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Sports scientist’s tip to get over gym anxiety is simple as ‘making a plan’
Joining a gym is a very scary experience for so many people. “I don’t know how to use the equipment.” “People will stare at me.” “I’m the only one who doesn’t know what they are doing.” “I’ll look silly if I ask for help.“
Those are some of the common thoughts that run through a person’s mind when feeling gym anxiety, but it doesn’t have to be like that. A sports scientist has shared a simple tip to get over your apprehension and enjoy working out.
Sport scientist’s tip to get over gym anxiety
Speaking on Steven Bartlett’s Diary Of A CEO podcast, Dr. Mike Israetel explained that all you need to do to stop feeling anxious about the gym is make a digital plan.
There are all kinds of online platforms and apps out there that help you create a gym plan based on your own personal goals. You enter all your information and it tells you exactly what to do each day, including the length of the workout and equipment you need.
The key is finding one that has videos of each exercise too, showing you exactly how to use each machine so you have all the knowledge you need.
“Whatever kind of plan you have, that’s your little map of the Caribbean sea with the little x’s and the pirate ships and you know exactly where to go,” he explained. “It’s you, your app and everyone else just floats away.”
When you have a plan, you are in your own little zone and suddenly, nothing else matters. If your app says to do 12 reps on the bicep machine, that’s exactly what you do. Then, you move onto the next exercise.
“That’s as far as you have to think about it. Comparisons, what everyone else thinks, [it doesn’t matter]. Without a plan, oh boy are you second guessing yourself. With a plan, you don’t second guess anything,” Israetel added.
Gym anxiety stems from lack of knowledge
Most gym anxiety stems from a lack of knowledge. It’s a new place, you don’t know where everything is, you’re not familiar with the equipment. Essentially, it’s a fear of the unknown which then leads you to fear other people’s judgement.
A study by PureGym found the five things that scare people most about the gym are:
- Looking stupid in front of other people
- Feeling self-conscious about your fitness
- Lifting weights
- The treadmill
- Asking for help
Other than feeling self-conscious about your fitness, all four of those things stem from a lack of confidence and not knowing what you are doing. “What if I make a fool of myself on the treadmill?” “How do I lift the weights?”
Doing your research and making a plan will get rid of this fear. Remember, the gym is a social space and you have as much of a right to be there as everyone else. So, educate yourself and take control of your own fitness.
Dr. Mike Israetel is a sports scientist, competitive bodybuilder and personal trainer with a PhD in Sport Physiology who was formerly a Professor of Nutrition and Sport Science at Temple University in Philadelphia. He is currently the head science consultant for Renaissance Periodization.
