Welcome to your first day at the gym. Congratulations on taking the first step to living an active lifestyle: showing up.

So, where do you go from here? You are probably feeling overwhelmed by the daunting amount of equipment, not sure how to use half of it, and are unsure where the half you know how to use is. Intimidation is normal. Just like muscles take time and effort to grow, so does confidence. Here are four ways to build confidence within yourself and in your fitness journey.

Remember it is okay to not be perfect.

It is okay that you don’t lift the heaviest weights or are unable to hit the highest reps. Everyone starts somewhere, and everyone’s journey is different. There is no need to compare yourself to others. As long as you are being safe and avoiding injury, it is okay to experiment and try something new (and even mess up while doing it). You are never going to learn and grow by repeating the same workout every time. It may feel like all eyes are on you, but that is your nerves talking. Everyone else is too focused on their own workouts to worry about what you are doing. Every person is at the gym for their own self-interest, so why sacrifice yours for the sake of proving to a bunch of strangers that you know what you’re doing?

Work out with a friend. 

Humans are not solo creatures… especially college students. When you bring a friend along, you no longer feel singled out and alone when you first enter the gym. Working out in pairs or even a small group creates a light-hearted atmosphere that is often lacking in an individual setting. This allows you to mess up when working out and joke about it with a friend, rather than feeling self-conscious about your mistakes. No one takes themselves too seriously around their friends, so take advantage of it, and try something you haven’t felt comfortable doing solo! 

Bringing an inexperienced friend along can help keep you both be accountable and feel secure that you are relatively in the same place in your journeys. However, consider asking a friend that is more seasoned in the weight room to come with you to give you tips and tricks, new workouts, or even introduce you to some of their gym friends. Whoever it may be that you bring, let loose and have fun with them. The gym is your oyster, just remember to keep the safety and security of yourself and others in mind. 

Smile! Make friends.

Having a gym buddy can help ease the anxiety the weight room may cause, but the odds that two college students can manage to have coinciding free-time multiple days a week is slim to none. That being said, you may find yourself alone and ready to work out. Don’t be afraid; go solo and make friends. Seeing familiar faces around makes the gym a lot less daunting, and your new gym friends can even give you tips and tricks for your workout. This will improve your confidence, as well as your technique. However, making friends at the gym is not for the faint of heart. With earbuds and gigantic headsets blocking everyone out, gym-goers seem virtually unapproachable. Rely more on non-verbal cues like smiling, eye-contact, and body language when trying to make friends at the gym. Also, try going to the gym at the same time and days so you get familiar with faces and feel more comfortable working out around them. 

Create an awesome playlist.

One thing every seasoned gym-goer has is a killer go-to workout playlist filled with jams to pump them up while they pump the iron. Listening to the right music when you work out can give you the confidence and energy to conquer the world (or the weight room). It also creates a light-hearted atmosphere and puts you in your own world. Noise-cancelling earbuds can also help you forget your surroundings and focus on your own workout. Music makes your workout fun, so let loose and dance a little if you are feeling the song!

Now that you are armed with a tool belt of techniques to build your confidence, what are you waiting for? Come on over to The Rec and get started on your fitness journey today. We cannot wait to welcome you (from six feet away of course). 

Be well, Auburn.

Photography: Abbey C.