Tips on How to Overcome Gym Anxiety
In the ideal word, the hardest part of going to the gym should be your workout! Unfortunately, for many people gym anxiety can take over, resulting in people rushing their workouts, not doing certain exercises over fear of being judged– and even worse stopping going to the gym all together. The good news is that you are not alone, and gym anxiety affects many more people that you realise, even the people who look as though they know what they are doing still may be struggling with anxiety being there!
Who can suffer from gym anxiety?
A recent study conducted by European lingerie specialists Hunkemöller found that predominately women suffer from gym anxiety- although this doesn’t mean that men don’t either. This can be especially triggered in women who attend a male-dominated gym or weight section, and feel as if they are being judged or looked at. According to this study, 61% of women would prefer to work in a female-only space, while only 16% of men agreed that they’d prefer a male-only workout space.
But why does this happen? The Hunkemöller study found that lack of knowledge on how to use equipment and exercise (26%) and feeling stared-at by others (22%) were two major reasons behind this anxiety. You can also have gym anxiety in you are a beginner, have social anxiety or if you are trying out a new exercise – although it is important to remember anxiety can affect all people and you don’t have to have a reason to be nervous at the gym!
How to overcome this anxiety?
Gym anxiety isn’t always easy to overcome, but there are some steps that you can take to reduce it.
Hire a Personal trainer- This can be a great way to get comfortable at the gym, and have someone show you how to use all the equipment and machines – as well as give you some general gym etiquette that will help you feel more at ease. After a few sessions you will pick up how to do exercises and feel much more confident, plus it is good to have someone with you to encourage and motivate you!
Go with friends – Going with friends is a great way to catch up and sweat at the same time! You will be able to teach each other a few things, and not feel embarrassed or lonely when trying new things out.
Just listen to some music while you’re at it – Find a good upbeat playlist on Spotify, and put your headphones in and ignore the people around you! After all everyone is there to work on themselves, and I promise they aren’t just looking at you!
Try a female-only gym- If you are intimidated by the male dominance at your local gym, why not try to join a women’s only gym? Many gyms have now got women’s only sections – which could be a great option if you are struggling to find one.
Plan your workout in advance – Planning the exercises and muscle groups you want to train in advance can make you appear more confident and will stop you from aimlessly wandering around – getting yourself stressed.
