Getting a gym membership today and I’m already anxious and embarrassed

@joanie59 If your gym is a 24 hour one, you can always go at night! My gym is 24 hour, but they also have a daycare I can drop my goblin off if I go during the day. Around 9-10pm there’s hardly anyone there, so I feel free to sweat an ungodly amount and use machines I’m too intimidated by during the day.
 
@joanie59 My biggest advice from someone with debilitating social anxiety, watch hella videos before you do your workout!! I use Muscle and Strength and they have workout plans AND videos demoing how to do it with a talk through.

When I’m really embarrassed I just take a few seconds to watch the video and make myself feel confident again!
 
@joanie59 I just recently joined the gym again and I was nervous too... the truth is no one cares about what you’re doing. Everyone is there for different reasons and focused on their own workouts. You’re doing it for you, not for everyone else at the gym.
 
@joanie59 Glad to hear it went well! Each gym has its own club culture, and some are definitely more welcoming than others. I hope yours turns out to be awesome! Does your club offer an orientation session with a staff member / trainer? That can be a great way to get acclimated to the club, talk about your goals/fears/etc, and get some guidance on what to do and how so you (hopefully) feel a little more confident when you’re there. You got this! Walking in that door is the hardest part!!
 
@joanie59 I started a month ago and it’s insane how quickly you can adapt to the gym environment. I just watched what other people do to get an idea of etiquette (like where to find sprays to wipe down stuff) and I went up to the front desk to ask questions. I also watched tons of videos on how to use equipment (I really recommend Naomi Kong, she has a whole series dedicated to it). Not gonna lie, sometimes I skip an exercise if I can’t figure out how to get the equipment (like I for the life of me can’t adjust the cable machine thing when it’s not on the right position already) and I had to call a friend cuz I couldn’t start the treadmill. Also going at different times helped because when it was empty I could practice adjusting machines or looking around for things.

Overall, stay consistent and you’ll start to feel more comfortable as a byproduct!
 
@joanie59 There is already so much goodness here that I can't think of anything to add beyond saying I FEEL YOU on a spiritual level and am sending you all the good vibes. Gyms give me so much anxiety, which is why I'm so grateful to be able to afford at-home gym equipment. You are an inspiration. Please keep us posted on how it's going and know that we're all cheering you on!
 
@joanie59 IM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!! It gets better each time you go! I used to wear a hoodie and headphones and keep my head down. i would have to get up and walk away from machines all the time because i didnt knowwwww what i was supposed to doooo. it happens. Now i can walk into any gym and use anything and i know nobody is staring at me! The scariest part is the first step and YOU DID THAT. hell yeah!!!
 
@joanie59 No one starts off fit. Everyone has to start somewhere and it is important to note that.

You are making an effort to change your daily habits to improve on yourself in ways you think have room for improvement. That in itself is amazing.
 
@joanie59 I remembered it’s the same for me as I’ve never stepped into gym ever before. It was honestly very intimidating but I guessed everyone would have that experience at least once.
 
@joanie59 "hello how buy gym"

No problem with communication there. Can't see anyone objecting to receiving money.

A professional gym ought to give you an introductory session for health and safety/insurance reasons.

The gym is probably full of people making deep life choices during the pandemic and since home equipment is currently sold out across retail outlets, you may see that as the year goes on, numbers drop. Basically, this is just an extended January to plenty of gym-goers.
 
@joanie59 Hi there sweet thang! Looks like you already had your first day. I’m a gym regular, in there all the time. Even used to go every day for a lot of years. A couple tips from me:
  1. If you were stepping into my gym I may glance at you or notice you in some manner because you are a face I’m not used to seeing! If this happens to you don’t worry it’s not malicious it’s just cause you’re new. I’m thinking something like this in my head “oh is that.. wait no.. idk that person. Oh they must be new - cool. Cute shoes”.
  2. Try your best to notice how other regulars behave. Around the beginning of the year a lot of new people would come in and while I respect their want to get healthy and I want them there the one thing that did get annoying some times was the new members not understanding gym etiquette. Things like Reracking the weights when you’re done, not sitting on a machine on your phone, being efficient, not taking up too much space in the locker room. Etiquette kind of varies by gym but just try your best to be respectful of the regulars that have a routine down.
  3. The machines get complicated! I agree it can give me anxiety. No one will judge you if you say “uh excuse me I can’t figure this one out”. However what I would recommend is get in there and do cardio one day and walk around the weights. Get to know what’s available then write yourself a routine for the next day including the machines you’re going to use. Then watch a you tube video for each machine. Easy peasy you’ll be an expert in no time and it’s much better than hurting yourself
  4. Once you start to get comfortable start smiling and waving at the other regulars. Having that warmth and support makes going to the gym more fun. I hope that most people are like me however I have come across my fair share of not that nice people. I’ve had people comment on the way I look, both good and bad, critique my form, again both valid and invalid, hit on me and be rude. The only advice I listen to is if an actual trainer on the floor is giving me advice. Every other comment I just smile at. If this happens to you, it’s not a typical just smile and say thank you . If anyone bothers you past your comfort level tell management. Usually the crappy people are bothering more than just you and I’ve seen peoples memberships revoked for it.
 
@joanie59 Congratulations! First step down. Now just to show up!

I've found that early morning is best for the fewest people if you work. If you can go in the middle of the day, that's second best. When you start getting toward evenings is when you get the masses.

Find out what works for you consistently, whether or not there's a lot of people. It is different now with covid, but there are still trends toward "desirable" time of day to workout.

Any machine you need help with, just swing by the front desk and ask for a tutorial. They'll help.
 
@insarations I stalked the google reviews of this one and it definitely gets crowded af after 4pm, so I’ll probably try to go at about noon. I’m still doing online school due to Covid so I’m glad I have a little more freedom when it comes to picking a time.
 
@joanie59 I am going back to the gym soon and without a gym partner. I am afraid that I will blow it off to sleep in until I start seeing some positive reinforcement from the workout itself. If you want to an accountability/encouragement partner, please let me know. We can DM.
 
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