Top Tips: Gym Anxiety

Let's face it, that first trip into the weights area of the gym can be pretty intimidating, especially as it's normally full of huuuuge guys, picking up really heavy things and grunting.

Nowadays you will see a lot more women doing the same thing, which is amazing but if you've never been in the weights section before and aren't too sure on what you're doing then it can still be a little bit of a nightmare.

'What if I'm not doing it properly?'

'Why is everyone watching me?'

'What if they'll laugh at me because I'm not lifting heavy enough?'

Just a few of the things that can run through your head when you take that first step into the squat rack.

I know a lot of girls who struggle with this mentality and will probably let it put them off even stepping foot in the weights section...

So here are my tips for getting over your gym anxiety and rocking your workout:

Outfit

"I don't like to match, but I like to co-ordinate"

Someone overhead me say this in the office the other day about what I like to wear in the gym.

I think a good gym outfit is so key to putting me in the right mindset for a workout.

A 'good' gym outfit is all down to personal preference.

For me, I like to match my sports bra to my leggings. For others it might be a baggy t-shirt and plain black leggings. Or it could be that you want to wear the brightest thing in the room. That's okay!

Wear whatever makes you feel the most comfortable.

It's the gym, not a fashion show.

Playlist

A good playlist really helps you switch off your brain and get in the zone for your workout. If you're really feeling your music, it will probably help you tune out those around you as well.

Spotify has loads of pre-made playlists but you can also make your own, fill it with songs that you only listen to in the gym and that you won't get bored of.

You might like particular songs for particular workouts. For a leg day, I enjoy listening to a lot of Nicki Minaj and Jason Derulo just because they sing songs about bums!

Noise-cancelling headphones are so dreamy in the gym. Especially wireless ones. You can just walk around, uninterrupted, enjoying your music.

Research

To tackle the fear of doing something incorrectly and being judged, give it a quick google beforehand. There is a wealth of fitness information out there now that you can have a look to see what a particular exercise is, how to do it correctly and the muscle groups it targets before adding it to your routine.

If you go to the gym and you're still unsure about a particular movement maybe consider booking a session with a personal trainer. This way you can get the form absolutely correct and you won't risk injuring yourself by just guessing.

You can also research rep ranges and specific exercises for your particular goals.

Workout plan

Following on from the point above, I think you should always go into the gym with a plan.

Write out a workout on your phone or buy one from someone but don't walk into the gym and think 'hmm, what should I do today?'

If you go into the gym knowing what you're going to do it will benefit you by reducing rest time: if you know which exercise you're doing and when, you can move seamlessly from one to the next, therefore making your workout more efficient


I hope these tips help you and will make you feel more confident in the gym. Yes, there may still be some exercises that make you feel a little awkward inside, for me it's doing hip thrusts on the leg extension machine or pull throughs on the cable machine.

The key things you have to remember are:
- everyone started somewhere
- no one is looking at you
- own your workout

CFG x