3 Tips To Boost Your Confidence In The Gym
When you first join a martial arts gym, it can be an intense experience. Just walking through the doors can feel like you are entering a room full of trained destroyers.
However, you forget that those people are just like you – office workers, parents, and students. You even forget that each of those individuals started off in the very same position.
If you have just joined the gym and still struggle with uncertainty, here are three things you can do to boost your confidence.
#1 Train With A Friend
Whoever said you have to practice martial arts alone? If you train with a friend, you may feel less anxious when you walk into the gym.
The crowds will no longer intimidate you because you will not have to ask a bunch of people you do not know if they want to team up with you.
Also, having a friend to train with will give you time to get to know everyone and build your confidence.
Malaysia’s top female mixed martial artist Jihin “Shadow Cat” Radzuan overcame her shyness and nerves by leaning on her teammates at Ultimate MMA Academy.
“Every time I see [my friends] ready to train, it helps me with my confidence. You wouldn’t want to be training at a place where everyone does not want to train,” she says.
“When your teammates are urging you to kick harder, or are not going to tap out easily in a submission, this makes you believe in your abilities more.”
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#2 Ask For Help
When you are new to the gym, asking for help is not easy – especially when you have to ask for help from more established students or competitors.
But always remember, every single person in that gym started off just like you, and they only improved by asking questions to coaches and more experienced students.
ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera encourages gym goers to never be afraid to ask for help.
“Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions,” he says.
“Never let one person’s actions or words discourage you from doing what you need when it comes to your physical fitness.”
#3 Start With What You Are Good At
If you are still building your confidence in the martial arts gym, work on what you know before you go on to what you do not know.
For instance, if you are new to the gym, you might want to develop your striking technique before you test yourself in Muay Thai sparring.
Working on things you know will let you slowly build up your poise until you are ready for bigger challenges.
“Practice doing something you love doing,“ Jihin says.
“For example, if you prefer rolling instead of striking, then you can warm yourself up and get in the groove that way.”
Read more: 5 Muay Thai Exercises You Can Do At Home While Life Is On Pause
