{"id":17317,"date":"2016-04-24T04:13:05","date_gmt":"2016-04-24T04:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/?p=17317"},"modified":"2023-03-30T11:05:28","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T07:05:28","slug":"do-you-suffer-from-gymtimidation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/do-you-suffer-from-gymtimidation\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you suffer from gymtimidation?"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Are you worried you\u2019ll look terrible in Lycra and a tight tee? Don\u2019t know what the machines in the gym are for? Embarrassed about your body shape? Don\u2019t worry, you\u2019re not alone. Dr Matser explains why\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Gulf News | Friday Magazine | Colin Drury 22 Apr 2016<\/p>\n

For Edita Koeman, the final straw came on the bench press. At her local gym in Motor City, Dubai, she was finishing up her twice-weekly session when a more regular member strolled over.<\/p>\n

\u2018She looked at what I\u2019d been lifting and kind of smirked,\u2019 recalls the 32-year-old restaurant manager. \u2018Then she said, smiling like it was a compliment, \u201cYou\u2019ve got such a meaty figure \u2013 I bet with a bit more training you could lift double that\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u2018I didn\u2019t know what to say. I was like, \u201cThanks\u201d. But I\u2019m walking away thinking, \u201cI\u2019ve just been called fat\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u2018I was devastated. I mean, I know I have curves but it felt so mean and it just played on my mind. It made me feel like an imposter for being at the gym.\u2019<\/p>\n

Edita, who is originally from the Netherlands, never went back. And it turns out she is not alone.<\/p>\n

People across the UAE, evidence suggests, are increasingly turning to alternative fitness solutions because of a phenomenon known as \u2018gymtimidation\u2019. Thousands of us are growing ever more reluctant to attend gyms because we feel daunted by them: by the other clientele, by the staff, by the equipment and even by the clothes we are expected to wear.<\/p>\n

\u2018Gymtimidation is absolutely real,\u2019 says Dr Erik Matser, a clinical neuropsychologist at the German Neuroscience Center in Dubai Healthcare City.<\/h2>\n

\u2018It is a sickness built on low self-esteem and created by the constant bombardment of unrealistic images of the perceived ideal body in media and advertising. We are led to believe that being super-slim and super-toned is the normal and, unless we are like that \u2013 and 99.9 per cent of the population isn\u2019t \u2013 we can feel that we don\u2019t belong in the gym.<\/p>\n

\u2018It is the same sort of culture \u2013 normalising a look that people cannot hope to attain \u2013 as that which makes young people anorexic.\u2019[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17320″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

Stats on gymtimidation aren\u2019t easy to come by. Few gyms, after all, will admit that membership is falling for fear of the negative connotations.<\/p>\n

Yet if you recognise the diagnosis in yourself, there\u2019s no doubt you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

A 2014 survey in a British health magazine \u2013 one of the few conducted on the issue \u2013 found 47 per cent of women avoid the gym because they feel out of place; while in 2015 the pop star (and fitness fanatic) Ellie Goulding went on record as saying she regularly felt uncomfortable while working out: \u2018guys stop what they\u2019re doing and look at you with a smug smile that bums me out so much.\u2019<\/p>\n

Here in the UAE, alternative ways of getting fit are booming \u2013 and many believe that\u2019s at the expense of the gym.<\/p>\n

The Dubai Women\u2019s Football Association says it has more players signed up than ever in its history; cycling is on the up with miles of routes, tracks and lanes currently being laid across our cities; tennis clubs are reporting increasing members; and anyone who ever visits Dubai Marina won\u2019t need telling that jogging is on the rise.<\/p>\n

And yet, despite all the above, the gym remains perhaps the most effective way of getting fit quick. Here in the UAE, it is also one of the cheapest and most convenient with many of us living in buildings \u2013 or at least neighbourhoods \u2013 with their own facilities.<\/p>\n

The fact is, if we choose to go to the gym, we shouldn\u2019t be intimidated by anyone or anything.<\/p>\n

Which is why, as the summer\u2019s searing temperatures start once more to make outdoor exercise largely off limits, Friday speaks to personal trainers and sports psychologists to bring you expert advice in ways to conquer your gymtimidation.<\/p>\n

See you on the rowing machine\u2026<\/p>\n

The problem: You don\u2019t feel fit, slim or toned enough compared with everyone else there<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saying you won\u2019t go to the gym because you feel you look too unfit is, rationally, like saying you won\u2019t go to a restaurant because you feel too hungry. Yet concern about body image is the one thing that puts many of us off.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think everyone feels like this when they start \u2013 no matter what your shape, size or sex,\u2019 says Ricky Mestre, head personal trainer for Target Fitness in Al Safa. \u2018I know I did. I felt people were looking and laughing at me, and it made me want to quit many times.\u2019<\/p>\n

The solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n

First things first: remember people go to the gym to get fit, not because they already are.<\/p>\n

Everyone there \u2013 no matter what they look like now \u2013 had a body shape they wanted to change at some point. Most still do, or they wouldn\u2019t be there.<\/p>\n

Second: remember pretty much no one is judging you. They won\u2019t even be looking at you. And those rare strange creatures who do? Does their opinion really matter? If The Terminator who spends his life sat on the peck deck isn\u2019t impressed by the fact your arms don\u2019t resemble a couple of golf balls in a sock, do you actually care?<\/p>\n

Dr Matser, who has worked with sports stars from Chelsea FC to the Dutch Olympic swimming team<\/h2>\n

\u2018The problem,\u2019 says Dr Matser, who has worked with sports stars from Chelsea FC to the Dutch Olympic swimming team, \u2018is that sports marketing constantly shows idealised body shapes \u2013 slim, svelte, toned, six packs \u2013 which are simply not anchored in reality.<\/p>\n

\u2018What we must do, as individuals, is remember this is not real, and we should not allow it to impact our own self-esteem. Human bodies are as unique as fingerprints. They come in all different shapes and sizes. As someone who has worked with some of the world\u2019s best athletes, I assure you there is no one anywhere \u2013 let alone in your gym \u2013 with a perfect body. It\u2019s a myth.\u2019<\/p>\n

The problem: You\u2019re unsure how to use the equipment properly<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gym equipment, let\u2019s be honest, looks not dissimilar to something you might see in a torture chamber (and, once you\u2019re using it, often feels like it too).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not self-explanatory. It\u2019s rarely easy-to-use. And when you\u2019re dealing with weights that go into the hundreds of kilograms, it can be pretty unforgiving if you make a mistake.<\/p>\n

Consider this: 20 per cent of regular gym-goers admit they don\u2019t understand all the gear in the average weights room (that\u2019s according to that British survey quoted above), so how on earth is a newcomer supposed to get to grips with it?<\/p>\n

The solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Quite simple: ask. \u2018If you don\u2019t understand something, there\u2019s a tendency for people to blame themselves or think they are being stupid,\u2019 says Dr Matser. \u2018And that just isn\u2019t true. No one is born an expert. You must do what you would do in every other walk <\/strong>\u2028of life if you\u2019re unsure: ask and learn.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ricky agrees \u2013 and he points out it\u2019s your financial right too.<\/p>\n

\u2018Every gym has instructors and helping you is what they\u2019re paid to do,\u2019 he says. \u2018If you don\u2019t use them, you\u2019re not getting your money\u2019s worth from your membership.\u2019<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17330″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

The problem: Gym clothing is unflattering<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lycra, stretch pants, vest tops? All worn while sweating and slowly turning a shade of beetroot from exertion?<\/p>\n

This is not a look most people can pull off.<\/p>\n

Yet many try. Going to the gym and seeing others in sportswear that seems to be straight from the Olympic village can feel seriously demoralising \u2013 especially when you\u2019ve rocked up in a pair of joggers and sneakers that are older than the \u2028new instructor.<\/p>\n

The solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The gym isn\u2019t a catwalk show. You\u2019re not there to impress with your style. You\u2019re there for a workout.<\/p>\n

So put on something safe, simple and comfy, and ignore the \u2018peer pressure\u2019 to look trendy.<\/p>\n

Gym clothing, says American dietician and fitness expert Alejandro Chaban in his celebrated Yes You Can! diet plan blog, \u2018is about having the right underwear, pants, shoes and socks. All that\u2019s important is you feel comfortable, confident and avoid injuries.\u2019<\/p>\n

And if you need inspiration, just look at Rocky. He pretty much trained in his underpants and a cotton vest, and he still became heavyweight champion of the world.<\/p>\n

The problem: It feels too competitive<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not pressing 80kg then what, pray tell, were you thinking by darkening the door of the gym?<\/p>\n

This is what many of us feel will be asked once inside the weights room. Here, so our fears go, men will be checking out what you\u2019re pumping, women will be sneaking glances at your calves, and everyone will be trying to outdo one another with shows of strength, speed and stamina. And you can fall into that trap too. \u2018Looking at the person next to you and wanting to compete with her is a very bad idea,\u2019 says Alejandro. \u2018The only thing you\u2019re going to do with this is feel bad if you can\u2019t keep up.\u2019<\/p>\n

The solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Competition might be all well and good if you\u2019re at Rio 2016. But this isn\u2019t that. It\u2019s the weights room on the 38th floor. Most people are here in their spare time after work. There\u2019s no need to compare.<\/p>\n

\u2018Being social at the gym is a good thing,\u2019 says Dr Matser. \u2018You can learn off others and make friends. But if there\u2019s a competitive edge that you don\u2019t like, zone out. You don\u2019t need to get involved. Listen to music. Focus on yourself. Enjoy the exercise.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The problem: Trainers lack patience<\/p>\n

In an ideal world, your average gym instructor would be a zen-like cross between Yoda, Mr Miyagi and White Goodman from Dodgeball: A true underdog story \u2013 part mentor, part friend, part beverage-holder.<\/p>\n

In reality, a regular complaint from those suffering gymtimidation is that staff are all too often off-putting. They can lack patience and interest with beginners, and favour the already-buff.<\/p>\n

\u2018I never used an instructor,\u2019 says Edita, \u2018but one thing I did notice is that a lot of the time they were too busy working on their own biceps to bother telling me how to improve mine.\u2019<\/p>\n

The solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea of unfriendly and unconcerned gym staff is actually, says Ricky, mainly a myth.<\/p>\n

\u2018Instructors and personal trainers want to see you succeed,\u2019 he says. \u2018It often can become a personal friendship. My advice would be to trust in them by working hard and having fun.\u2019<\/p>\n

And if you do come across an instructor you don\u2019t click with? Simply look for another. Gyms aren\u2019t staffed by just one person. There should always be a second person around. Or, indeed, another gym to go to should it come to that.<\/p>\n

To use the earlier metaphor, stopping going to the gym because you don\u2019t like a trainer is like stopping eating out because you don\u2019t like a waiter at a particular restaurant.<\/p>\n

The problem: \u00a0You just don\u2019t really like the gym<\/strong><\/p>\n

No reason \u2013 just not your thing.<\/p>\n

The solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t go. We\u2019ve already alluded to it and it\u2019s absolutely true: there are a million other ways to stay fit in a country like the UAE \u2013 even at the height of summer.<\/p>\n

\u2018Experiment,\u2019 says Dr Matser. \u2018See what you like, see what you\u2019re good at, and see what works for you. If nothing else, you should have fun trying out new things.\u2019<\/h2>\n

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http:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/doctor\/dr-erik-matser-psychologist-in-dubai\/<\/p>\n

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The article was originally published by Gulf News | Friday Magazine | Colin Drury 22 Apr 2016<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Are you worried you\u2019ll look terrible in Lycra and a tight tee? Don\u2019t know what the machines in the gym are for? Embarrassed about your body shape? Don\u2019t worry, you\u2019re not alone. Dr Matser explains why\u2026 Gulf News | Friday Magazine | Colin Drury 22 Apr 2016 For Edita Koeman, the final straw came on<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17328,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17317","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17317"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17317\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gncdubai.com\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}