How To Get Over Gym Anxiety As A Beginner
For some people, exercising in public spaces seems as normal as going to the grocery store to pick up a loaf of bread. For others, just the thought of doing it makes them feel uneasy and anxious.
Either way, gym anxiety is the pits. If you happen to be someone who feels this way about the gym, don’t worry! There are plenty of tips and tricks you can try to relieve that anxious feeling so you can start hitting the gym.
What is gym anxiety?
Do you ever start to feel nervous, restless or tense when working out in a public space? Or maybe you start to feel this way just at the thought of it. If you’ve ever experienced this, you may have gym anxiety.
People experience gym anxiety for a variety of reasons. Some worry about how their own ability will compare with others gymers, such as their ability to use the equipment or how well they can perform certain exercises. Gym anxiety can also be triggered by concerns about appearance or the thought of having to perform exercises in front of other people.
Other reasons why people feel anxious about going to a public gym include not knowing what to expect or feeling uneasy in certain areas of the gym, such as the weightlifting section. Others don’t feel comfortable with the idea of locker rooms and changing with other people around.
5 Ways To Help You Overcome Your Gym Anxiety
Going to the gym is a great way to relieve stress while keeping fit and healthy. If your gym anxiety is preventing you from hitting the gym and enjoying these benefits, don’t worry. There are some simple ways you can work towards overcoming your gym anxiety.
Do Some Research Before Hitting The Gym
Fear of the unknown is a huge contributing factor to gym anxiety. One of the easiest ways to fix this is by looking at your gym’s website, and pictures online, as well as general information about the facilities offered. This will help answer most of the questions you may have beforehand, but if you have any others, you can write them down and ask one of the staff when you do visit the gym.
Get A Personal Trainer
Personal trainers can help you to design a program for you to achieve your fitness goal, help you learn how to use gym equipment correctly, show you the layout of the gym floor and help you with your form. Working with a personal trainer in any of these areas will quickly help you to feel more at ease in the gym.
Try Class Or Group Fitness
Gym classes can be a hit or a miss for people with gym anxiety. On the one hand, you may feel more comfortable doing your workout out as part of a crowd. However, with some classes, the fitness instructors may tailor the class to the entire group's fitness level, so if you’re a beginner, you may struggle with this.
Start Small
Sometimes the best thing to do is start small. During your first gym session, commit to doing 15 minutes of stretching or walking on the treadmill. You can get the lay of the land and then head home after. From here, you can slowly start to increase the amount of time you spend in the gym and the types of exercises you do.
Gym During Off-Peak Hours
If the crowds are what’s contributing to your heightened gym anxiety, then consider going during off-peak hours. The gym is guaranteed to be far less busy during these hours, which may leave you feeling less pressured by the fitness junkies around you.
Stop Your Gym Anxiety & Start Enjoying The Gym
Gym anxiety is the pits and can be triggered by various factors, like feeling self-conscious about your appearance or your gymming capabilities, or you may simply hate the idea of working out in front of other people.
Whatever the reason may be, your gym anxiety may very likely be stopping you from hitting the gym and achieving your fitness goals. However, if you try the five tips listed above, we’re sure that you’ll be able to calm your nerves and rid yourself of your gym anxiety.