Too self-conscious to join the gym?
Throughout my career I have encountered many
people who wanted to join a gym or exercise class but felt too self-conscious
to do so. I know as you read this you
may be thinking “what does he know, he is
a personal trainer!”. But actually I do feel I am qualified to empathise.
Apart from the fact I have worked with countless clients who felt just like
this and helped them to overcome their insecurities, I have personal experience….
I (try to) play the guitar and
thoroughly enjoy doing so in the comfort of my own home. However, when I go
into a music shop and see all these amazing, expensive guitars I feel very self-conscious
about picking one up and playing it in front the staff and other enthusiasts
who are sitting down playing some complicated solo or riff. I think the insecurity
I have in my playing ability probably equates to a similar feeling of inadequacy
you may have in your body. I do appreciate my scenario is not quite as
emotionally charged and personal as this, but as far as walking into a foreign environment
and putting yourself in front of others goes, it is the same.
The big question
is WHY should you feel like this? The simple answer is you shouldn’t. The gym
is a place where you can build and develop your confidence which in turn makes
you a more confident person in everyday life too. Try not to worry about how
you think you may look to others. Everyone
starts somewhere and presumably we all want to improve ourselves– that after
all is the reason we join a gym in the first place. We are all in the same proverbial
boat. Everyone has to start from scratch.
My argument is that
you are not going to help or change anything by avoiding taking action. Be brave, choose to be fitter and healthier. I
guarantee if you select the correct training environment, you will truly surprise
yourself and surpass your own expectations. Lose your fear, take the plunge.
Tips on how to choose your first gym.
Listen to recommendations – What do your
friends and family say about places they have used? At JW CORE we believe very
firmly in creating a comfortable, non-judgemental environment for our clients
to train in and I think this is key. Unlike big chain gyms perhaps look for a
smaller privately owned one where you are more than just a membership number.
Take a look around – It doesn’t take long to
get the feel for a gym’s atmosphere. When you walk in, how quickly does a
member of staff meet you? HOW do they greet you? Remember, you are the client
and you will be spending your hard earned cash on a service / facility that can
potentially be life changing. It has to be right for YOU. It goes without saying that you should be
treated and spoken to with care, consideration and respect. Far too many times
have I seen customers walk into a gym only to be left standing at a desk or
grunted at in response to a question! You should be and made to feel valued.
No doubt, the gym isn’t the place to stand
around having long chats about nothing in particular but when you walk in take
the time to notice: Is there a buzz to the place? Are the trainers interacting
with the clients? Are the clients working out together and maybe even engaging
in a bit of banter. I think these things are extremely important. A gym where
people are smiling, laughing but working hard is a much more inviting prospect
than those where everyone is stony faced with their earphones on, staring at
other members or themselves in the mirror. I would firmly recommend that if there
are a lot of gorgeous, made up people in all the designer gear standing around
and posing in the mirrors, it probably isn’t the gym for a first time nervous exerciser.
It is constantly mentioned to me that this is something people do not like
about some of the more expensive gyms and that is why I set up JW CORE with no
mirrors or TV’s, as a place to come and workout, not caring about what you look
like. Look nice when you go out in the evening not when you are running around and
lifting weights in the gym!
If you want to achieve results you must be seen
regularly by a professional member of staff so check how often you are entitled
to see a trainer. At JW CORE our trainers will interact with and train members
every time they enter the gym. This ensures high motivation, constantly
evolving programmes and correct techniques are being used by the clients. (It
is also what our clients tell me sets us apart from all our competition.) At
the very least, you should expect to have an induction and programme when you
first join and to be seen every 4-6 weeks thereafter for a check-ups and updates
to your programme. Unfortunately, this seldom happens so do check the gyms policy
on this before you sign up.
The overriding factor
in choosing a gym to join if you are insecure or self-conscious is comfort. Ask yourself these following questions when
you look at a new gym. If all your answers are yes then you will likely feel confident
enough to exercise there in front of other people and achieve great things. If
you answer no to any, please don’t just accept this as the way it is at all gyms.
Take a look at some others. There are facilities like JW CORE where the aim is
for our clients to answer yes to each question below.
1.
Do I feel comfortable here?
2.
Is it clean and tidy?
3.
Are the staff friendly,
approachable and informative?
4.
Does it look like there is a strong
support network amongst
the trainers and other members?
5.
Are there any supervised classes or
activities going on?
6.
Do the customers look like they are
enjoying their experience?
7.
Does it have an authentic, genuine
feel to it?
Remember too much fancy cosmetic imagery probably
means not enough
substance.
8.
Is it functional for me? Is
everything in good working order and can I see myself working out and improving
here?
In summery don’t be put off going to the gym
because of how you feel about yourself. Use these feelings as motivation to
change. You can find the right place to work out and you can guarantee there is
already someone there who felt just the same as you do when they started but
now they feel 100% better in themselves. They took a chance, they joined up, persevered
and got fit. So can you!
JW CORE
