibly can through the creation and curation of new thoughtful, useful, and authentic content. As we work on all of that, we thought it would be a good idea to get you set up with everything you might have missed or might need as you make your fitness and wellness plans in the coming weeks and months.

The following is a curated collection to get you started off strong in the new year.

Give this a bookmark and a follow on all your favorite social media channels (@humanfitproject). Click the highlighted links listed below to read the full feature.

1. Use any of our 35+ FREE workout plans

It doesn’t matter what your goals are, we’ve probably got it covered, and if we don’t, let us know. While the fitness industry is always changing, our plans remain timeless. If they’ve worked for the dozens of experts we collaborated with then they can work for you too. Click the link above for everything from hardcore, heavy-lifting strength plans to very beginner bodyweight programming.

2. Optimize your overall mind and body performance with this daily protocol

While in pursuit of getting fitter, physically and mentally, you can always find ways to optimize how you feel and perform. Over the years, we’ve experimented with several strategies, methods, and techniques to be more efficient in the gym, get better sleep at night, be more productive at work, and generally feel more energetic throughout the day. Click the above link for the current daily protocol that works.

3. Stay fit while traveling with these 6 essentials

Travel is always an inspiring experience. We’re always coming up with new ideas and writing a whole lot more during a trip away. The only downside is, it’s hard to stay in that optimal routine for maintaining fitness. Having travel essentials make it a little easier and convenient. Click the link above for a list of six absolute essentials. Also, we did not receive any product or receive any payment from any of the products on the list at the time of publication.

4. Refresh your mind-muscle connection with these how-to videos of the 20 best exercises

If you’re a complete beginner, these are the exercises you need to know how to do—and these pointers will get you there. On the other hand, if you’ve been working out for quite sometime, there’s no harm in going through a refreshing. It’s not uncommon to catch yourself going through motions of a workout and miss out on gains, even if you’re seasoned and experienced. You might surprise yourself when you take a minute to actually think about what you’re doing during your workouts.

5. Make your new year transformation a huge success by strengthening these 6 traits

Many people who start a workout plan or a new diet for the first time fail. They’ll stick to it for a couple days—maybe a couple weeks—feel good, then start to slip little by little until they’re over it. One skipped workout turns into two, one cheat meal turns into an entire cheat day. Why? It’s most likely not the plan or the diet, but the personality traits of the individual following the plan and/or diet. Find out if you have the traits that lead to success.

6. Rise every morning refreshed with these moves before you even get out of bed

Waking up with some aches and pains are a part of the game. Instead of rolling out of a bed slow and sluggish, start things right with these quick and gentle moves to get the blood flowing. You don’t need to use all of them or do it every single day, but there’s no better to way to compliment a morning meditation than with these.

7. Start sleeping better at night with these 10 easy-to-follow tips

For some, getting into the gym regularly is the tough part, for others it’s the nutrition that gets them. Then there’s the ones that can’t get a lick of sleep and their hormones and mood get all out of wack. The research around the importance of sleep is only going to keep piling on. Instead of walking around lethargic or fighting it with obnoxious amounts of caffeine—try this pre-sleep routine.

8.Don’t let the office life wreak havoc on your body—do moves these at work

Sitting at a desk tightens us up. Low back pain? Knee pain? You’ve got to get up and walk around a bit to keep things from getting rusty. There are also a series of moves or exercises that you can easily do at your desk. These are by no means a workout, but little things like this make a difference.

9.Don’t stress a busy schedule—get fit with these 10 basic workouts

The number one excuse for not going to the gym or working out is a busy schedule. To be frank, that’s a pretty lame excuse. A workout is an hour or less per day and it’s going to make a huge long-term difference in the quality of your life. Even if you couldn’t careless about abs or muscles, you should care about your heart, lungs, and blood pressure, just to name a few. These workouts are quick, basic, and can be structured in several different ways to fit your schedule.

10. Stay productive at work—these 10 strategies will strengthen your creative muscles

Yeah, you’ve got life goals too. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to climb the corporate ladder or make it out there on your own, burn out can catch up to the best of us. For as much time as you spend working your muscles, you should be showing as much love to your mind and soul. While on your rise to the top, follow these strategies to stay as positive, productive, and sharp as possible.

11. Heal your injuries with these pain-relief workout plans

Career-ending injuries are tragic, but if the doc says things aren’t that serious then don’t throw in the towel too soon. Inactivity only makes things worse. Do you have a bad knee? How about low back pain? Maybe it’s a stiff neck or elbow tendonitis? Our mobility expert has the workout prescription you need, minus the toxic pills you can probably do without.

12. Learn how to eat based off your intuition

There are no secrets when it comes to fitness and wellness. It’s about working out hard, trying to progress over time, and treating your body with respect. Eating quality foods are key in that. While you shouldn’t eat processed junk food, you can cheat here and there. After taking the time to learn what works for you, everything becomes intuitive. Don’t forget to check out the piece on how super-popular foods like avocado are nothing but a fitness facade.

13. Add these 25 foods to your grocery list

These are a complete no-brainer. If you wiped out your refrigerator and pantry and need to restock everything, you can’t fail with what’s on this list. It’s got your macronutrients like protein, carbs, and fats covered. Stock up here—it would be impossible fall off the fitness wagon when fully supplied with these.

14. Expand your cooking skills with these 5 seafoods recipes

Doesn’t it feel like salmon is always in the spotlight when it comes to seafood? It’s not that other options aren’t mentioned or available, but it just seems like salmon, salmon, salmon. For the most part, all seafood is very good for building lean muscle and maintaining weight, and let’s not forget, it’s a good source of those healthy fats that everyone likes to tout. These 5 dishes are a fun ways to eat seafood while giving the salmon a rest.

15. Reorganize your snack food drawer to stop feeling hungry

The word “moderation” is a tricky one. Moderation for one person could mean something completely different for another. The idea of, “just a little bit won’t hurt” is flawed. How often are you doing “just a little bit”. Once you’re in-tune with how your body works and responds to things like food and exercise, then that saying makes sense, but when just starting out, it’s a bit harder to justify. (More on this concept in the intuitive eating story). Snack foods can quickly catch up to you—these are the best and worst.

16. Lose fat in less time with these 30 HIIT workouts

High-intensity intervals have been proven time and time again to be a very effective fat-burner, especially when coupled up with strength training and good eating habits. They’re also a great way to get one heck of a sweat going. This is a collection of the best from HFP and it’s contributors.

17. Follow these 20 guidelines for long-term fat loss

There are loads of different training plans and dietary approaches to fat loss, but there are some hard and true guidelines that always seem to drive results. If you’re just getting started down the weight loss path, or have come against some headwinds recently then it’s worth making sure you’ve tried all of the possible options. Follow this list and you can’t fail.

18. Keep your routines interesting by swapping in these 10 multi-purposes exercises

The fitness industry is notorious for it’s ever-changing trends. One minute you should train this way, then the next minute it’s all about that way. The same goes with food and diet. The shifts are exhausting, and confusing, even for the experts. Above we listed some of the best exercises. They’re the best because they’re the basics and they won’t go anywhere. As for this list: these have gotten a bit more buzz the last year or so and are worth using as well.

19. Break through plateaus by using these “shock methods” to stimulate change

Making changes to your routine and workouts has merit. While it’s a good idea to give your plans a chance to work, it’s also very easy to fall into the same ol’ same ol’ rut. If you’re following an actual plan, it’s good to track progress over a few weeks: anywhere from as little as 4 and upwards to 12+ isn’t uncommon. Now, there’s most likely some small changes over those course of time like reps, sets, and rest periods, but nothing major. When things get stale, it’s a good idea to try some new methods—these will make things fun and could trigger a good response from your body.

20. Maintain a rock-solid core with these 20+ routines

There’s no debate that a strong core is the foundation of everything. If your workouts are primarily focused on the entire body and you’re using the basic big lifts like the squat, deadlift, and variations of presses, you’re most likely well-covered. However, there’s no reason why you can’t give your core a little bit more work as long as you’re still seeing progress. On the other hand, if you’re following more of a bodybuilder’s type workout, not every muscle of the core could be getting enough work—this will cover your bases.

21. Test your fitness with these 10 workout challenges

If you were to do 5 exercises, each for 10 reps, and needed to finish as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes, you’d probably be sweating like hell. Now, if you stay consistent with your training for several weeks, months, and years, you’ll be able to crank out several more rounds in that same amount of time. (And probably be sweating a whole hell of a lot less.) That’s progress, and that’s the purpose of these workouts. Pick one, or a few, and try them every few weeks or months. They’re also great workout challenges for friends and training partners.

22. Get over that fear of exercise

Absolute-beginners: This piece dates back to the 2014-2015 time frame but has been periodically updated as it’s very relevant to anyone that’s just getting started. The gym can be an intimidating and sometimes even awkward environment, this piece should help ease those feelings as you learn how to pick the right gym for you, work around crowds, and establish your schedule. You might also find our guide of the 4 simple steps to your first day at the gym to be helpful.

23. Save yourself from making these avoidable mistakes

Fitness is an ongoing process of learning. You learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you body likes and doesn’t like. If you’re not careful, you can learn some very hard lessons along the way that can result in injury, burn out, or frustration from not seeing any results. Before you start your very first (or next) workout, give this a read-through. We made almost all the mistakes so you don’t need to. Train safe.

December 25, 2022
The 4-week Body Reconstruction plan

This will be the year you dramatically change the composition of your body. A couple weeks in, take a look into the mirror, you’ll see noticeable differences in all the right places. Your face and jawline will show signs thinning; your shirts will tighten up in your chest, back, and shoulders. You’ll have visible veins in your arms, and you start to see those abs you never knew you had.

With the recent (January 2018) updates to the Redemption plan and the fresh release of the 6-week Unlabeled workout plan, you’re probably wondering why we’re promoting another one. Well, it’s always nice to have options. It’s also nice to have other programs to cycle with. But, more importantly, Reconstruction’s programming works very well with the whole New Year, New You thing.

Let me try my best to explain why.

The big picture

As we all know, January is the unofficial reset button for everyone. We all make resolutions and promises to work on improving some aspect or aspects of our lives. Whether we have the determination to stick to them or see them through—only time ends up telling. But, considering it’s such a huge reflective and goal-setting time for everyone that means there’s a whole lot of people in the same boat. While most of my programs are 100% suitable for anyone, I think this plan is particularly great for two types of people—the beginner that’s never been in the gym and the advanced person that may have let himself go. January is the time of year they mobilize the most.

For the person that’s just starting out

When I was starting out, the very first thing that I learned was to get intensely focused and dialed in on every single rep, and to feel every millimeter I moved the weight. This is what really creates results. I mean, I’m talking hyper-focused. Even on the rest periods. In fact, for years I didn’t allow myself to bring my cell phone into the gym. This is the main reason why Reconstruction was designed with exercises that focus on super-slow repetition tempos. This is a perfect habit to get into as a beginner. They will learn to train to feel everything.

For the person that’s done this before

While I’ve been fortunate enough to have fitness at the center of my life and career, I understand that’s not the case for everyone. Life happens and those single-digital body fat days end up being a memory of the past. But that doesn’t mean they are gone for good. I get countless messages from folks looking to get their body back. They know what’s-what in the gym, they’ve been there before, it’s just been a while. This is another reason why Reconstruction was designed with super-slow repetitions. It’s back to basics. Start actually feeling everything again.

For the person that absolutely lives and breathes it

I do all of my programs, even the one’s other contributors provide. I’ve pretty much done it all. Want to know what happens sometimes? You get lost in it! I originally designed the Reconstruction for myself. It didn’t have a name. It was just another program I made to “reset” when I found myself rushing through workouts. So I forced myself to do slower repetitions. I also found myself getting sluggish and slow mid-week. So I pulled back the volume a bit. I wasn’t hammering circuits with heavy weights every day. I wasn’t doing 5-6+ sets per exercise with each workout. And four weeks in, my strength, recovery, energy, and mood were all back to normal.

THE RECONSTRUCTION WORKOUTS

For each exercise marked with “*”, you will perform repetitions very slow and very controlled. Two-three seconds on the way down, two-three seconds on the way up, with a pause at the bottom and top of each rep. As you strengthen that connection with your muscles, watch how quickly you progress.

It’s suggested that DAY 1 is Monday, DAY 2 is Wednesday, DAY 3 is Thursday, DAY 4 is Saturday. Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday are “OFF” days. In week two, complete the first and second exercise of each body part as supersets. In week three and four, add one-three additional sets per exercise.

DAY 1: Chest & Back

*1.Barbell bench press 3×8-10 rest 60s
2.Barbell bent-over row 3×8-10 rest 60s
3.Incline dumbbell press 3×8-10 rest 60s
*4.Seated rope row 3×8-12 rest 60s
*5.Swooping cable flye 3×10-12 rest 60s
*6.Lat pulldown 3×12-12 rest 60s
7A.Push-up 25,50, or 100 as quickly as possible
7B.Pullup 25,50 or 100 as quickly as possible

DAY 2: Legs & Abs

*1.Back squat 3×6-8 rest 60s
*2.Deep goblet squat 3×20 rest 30s
3.Forward and reverse lunge 3×5 each side and direction rest 60s
4.Stiff-leg deadlift with calve raise 3×8-10 rest 60s
5.10-20 yard wind sprint 5-10x rest 30-60s
6.Barbell roll out 3×8-10 rest 30s
7.Hollow rock/roll 3×15-30s rest 30s
8.Cable chop variation 3×10 rest 30s

A post shared by humanfitproject (@humanfitproject) on Jan 23, 2018 at 12:46am PST

DAY 3: Shoulders & Arms

1.Dumbbell clean and press 3×8-10 rest 60s
*2.Side lateral raise 3×12-15 rest 30s
3.Angled plate press 3×10-12 rest 30s
4.Cable pull-apart 3×12-15 rest 30s
5.*Dumbbell hammer curl 3×8-10 rest 60s
6.Lying dumbbell extension 3×8-10 rest 60s
7.Cable rope curl 3×8-10 rest 60s
*8.Cable tricep pushdown 3×8-10 rest 60s

DAY 4: Full Body Fat-Loss Circuit

Complete five rounds as quickly as possible. Rest two minutes between each round.

Dumbell thruster x10-12
Dumbbell push-up and row x10-12
Dip bar knee tuck x10-12
Dumbbell hammer curl x10-12
Dumbbell kickback x10-12
Burpee x10-12

And be sure to post before and after photos with the hashtag #humanfitporject for your chance to be featured to an audience of over 300K+ on HUMANFITPROJECT.com and our social platforms.

January 2, 2018
What Is the Redemption Plan?

The REDEMPTION plan is a new year workout and motivation plan launched on MENSFITNESS.com. The full plan will be available on MENSFITNESS.com through January. For more information, go to MENSFITNESS.com/Redemption

The workouts we write, edit, curate, and produce aren’t just workouts. I feel like a broken record saying it, but it’s true.

Whether it be me, or someone else on the team, someone has done it. And in some way, shape or form, it’s more than just a good idea to try in the gym. Forget looking at whether or not it’s effective, or the best thing ever, this is about working out as a whole. Each workout is a single drop in the bucket, but they all add up to one great final product. The body you always wanted is great, but it’s the feeling that you’ve accomplished something and continue to succeed based on your own individual efforts. That’s what really matters.

The REDEMPTION plan was my attempt to share my inner thoughts over the years as I’ve pursued my professional goals within the fitness and media spaces. While working out started out as a means to “get big”, it’s evolved quite a bit over the years.

Breaking down the voiceover script:

“The goal has never changed. It’s been to feel good, and be pumped up.”
I’m a very competitive person, maybe not openly against people, but with myself. I want to be the best at everything I do, it’s just how I was programmed. But, at the same time, I also want to have a much fun as possible. To me that means finding a career that connects all of my passions.

“It’s always been the first thought.”
First thing I think about when I wake up in the morning is, ‘what do I need to do to get further ahead today?’

“Only a few actually understood the point…the rest just didn’t care.”
I’ve had people damn nearly force beer and food down my throat. I’ve also even had someone once say they couldn’t go to lunch with me anymore because I made them feel bad about what they would order. The list goes on…

“It was never about being cool…just a better version of before.”
I do what I do for me.

“The work is more than muscle and sweat…and doubt is a dead-end street.”
Everything we produce and build isn’t just about being shredded and ripped. It’s a representation of hard work, and what you can accomplish when you really go after it. It’s about feeling good about yourself and chasing after what you want without any reservation.

“5am or 11pm. No excuse is an option.”
College was the easy life. I could go to the gym whenever I wanted. Now in the real world, with travel and a gnarly schedule, I need to go when I can. The only consistency I have these days is that fact that I will be in the gym no matter what. If you ask me what time, good luck.

“Let these workouts be your REDEMPTION plan.”
I want people to see these workouts as me putting that extra little effort into the production. The things you want don’t necessarily come easy. And you’re going to experience a variety of obstacles and challenges. But one key thing is to never, ever stop or not go 100% in anything you pursue. There’s no time to waste.

December 31, 2015