Stop Feeling Intimidated in the Gym!

The gym can be a scary place...trust me, I know! Rows and rows of foreign-looking equipment, beefed up muscle heads grunting with every rep, and stick-thin Barbie dolls jogging on treadmills. (Seriously, does nothing jiggle?!).  To this day I still get waves of anxiety when I walk around the weight room trying to get my workout done, but I've learned some tricks along the way to keep that silly little fear of the gym at bay.  Here are some of them:

1. Leave Your Ego at the Door
A big thing that keeps people from regularly going to the gym is the judgment and stares they think they'll get when they exercise.  News flash: what makes you think gym-goers are so interested in what you're doing?  They're just like you, trying to get a good sweat session in and become a better, healthier version of themselves.  If you ask anybody working out at the gym what is more important to them: a random stranger or a solid workout, I guarantee they'll go with the workout.  While it may look like people are staring, they're probably more focused on getting their reps and sets in than anything else.

When you walk through those gym doors, your mindset has to change.  Why do you think people are gonna judge you? Probably because you judge others, yourself.  Go in there focusing on becoming a better YOU and everyone else in that gym won't matter.

2. Google
Many, many times I've stopped right in the middle of the gym floor staring at a pice of equipment thinking, "uhhhh...where do my feet go?....What am I supposed to do with my hands?"  There are so many weight and cardio machines lying around that it's damn near impossible to know how to use each one or what muscles are being worked. My advice to you is this: GOOGLE IT.  But before you google it, have a workout already prepared.  (You can find workouts all over the internet. My favorites places are bodybuilding.com, pinterest.com, and fitnessrxwomen.com)  If there is a movement in the workout that you don't know how to perform, that's when good ol' google comes in handy.  Tons of sights will come up, but what I usually do is go to google images to see exactly how it's performed.  If you want detailed instructions, bodybuilding.com is an EXCELLENT resource for this.  You can even check out youtube.com for videos of people performing the exercise.

3. Gym Swag
Nothing makes me feel more confident than some brand-spankin new gym gear.  I'm talking anything from new Nikes, a sports bra, cute tights, even a new pair of slick-lookin socks!  I suppose it just makes me feel like a bad ass.  And when I feel like a bad ass, I wanna train like a bad ass. Which ultimately leads to a great workout.  Getting comfortable in the gym is all about confidence.  And if it takes a new pair of running shorts to give you a little boost, then so be it!

4. Headphones On, World Off
For me, music is everything when I want a good workout.  I honestly don't think I could get through any type of workout without it...especially cardio.  If you've got songs that pump you up and make you nothing short of happy, put them on a playlist and zone out.  A bad ass playlist will keep you focused on the workout, and you'll be less worried about everyone and everything going on around you.

There was a solid month where I would workout to nothing but Beyonce's latest album. (Partition, anyone? That song made me wanna bust out every rep like it was my last!)  A great tool that I use is the 8tracks app.  You can find playlists for any genre, event, or mood that you're feeling.  They even have specific playlists for when you workout!
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The biggest thing I can stress is this: don't quit.  No matter what you do, DO NOT QUIT.  Yes, it's gonna seem scary at first, but I promise you it WILL get easier.  We all started at the bottom.  No one was born with the knowledge to kill it at the gym on day 1.  No one's an expert. And in no way, shape or form am I saying that I'm an expert.  I still struggle with intimidation at the gym to this very day!   But I never quit.  And with practice, persistence, and new knowledge I became more comfortable in the gym setting, more comfortable with the weights, and most importantly, more comfortable in my own body.

Go to the gym, learn new things, and get better.  It's as simple as that!  There's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about because in reality, we're all there for the same reason: to be better and healthier versions of ourselves! When you realize that, that's when it'll get easier :)


As always feel free to drop a comment with questions, tips or even a compliment! I appreciate all feedback!

xo Jess