5 Tips for Easily Joining a Gym When You Have Social Anxiety
One of the most popular things to start in the new year, is trying to become a fitter, healthier person.
That often means joining a local gym.
For lots of people though, the thought of rolling up and finding a room full of muscle-bound health nuts is daunting. And, it’s even worse if you suffer from social anxiety.
But, if you want to make some changes around the area of fitness. Joining a gym is a great idea.
The Problem
Joining a Gym when you have Social Anxiety, or if you suffer from low self-esteem, probably doesn’t seem like a very pleasant idea.
Still, if you’re determined to get fit, or maybe lose some weight, then joining a gym could be a good option.
You know that if you could just pluck up the courage to go, everything would be so much better!
But, you worry that everyone’s watching you, or talking about you with their friends.
Or. maybe you believe they’ll be taking photos of ‘the newbie’ and posting them on social media. You might even be worried that you’ll be surrounded by people with rippling muscles and ‘ripped’ bodies?
Whatever nasty and uncomfortable things you worry about, nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, there’ll probably be one or two people that treat the gym as their second home. But in general, most gyms are filled with people exactly like you 🙂
So, if joining a gym is for you, but because of your social anxiety, actually doing it is proving problematic, here’s a few tips to help you.
5 tips to help you move forward.
- Remember that the vast majority of people joined the gym for the same sorts of reasons you want to. Most members are just ‘Ordinary’ people trying to achieve the same things you are. And, if there are any ‘bodybuilders’, they’ll be using the Free Weights, not the machines.
- If you’re feeling anxious about using machines that you’ve never used before, go on YouTube and you’ll find loads of videos on how to use any of the available equipment. That way, you’ll look like a seasoned pro, rather than a newbie 🙂
- Any gym worth its salt will insist on an orientation before you begin using the machines. Meaning, one of the staff will explain to you how to use the machines correctly and safely. Many will also design a training plan specifically for what you want to achieve.
- Learn a relaxation technique. Practice inhaling deeply… hold for 3 seconds, then slowly breathe out expelling all the air from your lungs. Do this at least 5 times before you go in. You’ll be surprised how quickly your anxiety calms down.
- Use a distraction. A well-known technique is to listen to music, or an audiobook while you’re exercising.
One final tip: If you’re still uncomfortable joining, why not ask a friend to join with you? Knowing you’ve got at least one person on your side, will make the jump easier.
And, if you want to learn more about boosting your self-esteem generally, there’s plenty of info available here.
Give it a go. It might be easier than you think 🙂
