How to quash gym anxiety with TikTok’s #ShyGirlWorkout tips

Let’s face it, going to the gym can be stressful. Working out among strangers is far from natural for some people (especially women) and the fear of judgment is never far away. Especially when it comes to being faced with a machine you’ve never used before, and you don’t know how it works.

According to a study picked up by Stylist magazine, two-thirds of women report feeling intimidated by the gym, compared to 36% of men. More than half of women are afraid of not being fit enough to exercise, while a quarter are afraid of being judged.

For these women (or men), TikTok can be a solution. The social network is full of #ShyGirlWorkout videos. This hashtag has nearly 198 million views. In the videos, women share tips on how to feel more comfortable in the gym. 

@califullerfit you deserve to be there just as much as anybody else! #gymanxiety ♬ CUFF IT – Beyoncé

The workouts in these videos focus on exercises that require little or no equipment. The goal is to stick with simple exercises that are easy to remember and perform, and which will nevertheless work your body. For example, curls to work the biceps, or lunges and squats to work the legs and glutes. 

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Some coaches take advantage of these videos to share their own experiences in order to help women tackle this anxiety. This is the case of Alexandra Medlock.

The coach advises gym users to “make a plan” so that they know exactly what they’re going to do, then choose comfortable clothes and avoid comparison with others. “Everyone is in the gym to work on themselves, they aren’t paying attention to you,” the fitness coach explains in an Instagram post. “Put on a baseball hat, pump your favourite tunes in your headphones and focus on you.”

@alexxmedlock How to go from shy to flyyyyy in the gym #shygirl #CheetosReaperReactions #ItsGreatOutdoors #AmazonMusicProudHeroes #workouts #fitness #fittok ♬ original sound – Alex Medlock