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After sweating solo to the rhythm of video sessions during the pandemic, men and women have rediscovered the warm atmosphere of group lessons. A boon for some, a disaster for those who suffer from ‘gymstimidation’, a neologism evoking the fear of being judged at the gym. Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with it, and to stay in shape without fear of criticism and ridicule from others.
Have you ever heard of ‘gymtimidation’? Contrary to what its name may suggest, this is not a new sport. The “gymtimidation” corresponds to the contraction between ‘gym’ and ‘intimidation’. This neologism symbolizes the phobia of some people to be judged, scrutinized or mocked at the gym. It is more precisely a question of fear of not knowing how to use such or such equipment, of not feeling physically up to it, of not exhibiting the same body as the other members, of not being able to do the exercises correctly, and even to be ogled by other users of the gym. So many reasons that lead some people to give up playing sports, all over the world.
When fear of other people’s eyes keeps you away from gyms
Although there are no (yet) figures for France, British and American studies have shown that ‘gymtimidation’ is far from being a niche phenomenon. In the UK, a study conducted by PureGym, a chain of fitness clubs, reveals that more than a third of gym users (39%) have already considered canceling their membership due to a lack of self-confidence when working out. ‘a session.
Same observation in the United States where a survey conducted by OnePoll for Isopure tells us that one in two Americans feel intimidated by the idea of playing sports in the gym. Significant figures that have pushed some to organize themselves to be able to practice physical activity without apprehending the gaze of others.
#ShyGirlWorkout, the resistance is getting organized
To cope with ‘gymstimidation’, many men, and even more women, have redoubled their inventiveness to allow everyone to play sports without any discomfort. Something that initially resulted in the posting of training videos on social networks offering users the possibility of regaining their self-confidence.
The idea is to learn to master the equipment and the sports sessions so that you can then indulge in them in public, but not only… It is also a question of allowing the most ‘shy’ people to play sports alone. A resistance that is organized more specifically on TikTok via the hashtag #ShyGirlWorkout, already at the origin of nearly 350 million views.
Just take a look at the many videos posted under this hashtag to discover a plethora of exercises that require little or no equipment, and easy to reproduce at home without fear of being judged or doing a bad move. But it doesn’t stop there, since coaches also deliver their advice to help their subscribers feel better about themselves, and even prepare them for future group lessons via simple tips on clothing, confidence itself, and even of the course of a session.
Two is better!
Indulging in a sport practice alone in front of your screen is good, but it is also possible to face the gaze of others more easily thanks to reflexes or tricks. What if you motivated a friend to accompany you to the gym? It seems that two is necessarily better! Playing sports as a duo can remove some or all of the discomfort that can be felt solo, and it also allows you to share a moment of complicity while keeping in shape.
If this is not enough, it is also possible to opt – as far as possible – for sessions outside peak hours, or to swap these group lessons for running sessions.
Another solution: discover the hundreds of fitness videos from Doctissimo and do your session live with the advice of our sports coaches.