{"id":6067,"date":"2023-07-28T21:00:47","date_gmt":"2023-07-28T14:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=6067"},"modified":"2023-07-28T21:00:47","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T14:00:47","slug":"gymtimidation-beat-it-with-these-3-expert-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=6067","title":{"rendered":"Gymtimidation: Beat It With These 3 Expert Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">T<\/span>hird-millennium feminism is obsessed with telling women to take up space. Whether we\u2019re fighting manspreading by taking back that extra inch or two on the subway or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/speaking-up-at-work\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/speaking-up-at-work\/\">speaking up in a meeting with our peers<\/a>, we\u2019re told never to shrink ourselves. But it seems our efforts to take up real estate aren\u2019t always translating to our workouts. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/discover\/shy-girl-workouts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/discover\/shy-girl-workouts\">\u201cShy girl workouts\u201d<\/a>\u2014a TikTok trend in which women share tips for taking up the least amount of room at the gym\u2014has racked up over 500 million views.<\/div>\n<p>In case your algorithm has left you out of this narrative so far, shy girl workout videos often recommend simplifying your exercise regimen so it fits squarely in one part of the workout facility\u2014be it the treadmill, the dumbbell area, or a single weight machine. Many of these TikToks are targeting gym newbies who understandably feel overwhelmed by the vast offerings of their local Planet Fitness or Crunch. And while the intention of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/fitness-influencers-advice\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/fitness-influencers-advice\/\">sharing free exercise routines<\/a> may come from a kind place, experts say that the implication that you need to place boundaries on your movement can be harmful.<\/p>\n<h2>Why we may feel the need to shy-ify our gym workouts<\/h2>\n<p>As you\u2019ve probably noticed by now, human beings love to play the comparison game\u2014and that doesn\u2019t stop at the gym. \u201cComparisons are central components of how we think about our identities, which are far more based on our status in the different groups in which we live, play, and work than many of us realize,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/secure.helloalma.com\/providers\/elisabeth-morray\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/secure.helloalma.com\/providers\/elisabeth-morray\/\">Elisabeth Morray, PsyD<\/a>, a psychologist and VP of clinical operations at Alma, an app for finding therapists.<\/p>\n<p>This tendency to measure ourselves against others is known as \u201csocial referencing,\u201d and at the gym, that referencing most often concerns our physical appearance. \u201cComparing ourselves to others\u2014particularly in terms of outward appearances\u2014can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9137648\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9137648\/\">lead to frustration, self-criticism<\/a>, decreased motivation, and anxiety,\u201d says Dr. Morray. \u201cThose kinds of unwanted thoughts and emotions are ones that most of us try to avoid as we move through our lives more broadly, and at the gym, this can turn into avoiding moving our bodies in the ways that work for us, or at worst, avoiding the gym altogether.\u201d Or, you know, being super shy around the leg press machine.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gymtimidation\/\" current-title=\"Goodbye, \u2018Shy Girl Workouts\u2019\u2014Here Are 3 Expert Ways To Beat Gymtimidation\" current-image=\"GettyImages-gymtimidation-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-01-28\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gymtimidation\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gymtimidation\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/gymtimidation\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>These feelings can lead to major &#8220;gymtimidation.&#8221; According to a recent <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.skimresources.com%3Fid%3D104860X1561639%26xs%3D1%26xcust%3DSTMSFT-1096669%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fus.myprotein.com%252Fthezone%252Fmotivation%252Fwhich-states-are-most-impacted-by-gymtimidation%252F&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fgymtimidation%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/us.myprotein.com\/thezone\/motivation\/which-states-are-most-impacted-by-gymtimidation\/\">My Protein study<\/a>, 90 percent of respondents reported that they worry about how other people perceive them at the gym (even though 75 percent said they rarely or never judge others\u2019 workouts!).<\/p>\n<p>Women may experience a double dose of gymtimidation, given that, for years, strength training and weight machines <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wbur.org\/onpoint\/2022\/04\/18\/the-secret-history-of-womens-fitness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wbur.org\/onpoint\/2022\/04\/18\/the-secret-history-of-womens-fitness\">were predominately reserved for men<\/a>. \u201cIt is common for women to feel uncomfortable with machines they rarely use, which can lead to anxiety and fear around working out at the gym,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/westkeptsecret.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/westkeptsecret.co\/\">Marissa West, CPT<\/a>, founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/westkeptsecret.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/westkeptsecret.co\/\">West Kept Secret Fitness Studio<\/a> in Charlotte, North Carolina. Not to mention, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2023\/feb\/01\/gym-weirdos-tiktok-videos-women-recording-sexual-harassment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2023\/feb\/01\/gym-weirdos-tiktok-videos-women-recording-sexual-harassment\">many women<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/lgbt-friendly-gym-etiquette-tips\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/lgbt-friendly-gym-etiquette-tips\/\">LGBTQ+ folks face harassment<\/a> and unwelcome attention at their local fitness spots.<\/p>\n<p>In short, there\u2019s a lot of history, baggage, and nuance behind the shy girl workout TikTok trend, but that doesn\u2019t mean we can\u2019t outgrow the tiny slice of gym we\u2019ve been relegating ourselves to. Here\u2019s to bold woman workouts.<\/p>\n<h2>3 ways to overcome gymtimidation<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Set personal gym goals<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cCompare you to you, and only you,\u201d says Dr. Morray. \u201cAsk yourself what you want to accomplish and what it will take to get there.\u201d Maybe your goal is to do a push-up, knock 20 seconds off your mile time, or just to feel stronger. Then, when you find yourself feeling reticent in the weight room, remind yourself of why you\u2019re there.<\/p>\n<p>Hint: It\u2019s not to seek approval from the gym bros. \u201cNotice when your mind gets pulled into comparison and self-criticism,\u201d says Dr. Morray. \u201cPracticing looking \u2018at\u2019 rather than \u2018through\u2019 your thoughts may allow you to have more freedom in the choices you make, including choosing to act in a way that is more in line with your goals than with your mind and its habits of comparing your skills and body to those of others, or engaging in destructive self-criticism.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>2. Ask for help<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s be honest: Most of the \u201dhow tos\u201d on weight machines are no clearer than Ikea instructions. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to ask for help. \u201cNot feeling confident that you \u2018know what you\u2019re doing\u2019 can increase anxiety at the gym. Many gyms have trainers on staff who can give you tips on proper form and adapt these to meet the unique structure and needs of your body,\u201d says Dr. Morray.<\/p>\n<p>If a personal trainer isn\u2019t in your budget, that\u2019s totally fine. Look up videos online from reputable trainers before your workout, and don\u2019t be afraid to watch them again at the gym. And at many fitness centers, trainers wander the floor between clients and are happy to answer one-off questions from any member.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Make a gym buddy<\/h3>\n<p>If going to the gym by yourself isn\u2019t appealing yet, West recommends finding a gym buddy. \u201cConnect with your friends about what you are experiencing. You might be surprised to hear they are experiencing something similar and, at a minimum, receive support,\u201d she says. Maybe that friend turns into a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/workout-buddy\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/workout-buddy\/\">workout companion<\/a>. But if not, try taking one of the fitness classes your gym offers and chatting with someone new before or after. That way, you walk away with a bud and someone who will navigate the gym (the <em>entire <\/em>gym) by your side.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Third-millennium feminism is obsessed with telling women to take up space. Whether we\u2019re fighting manspreading by taking back that extra inch or two on the subway or speaking up in a meeting with our peers, we\u2019re told never to shrink ourselves. But it seems our efforts to take up real estate aren\u2019t always translating to &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6067"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6067\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}