“Nothing will work unless you do”

– Maya Angelou

Gyms can be intimidating, especially during peak hours. Walking into a packed gym and seeing people everywhere can spike anxiety. I think there is a common misunderstanding of judgement in gyms. Many people feel unwelcome, anxious, and unsure how to pursue a workout when gyms get busy. It is important to remember, the way you are not sitting and staring at people workout, they are not staring at you either. Everyone is there for themselves and are not paying attention to what you are doing, even when it feels that way. I am going to put together some simple, effective workouts to do when you are feeling shy at the gym.

Cardio ideas:

12-3-30, this is a simple treadmill workout where you set it at incline 12, speed 3, and walk for 30 minutes. Walking everyday is such a great way to get your body moving and stay healthy. This is perfect for people who do not want to get up and move all around the gym looking for different machines.

Cardio circuit, 10 minutes on stair master, 10 minute bike, 10 minute walk/run. This quick 30 minute workout is still extremely effective for getting your heart rate up and wanting to break a sweat.

Dumbbell workout ideas:

Arms find a clear space anywhere in the gym, all you will need is a couple dumbbells. Shoulder press 4 x 10, overhead tricep extension 4×10 (one dumbbell), bicep curl 4 x 10, lateral raises 4 x 6, waiter curls 4×10 (one dumbbell). These set and reps are just general recommendations, I always say AMRAP (as many reps as possible). This sounds super intimidating, but it really just means do it to your bodies ability. This usually ends up in the 10 rep range, depending on the weight and expercise.

Legs again, this can all be done in one spot. This dumbbell circuit will work mainly on quads. One nice thing about legs, is body weight is still extremely effective. Grab 1 (10-25 pound) dumbbell, as well as a 10 pound plate. This will go 3 sets. The first round of this workout set the plate down so you can elevate your heel. Do the first round of squats, while holding your dumbbell with both hands (10 reps), then immediately drop it and do 10 reps with just body weight, keeping your heels still elevated. Immediately after, Find a wall and do a wall sit, with your plate on top of your legs for as many seconds as you can. The point of this cycle it to only take a break between the 3 sets of the cycles, not in between the sets of the individual exercises.