Don't act tough, just get buff!
If the idea of going to the gym leaves you trembling at the knees you may well have avoided going despite a desire to get buff. The grunt of several large sweaty goliaths, gurning their way to big guns and the clunk of huge piles of iron hitting the floor may have stopped you making the start on those abs you have always wanted.
You will be relieved to hear that this is a common fear among men. They worry about being ridiculed if they can't lift even the smallest weight, they are scared of not knowing what to do, they are scared of bumping into a particularly large fellow and starting a fight with a man shaped bull, but above they are scared of the idea that they are destined to be flabby or weedy their whole life. With this in mind, here are some tips to help you overcome your fear and get yourself on the big gun train!
Clientele
Before you go in, remind yourself that every one of those blokes was standing where you are now at some point. No muscle, scared of going in and not sure what to do. When you enter and some turn to look at your, think of the fact that they are probably all worried that you are judging them. After all you are all obviously conscious enough of your looks to want to go to the gym. Try breaking the ice by asking some advice or by asking someone to spot you. (If you don't know what that is yet don't worry.)
Gym Buddy
A great way to help you overcome this fear is to go with a friend. Ideally someone that can help you get the hang of the machines and other equipment. But if you don't have a friend like that, any friend will do. Once you get into the swing of going to the gym and start to get competitive with yourself it will help to have a friend to bounce off and to help motivate you to keep coming back.
List
If you do go on your own, take two things with you to help you stay focused and to help you forget about being scared. An MP3 player is great for keeping a rhythm when running or when lifting weights and for blocking out the room. The other thing is a small notepad. Use this to note down every exercise you do, how many repetitions you do and how heavy the weight was each time. This way when you come next time you will know what you have to do and what you are aiming to beat so your muscles get bigger.
