The gym can be a scary place; it’s full of strange strength training machines, dumbbells and bench presses of all different weights. Not to mention the lines upon lines of cardio machines. A place so big, full of so many people at once, which has so many different options for your workout, can easily be overwhelming.
I have always been into fitness; when I was young I went to dancing classes every week. In high school, I loved using the treadmill and light dumbbells to get the job done. Now, in college, I tried so many new routines, but finding my perfect gym routine was hard. I was never into going to the gym by myself because I never used any of the weighted machines. I was used to walking on the treadmill and calling it quits!
Luckily, I have found my confidence in the gym at college. It took many tries, fails and a variety of different approaches, but I now can waltz into any workout without the social anxiety I had at the start of the year.
I know that you might be wondering how I did it, after all, getting over such a big fear is no easy task. So buckle your seatbelts as I share the tips and tricks that helped me to beat gym anxiety in college and find my own, personalized fitness routine.
take it slow
This is the first (and most important) step of them all. It is completely unrealistic to believe that you will be able to push down your anxiety and conquer the gym in just one day. It takes each person a different amount of time to adjust, so it is important to remember that there is no need to rush yourself through this process.
In fact, the more time you take to focus on yourself and the process (without worrying about how quickly you can get through it), the more confident you will become. When you stop comparing yourself to others, you can finally focus on yourself and realize where you are and how you can continue to make progress at your own pace.
use your resources
This is extremely important, especially in a university setting. Many students do not know what their schools may offer in terms of resources and services (especially for free!), which can easily stop students from looking into what resources their school has.
At Penn State, for example, there are so many fitness-related activities for students, it is hard to count them all! Students can hire personal trainers, attend free small group training classes at the beginning of each semester and so much more. At the IM building specifically, there are many free activities such as ping pong, rock climbing, racquetball and basketball. The White building also offers several recreation areas as well as a swimming pool.
try out a fitness class
Although I tried to find a weight-lifting routine that worked for me during my fall semester, I could not seem to settle on anything that was making me feel good and giving me any sort of results. I felt a bit lost and did not know how to continue with my workout schedule.
To fix this dilemma, I decided to try out a group fitness class at Penn State, so I didn’t have to guess my workouts anymore. These classes are all free, and taught by licensed (student and faculty) fitness instructors. They are 45 minutes long and offered every day of the week. The schedule is posted online, so grab your water bottle and try out a class!
go with a friend
If you still don’t know where to start and are absolutely lost: it’s okay. Sometimes we all just need someone to help show us around so we can build enough confidence to keep coming back. In the fall semester, I found a friend who knows a lot about the gym and frequently works out, so I asked her if I could go and work out with her.
Looking back on it now, that day was monumental to me. Even though all we did was lift weights and try different machines, the fact that I was able to make mistakes and learn with a friend was everything I needed to keep coming back to the gym.
try online workouts
If the people (and not the machines) are the real problem, then maybe you want to try some workouts in your apartment, dorm or in the free space of the IM building first. That way you are still able to ease your way into fitness without the stress of crowded spaces or feeling judged.
Personally, my favorite online workouts come from Raven Ross, former “Love is Blind” contestant, who goes by PilatesBodyRaven on YouTube. Check out one of my favorite workouts from her below!
I hope that some of my personal tips and tricks will be able to help you reach your fitness and gym goals!