Are you new to the gym? Do you feel a little bit left out? Don’t worry because we all start somewhere and making friends at the gym can have many benefits. There’s nothing more satisfying than meeting someone you’re familiar with, who can help you with your fitness goal.
Furthermore, having gym friends can also help you stay motivated. With that said, how exactly do you make friends at the gym? Being solo in the gym could be overwhelming and lonely, which is making friends is always good so that you’ll get more “fitspiration” from others.
Being alone in an environment is typically scary at first. You might get racing thoughts in your head and feel as if everyone around you is suspicious. That’s because you don’t get to talk to them yet so you don’t know who they are, how they act, and if they are okay to talk with.
However, once you get started on making friends at the gym, you’ll likely think less of those negative thoughts. When you start building trust in others and they trust you as well, there will be a small connection that will eventually grow once you get that first “hi” or “hello” across.
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How to make friends at the gym
First, let’s make something clear: gym friends aren’t those who would just nose around your machine and tell you to do this and that. Not every person likes the so-called “backseating” or being told off to do something every single time because it is downright annoying.
Making friends at the gym is not giving them unsolicited advice. Instead, you respect each other’s boundaries and talk about your goals and whatnot at the locker room. Even a simple “hey, how’s it going?” is a good way to talk to others and make that connection.
Every person has their personality and their workout preferences. However, if your friend decides to ask for advice, that’s when you can share your ideas. Conversations with gym friends don’t have to be limited to fitness – they can also be about your personal lives, current events, and others.
Making friends can be a scary thought for those who are not used to socialization – especially introverts but they want to go to the gym. Don’t worry – there’s a big chance that you will find a fellow introvert in the gym as well – you just have to find the connection and become brave enough to reach out to them.
Benefits of making friends at the gym
So, what are some great benefits of making friends at the gym? Here are some of them:
You feel safer
What making friends at the gym will do to your body is to make you less anxious about other people. As we mentioned above, you’ll get less of the “everyone is suspicious” feeling so you will feel more complacent when you head to the gym and do your workouts. Therefore, you’ll be more focused.
Likewise, you also feel safer in the sense that when you hit the gym and start working on one of the machines, it helps when someone is there to watch over you. They might not be a professional gym spotter but just having someone like a buddy to help you out simply feels safer than being alone.
Knowing the people around you in the gym, you feel safer because you know that your friend is the one using the machines and won’t feel suspicious or negative towards them. Either way, humans are made to be social so even just a simple greeting will kick off a friendship.
Friends add workout motivation
Another great benefit of making friends at the gym is to help you become more motivated. Having a gym buddy who is giving it their 100 percent will likely make you do the same. When your friend is making a lot of effort, it makes you feel more pumped up to try and push your limits as well.
Supposed you often slack off and forget to go to the gym most of the time due to other life matters. If you have a gym buddy, you’ll be less likely to skip workouts because you know that someone you trust will be there so you can have a good talk and a great time together.
A companion in an unfamiliar place
If you are a frequent traveler and you move from place to place, as well as if you travel abroad and meet new people and go to places, you’re likely going to hit a gym with a foreign environment. Making friends with people at the gym, in case you will end up staying in that city for a long time, will be beneficial.
Not only will you get to learn more about training and workouts with your new gym buddy – they might even give you more insights about the city and may even help you get a tour! There’s nothing more exciting than roaming around a new place while also keeping in mind your fitness routine.
You might find a friend for life
In the future, even if you don’t get to go to the gym before, you could end up getting a lifelong friend because of the time you spent together. They might have a different interest from you eventually but that doesn’t mean that your connection should simply fade away – true friendship goes beyond that.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, making friends at the gym is not as complicated as it seems. Just seeing them regularly, greeting for a bit, talking to them, and sharing a couple of ideas are enough to make a friendship prosper. Just make sure to respect each other’s boundaries and be there for them when they need it.
Gyms are public places so they are also great for introverts and ambiverts to train their social skills. When you go to the gym, why not try saying hi to some people and making friends and acquaintances along the way? It will benefit your workouts in the long run and make you feel safer.
