Remember back to the first time you went to your local gym to exercise, you probably felt extremely nervous and had a fear of everyone judging you? You walk into a unfamiliar crowded gym with a bunch of machines and weights that you may have no idea how to use, that can be extremely overwhelming! You are not alone, there are a ton of people that are afraid to go to their local gym and are nervous to start exercising at the gym. In this blog we’ll go over what are some of the fears people have going into a gym and also what alternatives you can utilize.
Fears:
1. People are afraid of being judged.
a. I’d be lying to you if I said I am not afraid of judgement in the gym. We look around see other people looking great, great shape, extremely strong, and doing things we could never imagine ourselves doing. That can be stressful and if something is stressful, the likelihood of you returning to that stressful situation is low. This does not apply to everyone, but remember you are not alone in that feeling you have.
2. You don’t know what to do or how to use the equipment.
a. Not knowing what to do can definitely cause some anxiety while you are at the gym for the first time. That can become the feeling of being lost in an environment you are not familiar with, which can cause you to feel like you are being judged for aimlessly walking around. Do some research before you start or if you can afford it, hire a trainer for a session or two to help you out.
3. Not the right atmosphere for you.
a. You see the advertisements on tv, “judgement free zone”, just because they say that doesn’t mean it will be the right environment for you. Even with a “judgement free zone” you still may not feel that way. Gym’s tend to give out a free couple days to try out the gym if you ask if they have a trial period. Ask around and try a few gyms out to see which one best fits your needs.
Alternatives:
1. Find a private gym
a. Private gyms are a great way to get started with fitness. They are clean, easily accessible, and extremely family oriented as well. With the big gym’s you could feel like you are just another person working out, but when you are at a private gym you gain a sense of community like none other. All the trainers, staff, and management know you. If you are comfortable in the private gym it will give you that much extra motivation to keep going back.
2. Find a personal trainer
a. Personal trainers are extremely useful when you are lost or don’t have a specific direction. They are not cheap, but it is worth it for a session to help create a workout for you. Watch out for the trainers that keep pushing and pushing you to come back for more. Our jobs are trainers is to teach you how to train yourself, but if you decide to keep training with a trainer that’s great too! When looking for a personal trainer refer to my blog about finding the right personal trainer for you.
3. Train at home till you get your confidence.
a. If you can grab some weights, bands, or even things you just have laying around the house you can do everything at home. Do some research on YouTube, there are so many great resources online to educate yourself how to train at home and a program for you.
4. Educate yourself!
a. Whether it is through a personal trainer or YouTube, educate yourself and create a plan. The more of a plan you have the better off you will be. You never want to stop learning, keep researching and moving yourself forward to your main goal!
Be confident in what you do and don’t worry about what others think! Just remember at one point we have all been in the same situation and we have all had the same feeling whether it's being nervous about starting at a new gym or starting any new adventure in life.
Philip Tomeo
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