GYM-timidation
Here we are, April 2023. If the statistics are correct, probably more than 70% of the new gym goers have already quit their memberships. While there can be a number of reasons behind this, gym intimidation (or gym-timidation as I have coined it) can be one of the main culprits.
So what is Gym-timidation? This can be many things for many people, let’s look at some of the causes:
Incredibly annoying sales people. Unfortunately some gyms (usually the bigger box chain gyms) can feel a bit used car sales-y when you walk in. All you want to do is walk in, sign-up and head straight to the dumbbell rack, but then you get faced with sales person running down a mile long list of benefits and pricing structures that they offer. Do you really need the pool and access to the basketball court? Perhaps not. The “gold membership” that gets you 20% off the overpriced smoothies or the suspect supplements they sell? Yeah, hard pass.
Everyone but you appears fit and strong. You sign-up and the first day you hit the gym it simply feels like everyone, but you, is super fit. Most likely that is a very, very small segment, but they can stand out big time. There was a time that people didn’t go to the gym with headphones on or set up cameras shooting every move in their workout. Today it’s pretty hard not to see this. Basically it boils down to this … they are way to busy with themselves to be bothered on noticing if you are even in the gym, so do your thing and don’t worry about them.
Not knowing what to do once there. This is a big problem for a lot of new gym goers. They walk into the gym and don’t really know the layout, they don’t know if they should do machines over dumbbells or dumbbells over barbells. Take some time on a weekend before you start (unless you can get there during the week when it’s less crowded in the middle of the day) Just take 30 minutes to walk around the gym and get a sense of where everything is and the flow of the place. This way, the day you go in to workout, you will feel more confident. Try out various machines and how they work. Don’t be shy to ask the staff to show you. Now, second big thing - come in with a plan. So many people walk into a gym and really have no idea what they want to do, so they resort to the basics like barbell bench for example. Well what happens if the bench is taken? Then you struggle to think about what to do next when you options could be … dumbbell press on a bench, dumbbells press on the floor, machine press, cable press … see how right off the bat there were four other options open to do that one exercise. You will be much more confident with having choices.
Unfortunately a lot of gyms are a tough place for women, especially if they go in single to workout. Seems like every dude becomes the so-called expert on your form or the exercise you are doing and they want to tell you all about it. This is a tough one, but have a plan on how you might handle this. Again, having an overall plan of your workout going in will help keep you more focused. If you are walking around the gym like a deer in the headlights, you will be seen as someone who needs help and that isn’t what you are seeking. If you can, take a friend with you. This will ward off a lot of contact as dudes, typically, won’t approach you working out with another girl (or guy).
Find a gym that has a lot more people like you. Do you research and visit several gyms. Look at big box gyms, look at smaller boutique gyms, women’s only gyms, class gyms like Orange Theory, etc. I remember when I moved to Los Angeles I joined a Golds and immediately hated it. Super narcissistic Hollywood wannabe’s and big dudes flexing all over the place. Then I found a really small training studio that was primarily just personal trainers and their clients, but they opened it up to some outside people for a super low rate of $30 per month. Best decision I ever made. It was small, but it was fun and I made some great friends.
Get a personal trainer. If you can afford it, get a personal trainer who can help you stay focused on the workout and show you good form and how to use the machines and weights.
If none of this works for you and you still feel intimidated, consider setting up a home gym. You lose some of the ability to have more equipment options and weights at your disposal, but you can gain a lot with convenience and more focus on just getting your workout done and not the intimidation factor.