How To Reduce Gym Anxiety

WORDS: Adam Berry PHOTOGRAPHY Supplied

I get it.  Walking into a Gym on the Gold Coast is a very intimidating thing to do.

Heck, for some, walking into a Gym full stop can be very anxiety inducing.  I have been a Fitness Coach for 10 years, and when I stepped into a Gym here, after moving from London, I was intimidated.

It felt like in the Gym I went to, mens muscles had muscles had muscles…and just take one look at me, that is certainly not a description you would use to describe The Gym Starter.

In fact, my whole life I have been ridiculed and looked down upon for my physique. Whether I was too skinny at school, or when I became a personal trainer, my strength and physique was laughed at every day.

In fact, in one of the gyms I worked at in London, every day one of the other trainers would flex his biceps and point at mine. It sucked.

I really do get it. I know how hard it can feel, when you don’t feel like you can fit into a certain space where it feels like a mans pinky can lift more than you can squat, or every woman in the building is in skin tight gym wear.

But there are ways to manage this anxiety.  There are things you can do to really help yourself feel more comfortable going to the Gym, and that is exactly what I want to help you with today.

 

In Truth, We Are All Beginners

One of your best weapons in the gym would be to realize we pretty much all make it up.  All the time.  Yes there is science that dictates how I might program something for someone, but that is very secondary to just the huge win that being there is.

We all explore.  Whenever a new person joins my Strong and Confident Program and there is a moment where they need feedback on how to do an exercise. It will take them ages to post the video. It takes them ages.

I will always get a DM saying that they were just too scared to post it because in there mind two things are happening.  Firstly, they think: “Oh my God! I’m doing it wrong!”.

Secondly, they think that everyone in the Group will laugh at what they are doing.

What they forget is that everyone in the group has been a beginner. They aren’t sitting there judging every single video of everyone else, and everyone else isn’t sitting there judging their videos.  Everyone is just pleased to see someone else is making progress.

“There is no right or wrong, just exploration”

                                                       – Adam Berry

 Of course, there is optimal form, and sub-optimal form, but you will move towards optimal form as you learn about yourself, as you watch others, and as you feel your body move in this prescribed setting.

 

Your Fear of Injury

I’m not going to lie.  Yes of course there is a risk of physical injury when you explore something physical. But what I would say to you is this.

The percentage rates of someone injuring themselves in the gym are far less than taking up a new sport like Running, Football, or even non-contact sports like Netball.  I have been on many football pitches in the UK as a Semi-Professional Referee and the Injury rate was far higher than anything I have seen or experienced in the gym.

My Mum is a prime example of this.  She is 62 years young as I write this and about 3 years ago she was diagnosed with osteoporosis (a condition that is a degenerative skeletal disease that can only be managed, not cured), simply put her joints and bones were aching and rattling.

I recorded a very simple yet effective Kettlebell Workout for her to perform at home, to begin with, and within weeks she reported back to me a feeling of strength and far fewer aches.

 

Worrying About Judgement From Others

This is my biggest fear. Despite everything I know.  You see – its normal to feel like this – but you can chose to let it stop you or not.

 

The Big Muscly Men

This is probably the single biggest hindrance to people from feeling comfortable in the Gym.  The big muscles and flexing biceps of the men who have been lifting since they first Arnie in 1979.  And they are loud.  Really loud.  And intimidating.  And they just generally scare the proverbial out of you every time you consider going near a dumbbell in that part of the gym.  This is a reality that we all face.  I promise.  But this is your best weapon against said men, so listen up…

 

“No One In The Gym Is Judging You More Than You Are Judging Yourself.”

If someone looks like they have enough muscles to lift a small building, and they grunt and groan as they do that…they have no idea you even exist, because lifting that much weigh takes an awful lot of energy and focus.

 

The Active Wear Gang

And the skinny women strutting around in their Gym Shark sports bras and high waisted leggings…well as I am not one of them I can’t really comment on what they are thinking.  But what I would suggest is this; you don’t know their story as much as they don’t know yours.

Often when I catch myself looking at someone in the gym, its never thought about what that person is doing, the way they look, or who they think they are…often it is about whether that has had a nice day…or whether we may become friends, or how I wish I could smile in the way that they do.

It has zero to do with their appearance or what they are doing. Walking a day in someone else’s shoes is very tiring, and recently I have had lots of judgement levelled at me on Instagram (@the_gym_starter – drop me a follow – say hello).

It’s not very nice to receive of course. Just remember this: if you don’t want to be judged, then don’t judge others.

And the more out of practice you get with judging others, the less judged you will feel.

 

Being Afraid To Go To The Gym Because You Are Fat

It breaks my heart that I have to write this section. But it is a popular search term on Google.

I have had a number of people who have worked with me and they simply couldn’t look at themselves in the mirror when working out. They hated what they saw so much that whenever there was an exercise that might mean they were in front of a mirror I had to stand between them and it just to make sure that they felt comfortable enough.

One friend that I worked with for over 2 years, we did every single workout in a part of the Gym where there were no mirrors.

This meant that in an environment where she should feel comfortable and be able to work on her confidence, she could. It worked really well, she had fun, and above all…she found a level of comfort in the Gym. Which is all anyone wants.

If you want, grab some weights and train where there is no mirror. Train where you feel comfortable, train in a place that makes you happy.

At the end of the day, the Gym is an open space for everyone to explore movement in the way in which they chose too.

If being too fat for the Gym is a huge driving force behind your anxiety about going, then please remember that just being there, just being able to put your foot through the door is the biggest win there is. – and that should be celebrated as much as possible.

As King Lear said:

“Nothing Can Come Of Nothing. If You Invest In Nothing You Get Nothing In Return”

And showing up, being there is getting the party started. You can hold your head full of pride.

Anything on top of that just makes the party raise the roof even more!

Just showing up is the battle you need to conquer.

If that means turning up and doing 2 minutes. Turning up is the most important aspect of what you achieved.

Turning up is always the most important aspect of what you will achieve.

That is the majority of the work.

If you can do that, great things will happen for you.

 

What To Do When You Actually Get To The Gym

The what to do is the most important and underutilised aspects of training.  The most important thing about your time spent in the gym is enjoyment. 

 “Enjoyment Leads To Adherence, Adherence Leads To Action, Action Leads To Results, Results Leads To Motivation”

Your time in the gym will be best-spent weight training.  But only if you enjoy it.  If you enjoy Cardio…do that…just understand it will breed less efficient results as you will adapt quickly to it, and then the mode of exercise will need to be made longer.

With resistance training, you just slap a new plate on the bar and away you go.

You need a plan of action.  A programme.  One that will test you.

The Gym is as much a numbers game as it is an emotional one.  And you need to learn to fall in love you with your numbers.

Just pick one route, of resistance training,  give it your all for a good four to six months and enjoy the benefits that being patient and consistent bring.

You can, of course, get a number of things from me:

Get a Free Month of Gym and Home–Based Workouts

4 Gym Workouts For Beginners  Both  Female and Male

Get Personal One on One Online Coaching from me!

Get 250 workouts straight away from The Fitness Collective

But I’m not here to sell to you.  I’m here to help you. And I hope you have found this article helpful.