Get Ready to Be Comfortable and Confident on Your Journey

Comfortable is Crucial

I have had conversations with perspective clients seeking personal training who are very intimidated about beginning a fitness and activity regimen due to the social stigma and environment of most gyms and health studios.  There are several different types of facilities that you could choose once you're ready to begin and each one comes with different draws that may appeal to the way that you plan to approach conditioning.  These facilities also can be very intimidating to people making a first foray into fitness or someone returning from a long hiatus as well as someone that just doesn't fit within any of the available fitness facility environments around them.
You're going to have to find the fitness environment thats right for you.  Even before you make that choice and begin your fitness journey you can better prepare yourself by putting serious consideration into your wardrobe and items you prepare before you even walk through the door of the gym (or garage, field, parking lot, kitchen, hotel room, etc...)
This post isn't about my particular style within the brands of the items mentioned but its more about the use of the items and pieces within a gym wardrobe or outfit that can help anyone be comfortable and claim their space in public health club.  

Headsets and a Ready Music Library 

If you're into music then headsets and good playlists are going to be two of your best tools for pushing through workouts.  There will be a lot of distractions in a public facility that can separate you from the moment of the mind muscle connection which is important in every exercise that you do.  Having your favorite songs ready can help your really tune outside factors out and focus on the motion that you came there to perform.

Beyond your own focus others will likely at some point approach you for some sort of social interaction regardless of your level of comfort or if you're looking to be social in that moment.  Having a set of visible headsets on greatly limits the ability of people to interrupt your game plan to have a casual conversation (Its still likely going to happen). 

Works for a Cobra Works for Me

If you're feeling particularly intimidated you may want to consider a light mobile layer that has a hood.  Before I go further I want to say that I am not suggesting that the social aspect of a public facility is negative or that someone make any effort to be anti-social.  At the same time the aggressive nature of a gym or club can be very intimidating for someone who struggled just to walk through the door due to their own self image and is in great fear of being stared at (which is going to happen regardless of your condition).  A hood can help keep some stimuli that might be making you uncomfortable out of your peripheral vision and help you maintain focus as well as send a message that you're not looking for a conversation in that moment.

After you consider the items that are going to make you comfortable in the space then assemble the items that you need for performance with comfort in equal consideration.  Try to find items that make you feel as comfortable and as flattered as possible.  

Give special consideration to the shoes that you're wearing in regard to the type of training that you plan to perform.

There are a lot of intimidating factors that can cause someone to avoid pursuing a fitness regimen within a public gym or health club.  By making effort in preparing yourself with the right wardrobe and right equipment before you begin your fitness regimen you can help be more comfortable stepping into a potential high anxiety situation.