If you get self conscious at the gym then read on because we are going to cover a few tips that will hopefully relieve some of your nerves and make you less nervous so you can put attention and focus into your workout while there.
A lot of people, newcomers especially, can relate to feeling some level of discomfort when working out at a public gym. For someone like myself, who is on again off again with the gym, the nerves that I experience come from a degree of uncertainty specifically about some of the equipment, my routine, and my form. I imagine that I am not alone here and many people reading this have similar mindsets and experiences when heading to the gym. Rest assured we have some tips for you to ease those nerves!
For additional daily support on your health journey try out Meta Nutrition
The Mirror is Your Friend
The mirror is my friend, what?! For many people watching yourself in the mirror might feel insanely uncomfortable and that feeling only gets amplified if you aren’t particularly happy with your body. The reason why this works well though is because it helps you focus on 1 thing and 1 thing alone, yourself. Often times a level of your uneasiness comes from being intimidated by other gym goers, thinking people are watching you, or feeling like you aren’t as good as them. So, watching yourself and tuning out the rest of the patrons can help ease your stress which is great. Second, watching yourself and seeing what your body is capable of it lets you be proud of yourself and build your confidence. Finally, watching yourself, especially at an early stage of working out helps to make sure that you keep proper form which helps with muscle growth, progress, and avoiding injury.
Get a Gym Buddy or Ask For Employee’s Help
Bringing a more experienced friend or asking gym employees for assistance in teaching you how to use a machine will greatly aid in making you feel more comfortable in the gym because you will likely have less intrusive thoughts telling you that you don’t belong because you can’t even figure out how to use the weights. If you are able to secure a gym buddy that can bring your learning to the next level do it, they can suggest workouts, walk you through them, and ultimately make you feel like you know what are you doing while there.
Bring a Distraction
Like the mirror, headphones are also your friend. You aren’t at the gym to be social, you’re there to work towards your own specific set of goals. Plugging in and tuning out everything around you will get you in the right headspace and allow you to focus on your lifting and nothing or anyone else. Outside of music maybe you just listen to a podcast, if it makes you feel confident, strong, and distracts you from everything around you that isn’t lifting then go for it!