How do you get yourself to start?

happyfrogg

I posted this on another board, but then it occurred to me that I might get more responses in here.

I'm trying to work up the nerve to start Nrol4W at the gym tomorrow. I'm anxious just thinking about being the fat woman in what's usually the man cave (weight room). Plus I'm a total beginner so I'm worried about poor form and hurting myself (and looking the fool) and it'd just be so much *easier* to stay at home. I don't have a friend or a workout buddy to help me out. How do you lovely people get yourselves out of your comfort zone and start doing things that are scary but you know are good for you? Any tips for actually getting myself out the door and into the weight room?

Rielyn

I'm just starting too.
I hired a personal trainer for a couple of sessions, gave her the book to read and told her what I wanted to do. We're starting the program tomorrow night. Otherwise I don't think I would be brave enough to start it on my own. It is a little pricier to do it that way but I don't want to injure myself.
Otherwise bodybuilding.com has videos that show you how to do most of the exercises in the book. My trainer told me to bring an Ipod and crank my music to block out everyone else in the room. Hopefully it works
Good luck!!

samntha14

All those same thoughts went through my head too. I spent the first month at my gym mostly doing the machines where the other girls were hanging out, but when I decide to do NROL, I knew I HAD to enter the free weight AKA man area. Everybody said the same thing to me. Just do it. The first time I RAN for my weights and hid in the corner. Funny now, because I feel like I own the place. Basically I faked the confidence after that. Put on your ***** face and big girl panties, march in there and do what you have to do. I plan my strategy before I go, the logistics of what I need and where it's located. Now I'm used to being there and the guys are used to me. They are generally nice, helpful, and impressed when they encounter a woman who "knows" what she's doing. (I don't always know exactly what I'm doing, but I act like I do)
You go girl and get it done, you won't be sorry.

nickm21

I felt the same way, but having seen other peoples results I was determined to enter the man-cave. On my second workout one of the trainers commented on my good form for deadlifts and said how nice it was to see a woman doing free weights, I then got chatting to another guy. Yes they will look at you, but it will probably just because not many women lift, they may also be checking your form and what lifts you are doing. Once they see you regularly they will know you are serious and will probably not pay too much attention, other than watching form. I know I watch their form to see if they are performing exercises the same way.

Lastly, swagger like you own it, eventully it will feel like you do.

happyfrogg

Thank you all so much for the encouraging words and advice. I think I'm going to look into getting a trainer at least for one session, to make sure my form is ok before going solo.

Martucha123

I was trying to get trainer, but in my gym there is minimum amount of sessions (3 months, 1/week)
so it was 500EUR total (about 700 USD)
I decided I can do this on my own.
It's only 5 exercises in the 1st stage, really not that much.
Practise bodyweight squats at home, same with lunges, step ups, planks, so once you get to to the gym, most of the stuff is not the new stuff.
I am only 3 weeks into first stage, and sometimes still feel overwhelmed when I get to the gym, but then I repeat to myself "it's only 5 exercises, you know them, you can do this..."

karensoxfan

I agree 100% with what the other women have written. For me, I hadn't even been to the gym in about 10 years before I joined in March, and even then, I clung tight to those cardio machines (treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine). Those were my comfort zone. I knew I wanted to add weights though, so after reading the book, I decided to just go for it.

I was especially TERRIFIED of trying the prone jackknife, and fell off that damn ball twice in Workout A1, but I kept going. I was also nervous about using the bar, and didn't even know the difference between the squat rack and smith machine on my first day, so you learn by trying sometimes. I did my first set with body weight only, then for the 2nd set, used the smith machine, then saw the actual squat rack the next time, so I made the switch early. BIG difference.

All the moves in Stage 1 are getting easier with time though, and I surprise myself every time I'm able to add weight. It's hard to shake that inner "second-guesser" but the feeling of accomplishing something that I didn't think I was capable of is amazing!

I'm starting to actually believe that I *will* someday be able to do a full "man-style" pushup. Maybe even by the end of 2012.

Long story short, I think you just go for it, and remember that no-one's really watching you any more than you're watching them.

karensoxfan

p.s. Here's a blog post I love on why you should do things that scare you:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/01/20/why-you-need-to-do-sh-that-scares-you/

p.p.s. I'm obese at 190 too, and shared your fear about what other people might think about the "fat girl" using the free weights. Then I decided I don't care what they think, and it's 1 hour out of my life. Even if I thought every person in that gym was staring at me, I could endure it for 1 hour. Of course that doesn't happen, but in my head, that was my worst-case scenario.

p.p.p.s. I also go to the gym early in the morning (arrive @ 5:00-5:30 am) -- partly to avoid big crowds and partly because that's just what fits into my schedule.

happyfrogg

Thank you guys so much for your help! Seriously, so much good advice here (namely, "just get your head out of your a** and go").
Unfortunately I have to wait until next week to get into the gym (payday!!) so I'll be doing bodyweight stuff until then. Good form practice!
Honestly, though, thank you all. I feel very encouraged.

happyfrogg

p.s. Here's a blog post I love on why you should do things that scare you:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/01/20/why-you-need-to-do-sh-that-scares-you/

p.p.s. I'm obese at 190 too, and shared your fear about what other people might think about the "fat girl" using the free weights. Then I decided I don't care what they think, and it's 1 hour out of my life. Even if I thought every person in that gym was staring at me, I could endure it for 1 hour. Of course that doesn't happen, but in my head, that was my worst-case scenario.

p.p.p.s. I also go to the gym early in the morning (arrive @ 5:00-5:30 am) -- partly to avoid big crowds and partly because that's just what fits into my schedule.

Thanks for that blog post. This struck me in particular: “Whenever you are presented with a choice, ask yourself which option you would prefer to have taken in ten years.” Excellent way to live!

And you're so right-- it's only an hour! Eff 'em!

Snapplejac

Hello, I'm also a big girl in the weight's section!! I see a few skinny girls lifting the little weights once or twice but so far not much female action - in some ways that's fine because I don't feel guys are comparing what I do to what they do = where as if it was full of girls I'd perhaps be more conscious? I got a session with a personal trainer too, went through all the exercises for stage one workouts and I'll probably see him again when I get to stage two, I feel a lot more confident now - although I still suck. I'm not beating myself up over it though, everyone has to start somewhere!

Plus I can see clearly that not all the guys know what they're doing!!!!!