Feel Stupid At The Gym? Two Instant Fixes

Never again pretend you’re looking for an earring while secretly reading the machine’s directions.

The number one reason — by far — that people don’t go to the gym is because they feel stupid when they’re there.

They think: A) that they will not know how to set equipment properly; B) that someone will see their workout and laugh; or C) that they’ll be doing stuff that’s way easier than what everyone else is doing.

In theory, these barriers are so simple to remove. A) ask; B) they won’t; C) no one cares. Boom, done. But it doesn’t feel simple in real life. It feels awful.

We’re scared of gyms. Research shows that nearly half of respondents said they’d be ashamed to ask anyone — including staff members — for help with anything in the gym. Beginnerphobia + body insecurity = overwhelming self-defeat. I know this shame first-hand, which is how I know it can be confronted. I’ve got some tried-and-true tricks to help you combat it.

The real power behind this distress is our baseline human fear of not fitting into the group. I call it the Fake Noodle Syndrome. No one wants to feel like an impasta. Belief in your rightful place is vital, because feeling lost is a canneloneli place to be.