We all know that feeling. He starts the day with the intention of going to the gym, but then spends the next 12 hours making up all sorts of excuses for not going to the gym. For some of us, the reason we can’t get past the “pack gym bag” stage is lack of motivation, but for others, fear centers on why we can’t make it to the gym.
Gym fear, or a coined term “gymtimidation,” is the feeling of anxiety and stress that a person experiences when thinking about or stepping into a gym. With January in full swing, a swarm of people desperately Googling “nearby gym his membership” and adding the best squat-proof leggings to his shopping basket online to get fit. Along with that, gymtimidation is also increasing.
According to the 2022 IHRSA Global Report, currently, nearly 22% of people age 6 and older in the United States are members of a health club or studio, nearly 66.5 million. Also, data from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association shows that 12% of those signups occurred in his January.
So how do you know if your anxiety is gymtimidation? Is not it?
What is gymtimidation?
It may sound like the new social media buzzword, but gymtimidation is a very real fear for those who have experienced it. can be complicated anxiety. “Gymtimidation is not about intimidating the gym because you are too lazy to go to it or find no motivation to exercise. The real horrors and judgments you may face there,” Spiers told POPSUGAR.
“Gym exercises require us to perform something specifically designed to push us out of our comfort zone in front of strangers. This combination makes us feel insecure. “We feel vulnerable because we know we are going to do something. The fact that we have to do these things in close proximity to others creates comparison and competition,” he said. continue. “Our brains start a fear cycle of anxiety: ‘Am I doing it right? ‘ Am I sweating more than them?” “Did you set up the machine correctly?” It can also be caused by worries about what you wear, how you exercise, what other people think of you, and the gym environment itself. There is a possibility
Sound familiar? Gymtimidation can last for months or even years, so it’s worth recognizing some behaviors and finding ways to productively communicate these feelings. Olivia Tyler, Personal Her Trainer and Nuffield Health Clinical Fitness Her Leader, said: They leave prematurely, associating a place of health and well-being with more negative emotions. ”
Like many feelings of anxiety, this particular form often stems from how we feel about ourselves. “It’s often a result of how other people see us and how we see ourselves, rather than how we see ourselves,” explains Tyler. A place of spiritual positive change and well-being, but sometimes people feel they need to look like the finished product all the time (or cater to the Instagram version of this). Otherwise, they experience a sense of being judged, and then anxiety creeps in.”
What Causes Gymtimidation?
If you’re a socially confident person outside the gym, why is the gym floor suddenly causing panic? No,” says Spiers. “Exercise, especially at the gym, is usually a solitary activity, but in public, that alone often makes many people nervous. I don’t know how to act, and I can feel the need to know exactly what I’m doing in an environment I don’t fully understand.
Especially in January, the gym is even more emphasized as a means to improve yourself in some way. It puts more pressure on you to be healthier, fitter, or stronger. “This means that people often feel apprehensive at the start because they feel the need to change gym settings before they can be confident,” Spiers says.
Tyler, who regularly sees clients with gym anxiety, adds: Also, even if you have experience with exercise, if you have someone nearby who is training stronger, faster, or better, or if you are experiencing periods of low self, you should check out the Gym Timday Show. I think it’s important to say that I’ve been through a lot of episodes – respect outside the gym. ”
How to overcome gymtimidation
Separate gym and exercise
Stop thinking that stepping into the gym is your only option. “Most of us feel like we have to hit the gym to get in shape, but the reality is very different. Ars says. Start by searching YouTube for workouts you can do in your living room. (POPSUGAR’s Class Fitsger series is a great place to start!) As a result, the brain no longer emits the same warning signals that cause fear and anxiety.”
Remember, if you struggle with gym timidation, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on your goals. It means that you can understand
focus on goals
“The first thing you should do is focus on yourself, what you need, and what you want to achieve,” Tyler tells POPSUGAR. I want to work to better understand why, for example, if you start exercising because you want or want to improve your health.To build your mental health resilience, remember this: We can refocus our attention on the positive outcomes instead of the negative.”
claim your space
While you may at first think that everyone has a place in the gym and you don’t belong, remember that you deserve space too. You have the right to exercise,” advises Tyler. “When you find a space, lay down your mat, get the equipment you want to use, and complete your workout, stay in the space you carve out for yourself. It helps to…rather than be intimidated by the entire gym floor.”
ask a question
Feel free to ask any questions of the gym’s fitness staff. they are there to help. And remember: everyone at the gym had to start somewhere. Next time I’ll be able to do it myself,” says Tyler.
try a class
You might think that the classes are counterintuitive and encourage tales of comparison and despair, but many of them take away some of the things that cause fear. “Even if someone else is with you, you’re all in the same boat doing the same thing,” Spiers explains.
celebrate small victories
Every time I work out or go to the gym, I accomplish something. Celebrate completing a circuit, running a minute, or walking out of the house in your gym clothes. “Comparisons fuel anxiety in the gym. Comparing your fitness, strength, clothing, or post-workout selfies to others can make you think others are judging you. It makes you worry more,” says Tyler. ”
