“No one reacts to how things are, but to his own mental images”- Maxwell Maltz
Throughout my years of personal training, the majority of my clients have been inexperienced gym members. The result of these interactions was a unique perspective of the gym setting through the lens of a new member.
What I soon learned was how intimidating the gym setting can be for newcomers. Therefore, let’s go ahead and diffuse 3 common “Gym Fears”:
Fear Myth #1 – “Everyone at the gym is already experienced and ‘professional looking'”
The reality is that these “intimidating” looking gym members are more than likely focused on…themselves! Ironically, these are the individuals most likely to empathize and help you with unfamiliar exercise machines.
Chances are, these “advanced gym goers” know what it’s like being a beginner, and if there’s one thing an experienced person loves doing it’s sharing the knowledge they know.
Remember, everyone’s had a first time.
Fear Myth #2 – “Everyone is staring at me mess up”
This actually might be the biggest fear myth of all. Trust me, aside from someone being attracted to you, no one at your gym is hardly looking at you as much as you think.
The irony of “Gym Culure is:
Everyone’s way too self-conscious about themselves, to be conscious about you.
Fear Myth #3 – “All the machines and equipment look too complicated and I don’t know where to start”
Although some exercises machines can come off as intimidating, there are still small steps you can take towards implementing yourself in the gym. For instance, starting with something easy and/or familiar is a great way to gain confidence when first starting out at the gym.
As with learning anything new, it’s important to give yourself time in becoming proficient at using gym equipment.
The main thing to keep in mind is that everyone has had a “first time” in the gym.The goal for you is to continue going a “second, third, fourth, and fifth time” until your gym attendance turns into a regular habit!
Key Takeaways:
- Most fears in the gym are perceived
- People at the gym are most likely to be focused on themselves, than you
- If you are new to the gym with start out with the easiest thing that you can do or something you’re most familiar with. This small initial step helps to keep the ball rolling.
