I’m nowhere close to a gym expert.
You will most likely find me near the cardio equipment, running a few miles and heading straight home. Recently, I’ve hit a plateau in my weight loss and have grown bored of cardio. I’ve read a lot of great things about weight lifting and what it can do for your health, and slowly but surely I’ve begun weight training. However, when I first walked into the weight section of the gym, I was gymtimidated, to say the least. Surrounded by big machines, loud noises, and muscular people who know what they’re doing, it’s hard not to walk right out. But with the holidays right around the corner, I went with my better judgement and hit the ground running. Here are some tips to help you stretch your comfort zone and overcome gymtimidation.
1. Benefits of Weight Training
There’s a common fear among women that weight training will make your body appear more masculine. This is actually false, and building big muscles and “bulking up” is purely intentional and takes a long amount of time. Weight training, when done correctly, will enhance and tone your muscles (more than any amount of cardio ever would) and result in an overall lean appearance. It is also known to increase overall bone health, help your body burn fat quicker and over a longer period of time, and reduce your risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Besides the physical benefits, weight training is also shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
2. Do Your Research
Find out what areas you want to target and do some research on what exercises will help you target those areas. Look up the machines beforehand and how to properly use them. It is super important that you’re using the machines and weights correctly to avoid injury, so start light on the weight and practice your form first and foremost. An easy way to do this is to watch YouTube and Instagram videos from fitness bloggers. A lot of them give you tips on proper form and benefits of the exercises they are doing. Seeing someone actually using the machines will help you out big time in the gym.
3. Practice Your Confidence
The gym is a good place to practice your confidence, not just while you’re there but on a day to day basis. Start with a mood-boosting playlist and listen to it on your way there. You’ll feel like a boss before you even walk in. Then, make a conscious effort to leave your comfort zone outside. My favorite cycling instructor always makes us wave at the door during the final stretch of our workout. He says, “What’s out there? Your comfort zone! You left that out there the minute you walked in these doors. Leave it there, you’re better off without it,” and it really resonates with me to push myself. So leave your comfort zone outside and put in your best work.
4. Start Small and Build
When you get there, start small. Go to what you know first and work hard (while still bumpin’ that playlist) and your confidence will grow as you get more comfortable. You’ll forget you ever even felt intimidated. Also, start small on the weights. Like I said above, practice your form first before you start putting on weight. Trust me, you want to avoid injury and enjoy your workout.
5. Know That No One is Looking at You
It’s easy to get in your head when you mess up at a new thing and think that everyone is laughing at you. Most of the time, however, it’s never the case and this is especially true in the gym. Everyone in the gym is focused on themselves. It’s literally why they’re there. If you’re really worried about people watching you, go with a friend your first time. It definitely eases the nerves, and you guys can laugh at each other when you mess up.
If you follow these tips, you’re sure to overcome your gymtimidation nice and easy, just in time for the holiday season. So go have thirds of everything (or fourths). You’ll be burning extra calories while you sleep from all of this weight training!