I came across this blog post the other day, an open letter to new gym members. It’s pretty cute in its own way, this blogger is gently, but wryly encouraging:

Remember, it isn’t high school. It’s a gym. You are there to work out. Not to be “seen”. No one is looking at you. They are busy. Working out and worrying if someone is looking at them.

I need to think about this…being new to a gym. I never notice if people are new or not – how do you know when someone is new? Was it scary for you when you first started? Were you worried about what people thought?

Zest health clubs have the easiest, most helpful list i’ve seen about if you are new to the gym.  It covers how to arrive at the gym (i.e. tells you about swipe cards), to what to wear to how to start the machines.  It’s very comprehensive.

Or if you’re so inclined you could get your advice on your new gym from Points in Case, a site about College life which starts at how to even prepare for the gym:

Now, the first thing you’re going to have to do is get dressed. “But I like being naked, why can’t I be naked at the gym?” you ask. To which I reply: because this is COLLEGE. Keep your clothes on, loser. Jesus.

But if you’re mostly worried about the actual gym, and not the surrounding terror, here’s a list of ten common mistakes gym newbies make – easy stuff like not holding your breath, and don’t begin wearing a weight belt.