Gym anxiety is a real obstacle for beginners and introverts who want to work out in a fitness studio, so here are some tried-and-true tips on how to overcome it
Mat workouts and daily hot girl walks are enough to stay active, but that’s not all it takes to achieve your fitness goals. According to experts, a fully-equipped gym is the key, especially if you’re broadening your horizons by including strength training in your daily routine. This, however, presents a problem for beginners embarking on new territory and introverts who are intimidated by gym culture. This feeling is called gym anxiety, and it’s the fear of not being good enough to take up space in a fitness studio.
If this is something you relate to, here are five tried-and-true tips for conquering that. After all, you shouldn’t let your fear of a place stop you from working toward a healthier and happier version of yourself.
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Fake it ‘til you make it
If your fear is more rooted in how you don’t want to come across as the total newbie you are, then the answer is simple: fake it ‘til you make it. Come dressed in the activewear everyone’s sporting, pack all your fitness essentials in a trendy gym bag, and act like going to the gym is something you do every day—no big deal!
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Come prepared
Picture this: you finally work up the courage to enter a gym and they have all the latest equipment. You’re confused because you don’t know how to use them but you don’t want to bother the neighboring gym junkie. What do you do? Come prepared. If you already have a specific gym in mind, it’s likely because they have a strong social media presence. Make use of that to find out what kind of equipment they have then watch videos on how to use them properly, like the tricky treadmill with too many buttons.
That being said, some pieces of equipment are actually dangerous to use without prior experience. So you will have to bite the bullet and ask for help from a trainer eventually, but they’re there to help people like you so don’t worry about it!
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Mind your own business
Afraid of exercising in front of total strangers because of your appearance? The solution: mind your own business. Trust us, everyone is too concentrated on their own workout to be concerned with anything else. However, an easy fix to get the gym anxiety off of your mind is a good mind-numbing playlist blasting through your headphones.
Bring a gym buddy
Something you might benefit from is a hype man who will boost your confidence and motivate you to keep going. If nothing else, a gym buddy that relates to your insecurities is still helpful to keep around because then you can both confide in each other and help each other relax in unfamiliar situations.
Scout out different gyms
Don’t feel limited to the gym closest to you proximity-wise. For some, a small, relatively unknown gym is the best as there would be fewer gym goers. For others, a bigger, luxury gym is best because then you can blend in among the crowd. So, before committing to a gym membership, make sure to check out the fitness studios in neighboring cities, too. Maybe you’d prefer an outdoor gym for the open air so you don’t feel cornered, or an indoor gym with air conditioning to keep you cool and at ease.
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