How Strength Training Can Reduce Anxiety and Boost Confidence Through Mindfulness

What would happen if everything in your life that you were holding back, everything you didn’t think you could do, you pushed just a little—and then found out you could? Subconsciously, your entire world would open up. You’d begin asking: where else am I holding myself back because of fear or anxiety? These workouts would become a tool—a training ground.

Welcome to the PR Fuel Podcast. I’m Ashley Drummonds. I’ve been a fitness, nutrition, and mindset coach for over 15 years. I’m the entrepreneur behind a Shark Tank nutrition brand, a strength and conditioning coach, and the host of this podcast.

Today, we’re discussing how to use workouts to reduce anxiety, boost confidence, and practice meditation. I’ll share the story behind how I discovered strength training as a mindfulness tool, as well as some of the science explaining why it works so effectively.

My Story

Over 15 years ago, in my early 20s, I hit rock bottom. I experienced constant panic attacks, anxiety, obsessive thinking, and overwhelming stress. I was going through a divorce, had lost all my money, my friends, my house—everything I thought was stable was gone.

I had incredibly low self-esteem and questioned my purpose. During that time, I tried everything to manage the anxiety: books, yoga, meditation. The advice always came back to mindfulness. I tried yoga, but sitting still actually increased my anxiety. I needed movement.

I tried guided meditation, but either fell asleep or felt more restless. The audio didn't resonate with what I was actually experiencing. I was looking for an outlet—something to help me release energy, not bottle it up.

Turning Point

While finishing my college degree, I had access to a free wellness center. Out of boredom and desperation, I went to the gym and began lifting weights—completely untrained. I grabbed dumbbells and started basic movements: curls, presses, push-ups.

Something unexpected happened. Every time I left the gym, I felt better. My anxiety decreased. My thoughts were clearer. I felt more in control. It was the feeling I had been searching for in yoga and meditation, but had found through strength training.

What I Discovered

The workouts gave me emotional and mental strength, not just physical strength. It shifted something in me. I began researching workouts, watching videos, and eventually wrote my own program. This sparked my passion to become a personal trainer and help others feel what I felt.

Clients who trained with me not only improved physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Strength training increased their confidence, reduced anxiety, and gave them clarity. This experience wasn’t unique to me—it was happening to them, too.

Why It Works

Anxiety is often unused or misdirected energy. People who are highly creative or intuitive tend to internalize energy when they don’t have an outlet. Without a healthy way to release it, that energy turns into obsessive thinking, overanalyzing, or panic.

Meditation and yoga are about being present and connected to your breath. But strength training can achieve the same—and in some ways better—results. It requires total presence. You must sync breath, thought, and movement. You can't zone out or be distracted.

During compound lifts—like squats, deadlifts, presses—you engage multiple muscle groups and your entire attention. You physically and mentally challenge yourself. And when you succeed, it reshapes what you believe you’re capable of.

The Empowerment Shift

Every time a client lifts more than they thought they could, something shifts in their mind. Their self-doubt gets replaced with confidence. They go from thinking, “I can’t do this,” to “I just did that.” They start to ask themselves what else is possible.

Even failure becomes a lesson. You try again. You realize failure isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of learning, adapting, and building resilience. Strength training trains your mind not to fear failure.

A Tool for Transformation

This method helped me out of my lowest point. It continues to help me through difficult times. Some days I don’t feel like working out. I feel tired or discouraged. But I remind myself: I’m not here to look a certain way—I’m here to move energy, control my mind, and reconnect to my strength.

Fitness is no longer about the scale or the mirror. It’s about my mental health and inner power. A strong body is a byproduct—but not the goal.

Practical Tips to Begin

• Start with the breath. Just like in yoga or meditation, begin each workout with a few deep breaths. Get present.

• During lifts, focus. Before each movement, inhale, brace your core, and exhale as you move. Bring your full attention to the lift.

• Turn off distractions. Consider working out in silence or with focused music that enhances, not scatters, your mind.

• Challenge yourself. Don’t just pick the comfortable weights. Choose something that pushes you slightly beyond your current limit.

• Fail forward. Don’t fear failure. Learn from it and try again. Let it build your resilience.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about empowerment. Strength training can reduce anxiety, elevate your mental clarity, and help you feel strong—not just in body, but in life. If you’re going through something hard, this is your tool. This is your therapy.

If you’re ready to start, I have free strength training workouts available on YouTube. Push yourself and use the process to rediscover how powerful you really are. 

You can also Download the Strong, Fit & Lean Blueprint: 5 Hidden Root Causes Blocking Your Metabolism, Making You Store More Fat, Messing Up Your Hormones & Keeping You From Building Lean Muscle — Even If You’re Doing Everything Right here.