Facing the fear

Have you ever felt anxious at a gym? Does the thought of going to one fill you with dread? 'Gymtimidation', as Ryan Hall writes, is more common than you might think

- By Ryan Hall

In the 2022/23 UK Fitness Report, commissioned by Puregym, 56% of gym-goers revealed they suffered some form of gym-related anxiety. Human nature is a broad science, and there is no hard and fast rule as to how anxiety affects each individual. But for men in particular, the gym can be an intimidating place. A 2021 study, published in the journal Wellbeing, Space and Society, for example, found that men often try to out-compete each other in the gym to adhere to stereotypical masculine images, which can lead to increasingly toxic atmospheres.

While most of the men I spoke to identified with this narrative and worried about not being strong enough, I heard other, more nuanced stories. One man told me that he felt intimidated setting foot in a gym unless he was wearing the latest, branded gym clothing. Another told me that he knew he was unfit, knew that going to a gym would lead to a healthier lifestyle, but wouldn’t go because he was worried about being judged by others. A further theme that came through was not knowing how to use certain bits of equipment, or feeling stupid when having to ask how to set up a machine.

LIFT OFF

New to weight lifting? Here’s how to work out smarter and harder

1. Pick the right weights