Let’s imagine a scenario – you’ve been thinking about starting up an exercise routine for a while. You’ve done your research and understand the benefits you will have from getting active, you bought your new motivational gym clothes and runners because you deserve them, and you signed up at your neighbourhood gym. Next Monday rolls around and you jump out of bed, throw on that new gear and head over… now you’re sitting in the parking lot thinking up excuses not to go in. You don’t know what to do once you get inside, what if everyone stares at you and judges you?
Fear not, fellow gym-goer! What you are feeling is normal, most of us (including myself) have been in this position. Anxiety when it comes to the gym or exercise in any public space is a common barrier that many individuals face when it comes to getting physically active. It can be intimidating, especially if you are a beginner to walk into a gym and see people throwing around heavy weights and running at seemingly lightning speeds. The last thing you want to do is stroll up beside Mr. Olympia and feel like you’re in competition. But the truth is, we all start somewhere. We all have a point A – even Mr. Olympia, and the truth is that all they are thinking about is what they are doing in their own workout, not you.
I still remember the first time I walked into a gym, I was absolutely terrified. I made the simple choice – straight to the cardio equipment. It is easy to hop onto a treadmill and walk or jog, and that is a step in the right direction! Over time I familiarized myself with where all the equipment was to figure out what I wanted to try. Simple step two, complete! By seeking out equipment that was interesting to me I now had a basic workout plan. Planning your workouts takes enormous stress out of going to the gym. You save time by knowing what to expect ahead of time, and you don’t feel foolish wandering around aimlessly looking for something to do. Writing down your workouts also gives you something to do while you rest like writing down your weights or looking at what is next instead of standing around not knowing what to look at.
Third step was trying it out! Asking the staff how to use new pieces of equipment or how to perform an exercise reduced the anxiety of trying new exercises, and having the knowledge helped to boost my confidence. When we are confident in doing something, we are more likely to do it again in the future, so don’t be afraid to seek the help of a professional. That’s what they are there for and happy to do, whether you go to see a personal trainer or just ask front desk staff a question or two! MacEwan University Sport and Wellness staff are always happy to give facility tours and answer any questions about equipment, classes, training, or any other questions you might have! We even have a Fit Buddy program where you can get paired with other students who will help you out around the gym.
Another huge helper for me when I was new to the gym and even now when I sometimes just want to block out the world and focus on myself is eliminating distractions. Throwing on a ball cap and blasting some motivating music through headphones puts me right in the zone. Those heavy lifters crashing weights and grunting across the gym can’t distract you if you can’t hear or see them!
Finally, bringing a buddy along with you is an enormous stress reliever. There is strength in numbers and having friends right alongside to support and motivate each other turns a potentially intimidating environment into a fun place to hang out!
You’ve made the choice to be active. Take comfort in knowing that the gym is a place of like-minded individuals. Despite working towards different specific goals, we are all there to better ourselves.
by Megan Denholm
Megan is a Bachelor of Kinesiology graduate from the University of Alberta. She is a CSEP-CPT certified Fitness Consultant with the MacEwan University Sport and Wellness fitness team.
