Learning new skills

How does learning a new skill build confidence?

Learning a new skill builds confidence mainly through success: you do something achievable, notice that you managed it, and build on it¹. Confidence from one mastered task can carry over to the next. Someone who gets comfortable on an exercise bike, for example, can use that success to feel more sure on a different machine¹.

Exercising alone doesn't automatically raise confidence. It helps when things are set up so you can get them right: activities matched to what you can do now, and credit for what you've already managed after each session². Marking steps with tape on the floor, for a step routine, is one way to let everyone master the moves².

Skill and confidence tend to grow together. Women learning to cycle as adults often find their confidence builds as their movement improves, and worries about their body and how they move ease as they get better³. So feeling self-conscious early on is a stage, not a verdict.

Be realistic about the size of the boost. Programmes that build movement skills tend to give a small lift to motivation and confidence, but the lift in confidence specifically isn't reliable⁴. Learning a skill is one helpful route, not a guarantee.

If you're 60 or over, setting targets, tracking your activity and getting feedback on how you did are linked with lower confidence and less activity, so use them only if they feel helpful⁵. Raising confidence, on the other hand, tends to come with a small rise in activity⁵.

When to check with a health professional

If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first.⁶ If you have COPD or asthma, talk with your doctor before starting a new activity, as there may be some additional risks⁷. If you have osteoporosis or a spinal fracture, ask your doctor or a physio about a programme that includes resistance and balance training, not aerobic activity alone⁸. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio.

For a sore muscle or joint, or soreness a day or two later, ease off. See a doctor or other health professional if it persists or gets worse. Pain during an activity is a signal to stop or ease off. Unusual tiredness isn't something to push through; get it checked by a doctor.

Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe.

If worry about trying something new feels overwhelming, a doctor or a mental health service can help³.