How to overcome gym anxiety

Learn how to overcome gym anxiety today.

The thought of going to the gym may fill you full of anxiety but overcoming your fears will be the key to unlocking your goals. 

Over the past few years I have had to face my gym fears to stay on track with my fitness journey, albeit, with some obstacles along the way. But what is a journey without a few obstacles?

But what will I wear?

I almost fell at the first hurdle as I questioned with: ‘What do I wear?’ Finding the right length top to go with the right leggings is a challenge, especially if you’re self-conscious of your body. My advice: consider your shape and buy what you feel the happiest in. I’ve got an assortment of sportswear that I thought would look good on me but which don’t meet my gym expectations. I like wearing racer-back vests, so the muscle tank tops I bought because they looked ‘cool’ stay firmly in the back on the wardrobe.

Will I manage all the moves?

My next hurdle was trying to master the moves in classes – at 5’8”, if I put a foot wrong I’m the leaping giraffe in the mirror. But what I’ve discovered is that no one cares, as long as you’re trying and if you’re not sure just ask. The class instructors or personal trainers are a professionals and are more than happy to show you the ropes.

You could always splash out on a course of personal training just to get to grips with how to work out without injuring yourself and get advice on the best way of achieving the reason you signed up to the gym in the first place.

After years of going to the gym I still wonder, ‘What if someone laughs at me?’ Especially if I’m embarking on a new challenge or I’m having a particularly sweaty day. In reality, everyone is too busy doing their own sweating to notice. Whatever reason you’ve decided to join the gym, it’s your business, so go do your thing and forget the haters because there really aren’t as many as you think!

My own self-doubt sometimes makes me wonder what if I can’t do it? I’ve found that my own mind is the hardest thing to overcome, but as soon as you realise you can…you will!

I recently had to attempt the highest box jump in my gym history and, faced with this challenge, my mind started telling me I couldn’t do it. I concentrated on what I had to do, shut out my surroundings and jumped… that day I achieved the ‘impossible’ and claimed my personal best. The feeling you get after you push yourself to do something you ‘couldn’t’ is one of the best, and if I had fallen in my attempt, I’d have been proud I tried.

You can do it

You can get your ‘ideal’ body, as long as you put the effort in and don’t cheat yourself. It will take some time and dedication inside and outside of the gym to achieve the figure you want.

Overcoming gym anxiety is a constant battle but one day you’ll strut into the gym, work out in the middle of the room without a care in the world. It’s not always easy and there will be struggles along the way, but don’t forget to document your journey by taking photos so you can see the changes in your body.