Starting your fitness journey can feel overwhelming, but at Round 1 Fitness, we’re here to make it easier. We understand that getting started can be one of the biggest hurdles. While it can be helpful to talk to friends who already go to the gym, it’s important to remember that for many of them, rolling into the gym 5-6 times a week is second nature. They’re so ‘in the groove’ that they often forget how tough it can be to start. Simple things—like getting out of bed for an early morning session or choosing to drive to the gym after work instead of heading straight home—are things they take for granted. And while they know the workouts are challenging, they’re so conditioned to the effort that it feels like ‘water off a duck’s back.’ Truly understanding how tough it can be for someone just starting out is almost impossible for them.

That’s why we’re here. Our coaches see new faces in the gym every day and understand the challenges beginners face. Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for advice—whether it’s about how to use equipment, understanding a workout, or just needing a bit of encouragement. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Our experienced coaches know what it takes to help beginners feel comfortable and succeed.  The gym has been running for nearly 15-years and we have 100% seen our fair share of new starters…believe it or not – getting to the gym is HARD but sticking at it through the first few weeks can really feel like it’s impossible.  It can be confusing, it is physical AND mental challenge…but you CAN do it.

For the blog this week, I asked each of our coaches for their #1 suggestions on the best way to “Get started and Keep on Rolling” – there were a couple of repeats but it was interesting to see each coach had a different perspective on what the

Here are their top tips to get you started!

Just Show Up

Tracey’s #1 tip for new starters is simple: just show up. The hardest part of getting fit is simply walking through the door. Don’t overthink it—commit to showing up and let the rest take care of itself. Mark the sessions in your calendar and just ‘GO’.  Don’t think about how you ‘FEEL’ – just remember that every session you attend brings you one step closer to your goals and creating the ‘HABIT’ of going to the gym is the most important first step!

Start Slow and Focus on Form

Sophie emphasises the importance of starting slow and focusing on form.  The ‘TRAP’ (her words) was always in trying to play follow the leader with experienced gym users…let them be them…and YOU be YOU!  If anything, under-do it in your first couple of sessions – training isn’t a race and you don’t need to lift heavy weights or move fast right away. Focus on learning the correct form and moving safely. Building a strong foundation and progressing SLOWLY will help prevent injuries and set you up for long-term success.

She also said that for people returning to exercise, the trick was to not fall into the trap of letting ‘muscle memory’ take over – if you do, you’re going to come tearing out of the starting blocks but be ‘done’ in 15-minutes.  Just take your time and focus on a STEADY build up…the key is what you achieve over the next 12-months, not the first 12-minutes!

Set Small, Achievable Goals

Gabby is goal focussed and recommends that everyone comes into the gym with a set of small, achievable goals.  (FWIW we all agree with Gabby and will help you do this during our ‘Free Consult’ process:  https://round1fitness.com.au/free-consultation/)

It’s awesome to come in with a long-term plan – “I want to lose 10kg”  – but big goals like that can be intimidating…by the time you get in the groove of your training and THEN make a few diet changes (it’s hard to change more than one part of your life at a time), a few weeks might have passed and progress might be amazing…it also might be SLOW!  If you’ve lost a couple of kilos – amazing in itself but only a small step towards your goal – then it is easy to become disheartened and give up.

The best plan is to start with small, achievable, PROCESS basded targets – for example, I’m going to attend two x classes each week and increase my water to 2litres per day – and start banking some ‘wins’. Small wins build momentum and keep you motivated…and before you know it those “BIG” goals will be in the rear-view mirror and you’ll be working on something new!

Consistency Beats Intensity

I laughed when Matt shared this with me because Matt 100% lives this.  He believes that consistency beats intensity every time – you don’t need to go all out every workout…what matters most is being consistent and making sure you are hitting the ‘targets’ for the session…when I asked him about that, he spoke about his own training and how it was important to maintain a ‘base’ throughout the year, then focus in on each ‘phase’ – strength phase (after a fight he wants to get stronger and return to a ‘normal’ diet that allows him to build muscle), conditioning phase (crank up the cardio heading into the next fight, making sure he’s ready) etc.

Relating it back to new starters, Matt’s point is that regular training—even at a moderate pace—will deliver better results than occasional high-intensity sessions…don’t do 5-sessions in week #1, 7-sessions in week #2 then 1-session in week#3 and none in week#4….instead, just focus on doing 3x classes every week.

Prepare Your Gear the Night Before

Mr organisation himself said his #1 tip is to make sure you prepare all the gear the night before.  Clint is a big believer in doing what you say you are going to do – and he believes that taking ‘small steps’ towards reinforcing your words with actions builds momentum.  If you say you are going, that’s a good start.  If you say you are going and have booked into class, that’s a good next step.  If you say you are going, book into class AND get your gear ready…you’re really stacking things together and making it ‘EASY’ to attend (and ‘HARD’ not to attend!).

Make it easy to get to the gym by packing your bag, laying out your workout clothes, and filling your water bottle the night before. A little preparation removes excuses and helps you stay committed.

Listen to Your Body

Hayden’s #1 hint was all about listening to your body.  When you start something new, you need to pay attention to how your body feels –  Rest when needed and don’t PUSH through pain. Progress comes from consistent effort, not from pushing too hard too soon – if you need to back off from a class one day and spend 45-minutes on a cross-trainer just ‘moving’…that’s OK.  You have to come in focussed on the ‘long’ game and not getting to the stage where you are ‘hating life’ because you are just so sore.

Bonus Tip: Celebrate Every Win

Hayden likes to chat (YES HE DOES) and couldn’t stop at one.  He wanted me to remind everyone that it is super important to ‘bank some wins’ – and celebrate them. Every time you complete a workout or try something new, celebrate it – you don’t need to phone a friend but you do need to give yourself permission to be ‘happy’ and recognise your progress.  Just acknowledging that you did something today that you failed the last time you tried…that can be so motivating.  Last week I failed to hit my calorie target on the rower…today, I made it!  AWESOME.  If you let everything become a huge beat-down it will be no fun…when things aren’t fun it’s hard to persist!

Lastly, starting something new is always challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. The community at Round 1 Fitness is here to support you—from our coaches to the members beside you in class. The most important steps are often the simplest ones: showing up, being consistent, and reaching out when you need help. Focus on building habits that you can maintain, and remember that every small effort adds up over time. With patience, persistence, and a little support, you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. Ready to get started? Let’s go!

See you in the gym,

Michael.