I don’t know about you, but every time I walk into BU’s Fitness and Recreation Center, my heart rate is high even before I start exercising. There are too many people, too many muscles, and too much sweat. The gym is where I compare myself to others the most, and it always has been. I love working out, and have (mostly) gotten over my confidence issues at the gym thanks to the tips below!
1. Invest in cute workout clothes!
My biggest source of anxiety at the gym is how I look while working out. When I would go to the gym in high school, my outfit consisted of a huge t-shirt and sweatpants, in an effort to camouflage my body completely. When I came to BU, however, I decided that it was time to buy some actual workout clothes. Rather than wanting to hide, I wanted to show off these clothes (and how I looked in them) which was totally new for me. Some favorites of mine include anything from Forever 21’s activewear line, and Lululemon’s align pant.
2. Bring a buddy!
Whether it be the walk there or the actual workout, the gym is ALWAYS more fun with friends. It takes a ton of pressure off of the workout if you have someone you know doing it with you. Sync your workouts, or alternate machines between sets. This is also a great motivator because you can push each other to work harder.
3. Focus on your form!
If you’re watching your form while squatting, deadlifting, etc., you won’t have time to pay attention to anyone else. This may sound obvious, but not only has this made me stop comparing myself to everyone else at the gym, it has also improved my form immensely. Do this in a mirror, or have your gym buddy correct you! There are tons of videos on YouTube, such as this one, which tells you how to squat with correct form!
4. Try new workouts!
This goes along with my tip about form. If you are repeating the same exercises over and over again, they can get boring. Whenever this happens to me, I find myself paying more attention to what is going on around me. When I try new things, however, I am more focused on doing them correctly! Some of my favorite circuits to do recently are linked here, here, and finally, here!
5. Make a playlist!
If I’m not listening to music at the gym, I am totally distracted by what everyone else is doing. I usually use my workout time to go through my discover weekly playlist on Spotify and figure out which songs I like. I do have a dedicated playlist for the gym, which is full of Drake, Migos, and…more Drake. I love songs that pump me up and get me excited, and I always feel like I have a better workout when my playlist is a 10/10.
Even though it may look it, the gym doesn’t have to be terrifying! Work your hardest, and remember, no one is paying attention to your workout, even if you think they are.
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