Getting past the fear of going to the gym

[-MVP-]

So I’ve always been a super backward, shy person. I have two gym memberships: Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness. I use planet for tanning and anytime for weights.

I go to the gym before work usually around 4:30am. I’m in the habit now that if there’s anyone in there I just drive on by. Has anyone else had this issue when they first started or first got back into it? I don’t want it to cheat me of progression and it will eventually.

 

[Rad83]

…Sounds like the bigger issue is anxiety?…What is your concern about other people at the gym?

I can promise you, 99.9% of serious gym rats, with any amount progress are too focused on their training to’ judge you’ or even pay any attention to someone else, in the way that you’re imagining. Also, they realize that everyone starts somewhere.

Get your ass in the fuking gym and rock
You have just as every right to be there.

 

[-MVP-]

…Sounds like the bigger issue is anxiety?…What is your concern about other people at the gym?

I can promise you, 99.9% of serious gym rats, with any amount progress are too focused on their training to’ judge you’ or even pay any attention to someone else, in the way that you’re imagining. Also, they realize that everyone starts somewhere.

Get your ass in the fuking gym and rock
You have just as every right to be there.

I do have bad anxiety man. Honestly.

 

[Renew1]

I do have bad anxiety man. Honestly.

I realize that it isn't the whole problem ... But you should try to avoid stims (including caffeine).

 

[Kronic]

sounds like you need to stop comparing yourself to others

 

[Rad83]

I do have bad anxiety man. Honestly.

I deal with it myself as well bro…If anything, the gym will help…

 

[Smont]

So I’ve always been a super backward, shy person. I have two gym memberships: Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness. I use planet for tanning and anytime for weights.

I go to the gym before work usually around 4:30am. I’m in the habit now that if there’s anyone in there I just drive on by. Has anyone else had this issue when they first started or first got back into it? I don’t want it to cheat me of progression and it will eventually.

I know it's easier said then done, but just go. No1 there that has half a clue what they are doing will be looking at you or care what your doing.
If it makes you feel better use planet fitness for lifting, at one point I was free weight benching 350 and deadlifting 500+ and I could still get fantastic workouts in a planet fitness. And almost no1 there knows what there doing so there's no need to worry about any of them.

I have 3 gyms, a strongman/powerlifting place, a boxing/MMA gym that also has a strength training team and then a planet fitness.

I opt for planet fitness any time in not trying to do the big 3 lifts or training for boxing.

I like the environment, it's super clean and I can get a massage and a tan after lol

 

[Smont]

Worry about bettering yourself, you obviously want to work out so do it, it's going to make you a happier person and you need that in your life right now. You got this!

 

[Smont]

I deal with it myself as well bro…If anything, the gym will help…

It definitely does

 

[MikeSumthin]

Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness aren't really geared towards judgemental aholes... at least where I live.

Tips:
-A solid workout plan
-Headphones blasting
-Gym Partner

If it's just one other person, maybe when doing the flat bench or some big move, ask that person for a spot and then you can feel em out. Who knows, maybe they'd be your best friend.

 

[Smont]

@-MVP-

I know your going through some ****. If you need someone to talk to or bullshit with feel free to pm me.

 

[Rocket3015]

Just reassure yourself, every time you step in to the gym, you leave a better version of yourself. Good Luck !!

 

[Smont]

Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness aren't really geared towards judgemental aholes... at least where I live.

Tips:
-A solid workout plan
-Headphones blasting
-Gym Partner

If it's just one other person, maybe when doing the flat bench or some big move, ask that person for a spot and then you can feel em out. Who knows, maybe they'd be your best friend.

PF only judges you if you work out too hard lol. They girl at the desk sets the alarm off on me every time in there, sometimes she does it as I'm in motion to rack the weights.
I don't really make any noise either. I dropped the dumbbells like 1 time a year ago and now she just busts my balls

 

[MikeSumthin]

now she just busts my balls

See, making friends...

 

[Rocket3015]

I have been a Planet Fitness member for 5 or more years, I have never heard the "Lunk Alarm" go off!

 

[Smont]

I have been a Planet Fitness member for 5 or more years, I have never heard the "Lunk Alarm" go off!

They always set it off on me. Just because they're f****** with me lol.

One of these days they're going to set it off and I'm going to purposely drop a dumbbell on myself and own planet fitness

 

[Smont]

As much as everyone likes to clown planet fitness, myself included, you can't beat it.

$20 a month and you have access to a reasonably well equipped gym with the exception of not having big enough dumbbells or a free weight squat but I'm cool with that.

But for $20 you can go anywhere in the country and you've got a gym a shower free tanning and massage beds. The $20 a month is worth the tanning beds alone

 

[Rocket3015]

As much as everyone likes to clown planet fitness, myself included, you can't beat it.

$20 a month and you have access to a reasonably well equipped gym with the exception of not having big enough dumbbells or a free weight squat but I'm cool with that.

But for $20 you can go anywhere in the country and you've got a gym a shower free tanning and massage beds. The $20 a month is worth the tanning beds alone

I only Tan and do cardio there, well worth $20, the chicks in yoga pants there today were worth 20 bucks!!

 

[-MVP-]

@-MVP-

I know your going through some ****. If you need someone to talk to or bullshit with feel free to pm me.

Thanks bro. Means a lot. I know it may not seem like it but you guys are motivating me more and more to look on the bright side of things and view all these life changes as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

 

[PoSiTiVeFLoW]

I do have bad anxiety man. Honestly.

Talk to a psych (maybe try cerebral app). Light dose of 5mg valium and you'll be social pretty quick. Just don't let it go past that and you'll be fine if you have GAD (general anxiety disorder).

Yes, benzo can be addictive.. but they work wonders to dissociate the anxiety from social events/interaction with humans.

If you get a minute try mindbloom, modern psychedelic CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy, not hallucinogenic).

 

[Potbelly]

No one is paying you any mind they are there to lift.

 

[Renew1]

 

[Dustin07]

I do have bad anxiety man. Honestly.

anxiety is debilitating.... it's rough, but I do think the only way you're going to get past it is with small forward progress. Why don't you set a moderate goal, like going in and getting on the treadmill for 10 minutes. then leave.

next day. 20..

next day, go do some light bench press, etc. so you don't feel obligated to stay and lift for 90 minutes with strangers if your anxiety kicks in.

 

[Hyde]

Every day you wake up, you get to decide who you’re going to be today. ONLY today; yesterday is gone and you are never promised tomorrow.

The person you see in there, that person could have been you. Especially if there is more than one person already there, and they took that first step in as well and it didn’t kill them - in fact, it made them happier! Why can’t that be you? They’re not special, and you’re not either! All of humanity differs less than 1% in our total DNA structure. It can be you: they are just like you, so if they can do it you KNOW you can too. Verbally give yourself permission to be successful!

“Today is the day. Now is the time. I’m the one!” ️

 

[UCSMiami]

The early morning crew, 5am or similar, are the nicest folk. Total respect for going and no BS. Know gym etiquette as in Rerack your weights, do not take too long if the equipment has no multiples, keep your music to yourself, do not throw weights, etc.

 

[Hyde]

The early morning crew, 5am or similar, are the nicest folk. Total respect for going and no BS. Know gym etiquette as in Rerack your weights, do not take too long if the equipment has no multiples, keep your music to yourself, do not throw weights, etc.

This! Huge variety of folks from all ages & types, but the AM crew respects the ritual of showing up before the sun has risen.

 

[Dustin07]

This! Huge variety of folks from all ages & types, but the AM crew respects the ritual of showing up before the sun has risen.

and typically your early morning crew are the same guys you will STILL see at that same gym 10 years later at 5am doing the same routine. I definitely loved my old morning crew.

 

[baldwanus]

As I've gotten back into the gym over the past ~6 months, I've noticed the vast majority of people in the gym are too busy staring at their phones inbetween sets to even notice you're in the gym with them. Makes it easy to pop in your own headphones and ignore them right back lol

That being said, I still prefer hitting the gym at hours where theres only a handful of people there, but thats mainly so I'm not stuck waiting on machines.

 

[ZOO]

I totally feel you on the anxiety, bro. It’s a tough thing to deal with especially when it is a regularly, daily occurrence. Idk if this helps any but following my arm injury i went from being the strongest, juiciest person at the gym to being on par with the middle aged women. It was a tough thing to get over but after I time I stopped giving a ****. Head down and nose to the grind. However, I found that wearing a beanie or hoody helped a lot as they act as something of a blinder or shield.

 

[Dustin07]

As I've gotten back into the gym over the past ~6 months, I've noticed the vast majority of people in the gym are too busy staring at their phones inbetween sets to even notice you're in the gym with them. Makes it easy to pop in your own headphones and ignore them right back lol

That being said, I still prefer hitting the gym at hours where theres only a handful of people there, but thats mainly so I'm not stuck waiting on machines.

I'm one of them, I use a couple different apps to log my workouts, 531, etc lol

 

[Hyde]

I'm one of them, I use a couple different apps to log my workouts, 531, etc lol

If you’re taking that personally, then perhaps you are still spending too much time looking at your screen.

You should be able to remember a few key sets, and if you forget you pull it out and glance at the planned work. Check it maybe after each exercise for guidance, log your weight/sets/reps, then you put it away. Same as you would use a paper notebook but more convenient.

I frequently check my notes in training to stay on task, but I absolutely do not do anything else with my phone, like read or view something while resting. That time is spent in my own head focusing on the work that’s about to be done next.

There are a lot of people I see at commercial gyms who scroll or read while resting. Those people, knowingly or not, are sabotaging their results to a degree. The rests get longer than necessary, and the focus is lost & must be recovered but there’s a real loss in the process. Many are probably fine with it, because 90+% of people at commercial gyms are just fucking about anyway.

 

[Dustin07]

If you’re taking that personally, then perhaps you are still spending too much time looking at your screen.

You should be able to remember a few key sets, and if you forget you pull it out and glance at the planned work. Check it maybe after each exercise for guidance, log your weight/sets/reps, then you put it away. Same as you would use a paper notebook but more convenient.

I frequently check my notes in training to stay on task, but I absolutely do not do anything else with my phone, like read or view something while resting. That time is spent in my own head focusing on the work that’s about to be done next.

There are a lot of people I see at commercial gyms who scroll or read while resting. Those people, knowingly or not, are sabotaging their results to a degree. The rests get longer than necessary, and the focus is lost & must be recovered but there’s a real loss in the process. Many are probably fine with it, because 90+% of people at commercial gyms are just fucking about anyway.

naa, the 531 app when I'm running that cycle has a timer that I have adjusted. it's 30 second intervals in between warm up sets and 60 second intervals on working sets. I find it tends to take a little longer just to add plates to the bar than the 30 second rest allows for. the 60 second is about perfect. Click the button the app, see what next step up is on weight, stack weights, listen for buzzer; go. When I have it set to add joker sets it doesn't show them until after I've hit the required working load.

 

[Dustin07]

I'm always a late bloomer with tech. last person I knew to buy MP3s when that was a thing, last person to actually rent or buy videos on amazon instead of DVD's... but a good lifting app simplifies a busy life when I know I can walk in and just follow the app for a while instead of drafting my own programming. it of course has it's limitations being boilerplate in design, but is good when schedule is tight and brain is taxed.

 

[Hyde]

I'm always a late bloomer with tech. last person I knew to buy MP3s when that was a thing, last person to actually rent or buy videos on amazon instead of DVD's... but a good lifting app simplifies a busy life when I know I can walk in and just follow the app for a while instead of drafting my own programming. it of course has it's limitations being boilerplate in design, but is good when schedule is tight and brain is taxed.

I really don’t know if you are agreeing and saying the same thing or arguing that playing on your phone is helpful, but the original post and mine are saying that you shouldn’t be scrolling or reading between sets, plain and simple.

You want to use a logbook and timer, that’s fine. That should be obvious, and isn’t what he was talking about. One is helping you focus while the other is about distractions.

 

[baldwanus]

I really don’t know if you are agreeing and saying the same thing or arguing that playing on your phone is helpful, but the original post and mine are saying that you shouldn’t be scrolling or reading between sets, plain and simple.

You want to use a logbook and timer, that’s fine. That should be obvious, and isn’t what he was talking about. One is helping you focus while the other is about distractions.

My mention of people on their phone was more specifically people busy on SnapChat, Instagram and **** like that... they aren't logging their workouts when they're standing in front of the mirror taking 20 pictures haha *and my gym skews to a younger crowd, so this could be part of it*

EDIT: I say younger while I'm only 31.... but theres a lot of ~18-22 year olds at my current gym and they sure make me feel old lol

 

[Dustin07]

I really don’t know if you are agreeing and saying the same thing or arguing that playing on your phone is helpful, but the original post and mine are saying that you shouldn’t be scrolling or reading between sets, plain and simple.

You want to use a logbook and timer, that’s fine. That should be obvious, and isn’t what he was talking about. One is helping you focus while the other is about distractions.

ahhh no I am in agreement unless said distractions are bikinis for mini T spikes before a big set.

 

[Rocket3015]

I have carried a note book to the gym with me since about 1985 and I still have them all.

 

[Hyde]

My mention of people on their phone was more specifically people busy on SnapChat, Instagram and **** like that... they aren't logging their workouts when they're standing in front of the mirror taking 20 pictures haha *and my gym skews to a younger crowd, so this could be part of it*

EDIT: I say younger while I'm only 31.... but theres a lot of ~18-22 year olds at my current gym and they sure make me feel old lol

I’m the same age, and my commercial gym here is the exact same, being a college town.

Been training in my garage exclusively for the last 2 weeks and went last night for a pump deload session - it’s amazing how far those girls manage to wedge those tights up their butt cheeks.

 

[Rocket3015]

I was at Planet Fitness last weekend, those yoga pants, oh my! They about gave an old man a heart attack!! Did I mention sports bra's and air conditioning !!!

 

[Quest]

You have to do what you do not want to do to develop those skills preventing you.

Some of the most insecure periods of my life I was a muscle bound meat head.

Use training to develop your weaknesses not for vanity.

I would put on the worst fitting shirt you have and get to work

 

[Dustin07]

EDIT: I say younger while I'm only 31.... but theres a lot of ~18-22 year olds at my current gym and they sure make me feel old lol

When the 17-22yr old guys are lifting they don't bother me much, they're young/cool/never gonna die. They have the energy for a 3 hour session and attempt a PR twice a day (lol). I sort of like being in that environment because it does make me feel a little younger and energetic, I feel my competitive nature kick in, I perform better, but then I also take some pride in my additional 20 years of training when my numbers feel OK and I'm twice their size. For me, I have essentially lost my "home gym" i've been going to the past 6 years because they're running pre teen and very young teen (12-14yr olds) in the power lifting room of our gym from 3:30pm till about 6:30pm so I've lost access to the racks...

I was at Planet Fitness last weekend, those yoga pants, oh my! They about gave an old man a heart attack!! Did I mention sports bra's and air conditioning !!!

I had a $9.99/month membership at a gym in Tacoma back in 2016/17 that worked great as a back up gym. they sold to Planet Fitness on NYE and when I went in the next day they had already gone fully purple and removed every single barbell and dumbbell, there was only machine lifting left so I cancelled my membership that day...

 

[UCSMiami]

I was at Planet Fitness last weekend, those yoga pants, oh my! They about gave an old man a heart attack!! Did I mention sports bra's and air conditioning !!!

Do yee not remember the braless and pantyless/thongless spandex women wore in the 1980s? And how see through the material became when sweaty.

 

[Rocket3015]

Do yee not remember the braless and pantyless/thongless spandex women wore in the 1980s? And how see through the material became when sweaty.

Yes I do !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rocket3015]

So @-MVP- How is the gym training going ???