I remember when I first signed up to a gym, I was overweight with no gym experience whatsoever. I was really excited about my gym membership, yet I was quite intimidated by the weights room. There were so many machines and I had no idea how to use anything! Even worse, all the other guys in the gym were so much more “built” than me…I felt as if everyone was thinking “What the hell is this guy doing in the weights room!?”.
But you know what, my case of “intimidation” was really mild. There are so many people in Australia that are intimidated to even step foot into a gym.
My question to you is this – do you fit into this category of feeling intimidated in the gym?
This could be anything from feeling that you are “too” overweight and everyone will look at you, right through to something like what I experienced; being inexperienced in the weights room.
I would estimate that 9 out of every 10 people starting out experience some degree of feeling intimidated in the gym. Often it is based on the premise that everyone in the gym has a tight, toned body…but nothing could be further from the truth in your typical gymnasium.
When you initially walk into a gym, people are not looking at you and thinking that you’re out of place. There are some people who are there to socialise. Most others are there to train. Most people are too concerned with themselves and what they are doing, to worry about anyone else.
I can honestly say this from first-hand experience. When I first walked into the new gym many years ago, I felt like everyone was watching me. But now, being a regular trainer at a gym, I really don’t care if a skinny guy steps foot into the weights room. Nor do I care if an overweight person hops on the treadmill. If anything, I commend them for being proactive and doing something positive about their health and physique!
Here’s one thing to remember, everyone has to begin somewhere. No one was “born” fit, or “born” buff.
I guess I was fortunate in the fact that I did hire a personal trainer straight up so he could show me exactly what to do to obtain the results that I desired. But not everyone does this and many people (both males and females) stay within their comfort zone (whether that be cardio…or just not showing up to the gym at all!)
At the end of the day, don’t let irrational fears stand in the way of you achieving your own personal goals. No, you don’t have to join a gym to get results as there are many other alternatives. But if you do, make sure you use that facility to your full advantage.
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