“Gymtimidation” is a neologism (the combination of two words used together) to describe the fear or intimidation an individual can experience when going to the gym, and it affects way too many individuals.

If this applies to you, your sense of apprehension or anxiety with heading into a fitness facility is justified; it’s not easy to head into an environment where you feel entirely out of your element.

As someone who is passionate about helping others experience the joy of physical health and wellness, I’m packing this article full of my two-plus decades of working within gyms and fitness facilities to help you move forward and overcome this all-too-common issue! If others have done it, so can you!

Want to know how to overcome your fear of going to the gym? Here’s the two-sentence answer (with all the details to follow thereafter):

Overcoming the fear of the gym can be done in multiple ways but should involve knowing that it’s a condition many others struggle with and that starting out is the hardest part. If you can commit to being brave, it will not only get easier, but you will also experience life-changing rewards.

Now, that’s more of the conceptual answer. The specific steps and tips that help to craft this concept of stepping towards overcoming your fear in exchange for a stronger life (in multiple domains) are discussed in detail below!

So, if you want to step into the gym and need practical, empowering insight to help you do so, keep on reading!

Intimidated? You’re not alone!

It’s normal to fear or be anxious about what is unknown to us or what we’re not familiar with. Heading into a fitness facility surrounded by workout equipment and individuals who seemingly know what they’re doing (while you feel like you don’t) can lead to all sorts of anxious thoughts, such as:

• What if I look out of place compared to all these fit people?
• What will all these other individuals think of me as I try to work out?
• Will I unknowingly be bothering anyone or breaking etiquette I’m unaware of?
• What if I can’t figure out how to use any of this equipment?

I could go on with these sorts of questions, but I’m sure you get the idea. Maybe you’ve even asked some of these questions yourself.

But what likely might surprise you even more is knowing that plenty of others in the gym right now are asking these same questions amongst themselves. You may think that everyone in the gym knows exactly what they’re doing and subsequently has supreme confidence when exercising. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Pro tip: Most individuals in the gym will be too preoccupied with thoughts and concerns about themselves to ever notice you, let alone remember you. Trust me. You may feel like all eyes are on you when you step foot into a workout facility; however, in my experience, this is simply not the case.

I mention all of this since sometimes it can be very helpful to have new insight given to us that challenges our current perceptions, and simply knowing that you’re not the only one experiencing a certain feeling or emotion can help move you forward with getting over an obstacle in front of you. There’s strength in numbers!

Alright, let’s look at some practical and simple steps you can now take to feel more confident with going to the gym, allowing you to crush your gymtimidation! After these steps, I’ll provide a rundown of additional helpful tips you can use to further help you lay your fears and apprehensions to rest!

Steps to take: getting yourself into the gym

When it comes to overcoming an obstacle in front of us, it can help to have a plan. Plans can help us feel like we have a sense of control and therefore reduce the anxiety we feel with the unknown. So, follow along as I provide three simple steps you can employ at any point in time throughout the process of overcoming your gymtimidation! Then, after reading these steps, be sure to read the tips I outline directly afterwards, which will further help to empower you with stepping through the doors and onto the fitness floor.

Step 1: Know that the first few times will be the most intimidating

When overcoming the fear of working out, particularly within a public setting, the hardest part is always at the very beginning of your journey. Everything is brand new; you likely won’t know anyone within the facility; you may feel like you don’t know what you’re doing.

At this point of your journey, the deck is stacked against you as much as it ever will be; things will only get better from here on out as you move forward!

The discomfort will only drop from here on out, but only if you stick with it! Think about it: with each passing activity session, when you do any form of exercising or training within a gym, you’ll gain a bit of familiarity in one aspect or another. You’ll gain familiarity with the equipment; familiarity with the staff and members; familiarity with your own exercise routine, familiarity with fitness in general, and so on.

How cool is that? You start at rock bottom and can only go up from there. So long as you stick with it, step by step, your confidence will move in a positive direction (not to mention your fitness as well)!

So, keep this in mind because it is a very powerful piece of knowledge to keep at the center of your thoughts when working up the courage to head to the gym!

“Beautiful things happen when we choose to step outside our comfort zone. We learn things we could otherwise never truly learn; we experience what we never otherwise could; we become shaped and moulded more into the shape of who we were created and designed to be.”

Step 2: Don’t pretend like you’re not anxious; feel the fear and do it anyway!

Whether it’s your first time going to the gym or your tenth, if you have any anxiety or apprehension with the situation, acknowledge it! Obviously, nothing I’m saying here constitutes psychological therapy for your anxiety. Rather, I’d like you to be aware that many forms of psychological counseling have found acknowledging and embracing discomfort (rather than shying away from it) can help overcome what holds us back.

Life’s a pretty short experience, and I personally believe that many of us (including myself) will one day look back and wonder what we were so fearful of when the end is near.

How good must it feel to look back and know we embraced what scared us and went for it anyways? There’s something about stepping into fear, making it through the experience, and thereafter feeling empowered by the bravery we chose to employ.

Yes, it’s uncomfortable. I’d advise you not to lie to yourself about this. Rather, acknowledge it, then move towards it, anyway! When you teach yourself to run towards discomfort rather than away from it, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment that will show your anxiety about who the boss is.

Step 3: Know that good things happen when you move outside your comfort zone

Growth only comes through discomfort. The body grows stronger and healthier when subjected to the stress and discomfort of exercise. Much the same, personal growth – be it mental, emotional, or spiritual growth – requires an input of discomfort if we are to obtain the output of progress.

Strength is built through struggle. If you lift weights that aren’t challenging for your body, you won’t experience the growth and the change you’re after. Much the same, growth of your character and spirit can’t grow if you run from what you find to be challenging. This is, of course, much easier said than done. I fully acknowledge this and am in no way downplaying the effort and discomfort we must put ourselves through to break through to the other side.

That being said, good things—beautiful things—happen when we choose to step outside our comfort zone. We learn things we could otherwise never truly learn; we experience what we never otherwise could; we become shaped and moulded more into the shape of who we were created and designed to be.

Additionally, we create stories we can then share with others—stories that challenge and inspire others to do the same. These stories can transform not only our world but the lives of others around us, leaving the world a better place than we found it.

But they only transpire when we make the choice to remember that good things happen when we push beyond our comfort zone. So take that first step and watch the good things that begin to unfold in your life and in the lives of those around you when you do!

Practical tips: instantly crush your gym anxiety

I hope the three steps in the previous section help to point you in the right direction while thereafter assisting you in starting the process of overcoming your gym-based fears. Should you need a bit more to help continue nudging you in a positive direction, I’ve typed up some relatively practical and simple tips to consider using as you make your very initial attempts at reducing your gymtimidation! You’ve got this!

Tip 1: If possible, take a friend (don’t go it alone!)

It’s not always possible, but if you have a friend, loved one, or companion who is willing to join you in the gym—even if only for a couple of workouts—it can be an outstanding way to squash the discomfort you might otherwise have with working out in a gym all by yourself.

The best part is that your friend or companion who joins you doesn’t necessarily have to be a fitness expert themselves; simply having someone alongside you as you both figure things out together can be a game-changer for feeling comfortable and enjoying your time spent within the walls of the facility.

Sure, it helps if they’re experienced and can give you all sorts of insight and tips, but it’s certainly not necessary. Merely having the presence of a confidant as you both move around and gain familiarity with the gym you’re in can be immensely beneficial for decreasing anxiety, taking your mind off of your own self-consciousness, and gaining comfort in this new pursuit of yours!

“Simply having someone alongside you as you both figure things out together can be a game-changer for feeling comfortable and enjoying your time spent within the walls of the facility.”

Tip 2: Go during the hours when the gym isn’t busy

If there’s something about a crowded or busy gym that is stressing you out, I’d advocate that you consider doing your workout during the quieter hours within the facility.

Many individuals who are new to strength training, exercising, and general fitness training aren’t comfortable with the thought of having others around them as they first start out in their fitness journey. While this is quite understandable, you’ll need to find a way to overcome this apprehension since you’ll be working out in a public or member-based facility.

One of the best ways to slowly gain comfort with being in a gym and working out around others is to do so during non-peak hours. Peak hours are those hours when the fitness facility is often busiest, filled with the greatest volumes of individuals it will see throughout the day.

For most fitness facilities and gyms, there are two sets of peak-user hours: mornings and evenings. Morning hours tend to peak between 8:30 and 10:30am, typically hours after folks have dropped the kids off at school. Evening hours tend to peak between 5:00pm to 7:00pm since these are the hours when individuals have finished work for the day and decide to hit the gym before heading home.

As such, in my years of being employed within gyms and fitness facilities and having spent nearly as many working out within them, I’ve often observed the hours between 12 pm to 3pm being some of the quietest in terms of users. The other set of hours that tend to be notably and consistently quieter are late evening hours, typically between 7pm to 10pm (or closing time).

If these quieter hours are available to you, it may be the ideal time for you to hop into the gym since there are likely to be fewer individuals working out in the facility during these times.

Pro tip: Since gyms often have different hours of operation, asking the fitness facility staff what the peak hours are for that particular facility will be your best bet! They will absolutely know which hours are routinely the busiest and, conversely, the quietest.

Tip 3: plan for very quick workouts when first starting

You can think of this tip as one that employs a technique known as graded exposure or systematic desensitization. The premise of this technique involves slowly becoming more comfortable with an otherwise unpleasant feeling, environment, or experience by starting with very small, short-lived exposures and gradually increasing the extent of the exposure as time goes on.

Just like progressively lifting heavier weights makes you stronger, progressively spending more time in a gym can help you feel more comfortable within it.Click to Tweet

Here’s a quick example of what the process might look like if you’re intimidated or uncomfortable with being in the gym:

• For your first session, spend only twenty minutes doing one activity (stretching on some fitness mats, walking on a treadmill, performing bodyweight squats, etc., then get out. You did it! You got in and can try again in another day or two and either repeat the process or try something new, potentially staying for an extra few minutes.
• For each session over your initial handful of workouts, pick one different activity or exercise to perform and do so in a different area of the gym. One session might be using a piece of cardio equipment in the cardio section of the facility, and another can be using a resistance machine in the machine equipment section. As time goes on, you’ll feel more comfortable in each area of the gym and with different types of equipment.

Pro tip: It may help to have the mentality of not necessarily having the goal of accomplishing an actual workout your first few times when going to the gym. Instead, it may help to set your goal to simply spend time in the facility while doing a few casual activities (stretches, walking on the track, etc.)!

It would stand to reason that as time goes on, you’ll feel more comfortable spending time in the facility and different areas within it. Just like progressively lifting heavier weights makes you stronger, progressively spending more time in a gym can help you feel more comfortable within it.

Tip 4: sign up for a group fitness class

Group fitness classes can be absolutely outstanding ways to meet new individuals and surround yourself with others who likely have similar interests as you. It’s a perfect combination for overcoming any fear or apprehension you might have about joining a gym or working out in a fitness-based facility, so long as the class itself consists of a type of fitness or training that you’re interested in.

One of the other additional perks of a group fitness class is that you don’t have to introduce yourself and open up on day one (though you’ll have to come out of your shell at some point); since most classes run for multiple weeks or months in a row, you can gradually do so over the course of time.

I repeatedly saw the social benefits of group fitness classes firsthand over the years I worked in one particular gym. The folks within each respective class were some of the most social and interactive with each other as they participated in their fitness-based endevors week after week.

Tip 5: Get a few sessions with a trainer

It’s not a financially viable option for everyone, but for those who have the budget to have a trainer take them through a few training sessions, doing so can be very helpful in a variety of ways.

For starters, a trainer can help show you how to use any pieces of fitness or exercise equipment you might not know how to use, along with how to use them with good form or technique, which can keep you safe and prevent the risk of injury.

Additionally, trainers can often be a great resource for introducing you to other staff and members who are frequently within the facility. Having an individual who can introduce you to such folks can quickly help expand your social network within the facility and make you feel more at home.

Don’t worry; you don’t have to hire a trainer on an ongoing basis. With nearly all facilities, you can pay for a given number of sessions based on your goals or needs. So, if you simply want someone to help you get familiar with the basics, anywhere from one to three sessions can often suffice.

Pro tip: Many (though not all) gyms have a private area or studio for personal training. As such, these private areas often help reduce intimidation for those just starting out on their fitness journey.

Tip 6: remember that EVERYONE was once in your shoes

There was a time when Einstein couldn’t count to ten, Shakespeare didn’t know his ABCs, and Beethoven couldn’t play a single tune on the piano. We all start somewhere.

For any fit-looking, confident individual you see sweating away in the gym, remember there was a time when they didn’t know a single thing about the gym; they didn’t know how to use any equipment, didn’t know any exercises, and so on. But…they stuck with it and made the commitment to learn by sticking with it.

You can absolutely experience the same thing for yourself. Working out and becoming stronger and healthier is a process—an ongoing journey that is about learning and growing as you go.

So, don’t be afraid to dive in and start messy. It’s ok to not know what you’re doing. Stay safe, mind you, but if you wait to have full confidence before stepping foot into a gym, that day will likely never come.

Final thoughts

Heading into the gym can be an intimidating experience for a large percentage of the population. With the right mindset and strategies in place, however, you can crush your apprehensions and experience all the truly life-changing benefits that can arise when spending time in a facility with others who have similar aspirations and interests as you.

Take the tips and insights within this article and implement them in ways that are meaningful and practical for you. Stick with it, and give yourself permission to be brave. If you can do this, you’ll find yourself one day looking back and laughing at how something so enjoyable and beneficial was once so intimidating.

Frequently asked questions

To be as helpful as possible with the topic covered in this article, I’ve included a couple of brief answers to commonly asked questions others have about being uncomfortable when going to the gym.