@simplymeandhe Sounds like you did a good analysis yourself. Being self aware and afraid of not fitting in is a very common problem that a good therapist should be able to help you with if you keep having trouble feeling at home in the gym.
If you are able to make a few friends that can also help you feel at home.
@simplymeandhe Hi! You’re not alone. I have similar feelings before class starts. Sometimes we have partner warmups and I’m very uncomfortable. Usually it fades out once we get started moving and I realize no one is paying attention to me. I have a fear of being the last person to finish a workout and everyone watching me so I usually scale to where that doesn’t happen. Everyone is so nice and the coaches just want to see me make progress I don’t feel like I’m being judged even though I’m extremely intimidated.
@simplymeandhe You're not alone at all. I had a hard time even forcing myself to go at first because of social anxiety. The idea of being terrible or awkward there was stressful!
Once I had what I thought was a bad experience where I sucked at the WOD, finished last, and had a ton of anxiety over it. When I explained it to another person, they said, "so you finished the workout and everyone cheered for you. That's a *good* thing." Helped to put things in perspective. Most people in the box are super supportive and want to help you succeed. So even if you do mess up, they won't give you a hard time or anything.
What helped me with not being familiar with the moves was reading the WOD the night before and googling anything I didn't understand. Hopefully your box has an app or website where you can find out the plan for the next day.
@oceanoasis When you feel like you've done badly on the WOD or are the last one finishing by a mile it can make you feel so stupid and anxious. Because you feel as though everyone is judging you and thinking poorly of you. Which is usually not the case at all!
Your box sounds awesome in helping you see it from another perspective. Ive been coming up against this more recently having been going for long enough that I should know what I'm doing but still doing badly. I tried to Rx a work out the other day and didn't finish. Not only didn't finished but didn't get into the final round. Felt so silly and embarassed and then out coach pointed out that by attempting the Rx and not scaling I'd done more reps than I would have if I'd scaled and finished. Made me proud of what I'd done!! It really is about reframing out we think!
@simplymeandhe This happened/is happening to me. I belive its because of our trauma in our childhood. (Bullied in P.E., forced to do sports that you hated, etc.), and crossfit just reminds us of those times.
I feel like this anxiety/trauma is extremely deeply rooted and thus its really hard to overcome this instinctual reaction.
I can say, however, that it DOES get better. Funnily enough, the MORE you mess up, the less you care about messing up again.
@simplymeandhe My tip would be to stick to the same time when going to WODs. That way you will probably meet (more or less, depending the box size) the same people. Community is key to CrossFit. They will get to know and support you.
@simplymeandhe I definitely had a ton of anxiety at my first gym, started with the usual “everyone is watching me” and I’m literally the only queer member of the gym, I felt so overweight and out of shape, but I kept on going, and it got easier I made friends and now I don’t even think about any of that.
It’s good you have narrowed it down to what is causing the anxiety, now chip away at each of them. If your box has any open gym times pick a movement to work on and work on it till you nail it. Maybe see if you can grab one of the coaches for a few minutes to give you some cues.
It can be tough to get past but def don’t give up! Keep going and it’ll get easier!
@simplymeandhe Please know that you’re not alone, we were all there when we started. I remember being a nervous wreck my first CrossFit workout ever, I felt like I did horribly I was so out of shape! I got in my head and I started thinking omg everyone is looking at me but truth is they never were they’re only concerned with what they’re doing and not so much what everyone else is doing around them. I started CrossFit again 2 weeks ago after being off it for 2-3 years, it’s a new box so new people I felt like I did my first wod ever but I got out of my head I kept going, kept to myself and slowly I started opening up to the other members because they’re so nice and it made me feel more comfortable and less anxious. I want to advise you to please keep going, do the best you can, you’re your biggest competition and being around other people will help to push yourself too. You got this! Rooting for you!
@simplymeandhe Kind of late to the party here but it took me about an hour of talking myself into it today to decide to go. It’s my second class. I’m pretty terrified. You’re definitely not alone. I really want to enjoy classes and know I would love them if I can get over my fear and get more comfortable. so I’ve decide for now I’m just going to go and do it scared, until I’m used to it. “If you can’t beat fear, do it scared.”
@simplymeandhe Just recently started CF, and I’m right there with you. Sometimes I feel like a fool being uncoordinated and completely flubbing the movements. Looking forward to sticking w it and looking back in a year to see how much progress I’ve made!
