I ‘aint afraid of no gym.

It’s Halloween! And I hope you all have spooktacular plans to celebrate the end of October! I thought today would be the perfect time to talk about something that I hear a lot from my clients – the workout fear. What do I mean by the workout fear? For someone people, it means that intimidating, stomach-churning nervousness you get when you walk into a gym for the first time. For others, it’s the worry that they aren’t ever going to be able to complete a particular exercise or use a machine in the right way. A recent Puregym survey found that 50% of non-gym goers find the idea of going to the gym scary, while 1 in 4 would rather have an injection than go to the gym. I am here to tell you that it’s not as scary as you think.

Here are some of the best ways to get over your workout fear this Halloween.

You might make a few mistakes (and that’s ok)

Everyone is new sometimes. But for some reason when it comes to the gym or working out, we really worry about our own experience. We worry about wearing the right clothes or doing the right exercises in the right order. We worry about what everyone will think of us if we don’t know how to set up a machine or tackle the free weights. The truth is, you are going to make some mistakes, you are learning about how your body works and what works for you as a healthier person. That’s ok. Embrace your mistakes, learn from them, and remember that even the fittest person in there was a newbie once.

Familiarity kills fear

I think that gyms, and exercising more generally, can be scary when they are something we don’t understand. If you’ve never done a squat or stepped foot in a spin class before, they can seem like some weird type of workout voodoo. The best way to get over that fear is to give things a try. The more you attend a class or practice an exercise, the less fear-inducing it becomes.

It’s ok to ask for help

No one is born with an innate knowledge of the best way to workout. That’s why it’s important to seek help when you are getting started. This help might come from a personal trainer (like me) or even from reading fitness blogs and watching videos online. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, a good trainer will never judge you and is there to offer support and expertise as you create the most effective workout routine for your goals.

Ready to stop being scared? At FitFusion PT, our friendly team are all about the positivity. Sign up to one of our group classes or book your first personal training session to make workout fear a thing of the past. We can’t wait to become your personal fitness cheerleading squad – here to support you every step of the way. Until next week, stay amazing (and spooky)!