10 Tips To Feel Comfortable And More Confident In The Gym

Imagine yourself walking into the gym with your head held high, eyes focused, and a sense of assurance and confidence. Pumping away on the machines, and comfortably making your way around the benches, weights and cables as naturally as ever. If this is what you want to feel and be when you hit your local gym, then read on!

1. Treat Yourself to a Pair of Workout Clothes

When you first start going to the gym, it may be a great idea to invest in a workout outfit. Depending on what you get, it shouldn't be very expensive for some simple workout clothes. Not only are these more air permeable and easier to move around in which is great if you'll be working out a lot but studies also show that wearing workout clothes actually make you feel more confident. It's shown that what you wear can have affects on your moods, and wearing clothes specifically for exercise can make you feel more energetic and confident. Make sure to pick workout clothes that you like and make you feel good.

2.  Set a Goal

When you first walk into a gym it might seem overwhelming and you might not be sure exactly what to do. You might not even know how frequently you'll be visiting. If you're committing to going to a gym regularly, it's very important to set a goal. Maybe you want to work out at least once a week for a whole year, and that means you have to commit. Setting goals will help you feel more confident every time you walk in, knowing you have a plan.

3. Pick The Gym That Works For You

It's very important you feel comfortable in your gym, especially if you are going to be visiting weekly. Instead of just picking a random gym near you, it's important to scope out all the options. Look on their websites, ask a friend for recommendations, or call the gym in advance. Making sure you pick a gym that you both like and is reasonably close by is sure to boost your experience.

4. Set a Timer

It's good to know how long you want to spend in the gym every day, and a timer can be you're best friend in this situation! Without a timer you may either spend way to long exercising or leave within 5 minutes. A timer can help motivate you to keep going until the timer is done and let you know when it's time to take a break.

5. Don't Compare Yourself To Other Gym Members

It's common to compare yourself to other people thinking for some reason you are worse than everybody else at that thing. Don't. This will only discourage you and make you feel worse about yourself. Keep in mind that everyone else in the gym started out like you, and probably thought the same thing about themselves. Instead of looking at other people and envying how good they are, try to learn from them! What are they doing that I'm not?

5. Find a gym buddy

A great way to boost your confidence is to find a gym buddy. It should be a good friend, and someone who you feel comfortable with even if you feel silly. Even better, the friend can be as clueless as you feel at the gym, or be a jock who loves the gym. Use the buddy system to make yourself feel a little more comfortable and confident in the unfamiliar place.

6. Find a womens gym

For many women, working out around men is the most uncomfortable feeling. Nervousness about being judged or 'checked out' can be a serious turn off. In addition, the weight section of many co-ed gyms are usually filled with huffing, puffing, grunting sweaty guys, which can be intimidating to a woman- even if she knows what exercises to do. It may be your best bet to find a womens-only gym to feel at ease and comfortable at the gym.

7. Get to know the staff

Be friendly with the staff at your local gym; get to know their expertise, and network. You'll feel more at ease in an environment where you know the staff. You may even like them, and walking into the gym will become a much more positive experience when you know who's greeting you.

8. Get to know the clientele

Being friendly with the people around you can make going to the gym a much more positive experience. Just like getting to know the staff, knowing your fellow patrons makes working out more comfortable and pleasant.

9. Familiarize yourself with the machines

Before getting into your workouts, get to know the machines you'd like to use. Look for instructions and warnings posted on the apparatus to help you understand what its meant to work and what technique is required.

10. Get a personal trainer

If all else fails, you can always work with an expert. Be sure that your trainer is experienced and educated. Just because a trainer looks fit it doesn't mean that they'll know how hard to push you or the right exercises for you. For this reason, its a good idea to ask about credentials and the degree of experience.