Gym Embarrassment

[NeoIncubusX]

Who here, when first starting to workout, kind of felt "out of place" in the gym with all the guys around you who have been working out for years and years and are really big? If anyone else here has felt like that, how did you get over it (besides maybe trying to say to yourself, "no one is paying any attention")? It's a problem a friend of mine and I are having. Thanks!

[nozzle]

I've always felt that! Especially being the only girl in the free weights. Even when I switched gyms I felt that. But, it went away on its own after a few weeks. Just remember that even if you can't do the heavy weight that some of the regulars can, you're doing your best and that's all that counts. Everyone has to start from somewhere and just remember that they haven't always been big. They had to be a skinny newbie at one point!

Besides, if you hang around here for a while your form will be better than 99.9% of those gym-goers anyways. /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[NutMeg]

everyone there started off somewhere, be it overweight or underweight (or somehow less healthy than they are now). Everyone is there trying to improve themselves, no matter how shallow the reason. Even the ****y, boasting guys who are like that covering for their low-self-esteem. Who cares what they think. Work out for yourself.

[Dachopstix]

It was always embarassing to be benching 75 lbs in the beginning next to a guy pushing around 185, but you get over it and move on... Meh /forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[sta63bmx]

Anybody worth knowing in the gym isn't going to talk crap about the weight you're pushing as long as you are working hard and using proper form. A lot of people are happy to give you advice if you ask. The problem so often is that many of them have terrible form themselves. I just realized that a lot of people in the gym don't know anymore than I do, so I'll just go and lift and enjoy myself.

People who ARE jerky in the gym suck. I hate that whole stupid (I love Jesus!) mentality. It's like "Are you really so great that you can make fun of everyone in this gym?" I see a lot of bad form every day, and I find it freaking hilarious, but I'd be more than willing to help people if they wanted it. The people who annoy me are people who walk around with the I Am An American Badazz attitude when they have crap form, crap friends, and aren't even very strong. I'm there to lift hard and get stronger, but I am willing to help people if they want it. Nobody ever asks, though, and I don't dispense free advice except for VERY RARELY. It's like trying to feed all of Africa one box lunch at a time...great and noble idea, but it ain't gonna happen.

Since most of my workouts now involve some bizarre movements and large amounts of dirty, rusty chain, and are performed in a cloud of chalk, I just kind of ignore the rest of the gym and get it done.

[rev]

I felt pretty out of place when I started. I was struggling to rep 135 on bench and squat, I felt like I was doing the excercises wrong, and everyone else around me seemed huge by comparison. Just give it time and it'll go away, those who's opinions are worth caring about won't give you dirty looks or make you feel uncomfortable anyway. Just go in, do your (I love Jesus!), and leave. Some loud obnoxious music in the headphones helps tune others out also /forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BTW good to see you back.

[NeoIncubusX]

Thanks a lot everyone! That was VERY helpful.

Thanks Rev!

[bulldawg]

Just 6 months ago when I switched gyms I felt the same way, once you start recognizing the same people there everyday, and seeing the same familiar faces you won't feel as out of place. Just concentrate on your workout and in time you guys will feel perfectly comfortable.