Desperate to get fit but hate doing it in public? Here are seven ways to beat gymtimidation

Some things in life – swimming, public speaking, taking a radiator off the wall – are terrifying the first time you do them, but so fundamental to a better quality of existence that they’re well worth the effort. And so it is with the gym: though those first shaky reps come easier for some people than others, everyone is a beginner at some point.

Here, then, is your seven-step plan to overcoming gymtimidation – from crossing the threshold for the first time to becoming a squat-rack regular.