“Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game”
Have you ever suffered with gym anxiety?
Yeah me too.. and every other kind of anxiety for that matter!
When you first step into the gym you feel like such a small fish in a big pond, the gym equipment is like a bunch of lily pads and we’re super spoilt for choice. Fuck it can be so overwhelming.
“It was tough I’m not going to lie. I’d leave work at 5.30pm and sit in the changing rooms until a private room was free so I could train without people watching me (the gym anxiety was real). I felt ugly, I was my biggest ever due to over indulging post break up and my twin sister was playing football professionally so whenever she came home she would be as fit as a fiddle which made me feel even worse about myself”
We have all felt this way at some point in our lives, not just in the gym, but in everyday life. In order to grow and become the best we can possibly be mentally and physically we have to be a beginner at some point. The analogy I always like to remind myself of is young children. When we’re at a young age we cannot communicate or walk, however, as time goes on we get the urge to start trying and no matter how many times we fall and talk absolute shit we never fail to get back up until we learn to walk and people understand us. This is the same with the gym.
Society these days can be very judgemental and most of us fear social judgement in all aspects of our lives. This is because in today’s modern world, people’s opinions and how many likes we get on our instagram posts are more important to us than learning new things. So it’s no wonder that going to the gym, a space full of potential Karen’s who will have an opinion is more frightening that posting half naked pictures and your known location on your insta profile.
Here are a few tips for overcoming gym fear;
- Time –If you’re able too avoid rush hour times between 6-7am/5-6pm this will help you ease your way into the new environment without added pressure of a busy gym space and build up your confidence.
- Go with a gym buddy –This person ideally needs to be in the same head space as you and someone you can truly rely on. They can then help you with your form during lifts but mostly you can have fun learning together and be eachothers support.
- Have a plan –There honestly is nothing worse than walking into the gym not knowing what you’re going to start and end with, you’ll literally end up standing there for 10 minutes, this then gives you time to over think things. Having a plan is efficient, it can help you get your head in the game and stay on track with your progress for example how many reps or what weight you lift.
- Wear what you want –The gym is not a fashion show. It is a place to get sweaty, hair scraped back and get down and dirty (not like that lol) Whether you feel comfortable in a baggy tee, sports bra, hoodie – it truly does not matter and no one will think any different of you because of your outfit.
- Music –Music is everything. It’s like an emotional rollercoaster. Make yourself a playlist full of your fav songs whether that be bad bitch vibes or the greatest showman. Dance inbetween sets and just enjoy yourself!
- Personal trainer/online coach –If after reading the above you still feel like you’re a deer in headlights then please invest in a personal trainer or an online coach. Our job is help you feel as comfortable as possible by taking the hard parts away from you. Giving you a plan to follow which will guarentee you progress and ensuring your form is correct is one part of it. But most of all, we are a helping hand to any questions you may have which will help you learn and grow in the long run.
Please come back to these points whenever you need to and once again know that you’re not alone.
You’ve got this!
“Your self-love must always be stronger than your desire to be loved by others” – Steven Barlett