It’s no secret that the gym can be a scary place when you’re starting out on your fitness journey. Without a trainer, you might not know what to do and for some reason, it always feels like all eyes are on you.
It’s common for people to feel uncomfortable in the gym and believe it or not, what seems like a cold dark place for you may feel like an iron dojo for someone else. Your perspective is key in making the gym less intimidating.
Here are some things regular gym goers don’t tell you that can help you go in the weight room – and anywhere else in the gym – with confidence.
1. It’s not as scary as it looks.
There is a ton of metal and a chill in the air but most people mistake the hard work vibes for something negative. Grind time is hardcore for most people; there’s the single-minded focus, determination and will all hammered into one place.
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It’s intense but it is NOT intensity directed toward you. In a chess match, there’s that moment of anticipation where you know the players are in deep thought and concentration. The gym is similar, as most people’s intensity is within themselves.
Take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Everyone is there to work to relieve stress, reach a fitness goal, enjoy the camaraderie, prepare for something important, and the like.
Roll up your sleeves, find your “why” and get in there with the rest of them! They won’t mind and chances are, they’re so focused on their routine, they won’t even notice.
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2. It’s also not as cool as it looks.
Nike commercials and fighting promos make workouts seem like a cool action movie, but there’s no intro music playing (outside of your headphones, at least) or special lighting accompanied by convenient angles that make you look like an all-around badass.
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As I mentioned before, fitness goals are often very personal and most regulars are not there for a show. In fact, you’ll find that more often than not, serious fitness enthusiasts have a “get in and get out” mentality because they have other things to attend to.
A bicep curl is a bicep curl. It’s not as epic as cyber life makes it seem. We’re all just regular people with regular jobs doing regular exercises.
3. That guy who’s intimidating you doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Of course, there’s the one show boater who is pleased with himself and wants everybody to know it. They are in
