Dealing With Gym Anxiety

Dealing with anxiety when first starting out in the gym is an incredibly common occurrence. Whether you are uncomfortable with how you look, or simply don’t know what to do at the gym, becoming anxious from these different reasons can send so many people first starting out in their fitness journey packing up their headphones and leaving the club early. This article, in addition to the video linked above, will hopefully give you a few tips that can improve your confidence and help you get over your gym anxiety for good.

Tips To Deal With Gym Anxiety

Headphones in World Out

Having a pair of headphones to listen in on your favorite music is a great way to keep you focused on what you are doing at the gym, and not what’s going on around you.

Go in With A Plan

If you scope out the gym beforehand, and have a general idea of what exercises you are going to do, this will allow you to get in and get out, without overthinking your gym time.

Bring a Friend to Start

Although you may want to workout alone, having a friend come with initially may be a great way to help reduce your overall anxiety until you can get to that point.

Wear Confident Clothing

If you wear clothes that makes you feel self conscious or makes you judge yourself based off how others look in the same clothes, this will increase anxiety. Pick clothes that make you feel empowered and like you are powerful.

Do Stuff You’re Familiar With

When first starting out at the gym, I wouldn’t stray too far from what you’re comfortable with. If you only know how to use a treadmill to start, that’s okay, just start there. In time you will notice how other machines work and build more confidence to try those out.

Understand Everyone Else’s Mindset

Everyone else is in the gym to work out for themselves. No one cares about you or anyone else that is working out there. I have been working out for years, and can personally say that any time I come across someone who is new to the gym, I notice them and move on with my workout. Most people in the gym aren’t thinking about others.

Find The Right Gym

Some gyms aren’t a great fit for beginners. If you are first starting out, you may want to try a few different gyms and see which one feels the most “welcoming” and less intimidating for yourself.

Invest in At-Home Options

Although the gym is a great place to get a good workout, you can also try some at home options. I love using a pair of dumbbells (which I am going to link below) and can do quite a few different exercises with them. Doing stuff at home can build some confidence in your movements and exercises, before trying them out in public.

Pick The Right Times of Day

Certain times of the day are going to be less filled with people. The two busiest times of the day are.. you guessed it, when most people aren’t at work. This is usually in the morning and at night time. If you are able to fit in your workouts before or after these busy times, this can ease some of the associated anxiety.

Choose Flattering Workouts

Some workouts don’t make you “look” as good. If you are self conscious of how you look when working out, doing barbell squats with the rack in the middle of the gym probably won’t help. Sticking with machines until you can build some confidence can help build your confidence greatly.

Don’t Stare At Others

There will be others that look better than you. There will be others that are more athletic than you. That’s okay. Don’t look around at them, don’t stare at them, and don’t think about them. Stay focused on your workout and don’t compare yourself to others.

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One More Thing

If you want to continue to tamp down your fears and anxiety of the gym, you need to subscribe to our blog. We write articles helping individuals navigate through the gym, and become healthier in life. And if you don’t want to do that, feel free to check out this other article I think you would enjoy, below.

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