Do you often feel anxiety before heading to the gym, and are you unsure of how to cope with it? Here are 3 tips for dealing with gym anxiety!
by Troop Atomic Mommy
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Gym anxiety can affect people of all ages and genders. Having said that, it is more common amongst women, though many feel intimidated in a commercial gym environment. Maybe it’s due to the amount of people in the gym, or it’s because you feel you’ll be judged. As a result of this anxiety, you avoid attending or even joining a gym.Â
While these feelings are normal, they shouldn’t cripple your ability to workout in a gym effectively. Gym anxiety is easily treatable as long as you are willing to put in an effort. Here are 3 tips to help you cope with gym anxiety!
#1 Go to the gym at quieter times
If you can, try to go to the gym when it’s less busy. Some gym apps will help users know what’s their busiest time of the day. Google also has something similar that tells you when places are quiet if you search for the business. It’s not 100% accurate, but it does give you an idea of when the best times to visit the gym will be.Â
While these apps and tools may not be always accurate, it’s important to understand that all gyms are the same in this regard. Most of them will be busy during lunchtime and after 5. If you can find a way to go in the early morning or late at night, then it should be quieter. Most people are either still in bed or at work during these periods, giving you free rein to feel confident and unintimidated.Â
#2 Bring a friend with you
Working out is always better when you have a friend to do it with. You can motivate one another, and there’s a sense of accountability that forces you to keep going. Plus, having a friend to chat with helps you be distracted from your environment, which helps calm gym anxiety.
#3 Try other gyms to see if they’re less busy
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could try a gym before committing to a contract? Well, you kind of can. Some fitness centers and gyms, like Fitness 19, offer free day guest passes for you to utilize. In essence, you can attend the gym for a day and see how it is. This is a very good way of seeing the vibes–is it loud and rowdy, are there too many people at any given time/Â
Try different guest passes for different gyms until you find one that you like. Hopefully, there’s one close to you that isn’t extremely busy.
The Takeaway
Overcoming gym anxiety is important because it could hold you back from getting fit and healthy. Whatever the reasons are, you just can’t seem to enjoy home workouts and so you think the gym is better, but to go to the gym means getting over your anxiety. Hopefully, the three ideas above can help you overcome your gym anxiety and encourage you to get fit!
