Why am I intimidated at the gym?
Gym intimidation is completely normal. One of the biggest reasons people feel intimidated by the gym is that they don't feel like they look right. Meaning that they don't look like they exercise regularly. While these feelings are valid, it's important to remember that we all had to start somewhere.
Being uncomfortable at the gym is no picnic in the park. This can occur for many reasons: poor body image, the fear that comes from having been away for too long, or low energy levels and motivation from a lack of exercise over a long period of time.
- Be prepared. Anxiety is, in part, a fear of the unknown. ...
- Plan your workout. As part of your preparation, you can also plan your workout. ...
- Work with a trainer. ...
- Go with a friend. ...
- Try a class. ...
- Start small. ...
- Practice positive thinking. ...
- Listen to music.
Research shows that exercise increases feelings of well-being and reduces anxiety. As you get comfortable in your workout routine, you'll experience less anxiety related to going to your gym, but the physical activity will continue to help you manage and reduce anxiety that comes with other life situations!
Of the 1,000 people surveyed, one-third of respondents admitted to judging others while at the gym.
Muscle dysmorphia is an emerging condition that primarily affects male bodybuilders. Such individuals obsess about being inadequately muscular. Compulsions include spending hours in the gym, squandering excessive amounts of money on ineffectual sports supplements, abnormal eating patterns or even substance abuse.
44% will avoid going to the gym at certain times because there are too many people around. While 30% experience performance-based anxiety at the gym, 42% admit they experience appearance-based anxiety when working out.
- Shop Around. If it weren't for the fact that my husband was going to this particular gym, I probably wouldn't have switched in the first place. ...
- Give yourself time. ...
- Dress for success. ...
- Lose the paranoia. ...
- Turn jealously into joy. ...
- Focus on the task at hand. ...
- Give yourself credit.
Whatever it is, you're just not into getting your exercise today. It's okay. This probably isn't the first time this has happened and it most likely won't be the last. Everyone has days like this, and they're not a big deal.
“You are more likely to experience anxiety with intense workouts because cardiovascular activity increases heart rate and blood pressure,” says Dr. Meghan Marcum, chief psychologist at A Mission For Michael in San Juan Capistrano, California.
Is there a gym phobia?
It's known as gym phobia. Gym Phobia is many things to many people, but it is essentially the fear of going to the gym and working out in front of others. Getting over gym phobia begins by identifying what may cause you to feel overwhelmed when you enter a gym or think about going to the gym.
Essentially, vabbing refers to dabbing a few drops of your own vaginal fluid on pulse points on your body, such as the wrists and neck, as a kind of perfume meant to help people attract potential partners. And now, some people on TikTok are convinced that the gym is the best setting for trying out this trend.

The links between depression, anxiety and exercise aren't entirely clear — but working out and other forms of physical activity can definitely ease symptoms of depression or anxiety and make you feel better. Exercise may also help keep depression and anxiety from coming back once you're feeling better.
There's no getting around the fact that for some of us the gym can feel like an intimidating place when you're first starting out. Our latest research shows that 50% of non-gym members say they find the idea of going to the gym scary, with one in five saying they would find it very scary.
- 1 - Hats.
- 2 - Not wiping down the equipment.
- 3 - Weight hoarding.
- 4 - Bad technique.
- 5 - Turning up in a group.
- 6 - Phones.
- 7 - Drinking energy drinks while walking on the treadmill.
- 8 - Trying to lift too much.
The study of 2,000 Americans looked at people's fitness routines and habits and found that as many as 50 percent feel the idea of working out among other people in a gym environment is a daunting prospect. A further 31 percent admit to feeling anxious when thinking about trying to get into shape overall.
Teens with a condition known as bigorexia are obsessed with bodybuilding and getting more muscular. Bigorexia is a mental health disorder that primarily affects teen boys and young men.
Because men with muscle dysmorphia rarely seek treatment, estimating its prevalence in the general population is hard, but it is believed that about 10-12% of professional male weightlifters meet the criteria. And muscle dysmorphia may be on the rise.
Media pressures, childhood bullying, genetics and the rise in popularity of bodybuilding may all be linked. Many with muscle dysmorphia speak of being teased as a child or experiencing trauma at some point through life.
- Don't compare yourself to others. ...
- Work out with friends. ...
- Play to your workout personality. ...
- Take advantage of your strengths. ...
- Name one thing that you like about working out (and the results don't count) ...
- Reframe exercise as a reward. ...
- Crank up the tunes.
Is it normal to be embarrassed at the gym?
It's a common fear for gym newbies — showing up to the gym and then not knowing what to do. Don't let it get the best of you. Just one trip to the gym is all you need to realize that not knowing what to do is a simple problem to solve.
Believe it or not you're not alone when it comes to being too embarrassed to exercise. Lack of time, money and motivation are the three top reasons for someone not to saddle up, put on the runners and get their backside into gear when it comes to exercise.
Like athletes, you can take about three weeks off without seeing a noticeable drop in your muscle strength, according to a 2012 study. You shouldn't take off longer than that if you can avoid it, though. Nonathletes are more likely than athletes to lose their progress during periods of inactivity.
Some people don't have access to safe and affordable places to exercise, others feel embarrassed, lack social support, don't know where to start, or had negative experiences in childhood that turned them off.
Even “forced” exercise can help protect against anxiety and stress, according to a study from the University of Colorado at Boulder. So essentially, dragging yourself to the gym is just as beneficial to your Zen levels as going voluntarily.
- Shop Around. If it weren't for the fact that my husband was going to this particular gym, I probably wouldn't have switched in the first place. ...
- Give yourself time. ...
- Dress for success. ...
- Lose the paranoia. ...
- Turn jealously into joy. ...
- Focus on the task at hand. ...
- Give yourself credit.
Someone who's new to a gym might feel like they're being stared at or judged while they're exercising on the gym floor. If this sounds like you, you're not alone! But rest assured, gymtimidation isn't a factor at all gyms. In fact, if you haven't heard, Planet Fitness is the Judgement Free Zone®.
- Be Confident in What You're Wearing. ...
- Be Confident With the Equipment You're Using. ...
- Plan Your Workout. ...
- Ignore Everyone Else. ...
- Workout With a Companion. ...
- Give Personal Training a go. ...
- Workout During Off-Peak Hours. ...
- Don't Sweat the Small Stuff.
44% will avoid going to the gym at certain times because there are too many people around. While 30% experience performance-based anxiety at the gym, 42% admit they experience appearance-based anxiety when working out.