At school, I was never very good at sports, the one that was never usually picked for matches. Therefore, sport in general became unappealing and felt like a waste of time for a girl who had no hand-eye coordination whatsoever. I was involved in cross country and a few athletics events but fell out of love with that in the first lockdown. However, coming to university and being given a free gym membership with my first-year accommodation meant I felt I should try and give it another go. So last year, for the first time in a long time, I started going to the gym again. I ended up enjoying it so much that I bought another membership in my second year.
I think it can be very daunting stepping into a gym for the first time, feeling embarrassed that you don’t know where any of the machines are, let alone how they work. That’s why I would always recommend scoping out the space with a friend. In my first year, my housemate and I would usually head straight to the treadmills, too overwhelmed to try anything new. However, I was still getting out of my comfort zone and exercising so for that I see no problem with starting with the basics. Going with a friend is also a great bonding activity, having fun whilst still doing something productive. If you are trying to start a fitness journey, doing it with a friend makes it a million times easier. Being able to encourage each other and seeing yourselves hit your goals as a team is a perfect way to stay motivated and accountable on your journey.
Gym classes are another great way of building your confidence and your strength. As someone who only really knew gym routines from girls on TikTok with matching gym shark sets, I felt quite unsure about how to navigate building up my fitness alone. By going to a variation of classes, for cardio and weights, it meant I learnt the basics in a comfortable setting. It also means that there are other people there, enforcing some slight peer pressure which is actually quite motivating.
I know this is such a cliche but fitness is so great for your mental health. I remember PE teachers saying this to me at school and rolling my eyes because running around a field and throwing and hitting balls for a few hours was my idea of hell. However, I hate to admit it but they were right. It is a process of trial and error, finding out what you enjoy. I only got back into running last July, but it does boost my mood. As someone who has suffered from anxiety and depression, getting out and going for a run, especially when I have no desire to do so does help. Runners’ high is real, and although only usually hits me by my 7th kilometre, it is 100% worth it. Creating a perfect playlist (I love a bit of Jungle, Little Simz and Rihanna) makes a huge difference. And again, it’s something you can do alone or with friends.
I am no gym rat yet but am slowly getting out of my comfort zone and becoming more confident in my abilities. It’s great being able to see your progress, whether that was getting a new personal best on a run, or finding out I had a new arm muscle that I never previously knew existed! It’s a great break away from uni work, especially with upcoming deadlines. So, I would recommend trying something new surrounding fitness and moving your body, whether that is the gym, a team sport or even a scenic walk around campus with friends. It has benefitted my mental health as well as my confidence and I think it would for you too!