Joining a Gym – Life after Covid-19
Finally, at least here in the UK, things are beginning to look a bit brighter. Covid is still affecting everyone in one way or another, but places are starting to finally open up properly. And life is very slowly moving back to what we used to call ‘normal’.
After almost two years of less than ideal daily life, for many of us, the sedentary lifestyle has taken its toll. Although we’ve always been able to exercise outside, it’s not the same as our usual busy and energetic life before covid.
So, maybe now’s the time to make some changes around the area of fitness. Joining a gym is a great idea. Although that can create its own issues.
The Problem
Joining a Gym when you have Social Anxiety, or if you suffer from low self-esteem, probably doesn’t seem like a very pleasant idea.
Still, if you’re determined to get fit, or maybe lose some weight, then joining a gym could be a good option.
You know that if you could just pluck up the courage to go, everything would be so much better! But, you worry that everyone’s watching you, or talking about you with their friends. Or. maybe you believe they’ll be taking photos of ‘the newbie’ and posting them on social media. You might even be worried that you’ll be surrounded by people with rippling muscles and ‘ripped’ bodies?
Whatever nasty and uncomfortable things you worry about, nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, there’ll probably be one or two people that treat the gym as their second home. But in general, most gyms are filled with people exactly like you 🙂
So, if joining a gym is for you, but because of your social anxiety, actually doing it is proving problematic…
Here are 5 tips to help you move forward.
- Remember that the vast majority of people joined the gym for the same sorts of reasons you want to. Most members are just ‘Ordinary’ people trying to achieve the same things you are. And, if there are any ‘bodybuilders’, they’ll be using the Free Weights, not the machines.
- If you’re feeling anxious about using machines that you’ve never used before, go on YouTube and you’ll find loads of videos on how to use any of the available equipment. That way, you’ll look like a seasoned pro, rather than a newbie 🙂
- Any gym worth its salt will insist on an orientation before you begin using the machines. Meaning, one of the staff will explain to you how to use the machines correctly and safely. Many will also design a training plan specifically for what you want to achieve.
- Learn a relaxation technique. Practice inhaling deeply… hold for 3 seconds, then slowly breathe out expelling all the air from your lungs. Do this at least 5 times before you go in. You’ll be surprised how quickly your anxiety calms down.
- Use a distraction. A well-known technique is to listen to music, or an audiobook while you’re exercising.
One final tip: If you’re still uncomfortable joining, why not ask a friend to join with you? Knowing you’ve got at least one person on your side, will make the jump easier.
If you want to learn more about boosting your self-esteem, have a read of the related posts below.
