A lot of people freeze up when they think about going to the gym. Trust me, I get it. In the past, I’ve experienced my fair share of social anxiety towards the gym.Â
Ironically, times have changed. If you had asked me five years ago if I’d be going up to people and asking, “How many sets do you have left?” I would’ve laughed in your face. But I do. I have become that person.Â
Reflecting on when I first started working out, I would do workouts in my living room. I had two five-pound dumbbells, a yoga mat, and a range of free YouTube videos. Eventually, I outgrew my living room yoga mat and begged my dad to let me use the gym in the apartment complex he managed. The gym didn’t quite look like Planet Fitness, but there sure were some machines and people.Â
And the rest is history… So, here’s my shy-girl guide to the gym.
- Own Your Space
-
Becoming familiar with moving your body within your own space is the first step to getting accustomed to moving your body in a different space. The weights and the stakes are both low.Â
The best way to make this transition happen is to plan out what workout you want to do ahead of time. Having a solid routine will help calm your nerves, especially in a large gym where there are so many gym bros grunting and moaning around you. Most machines are confusing, but with the mastery of a few, you have yourself a routine.Â
Many gyms have rooms where you can stretch or do Pilates, accompanied by yoga mats and dumbbell racks. The entire top floor of FitRec — Boston University’s athletic facility — has small areas where you can set up your own little station without worrying about others. This way, you can even incorporate those YouTube workouts, but with even higher weights and a greater variety of motion.
- Easy Machines, Big Gains
-
Moving up a step on our guide, let’s talk about machines. The most shy-girl-friendly and easiest machines to use are the ones that involve cardio. Fortunately, there are usually multiple treadmills, bicycles, and stair masters available at FitRec, which can help all the nervous girlies avoid awkward interactions about when their turn will be. I promise you that not all these interactions are so terrible as time goes on, though!Â
Personally, I am a big leg-day fan, so the leg press, hip thrust, and hip abduction machines are parts of my gym routine. They are quite popular and also easy to use.Â
- Reps & Sets
-
Many newcomers to the gym may not know what sets and reps are. This is probably the most common question you will get asked when someone is waiting on you. No worries, let’s break down what these terms mean.
Reps are the number of repetitions of a certain movement you do on a machine. Sets are the exact number of reps you do without resting. For example, let’s say you have 10 leg presses and 3 sets (ew, math). That would be 30 total leg presses with three breaks in between.Â
Nobody is that nitpicky at the gym (unless they are purposefully trying to be rude), so you can even give estimates as your answer despite not having the exact number nailed down.
I know it may feel like everybody is staring at you when you enter the gym, but trust me, no matter how adorable your matching set is, everyone is way too preoccupied with themselves. I know I certainly do not take the time to scrutinize what other people are doing.Â
The gym is a place for all of us to move our bodies and become better versions of ourselves. On that note, put on a good playlist and let any anxiety leave your body.Â
Start small, practice small, and reach for big!
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, watch us on TikTok, and read our latest Tweets!