17 Super Helpful Tips For Anyone Who's Terrified Of The Gym

Everyone's gotta start somewhere. Here's how to jump in with confidence.

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

If you're new to fitness the thought of hitting the gym can be intimidating AF.

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Gymtimidation is real, and pretty much everyone experiences it at some point. From the million machines that look exactly the same, to the countless people you feel are watching your every move, working out at a gym can be extremely overwhelming.

So BuzzFeed Life spoke with Dr. Michele Kerulis, Professor of Sport & Health Psychology at Adler University, and Will Lanier, NYC Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor, and came up with awesome ways you can overcome your fear of the gym and be on your way to achieving your fitness goals.

You got this!

1. Create a plan of attack so that you'll walk into the gym more confidently.

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You can’t decide what you’re going to do at the gym if you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve. Write down a couple goals — lose body fat, become a faster runner, get a stronger booty, whatever — and then you’ll be able to figure out exactly what you need to do to get there. "People are more likely to meet their goals when they have them specifically written out," Kerulis tells BuzzFeed Life.

You can use apps like My Fitness Pal or Fitnet to help keep track of your goals and monitor your progress.

2. Next, find workouts that will help you achieve those goals. Write them down and bring them with you.

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You can use apps, BuzzFeed Health, Pinterest, or just Google a workout you're interested in.

"If you get online and search a 20-minute workout, you’ll find a billion different exercises you can do," Lanier says. "Print out the workouts or write them down and take it to the gym with you. That way you'll have a clear sense of what you're doing, and you'll feel much more confident than if you were to wander aimlessly coming up with a routine on the spot."

3. Make sure the gym you choose feels like somewhere you actually want to be.

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On top of the gym being accessible and affordable, Kerulis suggests checking out the cleanliness of each gym, the friendliness of the staff, the types of classes they offer, and other things that will affect your everyday experiences there. Will someplace pretty and new make you feel more comfortable? Or would the dark concrete vibe be more inspiring? Your gym should be somewhere you actually enjoy spending time.

Take the time to talk to people at the front desk. Are they smiling and saying hi? Are they willing to help? If you'd rather people keep their distance and let you do your thing then that’s great, too. Just make sure the vibe is what you want.

4. If a big gym full of equipment and people doing intense lifting is terrifying, consider a boutique gym where everyone does one thing and does it together.

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"They have smaller environments and tend to be less intimidating because they're a bit more friendly and personalized," Kerulis says. "At a mainstream gym, you won't have an instructor greeting you and helping you through a class."

Specialty or boutique gyms like Soul Cycle, Core Power Yoga, and Shred 415 tend to run on the more expensive side, but may be worth it if you want the individual attention and close-knit environment.

5. When you’re joining the gym, ask for a walkthrough of the space and equipment.

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When you're considering becoming a member, ask that a staff member give you a rundown of the gym and show you around the equipment – at no extra cost. It is a completely standard request to make and will make you more confident in the space, easing some of your anxiety.

Also take some time to note where everything is — the water fountain, locker rooms, towels, etc. Being familiar with the layout will help you feel like you know the space and can navigate it confidently.

6. Pay attention to the brand of machines in the gym so you can look up instructional tutorials online later.

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If you know what brand to look for, you can usually find helpful videos about how to use them online, says Kerulis. "Equipment can be extremely overwhelming. I have a career in fitness and there are still pieces of equipment that I don’t know how to use."

7. Use a guest pass immediately so you can get to know the space with someone else.

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You might be more likely to try out that ridiculous ab-crunchy-spinny-looking machine if you're with a friend (and not afraid to laugh about the fact that you have no idea what it actually does). "A workout buddy is such a value to have," Kerulis says. "If they have a little bit of experience that's great because they can help you through the learning process. But even if you’re both newbies it's awesome because you're in it together."

8. Take advantage of your free personal training sessions early on.

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Almost all gyms offer at least one free personal training session when you join. Use this as an opportunity to learn new exercises and what muscles they work. That way you can incorporate them into your routines when you start working out solo.

9. Start out by hitting the gym during off peak hours.

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Ask the staff when their peak hours are so you can either prepare for it or avoid the gym altogether during those times. It's generally more crowded in the early morning, around noon, and between 5-7 p.m., says Kerulis. So work around that if you want to avoid crowds and have a slightly less intimidating environment.

10. If you’re scared to join a class right now, just take some time to peek in and see what it’s like.

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You’ll get a sense of the instructor, the pace of the class, and what you can expect, which will make it a lot easier to join when you're ready. Keep in mind: The great thing about classes is that everyone is doing the same thing, which takes away some of the intimidation factor. You'll also get the opportunity to meet people — maybe even a future workout buddy.

11. Find something exciting to train for that will get you through those gym doors.

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"Training for something fun, maybe a 5k, will not only give you something to work towards but it will also show the progress you're making," Kerulis says. "It could be what motivates you to push past the anxiety."

12. Always ask for help when you need it.

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Understand that it's much better to ask for help and do things right, then to do things wrong and get injured. "Feel free to ask questions of the staff and let them know that you’re new and are trying to get accustomed to the gym," Kerulis says. "Most of them will be very open to helping you out. And it will also allow you to get to know them, making the gym a more inviting place for you."

13. Consider doing workouts that let you conquer one part of the gym at a time.

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Start with whichever section you feel most comfortable with – ab mats, cardio machines, free weights, etc. – and once you feel you've gotten the hang of it, move on and take on another part of the gym. This also helps you avoid getting stuck in a workout rut where you do the same thing over and over and over.

For example, you can start with some bodyweight workouts like this in the mat area and then work your way up to dumbbell workouts in the free weights section.

14. Use headphones to block out the world.

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"Just making a great playlist and having a familiarity with what you’re going to listen to once you get going can ease some of the anxiety," Lanier says. If you don't have the time to put together a kickass playlist, you can find some on apps like Spotify, 8Tracks, or Pandora. This can help drown out the noise around you and distract you from wondering about what everyone else is doing so you can focus on your own workout. Heck you can even get lost in a podcast or an audiobook while you exercise.

15. Use online groups to learn new tips or commiserate about being a fitness newbie.

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You can join a Reddit fitness newbie group, or a Quora thread, or Meetup.com to find other people who are in the same beginner boat as you are — and maybe even experienced people you can learn from.

16. Look good, so you feel good.

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It can be something as simple as these cool headbands from Etsy, or this totally rad workout top from Target. "Just looking good will give you more confidence and take away some of the anxiety," Lanier says. "Motivate yourself by wearing a new outfit. Buy a pair of new sneakers. You always feel better with a new pair of sneakers on."

17. Compete with yourself and only yourself.

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Don't concern yourself with the person lifting more than you or running faster than you or getting the moves down before you. "You don't know everyone else's story or how they got to where they are today," says Kerulis. "So stay concentrated on your own workout and your own progress."

"Your journey is not their journey," Lanier adds. "And your starting point is a different point in their timeline. Where they are and where you are, are two different places. You can't compare yourself to someone else. You have to accept the fact that you're each on your own path."

Remember: Everyone started somewhere. And if they can figure it out, you definitely can, too!

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