One of the things I have heard the most as a reason why some people don’t lift is that the environment makes them feel uncomfortable.

I can say I have been there, and it kept me from learning and trying new things besides cardio. For a really long time, I would go to the gym, go on the elliptical or treadmill for about an hour, stretch and do some type of abs workout and then call it a day. I didn’t know any better, and I didn’t really want to go into the weight room and be surrounded by all these people that made me feel uncomfortable. I remember I would attempt to do some type of exercise just like dumbbell sumo squats or lateral raises, and I would feel like everyone was judging me and it made me feel so uncomfortable.

Well, truth be told, there was a 100% chance that no one was even paying attention to me when I was there, but because it was such a new experience to me, it just felt like I was being judged.

If you are feeling nervous about going to the weight room, or trying new exercises and starting to lift, just know a lot of us go through that. There is no need to feel intimidated.

First of all, a lot of people aren’t really paying attention to what you do. You might be trying an exercise for the first time and you might feel awkward and lost, but we all have to start somewhere. If you never try it, you will never learn. It is all part of a learning process, and everyone starts at zero when it comes to lifting and exercising.

Give yourself enough credit for wanting to learn and make the effort.

Who cares how much you lift? The only person you should compare yourself to is your past self. If you stay consistent and committed, you will be able to gain strength and gain the confidence that maybe wasn’t there when you first started.

Most people don’t feel or look their best when they are working out. We can’t avoid the weird facial expressions when dealing with heavy weights, or some exercises like hip thrusts that, accidentally making eye contact with someone can be extremely uncomfortable. It is just a matter of realizing that everyone is in the same awkward situation. That is for me, blocking everyone else, and getting myself focused is all that matters. I try to pay attention to myself, and only myself when I exercise in order to avoid distractions and make sure I am doing my best. I understand it can be hard when you are not used to it, or if you’ve never done it, but once you get past that initial fear, only good things will come.

I guess all I want to say is: stop feeling intimidated at the gym. Do it for yourself, and great things will come. Don’t compare your progress to someone else’s. And most importantly, enjoy it! Working out can be a lot of fun if you have the right mindset. Make a playlist that you love and blast it. Make it about you and you’ll see that the background noise and activity will slowly start to disappear until it doesn’t matter anymore, and you focus only on yourself.