Overcoming Gym Anxiety

No matter who you are, or what your level of experience in a gym is; chances are you’ve experienced gym anxiety at some point. Gym anxiety is far more common than you think, and is the feeling of nervousness, discomfort and/ or stress when entering and training in a public gym facility. To a degree, this is completely normal, however for some people it can be an unnecessary setback in achieving their health and fitness goals and can be enough to deter them from ever going. 

If this sounds like you, rest assured that this can be managed and overcome. Below are my tried and tested tips for overcoming gym anxiety and moving forward with confidence in your training. 

• I find a great place to start is by identifying and understanding why it is that you’re feeling anxious, or what it is you’re feeling anxious about. By unpacking the cause, you can begin to take steps to overcome it. Is it because you’re afraid of what others will think? Maybe you feel intimidated by a gym environment? Perhaps you are a little unsure of where to begin and how to use the equipment? Whatever the reason is, it’s valid and it is ok to feel that way, but know all these fears and insecurities can be overcome.
• Realizing that no one is judging you more than they’re judging themselves! Think about it this way, while we all have different motivations that led us to the gym, we are all there for one common reason, to work on ourselves. We all started somewhere, and we are all continuously learning regardless of how much experience we have had. Often in a gym, everyone is so focussed on their own workout, that in reality no one is paying that much attention to what anyone else is doing, and if on the rare occasion someone is judging, that’s a reflection of their own insecurities and doesn’t affect you at all.
• With the above in mind, practice what you preach and if you do find yourself judging someone else in the gym, whether it be for a certain exercise they’re doing, or what weight they’re lifting, remember you don’t know their backstory and it’s a great thing that they’re working on their health! I truly do believe each person in a gym contributes to the culture by the energy they put off, so make sure you extend the same kindness to others that you wish to receive. Ideally, a gym should be a place of growth and support. It’s you against you, and that’s all that matters!
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are so many people out there who can help you reach your goals, learn how to use equipment and progress to a new level of your training. Finding a personal trainer that you connect with, whether it is in person or online is a great place to start (just make sure they are qualified, credible and know what they’re talking about).
• You don’t have to do it alone. While some people prefer to train alone, going with a friend can help take the pressure off, keep you present, spot you if needed and keep you motivated. At the very least…you can be anxious together.
• Take comfort in the fact that we all make silly mistakes in the gym and humbling moments are going to happen. Take it from me, I’m a PT and have a lot of experience in gyms, yet I still manage to spill my drink almost every session, have tripped over edges of machines numerous times, smashed my head on a barbell when standing up, fell up the stairs (now that was embarrassing)… and that’s just to name a few. Writing this I’m starting to realise maybe I should be more mindful, but the point is we all do silly things, so learn how to laugh at yourself and take comfort in the fact that you don’t have to be perfect.

Hopefully these tips can help you begin to feel more comfortable and confident in the gym and allow you to take your training to the level you’ve always wanted! If all else fails, adopting a good old ‘act confident and no one will question you’ attitude always helps. Remember the gym is a place where all can benefit and are welcome.

For extra guidance and training advice, don’t hesitate to reach out, or check out my online coaching which is designed to help you achieve your goals in a way that works best for you xx

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