Going to the gym can be a daunting experience especially when trying to get in to lifting weights and venturing in to the dreaded weight section. There is often a fear of judgement and the worry that you may not be doing a certain exercise correctly.
When I first started going to the gym, I longed to be one of those girls who could walk up to the barbell wrack completely unfazed or use the machines with no fear of judgement. However every time I psyched myself up I would just end up making an excuse: i’ll do it when the gym is less busy, I just want to do cardio today anyway etc etc. so I would walk over to the cross trainer feeling defeated then leave having done a pretty unsatisfactory and low intensity workout.
However now it is a completely different story. I use the weights and machines regularly and (most of the time) confidently, improving my workouts by adding higher intensity weighted squats and deadlifts and transforming the way I see the gym.
Here are some tips that I have found helpful if you also struggle with gym fear:
1. No one is actually looking at you
For the majority of the time, other people in the gym are focussed on their own workouts and won’t even notice you, even if you think your squat form is the worst in the world. Once you tell yourself this you will stop using it as an excuse not to focus on your own workout.
2. Use headphones
Getting wireless headphones really helps you focus on the workout rather than on what other people are doing, and you will enjoy the workout more listening to one of the many workout playlists on spotify.
3. Set small goals
Don’t put pressure on yourself and expect to be completely confident straight away. Set small and realistic goals, for example incorporating weights into your workout once a week and you will find that you can gradually increase your confidence in your ability.
4. Go regularly
It is hard to walk straight in to the gym and start using more advanced equipment if you don’t go on a regular basis. If you go a few times a week it will feel like it is no longer a big deal and you won’t even think twice about it.
5. Follow fitness accounts on social media
Following fitness accounts on social media particularly instagram and facebook will give you more inspiration to be confident and think if they can do it there’s no reason you can’t. Most accounts, for example @gracefituk on instagram even post workout videos to help if you are stuck on what to do in the gym.
fitness influencer @gracefituk
6. Go with a friend
Going with a friend can make the experience seem a lot less awkward and daunting, and can help you to enjoy the workout more especially if you have similar goals and are both just starting out.
7. Educate yourself
Watching fitness videos on youtube, instagram etc for advice on workouts and form when weight lifting can make you feel a lot more confident in your abilities and lessens the risk of injury that can result from incorrect form when lifting. Even just watching a simple tutorial on how to do a squat can help assure yourself that what you’re doing is correct.
These tips will hopefully give you confidence to challenge yourself in the gym, especially with weights, and may even help you enjoy going!