Picture this. It’s Friday night and you convince yourself to finally hit the gym. You’re feeling productive and maybe even a little excited. You step into the gym and three men glare at you mid-work out. The excitement has dropped, but you’re not going to leave now. As you do your exercises, you keep thinking, “Is my form correct? Are my weights too light? Do I look dumb?” Before you can even get a full set in, you take a full turn out the gym doors.
If you have ever experienced something similar, you may have a major case of gym anxiety, so here’s how to get over it.
Group classes
However versed you may be in all things gym, group classes are a great way to get more comfortable with working out. Group classes are entertaining and more interactive than a solo workout trip and can also help you start looking forward to your workout sessions instead of dreading them. There are a multitude of group workout classes that one could attend, including Zumba, yoga, pilates, kickboxing and so much more.
Romanticize the gym
What is a better motivator than looking cute? Living out your Pilates princess or Alo gym girl lifestyle through your outfits is a great way to kickstart your gym career. Another great way to help you romanticize the gym is by curating your own playlist. Hand-picking your favorite artists and creating playlists for the gym can really impact the experience of working out. So get that workout outfit you’ve been eyeing, fill up your matching water bottle, put on your headphones and hit the gym!
Go with a friend
I doubt that there has ever been a time when you thought doing any activity alone would be more fun than doing it with a friend. The same goes for the gym too. Turn your weekend hangouts into a productive and fun gym-sesh, where you can hype each other up, build up confidence and realize that the gym really can be fun!
Consistency
The only true way to become comfortable at the gym is to stay consistent. Going once a month will make you feel anxious every time you walk through those gym doors, but going once a week will make the gym feel more familiar. Frequent visits will make you more acquainted with the equipment and help you build your own workout plan.
Even if you were to follow all of these steps, it is not a guarantee that you will completely get over your gym anxiety, but I can say from personal experience that it will definitely help. I used to have a big fear of getting judged by strangers whenever I worked out, but after doing it more consistently, I am now more confident in the gym, and I know you can be as well!