Anxiety in the gym doesn’t have to be a barrier to good health and fitness.
- For many people, working out at the gym can be a real source of anxiety.
- Lately, hundreds of ‘shy girl exercises’ are being shared on TikTok and Instagram.
- They offer exercise ideas that allow you to work out in a quiet corner of the gym, eliminating your feeling of shyness.
If going to the gym intimidates you, mainly because you tend to feel self-conscious when working out while a crowd of fitness freaks watch you, you’re not alone.
It’s quite common to feel self-conscious in the gym, whether it’s because you’re a beginner, have changed gyms, or are afraid of people judging your fitness level. In fact, the experience is so well known that it has become the subject of research: one study revealed that at least 50% of Americans found exercising in front of others is stressful.
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According to Health LineThere’s even a term to describe the anxiety you feel when you’re in the gym: “gym intimidation.”
But living an active lifestyle is essential for our mental and physical health and well-being. So if you want to get fit indoors, like a gym, but your gym anxiety is very real, “workouts for shy girls” can help you find a way around it.
Helpful tips were originally created by TikTok users Fitness Gym Y Stephanie Besnawho posted their videos showing exercise options for people who feel self-conscious in the gym. As the Huffington Post explainsthese workouts generally involve quieter movements and that you can do against a wall, or even from the comfort of your own home.
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But the hashtag #shygirlworkouts also found its way onto Instagram.
Some advices
One of the training as shown by Besna on TikTokinvolves lifting weights in the back of the room where noisy machines can’t be found.
Another Fitpie Fitness video suggests machine and weightless exercises that you can do comfortably anywhere.
On Instagram, Alex, a certified personal trainer and blogger for Brightly Balanced Alex, shared how she learned to go from being a shy girl to being confident in the gym. Some of her advice included planning workouts, wearing comfortable clothes to feel good, and avoiding comparisons to other gym-goers, which helped her become more confident in the gym.
“It takes some time, but you can develop that self-confidence,” she wrote.
Content Creator Lauren Maize also wrote: “If you already feel nervous/anxious in the gym, you probably won’t feel as confident [wandering] around using different machines that are on the opposite side of the gym. So please use the equipment that is close to you.”
Similarly, another user posted that “starting at a new gym is scary, so there’s nothing wrong with staying in one area until [you’re] comfortable with branching out…”
Eleni Ray Personal Trainer, whose Instagram bio says“a ‘shy girl’ from the gym past here to help [you] to feel comfortable [with] weightlifting,” he also regularly shares workouts, including ones that will allow you to stay in one place.
“We live in a culture that places a high value [on] what bodies look like, so it’s not surprising that gym anxiety is prevalent,” Sydney Tenney, senior therapist at Lightly Behavioral Health in San Diego, California, told HuffPost.
But being aware of the source of your gym-related anxiety can be helpful, Rachel Trotta, a certified personal trainer and fitness specialist, told the publication. “Having the self-awareness to identify that you need ‘shy girl’ moves is incredibly helpful,” she said.
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Dan Gollop, personal trainer and online trainer, also shares some tips to overcome bullying:
- Get a personal trainer – they can help you learn different exercise techniques and how you can use your time in the gym effectively.
- Workout with a friend: It can be fun, keep you motivated, and take your mind off the crowd.
- Remind yourself why you are there.
- Remember that you are not alone: Dan, who has worked in the fitness industry for over 15 years, has observed that many people feel anxious about joining a gym, going to a new gym or coming back after a long break.
