Whether you’re a first-timer who’s barely touched a free weight or a seasoned regular who’s been hitting the same machines for years, you can still learn a lot from trainers
HuffPost asked fitness professionals across the country what they wish more gymgoers understood about exercise. Their answers might just change the way you work out
1. Consistency beats perfection every single time
“I wish people knew that consistency beats perfection every time,” Thomas Banicky, senior district fitness manager at 24 Hour Fitness, told HuffPost. “You do not need a flawless workout plan or a two-hour gym session to make meaningful progress. Showing up regularly, building sustainable habits and focusing on gradual improvement will almost always lead to better long-term results than trying to do everything perfectly for a few weeks and burning out.”
You don’t need to overcomplicate your workouts or pressure yourself to make the “perfect” program
“Fitness isn’t all-or-nothing,” said Denise Chakoian, a certified fitness trainer and owner of Core Cycle and Fitness LaGree. “Too many people think that if they can’t exercise for an hour, six days a week, then they shouldn’t exercise at all. That’s simply not the case. Consistency will always trump perfection ― 20 to 30 minutes of movement is better than none at all and can have huge benefits for your health.”
“The people making real progress are rarely the loudest ones in the room,” echoed April Medrano, vice president of programming, education and experience at STRIDE Fitness. “What I wish more people understood is that progress is built in the unglamorous middle. Everyone wants the transformation, but the magic is in the boring repetition ― the same lift, the same habits, the same showing up week after week.”
2. Results take months and years, not days and weeks
“Good things take time,” said Mallory Fox, a National Academy of Sports Medicine master trainer and wellness coach. “Clients often have unrealistic expectations about the time required to meet their goals. While everyone’s progress is different, a good rule of thumb I like to share is that they’ll start to feel results in the first four weeks and see results in the first four months.”
While that timeline might feel slow and discouraging, it sets a realistic standard that promotes consistency, sustainability and injury prevention
“We live in a society of instant gratification, but your body doesn’t work that way,” Chakoian said. “If you want to see changes in your strength, body composition and overall health, it’s going to take months and years of consistency, not days or weeks.”
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Fitness isn’t about punishing your body. It’s about building a body that serves you well for decades
– Karen Lord, trainer
Certified personal trainer Josh Schlottman recommended tracking long-term data over short-term dopamine hits. Progressive overload over time is key
“Humans are naturally inclined to chase sensations like the pump, the burn, the sweat and the soreness,” he said. “But I wish people understood that muscle soreness correlates very poorly with muscle growth. Soreness is mostly just a sign that your body went through some novel stimulus, but not necessarily that you had an optimal workout. If you’re not adding weight to the bar or doing more reps over time, then you’re not building strength or muscle.”
3. The hardest workout is not always the most effective
“One thing I wish more people understood is that the hardest workout is not always the most effective workout,” said Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at PVOLVE. “A lot of people chase a completely depleted feeling, but if you do not have the mobility, stability and core control to support intensity in movements, your body will find ways to compensate.”
Rather than setting unrealistic and counterproductive goals, she recommended starting modestly to gauge where your body is with a particular exercise and then adding incrementally as you build tolerance over time. The goal is not to wipe yourself out every time you exercise
“Fitness isn’t about punishing your body,” said trainer and Karen Lord Pilates founder Karen Lord. “It’s about building a body that serves you well for decades. If your workout leaves you feeling stronger, moving better, and looking forward to coming back tomorrow, that’s a much better measure of success than simply leaving completely exhausted.”
Be mindful of form and technique. Don’t push through sharp pains or clear signs of overtraining for the sake of a more intense or longer workout, either. Understand the difference between the soreness and discomfort from working out and the acute, stabbing pains that signal something is wrong
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4. What happens outside the gym matters as much as what happens inside it
“Your lifestyle influences your gains just as much as your workouts,” Schlottman said. “Psychological stress can literally double the time it takes for your body to recover from a workout and can also double your injury risk. Sleep deprivation also deteriorates nutrient partitioning. This means you’ll lose more muscle and keep more fat while dieting. Fitness is really a lifestyle, and you can’t out-train chronic stress or sleep deprivation.”
Exercise alone won’t help you reach your fitness goals without proper nutrition, stress management, rest and other healthy habits outside the gym
“I wish more people understood how much the small things matter,” said WalkFit certified personal trainer David J. Sautter. “Many gym-goers focus entirely on their workouts, but factors like daily movement, sleep, hydration and recovery all play a huge role in the results you see. Even something as simple as walking more each day is often underrated, despite the wide range of physical and mental health benefits it provides.”
5. Nobody is watching you as closely as you think
“Many people avoid the gym because they’re worried about being judged. In reality, most people are focused on their own workout, and trainers are usually excited to see someone taking a step toward improving their health,” said certified personal trainer Tara De Leon
“Gymtimidation” is a real thing. But try to remember everyone was a beginner once, and people are usually too absorbed in their own workouts at the gym to scrutinize yours
“People are far more focused on their own workout than on anyone else’s,” said Kat Pasle-Green, a health and fitness coach with Bay Club. “Walking into a gym can feel intimidating for some, but people respect consistency and genuine effort over perfection. Everyone starts somewhere, and we get better together.”
Try to resist the urge to compare yourself to others as well. Remember, everyone has a different body, different experience level and different goals. That’s why there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to fitness
6. Don’t assume everyone is there to lose weight
“I would never assume someone’s goal is weight loss,” De Leon said. “People come to the gym for so many reasons ― stress relief, strength, community, injury recovery, mental health and fun, just to name a few. No matter what their body size is, leading with a weight-loss assumption is often reductive and alienating, especially for women.”
She recalled a client who was battling cancer and had lost a significant amount of weight, but people would approach her asking what her weight loss secret was
“She always replied, ‘Cancer! I’m dying. I’d rather be fat and alive though.’ You just never know what other people are going through, so assuming [you know] their goals isn’t a good idea,” De Leon said
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Fitness is about more than looks ― working out builds muscle, promotes longevity, boosts confidence, improves quality of life, helps with heart and brain health, prevents injuries and so much more. Everyone at the gym has a different story and reason for being there, and all you can see is that they’re putting in the work
“The person struggling through their workout may be fighting something you’ll never know about,” said Joshua King, training lead at Life Time Gainesville. “The person who’s overweight may have already lost 80 pounds. The older adult lifting weights may not be training to look better, but they’re training to stay strong, independent and able to play with their grandkids for years to come.”
7. Basic gym etiquette goes a long way
Kelsey Holgate, a personal training leader and nutrition lead at Life Time Savage, said you should always “wipe down equipment after visible sweat is on the machine. It grosses people out and is not hygienic.”
Basic gym etiquette is pretty simple, and it goes a long way
“Leave equipment cleaner than you found it,” King advised. “It’s a simple way to respect the next person. Re-rack your weights. It’s basic respect and gym etiquette.”
Skipping these steps is both inconsiderate and unsafe. Being a responsible gymgoer requires being aware that you’re in a shared space. Resist the urge to spend more time on your phone than you do actually training as well
“I’d never hog equipment between sets while scrolling my phone,” Medrano said. “If someone’s waiting, I let them work in. The gym is shared space, and rest periods don’t require a screen.”
8. Never skip the warm-up and recovery
“I would never go into a workout without warming up,” Holgate said. “When I say warming up, I’m not talking cardio. I’m talking about movement patterns that help activate the muscles that you’re about to train. You are more likely to get injured or recruit the wrong muscle groups.”
Warm-ups help us get into the right mindset, promote mobility and support the nervous system as we embark on exercises like heavy lifting or high-intensity training ― leading to improved performance. Similarly, recovery is crucial
“One thing I wish more people understood is that recovery is productive,” Banicky said. “Many gym-goers feel guilty when they take a rest day or spend time on mobility and recovery work, but that is often where adaptation happens. Muscles do not get stronger during the workout. They get stronger when the body repairs and rebuilds afterward.”
9. It’s OK ― and even smart ― to ask for help
“I would recommend everyone to meet with a trainer to learn proper movement patterns,” Holgate said. “I also think meeting with a trainer helps individuals learn proper use of the equipment. It also gives them more confidence when they are in the gym vs. just roaming around.”
Even just a handful of sessions with a fitness professional can help you gain essential knowledge and skills to train effectively for life. They’ll help you learn proper form and movement to maximize safety and results. A trainer can also help you determine the best individual program for your specific needs and limitations
“Two people can have the same goal and require completely different approaches based on their experience, lifestyle, schedule, mobility and recovery capacity,” Banicky said
There are many considerations around biomechanics, progression and individual priorities. Working with a pro and studying fitness best practices can also help you figure out when and how to switch up your exercises to challenge yourself and see results
“I wish more people knew it’s OK to ask for help,” Medrano said. “Most of us in this industry got into it because we genuinely want to see you win. There’s no shame in not knowing something. The only mistake is letting that stop you from starting.”
