The gym! Some of us experience a racing heart, sweaty palms and unsteady legs at the mere thought of going to the gym and working out in front of others. The stress and anxiety causes you to overthink your decision to go to the gym, often leading to not going at all. However, lots of people think this way when first starting to workout. They experience anxious thoughts like, “What will people think of me?”, “What if I look weird doing an exercise?” and “What if I am doing an exercise wrong?” Those are just some of the questions and thoughts that spark gym anxiety. 

To list some facts by the New York Post:

• 31 percent of people feel anxious when thinking about trying to get into shape.
• 48 percent of Americans feel intimidated by the number of fitness workouts and classes.
• 47 percent admit to having feelings of intimidation at the gym.
• 32 percent feel intimidated when working out near someone who is extremely fit.

Other people may share the same anxiety. Gym intimidation and gym anxiety are real things. In this article, I will cover how to start going to the gym, the mental health and academic benefits of regular exercise and how to establish a solid workout routine at Bucknell. At Bucknell, we are provided with an amazing gym, staff and equipment that we should make the best use of!

The first step to going to the gym is deciding when to go. This decision depends on your classes; if you have an 8 a.m., and if you are a morning person, you can set an alarm for 6 o’ clock, complete a 40-minute gym routine of cardio and weights and then get ready for the school day. I recommend not arriving at the gym any less than two hours before your classes start to ensure you can arrive to class on time. 

However, the time you go truly depends on you and how fast you function. Making the most of your time in a school day makes you not only productive but feel better about yourself and the time that you are utilizing. You’re also making the most of your tuition and the resources it provides you, whether it’s funded by your parents or you’re paying for it yourself. The gym is free; Bucknell wants its students to be the best possible versions of themselves.

If you are nervous about going to the gym alone, there is always an option to bring a friend. The friend could be a beginner at the gym like you; you both could try to figure out the equipment. Or you could bring a friend with experience. Someone who knows the ropes could teach you how to use the equipment. Having a workout partner with you always has its benefits when you’re a first-timer going to the gym – the environment can be overwhelming.

But it’s always good to start somewhere. Familiarize yourself with the equipment around you. And if you don’t know any equipment, the treadmill is the easiest one to use. Go for a 30-minute walk or run. If you don’t like running, speed walk on an incline. There are a million varieties of routines you can create for yourself on any equipment. But most importantly, do what you love. Because the more you like something, the more likely you will come back the next day. Imagine how many routines you can make on other equipment as well. 

After getting good with a treadmill, choose to try another piece of equipment the next time you are at the gym. The more you let yourself branch out to use other equipment the more comfortable you will be with your surroundings, allowing you to enjoy the gym more.

Bucknell also holds Wellness & Group Fitness Programs for its students to use. These classes are held seven days a week and are for all levels of fitness. Programs include yoga, Pilates, Zumba and many more. Going to fitness programs inhibits anxiety and stress as there is an instructor who is telling you what to do. Kirandeep Dhillon, a first-year student at Bucknell, stated that Bucknell’s Pilates program makes her feel “productive and healthy.” A blog by Friendshipfitness posted that, “those who participated in group exercise had a 26% reduction in stress.” Maybe working out in a group is your way to go. Being involved with a fitness community will motivate you to exercise and not be stressed. 

And why should you feel anxious about going to the gym when it can only benefit you? Exercising for some time in the day comes with many benefits endocrinologically and neurologically. During exercise, endorphins are released, which helps “relieve pain, reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being,” according to the Cleveland Clinic. Studies have shown that endorphins reduce depression, help with stress and anxiety, improve self-image and many more benefits.

Exercise also increases serotonin levels, a neurotransmitter in the brain, which has many benefits: improved mood, reduced anxiety and/or panic attacks, a sense of accomplishment and better digestion. Getting up, getting ready and going to the gym can lead to better eating, socializing and sleeping better. According to Harvard Health Publishing at Harvard Medical School, exercise comes with benefits like “its ability to reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation and stimulate the release of growth factors—chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells.” If you exercise, it will help your brain function better, improve your memory, help you learn new material quicker and increase your motivation to finish tasks. You could get better grades, keep up with school work and feel more confident in the work you complete. In short, working out can make you happier.

That leaves me with my final questions. Did you build your workout schedule yet? Did you actually work out today? Bucknell provides its students with many gym facilities, so use them. Once you start exercising, you won’t stop.