It has been widely reported that anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders in the UK, with 1 out of 10 of us being victim to the illness at one point in our lives. Individuals who suffer with the disorder are likely to face negative side effects when going to the gym and because of this, it can affect their mindset approach to exercise and also their levels of performance. Here are four easy but effective ways that can help fight off gym anxiety and motivate you to reach your goals without the worry.
1. Wear headphones and listen to music or a podcast.
The gym can be a very fast paced environment and is often noisy and distracting due to how busy it can get, especially during peak times. Consequently, it can cause those who suffer with anxiety to worry about their surroundings and the other people around them during their workout. Wearing headphones or earphones is one way that an individual is able to prevent this and focus on what matters most which is themselves, as opposed to others. This can have positive impacts on levels of performance during exercises as well as increasing the individual's motivation to return to the gym again in the future.
We suggest that you create a playlist that consists of songs specifically designed for gym workouts. Choosing what music you listen to and picking specific songs that are tailored to the type of workout that you are taking part in can have the ability to increase your motivation and focus on the task in hand. We also suggest to start listening to podcasts or even audiobooks. Listening to either of these is beneficial for both your brain and your body as it keeps them both active and keeps you busy whilst working out. Two podcasts that we enjoy listening to are: 'Mindset with Muscle' or 'The GaryVee Audio Experience'. They are completely free and easily accessible through the 'Podcasts' app on the iPhone.
2. Bring a friend or a partner along with you.
The majority of people who go to the gym tend do so on their own rather than having somebody along side them during their workouts. For individuals who suffer with social anxiety and find it difficult being in the same room as lots of people, working out alone can be daunting and this can enhance any negative side effects that are associated with the disorder such as nausea, dizziness, sweating and headaches. Bringing a friend or a partner along to the gym with you can be advantageous in preventing these side effects from occurring. Having company and someone you can talk to can act as a distraction that shifts the focus from other members of the public to somebody who you are familiar with and who you can confide in.
As well as having someone to talk to, bringing a partner along to the gym can also have other benefits that make the workout more interesting for you and for your partner. Seeing someone close to you progressing and focusing on reaching the goals they have set themselves can have a domino effect and therefore motivate yourself to focus on achieving your own goals.
3. Keep yourself busy by completing a variety of exercises.
Overthinking or the daunting feeling that people are staring at you can be intensified when remaining stagnant and not utilising all of the available space in the gym. Rather than focusing on exercising just one or two muscle groups, we suggest completing a variety of exercises that will target more muscle groups and keep your brain as well as your body constantly active. One way that you can do so is by moving around the various rooms that your gym has to offer. Varying your workout plan can be made simple and easy such as adopting cardio or ab exercises after weight lifting. Your body will benefit due to the higher demand of energy required but also your mind will also benefit as it is constantly focusing on new movements. You will be too busy to worry about the surroundings and therefore the chances of any negative side effects occurring will be lowered.
4. Remember everyone is looking at themselves, not you!
The gym can be an extremely intimidating place to be in at times due to the wide range of appearances and body types that can be found there. It is a natural and also common response for humans to make comparisons between themselves and others. This can be massively intensified in an environment which is associated with individuals changing or improving their physical appearances. Individuals who do suffer with anxiety disorder may feel like because of this, people are looking at them and cause a massive feeling of discomfort and embarrassment. We encourage you to adopt a stronger mindset that no is looking at you, most probably because they are too busy looking at themselves in the mirror! Adopting this approach to the way you view others in the gym can alter the way you view others around you, deeming them equal to yourself rather than superior, but also encourage you to follow suit and focus on yourself. Despite this sounding like a narcissistic approach, sometimes self love is the key to confidence and self respect, not just in the gym but all aspects of life.
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