Overcoming Gymtimidation
I first joined a gym when I was trying to get in shape for my wedding. I would jog on a treadmill in the back row for a little bit, do some random ab exercises in the corner, and get out of there as quickly as possible. The problem wasn’t that it was necessarily a bad workout. Sure, I burned calories. The problem was that I was selling myself short because I was intimidated. I thought everyone was watching me. Someone was probably judging my choice of exercise and for sure judging my form because I had no clue what I was doing. Or maybe I was wearing the wrong thing. Did you know there are specific shoes for certain types of workouts? Little did I know my shoes were the least of my worries because MY SHORTS WERE ON BACKWARDS! (true story) Here’s the thing: Nobody cares about you because everyone is focused on themselves. Maybe it sounds a little too harsh, but even me thinking that everyone was watching me kinda proves the point. And I’ve trained with enough people to know many feel the same way. We call it Gymtimidation. So how do we overcome this?
Here are some tips that have worked for me:
Have a plan. There is a well know saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Walking in to a busy gym and hearing weights clanging around can be overwhelming. One reason that I love posting workouts on my Instagram page is because you can pull them up at the gym. A great place to start is searching hashtags. For example, typing #fullbodyworkout or #legday in your search bar will generate tons of workouts. You can save them for later plus most of them have a little tutorial of each exercise.
Take a class. Classes are a great way to get a good workout and learn some exercises. Plus, everyone is doing the same workout so they are focusing on the instructor and themselves. This was my go-to choice for many years and I don’t regret it. I went from the girl finding a spot in the back of the class to the one INSTRUCTING classes. If that’s not a miracle for this introvert then I don’t know what is. This happened because I gained experience and confidence from showing up time and time again.
Phone a friend. Ask a friend to meet you at the gym. You will probably be less likely to bail if someone is counting on you to show up. I even took it one step further and asked friends who were more fit than me because I knew they could teach me some things. Also, ask a personal trainer for help. That’s why they are there. Even if it’s a simple question like, “How do I use this machine?”. Don’t be too prideful to ask.
Dress to impress. Pro tip: make sure your shorts aren’t on backwards. But if they are then don’t sweat it. (Pun intended) Again, everyone is focused on themselves. The person you are trying to impress is YOU. Do yourself a favor and find an outfit that you feel confident in.
At the end of the day remember your “why”. Why are you there in the first place? Don’t let anything or anyone, including yourself, intimidate you from working towards your goals. Your health and quality of life are worth it. You are worth it. Now go on and strut through those doors with confidence and get your sweat on!