Why Gyms Can Be Intimidating
I've seen many personal training clients slink into the gym for their first meeting with me, a look of fear on their faces as they wonder if they dressed right...what kind of torture will I put them through...how silly will they look in front of all these people. It's normal to experience those fears when you join a gym and it's not hard to see why when you look at how some health clubs are set up:
- Open spaces. If you're looking for privacy during workouts, joining a large gym may not be for you. In many health clubs, the workout areas are open with cardio machines lined up behind one another and weight machines sprawled out across the floor. Some group fitness rooms may be lined with windows so people can see in and some find this uncomfortable when just getting started with exercise.
- Confusing machinery. Treadmills, bikes, elliptical trainers, balls, bands, weight machines...all that equipment can be very confusing if you've never used them before. The fear of looking stupid is something we all experience when trying new things and the overwhelming choices can add to that fear.
- Aggressive salespeople. Working up the courage to visit a gym can be hard for some people and, if you're shy, an aggressive salesperson may intimidate you even more. Not all health clubs are like that, but many do put pressure on you to sign up. Many people find themselves signing over their firstborn without even being sure they want a membership at all.
- Hardcore exercisers. Every gym has regulars and some can be a little intimidating if you make an honest mistake (like taking too long on a machine or not putting your weights back in the right place). Though you'll find most members are helpful and nice, not all gym-goers are patient with newcomers and it can be scary to navigate the gym with these types of people.
- Beautiful people. Then there are the beautiful people. Though there are a wide variety of gym-goers, big and small, there are always going to be those people that seem to have perfect bodies. Many newbies can be intimidated when they see this, not remembering that everybody starts off as a beginner at one point or another.
If you tend to be intimidated by gyms, but you still want a place you can workout, there are some other options out there for you. All it takes is a little time and research to find the right place for you.
This article is by Paige Waehner here the link, http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseforbeginners/a/gymfear.htmWhen first starting out its always hard to take that first step not only in the gym, but also in life. So take that first step and take that first step to changing your life.
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