Beginner exercise questions about gym kit, classes, food and hygiene

[Satwaiting]

I’m totally new to exercise (age 42!!) and have a couple (probably dumb) questions…

1. do I need different trainers for classes and gym weights? Someone said about flat shoes for the gym but I only have one pair of trainers.
2. do you wash your whole gym outfit after one wear? Eg top and bottom half?
3. is it weird to be a member at one gym but do a class at another?
4. should I eat before or after a class?
5. Do you sanitise hands between machines or at the end? There’s no hand washing facilities at my gym unless in the loo’s and that’s a bit of a walk around the building. My hands always feel gross.

Well done on your new exercise journey!

1. No. At some poijt you may decide you ned specific kit for specific exercises, but for now you should be fine.If you're doing running though, you might want to get your gait tested to ensure you've got the right shoes to support your running style.
2. Yes if I've worked up a sweat. The only time I don't is is I've done a yoga class and not got too sweaty, and then doing another class the next day, I use the same kit. But those manmade fabrics hold smells bleurgh.
3. Nope
4. After, you're likely to feel sick if you eat too soon before a class. For morning exrcise I eat nothing beforehand, for evning exercise, I don't eat anything since lunch.
5. Wipe the machine down as you finish each of them, clean yourself at the end.

1. not unless you're going to be lifting really heavy weights, then trainers with less cushioning can be useful.
2. depends how much you sweat, but personally, yes unless the class is pilates when I can usually get another wear out of my kit,
3. why would it be weird, who's going to know or care??
4. depends what your class and if you're likely to pass out without food or throw up if you've just eaten! I can't do intense cardio classes first thing in a morning because I get too hungry and lightweighted if i've not had breakfast and they're too early to eat first.
5. Personally I don't but I'd give them a good wash when I leave! People should wipe down the equipment when they've finished but most are filthy f-ckers who don't bother.

For a beginner, I think one pair of trainers is fine. A pair of gloves - gym gloves - are useful for the weights to avoid making your hands sore.

I always wash my top after going to the gym. Leggings depends a bit on what I’ve done. If it’s outdoor Bootcamp then yes they’re washed afterwards because they’ve picked up dirt from the ground. Two hour gym session, washed again. A quick half hour in the cross trainer, I’ll probably wear them again. (Which will no doubt horrify half of MN.)

You don’t want too much of a full stomach before a class so I usually eat afterwards. If I’m going after breakfast, I usually leave an hour after I’ve finished eating before going. But if I’m out orienteering (which will take me up to 90 minutes) I’ll eat something like an energy bar beforehand so I’ve got enough energy to keep me going.

I don’t sanitise hands between machines but I am wearing gym gloves when using weights. However I always carry a towel and wipe away sweat, my gym has paper towels and cleaning spray you can use too. Please wipe down after you’ve used a machine.

It is a bit weird to be a member of one gym and go to classes at another. The exception being a member of a private gym and using the council leisure centre for some others (eg I know someone who uses the private gym for weights but does yoga on a pay as you go basis at the council leisure centre).

1. do I need different trainers for classes and gym weights? Someone said about flat shoes for the gym but I only have one pair of trainers.

You should be fine with one pair as a beginner. I would probably be classified as an advanced liffter (weight I can lift & my age) but I just wear ordinary cross-training trainers.

1. do you wash your whole gym outfit after one wear? Eg top and bottom half?

YESSSSS! All of your gym kit washed every time after you've used it. YESSSSS

1. is it weird to be a member at one gym but do a class at another?

No. You pay, it's your choice. I follow a couple of different dance teachers and do their classes at different studios. NO problem.

1. should I eat before or after a class?

I'd try to eat 2 hours before a heavy training session. THen about half an hour afterwards - depends on how you feel after. But if I eat just before a class or training session, I feel nauseous.

1. Do you sanitise hands between machines or at the end? There’s no hand washing facilities at my gym unless in the loo’s and that’s a bit of a walk around the building. My hands always feel gross.

Take some hand sanitiser with you. I'm usually sweating so much I don't notice my hands (they're generally covered in chalk anyway). I have a whole lot of cheapo cotton hand towels for the gym. Always need one to wipe down my face.

Thank you!
I shall get a small towel and maybe some gym gloves (not seen these before) and I think I will need some more clothes, but not trainers for now. My clothes didn’t seem too bad but shall always wash them after each session.
Im aiming to go each day-straight from nursery run 9am and have been having a banana or smoothie before so will stick with that.
There’s so much to learn but I do really want to stick with it!

Yeah my husband claims he can stretch tracksuit bottoms for two wears but I find that quite 🤢. Fresh outfit every time for sure, cheap/supermarket stuff is absolutely fine. Some people treat the gym as a fashion parade but most people in mine are very scruffy!

Shoes wise if you get into it you may want a pair of flat shoes but mine fell apart a few weeks ago so I've just been wearing regular/cushioned trainers and it's fine. Sometimes my coach has had me take off my shoes and do some heavier lifts barefoot which works too. I try and have a small/carby type snack (banana ideal, or a piece of toast) about an hour before the gym but some days I've forgotten or been too busy and gone on an empty stomach and nothing terrible happened, gym nerds will tell you it's not optimal for performance but since my performance is ahem, below average anyway 🤣 I don't think I need to angst about marginal gains either way. Certainly no elaborate pre workout regime here! Drinking water I do find is important though or I do feel a little dizzy/shaky/headache-y - a paper cup from the gym water fountain will do in a pinch if I've forgotten my own bottle.

Basically what I'm saying is you can slip into feeling as though all these logistical challenges - got to have the right outfit, got to have eaten the right snack, got to buy and remember all the equipment - are a mental barrier to the most important thing which is getting yourself into the gym/starting the workout in the first place. Don't fall into the trap of feeling as if everything isn't perfect you may as well just give up and not do anything. Realistically sometimes I just hurl myself out of the door with just ordinary clothes on, nothing in hand but keys and phone, having had a mad chaotic day, and I can still do a useful workout in those circumstances, maybe not optimised but better than sitting at home on the sofa!

You are so right! Already I’m coming up with reasons not to go and that’s not good!! Thanks for the words