My wife and I joined a fitness club yesterday.  We're 42.  I haven't been in a respectable gym since 1994.  I'm not a complete rube - we have free weights, resistance bands, a punching bag, a dusty exercise bike, and I understand how to lift properly without slipping a disc.

I'm not so interested in aerobics on an elliptical (like my wife is), but more strength training.  And, by 'strength training' I don't mean pounding protein shakes and chiseled physique.  I would like to be a little stronger, with more energy.  I plan to 'know thyself' and start slow - I'm not too interested in being sore for days after every workout.  I've been keto for 4 months, so I can manage diet alright.

It's a Genesis heath club, and they have a few personal training sessions included.  My first session is tomorrow, but I will probably go out there tonight to check it out.

So, after writing all that, I'm looking for advice on 'etiquette' or whatever 'code' there might be in a gym that I don't have a clue about.

Just use it.

Go frequently and don't be weird.

Did you really need to start a thread about this?

Look up a proper routine to stick by and actually stick with it for at least 6-8 weeks. Going in there without a clear plan will likely just be a waste of your time.

When leering at the hotties in yoga pants, try not to be too obvious.

Have a multi week plan based on what you want to accomplish, power lifting, marathon runner, body building. Be sure the supplements you use jive with what you are trying to accomplish.
Start slow and stay at it. Gains will be slow and small at times but keep going.
There will be days where you don't think you are getting anywhere but there will also be random days when you are doing something like drying off after your shower and you'll be like " holy shit look at my traps"
As far as gym etiquette, wipe down equipment after you use it, even if you don't leave sweat behind and rack your weights. Doing this will build a positive rep in the gym and a whole new group of people to become friends with.  
If you can make it a life style and keep having fun you will get a lot more out of it.

This is our 2 year transformation. The sammich maker has gotten so into it that she has gotten her certification as a personal trainer and sports nutrition and works at a gym as a trainer, and in Dec she started training to power lift competitively

 

This is one of the few benefits of a commercial gym.  Stare away.

Sit on a machine while making phone calls for at least fifteen minutes at a time. Put your towel on a bench and then walk off to talk to your buddy , get pissed if someone moves you towel to actually lift. You get bonus points if you can tie up three machines with your protein shake cup, your shoes and resting on a machine. Don't do a set and then get right up because it makes you look like a bitch.

Boss.  Very nice!






Looking for tips like this that might not occur to me:

This kinda reminds me of people at the boat ramp.

Wow!  You two look awesome!  Very well done, and congratulations on your new life together.

What he said.  This is also true of aerobics... of ALL physical fitness. For example, running & cycling.   The first ten weeks will feel like hell. But you notice that each week you can do a few minutes more.  at the end of 10 weeks, you are suddenly going almost an hour... and that pain suddenly turns to feel like strength and power.   I tell people if they can get past the first few months, they have it in the bag.  Same way with lifting.   They first few weeks/months, you are thinking "WTH?" two days later.  But then suddenly you can add on a little weight to the machines... weight that wouldn't have been able to do a month earlier.

But it's a LIFESTYLE. The habit of fitness is like any habit.

And now I'm missing German gyms with coed nude saunas.

I'm pretty sure you could kick your old ass.

Find a plan and stick to it- don't do your own plan...one of the biggest mistakes IMO. If your goal is strength there's lots of good options. 5x5, Starting Strength, 5/3/1 etc. Pair that with some HIIT maybe.

Don't curl in the squat rack and don't use the goddamn smith machine.

Download and use StrongLift 5x5.  It's a couple of bucks and lays out the lifts, weights, rest intervals, etc.

There are probably better, more perfect programs out there, but I realized I was spinning my wheels trying to find a perfect program instead of just training and making gains.  It's kind of like training with handguns - At first I kept trying to find a better gun to magically make me a better shooter, instead of just sticking with something and training/building a better shooter out of me.

Do nothing but cardio and actually get fatter, then flake after 5 visits.......almost  forgot, abs workouts, tons of ab workouts.

That is AWESOME!!!!

I appreciate all the comments.  We went for the first time tonight at 8:30p.  Few people there, which was great for us to walk around and check out the gear.

I took the advice and started the stronglifts 5x5.  I could feel the row just a little, so I'm happy to start at low weights.  Plus spent a few minutes on each of the fancy elliptical style machines.

Thanks again.