Embarassed to use free weights

sydnisd183

Just get them buns over there and start lifting

Serious though, if you've never trained with free weights before, it would be a little better to get a personal trainer to show you the ropes. Or, if you have a friend/co-worker, DH, etc that lifts they could take you through a basic workout.

If all else fails, i'd go on a site like bodybuilding dot com, they have videos of all the single exercises (bench press, deadlift, squats, etc) and you could emulate with cans, milk jugs, etc at home to at least get the form down.

but don't be embarassed. when I see people who look like they're new, i'm cheering them on in my head!! :bigsmile: just keep your head held high and grab those weights with a purpose you will do fine

Hestion

I don't care what others think! infact you'll likely find that they are helpful :-) i have a trainer anyway, but id always suggest at least a session with a pt si you learn correct form. My first session was free with no obligation

catch622

You need to just go over there and do it... or you never will.

People at the gym are all doing their own routine and focused on that, they don't care what you are doing. Once I learned that, I stopped caring how I looked at the gym.

People can be quite friendly and helpful too.

Blue0208

Ask one of the trainers to show you the correct way to use the weights for the first couple of times to help build your confidence or if u can book a personal trainer, I felt exactly the same but am now able to do what i need to. We all have to start somewhere and their pitying looks say more about them than you x

DazEyre

Yep, get in there and show those boys what you're made of!! You deserve to be there as much as anyone else!

This !

XtyAnn17

Thanks so much everyone, these posts really gave me a lot more confidence to get in there Nd made me feel a lot better. I think tomorrow morning I'll do it! ::gulp::

PhilyPhresh

Just be cool. Don't curl in the squat rack.

Do cool stuff. Like deadlift, overhead press, full squat. You'll get mad respect.

the only problem with this advice is (unless they has a PT) this is their first time with free weights and they probably have no clue how to properly perform these lifts and could end up hurting themselves more than helping...

Sixalicious

First and foremost, find someone to help you to make sure you are lifting properly.
Second...get over your fears and just do it!!! I lift at 330am with my husband when the gym only has a few people there. Today there was more people than normal in the weight area, but none of them were paying attention to the chunky chic doing squats or when I was doing deadlifts on Monday. Just focus on what you are doing and you will be fine. :-)

karensoxfan

You just start. And take one day at a time. I was in your shoes in April, and just had to bite the bullet and do it, and boy, am I glad I did. Now I only wish I could get in there more often, but my current plan advises full-body lifting workouts only 2-4x/week. Starting with weights (specifically with free weights) was the single best thing I've done 100% for myself in the past 10 years.

Maybe that, and getting vaccines regularly.

Shange_Gully

No one will really care. Don't be put off by people with impressive physiques cos the more built someone is, the more likely it is they're focused on their own ****.

xXKatrinaXx

We all started somewhere! I was the same way when I first started. Now I dont even notice anyone else when Im there, Im just focused on my routine.

KittieLea

Is there a time of day when the gym is less crowded? I'd try to find such a time and familiarize myself with the equipment. After that, well, you probably just have to go for it. It's not such a big deal.

I already go at 5 am so it won't get less crowds than that but there's still a decent amount of people by weights. Damn early birds!

In my experience, the people who are there at 5AM are pretty serious about their workouts. I bet if you asked someone from this group about correct form or any general advice, they'd be happy to help out. Just don't get too chatty! I hate when people try to carry on a long conversation when I'm trying to get my workout in.

cheerforsteelers

Show 'em who's boss, girl! You can do it. You're the only one who can convince youself that you can't do something.

swordsmith

On year ago I was the 305 pound fat guy who walked into the gym and could barely curl the 12 pound weights and died after 5 minutes on an elliptical.

I am now 225, curl a 30 pound dumb bell in 3 sets of 15, and run 3-5 miles per day as a "normal run". I used the Big Beyond Belief system as my basis for lifting- I worked with my trainer as I liked the system and we came up with a modified BBB for me. If you go the BBB route simply repeat Day 3 for your Day 4 so you dont bulk up.

Right around the three month mark is when people started talking and complimenting me. I also got a personal trainer to teach me how to lift correctly- form is EVERYTHING. People wont snicker at you becuase your are fat- but they will if your form is fooked.

My advice- get a trainer, keep your head high, and wade right on in there. The only thing stopping you is you.

drearewal

I LOVE free weights! They're so useful for all sorts of activities. I use them when I walk (sometimes even on runs), when I do push ups (once I push down, I'll come back up and lift my arm above me, alternating arms), sit ups, stretches, etc. I feel like they give juuusstt the right amount of "umf" to where you push just that much harder.

And believe me, free weights will end up "weighing" after you use them for a while! :P

mirandamayhem

I seriously cannot wait to get into it myself! We'll be fine!

blinkinglight

I got a LOT of dirty looks when I was 25+ weeks pregnant, over with all the burly men, doing snatches and cleans at the gym I just did it with confidence and didn't really care. You can do it!

CallMeCupcakeDammit

Yep, get in there and show those boys what you're made of!! You deserve to be there as much as anyone else!

Absolutely this!

winf

Just go for it. The freeweight area of most commercial gyms is so full of idiots, curl monkeys, and "bros" that nobody has any room to judge anyone else, lol. I started doing stronglifts 3 months ago, and the program starts you off using just the bar and adding weight progressively. I felt like a *kitten* coming up to the squat rack and then doing a set with an empty bar, even got a funny look or two, but now, 3 months later, when I step up to the squat rack and load up 240lbs, I dont get a funny look anymore. One night I was doing my squats when I overheard a trainer telling one of his clients this: "Noone over here is paying attention to you bacause they are all too busy being into themselves" It's funny because it's true. I felt the same way about starting to run. I thought I was going to look like an idiot gasping for air, but I just went for it anyway. I gasped and snorted and only ran for short intervals, but noone else was pying any attention to what I was doing. That was 6 weeks agao and last night I hopped on the treadmill and ran 2 miles after finishing my strength training. If you just get in there and go for it you going to improve much faster than you realize. All the "harcore" and "pretty people" had to start somewhere at somepoint.

mcrowe1016

Hypothetically speaking, let’s say that you walk into my gym and head over to the free weight section. You start doing your thing and immediately I start judging you and laughing at you in my mind.

What difference does it make to you? I am just some random *kitten* at the gym that you owe nothing to, so f-me.

Another secret about the free weights section, there is almost always people there who have no idea what they are doing, so even if you get a few moves wrong on your first tries, it really isn’t that big of a deal.