“Shy Girl Workouts” Can Help With Gym Anxiety
Do you feel self-conscious just walking into a fitness center? It could be gym anxiety, and it’s more common than you think. According to the Huff Post, research shows that at least 50% of Americans find working out in front of others nerve-wracking. Sure, you could take your workouts outside or do them at home alone, but the gym offers fitness classes and has machines and weights that most of us just don’t have at home.
And that’s where TikTok’s “shy girl workouts” can help. Creators like Fitpie Fitness and Stephanie Besna have posted videos showing exercises you can do if you’re feeling self-conscious at the gym, one video from Besna shows weight lifting in the back of the room with no noisy machines, and a video from Fitpie Fitness shows exercises you can do anywhere without machines or weights. Even if you don’t struggle with full-blown anxiety at the gym, realizing you feel uncomfortable around certain machines, exercises or environments is “incredibly helpful,” according to certified personal trainer Rachel Trotta, because then you can utilize strategies to help you feel comfortable and want to workout, which is, of course, good for your health.
Beyond “shy girl workouts,” therapists share these tips for managing gym anxiety:
Gym anxiety is unpleasant, but it’s normal. And it’s a feeling you can handle.
Don’t be so hard on yourself, and try to show yourself compassion. Remember, you’re doing the best you can.
Take baby steps. Psychologist Linda Baggett explains, “It sometimes takes up to 40 minutes of doing a scary – but objectively safe – thing for your body to realize it’s OK and for the anxiety response to dissipate.” So be patient and give yourself time to get used to it.
Source: Huff Post
