“Panic at the thought of doing a thing is a challenge to do it.” ~Henry S. Haskins

Overcoming The Fear Of Going to The Gym

My throat went dry, my knees locked, beads of sweat begin to form on my brow and any capacity for speech that I may have had is suddenly impeded as a blinding terror grips my heart. No, this isn’t a description of my first attempt at rock climbing without a rope nor is a recount of the first time I learned I was going to be a father -although that was pretty terrifying as well! What I am describing is the first time that I mustered up the courage to step foot inside a gym as a then lanky teenager. Even today with all the many clinically insane things that I have done over the years the anxiety that I experienced during my first weeks at the gym still stands out as one of the biggest fears that I had to overcome. Many have the idea that someone like me was born with a love for gyms, but the truth of the matter is that even though I grew up literally surrounded by bodybuilders- my father, brother and cousin were all aspiring bodybuilders at one point or another and some of my earliest memories are that of my back yard being converted by my older brother into a neighborhood gym- and still I found gyms to be intimidating! So much so that when, as a gawky 125 lb teenager I decided that I would join a gym, the first thing I did was to purchase some dumbbells and start training at home so at least I wouldn’t look too pathetic in a gym environment surrounded by god-like figures of physical perfection.
We talk a lot about why people don’t exercise- lack of time has been cited by every study on the subject, but is there another reason? One that most are too embarrassed to admit? I think there is and I think that it would surprise you to know that most of the people who adorn the pages of fitness magazines probably found the gym to be an intimidating place when they first started training as well. Studies show that 60% of the American population don’t get enough physical activity while more than a quarter of adults don’t exercise at all.[1] Fitness club owners do their utmost to entice people to join up and start the process of getting in shape, but while it is a thriving industry  there was a 63 percent increase in the number of Americans joining gyms between 1990 to 2001[2]) only a mere 14.7% of adults aged 35 to 54 had gym memberships as compared to 17.6 % of adults aged 18-34 and 12.6% for those over 55.[3] It’s enough to turn a healthy profit but obviously not enough to stop the growing numbers of overweight or obese Americans as the overwhelming majority of adults would not set foot in a fitness facility. Of course- the dropout rate of those who do purchase memberships is sizeable as well- a British survey found the dropout rate to be as high as 60% with only 20% working out more than once a month.[4] I can say from personal experience that it isn’t simply a matter of economics or lack of motivation, people don’t go to the gym because they are afraid. Some of those fears are rational and some of them are not- but they exist nonetheless and until the fitness industry beings to address this almost taboo subject, most of the population is going to stay away.

What are we afraid of:

Gym Fear Number 1: Gyms Are Filled With People Who Look So Much Better Than You Do

While our fears and ads say otherwise most people in gyms don't look like Greek gods.

It is not a secret that gyms almost always use images of perfect bodies to promote their facilities. The idea pivots around a marketing strategy that focuses on creating a scenario where you see someone enjoying the body and the fitness level that you most likely don’t have.  But the sight of a young man or woman with sleek and slender muscles rippling from shoulders to almost always exposed midsection having a great time at the gym working out fills most with a sense of apprehension as well as the idea of going to a place where people look that good will only make you feel worse about how you look. Women especially don’t want to be in a room filled with taut and tight younger bodies when they are struggling with their own self image. Men who are not the athletic type don’t feel comfortable around hulking monsters and that’s how we perceive people in gyms to be. The men and women there are seldom anything like the ads but it does nevertheless create a real feeling of unease for most who are not in the shape that they would like to be in.

Gym Fear Number 2: Gyms Are Filled With Machines And Weights That You Don’t Know How To Use

Walking into a gym is for most people akin to sitting in the cockpit of a modern airliner- as in both instances you are confronted by equipment that you have no idea how to use. There are two fears that spring from not knowing your way around the gym equipment. The first is that you will horribly maim yourself for life using a machine incorrectly or lifting more weights than you should or from having bad form while performing an exercise. As much as this fear is a rational one, the fear that stops most people in their tracks is the fear of looking silly by using a machine incorrectly. Our sense of embarrassment tends to be far more powerful at putting on the brakes sometimes than our fear of hurting ourselves and over the years I have heard hundreds of people express how awkward they felt when they didn’t know how to use a machine, especially when everyone else seemed to know exactly what to do. The result is that most head straight for the aerobics section to use the less intimidating machines, but unfortunately to get the results that you want you have to incorporate weight training (see my article on why aerobics are not best for weight loss). Thus beings the cycle of frustration at going to the gym spending hours on the aerobic machines and not really seeing much in terms of progress. Your motivation then beings to lag and if you are like most people, you stop going.

Gym Fear Number 3: Going To The Gym Is An Admission That You Are Not Pleased With How You Look

Being afraid of stepping into a gym is perfectly natural, but it shouldn't stop you from going!

Most of us that go on to become successful in the physique industry start off with a complex of some sort about the way we look. For me it was being painfully skinny, while for others it might be that they were overweight or not skinny enough. In either case there is usually some degree of insecurity that drives us to create the bodies that line the pages of most fitness publications and television shows. The actual act of admitting to yourself that you don’t like how you look and that you want to change is easy- but going to a gym where (you feel) like everyone knows you are there because you are either overweight or underweight is an entirely different animal altogether and can make many blanch at the idea of walking into a training area.
So how do you overcome these fears? Here are some useful tips:
1. Hire a trainer
Hiring a personal trinaer can often help many make the leap required to go to the gym, as you have someone who can guide you through the potentially scary halls and show you how to use the equipment safely and correctly. Having a trainer also makes it a little easier to not focus on the people around you- which for some helps a great deal.
2. Go to the gym with a friend or loved one
A University of Indiana study of married couples who joined health clubs together found that the couples who worked out separately had a 50% dropout rate after one year as opposed to the 10% dropout rate among couples who went to the gym together, regardless of whether they did the same type of exercise. [5] I am certain that the extra motivation and accountability of having someone else there at the gym with you makes a difference, but I am also certain that the prospect of not having to go into a new environment all by yourself also has a lot to do with it as well.
3. Choose a gym based on its training atmosphere- not its social scene.
If you are insecure about how you look the best bet is always to choose a gym that is as untrendy as possible. The trendy places tend to be more pick up joints that workout facilities and many find that kind of atmosphere uncomfortable- especially women that don’t want to be ogled and hit on by men at the club.  It’s not uncommon to go to a trendy gym and see women training in skimpy outfits with full makeup on or men who spend more time looking at everyone else than they do exercising. As a rule the more serious the establishment, the less attention the gym-goers pay to anyone else as everyone is very much focused on their own workout. I have only found those places to also be the most helpful in terms of people taking the time to answer your questions or help you out if you need it.
One final and important note is the fear and sense of intimidation that many beginners can feel around men or women that lift a lot more than you do and at times make some noise doing so. Some gyms have gone so far as to outlaw people that make too much noise while training and I for one don’t believe that is the answer. The problem is that we tend to fear what we don’t know or don’t understand, and in so doing deny ourselves the opportunity to learn from those that truly can help us achieve our goals. Some people do overdo it and you can easily spot the ones that are making noise to attract attention to themselves very much in the way a two year old throws a tantrum to get a little bit more notice.
That being said you can’t lift 500 plus pounds off the floor without making some noise and the best way to overcome your fears to people that do lift pretty heavy weights is to talk to them! If they can truly move some serious poundages, they might have a lot of advice that will can help you with your own workouts. Most are more than happy to talk about what they are doing or working out in general. It’s actually how I got my start. If I hadn’t plucked up enough courage to speak to some of the bigger guys at the gym all those years ago, I would never be where I am today! Looking back, walking into the gym was one of the scariest times of my life, but I hardly have words to express how much it was worth overcoming my fears. Try it- you may be surprised by what you will achieve!
Resources
1.    Center for Disease Control And Prevention
2.    SGMA International-Tracking the Fitness Movement 2002 edition
3.    IHRSA Guide for Lenders and Investors
4.    Britons Are Leaving The Gym- Sunday Times 2008