How to Overcome Gym Anxiety

Like most people, especially first timers, I used to be extremely anxious in the gym. Just walking in to the building would give me severe butt sweat. And while I’ve made great strides, I’d be lying if I said I never experienced gym anxiety anymore. Because I know just how common it is, I put together a list of tips to help you overcome gym anxiety and begin to actually enjoy your workouts!

7 Tips To Overcome Gym Anxiety:

1. Headphones

Okay this may seem obvious right? I mean listening to music at the gym is basically a requirement. While music is great, I find headphones are actually more helpful to overcome gym anxiety because they allow you to block out the sounds around you. You don’t realize how crucial this is until your headphones die. And when mine do, I still keep them in to reduce the noise. Hearing weights being dropped, all the aggressive grunting, and the people who insist on talking, is wildly distracting from your workout and makes you hyper aware of every person in there that might be staring at you! (spoiler: They’re not!)

I linked my headphones here. They are awesome at noise cancellation! However, I’d prefer if the volume could be higher.

2. Plan out your workout

Go to the gym with a plan for what muscle group you’re training. And beyond that, write down exactly what exercises you plan to do while you’re there. Seriously, make a note in your phone with a list of exercises, explanations on how to do them if you need it, AND back up exercises in case specific weights or machines are taken. It makes a world of difference in helping overcome gym anxiety because it prevents you from wandering around from machine to machine trying to decide what to do. That leaves way too much time for nerves to set in and doesn’t result in the most effective workout. When you’re finished with one exercise, check your list for the next one, decide where in the gym you need to walk to for said exercise and then go. Walk with purpose!  

If you’re new to the gym, it can take time to learn where things are and that’s okay! More often than not, there is someone doing the same workout or similar and you can head in that direction. If not, just ask an employee!

3. Jam out

This may sound silly but bear with me. Yes of course turning the music all the way up has a way of getting you pumped. But that’s not the only reason to do it. For me, I play a rap song that I know all the words to and I yell –yes, yell– it on the drive there. It trains my mind to be confident and bold, rather than quiet and introverted. If your drive consists of quietly mouthing the words to a song, you’re going to walk in to the gym with that same disposition. It doesn’t have to be rap but get a song that you feel absolutely badass when you sing all the words. And then scream sing it the entire way there! 

4. Be Yourself

Okay this sounds corny but I don’t mean it the way it sounds. If you want to, or better yet WHEN you want to look at yourself in the mirror, check out your outfit, fix your hair –whatever it is– just do it! Do it boldly. It is unbelievably obvious when someone is trying to look at themselves without people noticing. Because you’re going to do it regardless, don’t try and hide it.

We are humans, we all have the instinct to fidget with clothes or check ourselves out, so just be yourself and do it without worry that someone is looking at you. You can ask my husband, I regularly check for booty gains and fidget with my hair at the gym…sometimes I even flex if I am feeling myself. I think the simple act of just being “normal” (aka how you would act if it was just you and your best friend), promotes a natural level of confidence and will help you overcome gym anxiety.

5. The over/under

This one I actually learned from my childhood dance teacher during one of my first dance competitions. She would have us pick a dancer we were better than, and a dancer that was better than us. Same premise for the gym. Pick someone that is in better shape than you, and then pick someone that is not as far along in their fitness journey as you. This is a reminder that you are farther along than some, but still have something to aspire to and work towards. I still do this when I am feeling particularly anxious.

6. You’ve got something somebody wants

This one goes right along with the tip listed above! I regularly admire other girls’ bodies at the gym. Sometimes it’s their flat stomach and sometimes it’s how much they can lift. It’s human nature to do this but it can really tear you down. Whenever I notice myself beginning to dwell, I take a minute to remind myself that there are things I have that other people want. Truthfully y’all, I will stop what I am doing and go to the bathroom to give myself a pep talk. I may want her big booty, but she might want my quads or my arms. It doesn’t have to be physical. Somebody in the gym wishes they had your smarts, your humor, your college degree….SOMETHING!

Related post you may enjoy: Assume People Are Good

BONUS: A partner

If you can bring someone with you, especially in the beginning, it can be super helpful. This one is a bonus because I understand it isn’t always doable. A partner takes the edge off of being alone, they can hold your machine if you need to pee, and they are there for moral support if you want to test out a new exercise! 

It is important to note that choosing your partner wisely is imperative. If you can find a partner with more knowledge than you, that’s great. Don’t pick an enabler. In college, my best friends and I would go to the gym together. We would do a couple sets and then during rest period, start talking…A LOT. And eventually we found ourselves completely distracted and even leaving early for brunch a time or two *insert embarrassed sweating emoji.* My personal recommendation is to find someone who is competitive and/or someone who motivates you.

Does gym anxiety ever go away entirely?

I don’t think so. Ask me next year and I may have changed my mind. I have been working out 5-6 days a week for over a year and it still gets to me from time to time. But compared to when I started (read more here!), it is almost nonexistent. Just remember, almost every single person in there is currently, or has been, plagued with gym anxiety. Just like anything else in life, the more you do it, the easier it gets. Soon enough you’ll realize you were confident for an entire workout and you’ll be so dang proud of yourself. Celebrate the little wins and keep going.

-The Relatable Red