Don't Let Mental Weakness Keep You From Training
Many people don’t hit the gym out of some irrational fear.
These are the most common reasons I’ve heard:
They feel intimidated by other, more experienced gym goers
They fear what others will think of the state of their body
They have social anxiety and their mental weakness deters them
But what most don’t realize is that nobody goes to the gym to stare at others. Unless they’re some creepers, but that’s a separate case. No one else in there really cares about what you're doing. Everyone working out focuses entirely on themselves. Especially if they look more seasoned. After all, if they didn’t, they wouldn’t have progressed as much.
So how do you get over your fears and start your journey towards Gainsville?
All the tough guys would probably yell at you to get over it. And it works, if you’re in the army. In real life, that would probably only worsen your anxiety. Don’t get me wrong – you need to break out of your comfort zone for this to work. But what if you could bring your comfort zone with you to the gym?
Here’s what you can do to jumpstart your gym “career.”
Get a Gym Buddy, or Go to a Group Class
The best way to get over your mental weakness is to do it together with someone. Have a friend who also wants to pump the iron? Get him or her to join in. Otherwise, participate in a group class.
You can even make new friends there. Once you notice you’re all in this together, the job becomes much easier. In the end, competition has been the driving force behind humanity for thousands of years. This next thought would make you seem like a horrible person if it weren’t so effective... BUT if you take a group class, your confidence will be boosted. Why? You’re never the worst one in the class. Trust me when I say this.
Getting Over Mental Weakness: Just a Matter of Preparation
Have you ever seen the Rocky movies? That training montage with “The Eye of the Tiger” blasting in the background has become iconic. The song kept you pumped up throughout the whole scene. Don’t hesitate to get your tunes on your music player or phone. Get into the zone. Maybe you like fast-paced heavy metal, or are more inclined towards drum’n’bass. Whatever your choice, make sure it activates your inner beast mode.
Once you’ve smashed that first barrier, it’s all you and the iron. Or you and the treadmill, whichever the case.
Uncomfortable around Others? Take Advantage of Off-Hours
Often, people’s mental weakness stems from social anxiety. If you can, ask the instructors at your local gym about the place’s off-hours (least busy). With nobody around, you won’t feel intimidated by people who look like they know their stuff. Plus, you get to experiment with different machines without feeling self-conscious. Another advantage is you won’t have other people hogging your favorite machine. This is especially useful in smaller gyms where there’s usually only one of each type.
Now, you can unleash in the gym without feeling like someone’s watching. What you need to remember is that it won’t be easy in the beginning. I would be lying if I said it would. It wasn’t easy for me either.
If you want to learn how I surpassed my struggles and got to where I am today, take a look at my free eBook.
Source: dontblamegenetics.com
