Intimidated by the men in the weight section of gym!
Replies
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I feel ya! When I first signed up for a trainer at the gym, I was blessed with the BEST one in the world. As I didn't know I would be set up *(
) when I filled out my questionaire.
What goals would you like to achieve
blah
blah
What fears do you have when you work out.
I said "The Gorilla Room!" I wouldn't mind lifting weights if they had a 'girls' spot.
What do you think is the first thing she did?:laugh: After a nice warm up......straight to the cage. I was
because, ya know, I was paying for this!
BEST thing she ever did for me! When I was going to the gym, I would go straight there after warming up. If there was a guy by the free weights I would say "Are you going to use these?" as I lifted my 10 pounders:laugh:
After a few times I had guys spotting me, encouraging me and smiling at me.
Now I might have reminded them of their mommas, but the point is they don't really CARE! :laugh:
BTW, you are a lovely girl. When they stop looking, you will wish they would! Enjoy your youthful hotness, and continue on your healthy journey.
Arewethereyet0 -
Yeah, everyone there knows the feeling of starting out, and the unsureness that accompanies it. So you can probably expect most folks to understand where you're at and be encouraging or helpful. I suppose there could some jerk going "a woman lifting weights??? What's next? Women astronauts???" But that's pretty unlikely. That's to the extent you interact anyway of course. A lot of people, like me, mostly just like zone out and try to get the work out done. If I'm using my peripheral vision to check you out I either think you're attractive or am impressed with the lift and am trying to assimilate something useful.0
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Just do your thing, you aren't going to get kicked out.
I take my notebook and write down my weights/reps and that keeps me busy between sets.
If you need help ask one of the guys, they'll probably be pretty friendly.
TOTALLY.
I know how terrifying it is - as a seriously fat girl (size 24) I felt out of place on a treadmill, let alone in the "dude weights" section. However, the program I'm on (NROLFW) says I need to lift heavy so I'm going to do it. At first, I kept having to walk out of the area on my "rest" breaks because I felt so judged and uncertain. Then a few things happened that completely changed my perspective.
1) After three weeks I was lifting heavier than quite a few of the prancing turkeys you mention. That gave me confidence.
2) One particularly burly, suuuuper buff guy (the alpha intimidator as I thought of him) actually come up to me and commended me - apparently he'd noticed how quickly I was progressing and wanted to give me props on beating my PB and "not wasting your effort on the cardio crap but actually LIFTING"... and
3) One night when I was feeling particularly lacking in confidence a young, buff guy kept giving me weird looks and acting shifty. Thinking he was pissed I was using 'his' weights or just generally disgusted by my existence, I had gathered up the nerve to say "what the hell are you staring at" when he finally walked straight past me to the guy behind me and started trying to (he was very longwinded and unsure) ask him out.
Needless to say... the more time you spend in there, the more weight you're lifting and the more you give those boys the benefit of the doubt, the sooner you'll realise you belong in there just as much as they do
GOOD LUCK!
Jules, you really made me laugh- that is brilliant! thank you!! :flowerforyou:0 -
I feel ya! When I first signed up for a trainer at the gym, I was blessed with the BEST one in the world. As I didn't know I would be set up *( ) when I filled out my questionaire.
What goals would you like to achieve
blah
blah
What fears do you have when you work out.
I said "The Gorilla Room!" I wouldn't mind lifting weights if they had a 'girls' spot.
What do you think is the first thing she did?:laugh: After a nice warm up......straight to the cage. I was because, ya know, I was paying for this!
Awwwwwwwwwww- thank you!
BEST thing she ever did for me! When I was going to the gym, I would go straight there after warming up. If there was a guy by the free weights I would say "Are you going to use these?" as I lifted my 10 pounders:laugh:
After a few times I had guys spotting me, encouraging me and smiling at me.
Now I might have reminded them of their mommas, but the point is they don't really CARE! :laugh:
BTW, you are a lovely girl. When they stop looking, you will wish they would! Enjoy your youthful hotness, and continue on your healthy journey.
Arewethereyet0 -
Just get in there and get stuck in! I promise you, it will get easier with time.
When I first started going I only went when my boyfriend did, I was too shy to go by myself (my gym is all male members apart from me as far as I know) When my uni schedule changed, and even more so now that I'm in full time work (our hours are completely different) I HAD to go my myself, there was no other choice unless I wanted to train 1-2 times a week only.
The guys are so nice. I got to know most of them (the regulars anyway) and they all recognise me, they know I train seriously. I even have a few as friends on facebook. Nobody's ever said anything negative at all. Occaisionally there'll be a few new lads there who obviously haven't seen a woman lift like that before - I noticed them looking over, but they never said anything negative too, a couple have said hi before just randomly. I use it as an opportunity to go extra hard and get some PR's now! lol
Nobody will think badly or think "what's she doing here" UNLESS you mess about not doing much, getting in their way, OR you interrupt them in a middle of a set. Some women on here I've seen think that using a piece of equipment (such as the squat rack) with a really light weight in comparison to the men, is somehow getting in their way if they are waiting to use it. NO! You pay to go there, just like them, they can wait like they would with the men. Or work in if it's possible.0 -
True story: yesterday at the gym, a really jacked man skipped in front of me like a six year old girl pretending she's a fairy princess. I know that there's a logical explanation for this, but I can't think of one. I was the only one staring at him like he was crazy.
From personal experience, men are thinking one of three things.
(1) she looks hot in those shorts/yoga/pants/strange womanly clothing item I don't know what it is;
(2) wonder if she needs a spotter;
(3) hope she doesn't think I'm not lifting enough weight.0 -
Managing to look intimidating whilst prancing around it pretty impressive though.
Fake it 'till you make it.
You've been nervous of new things before, but that didn't stop you.
They're more scared of you than you are of them.0 -
Also, I just wanted to add: If they are staring / looking, it's not necessarily a bad thing.
One time I was working out at the gym, doing OHP (with something like 30-35kg) and this small group of guys were looking over. I tried to ignore it and just carry on. It wasn't so obvious that it made me uncomfortable or anyway. Anyway, a couple of minutes later my boyfriend comes over to me. He was working out a bit closer to them over the other side of the room. He tells me that one of the guys was taking the piss out of his newbie mate, saying "she can lift more than you" LOL No lie, that made me feel quite good.
Other reasons they might be looking over:
- Haven't seen her before (or any woman for that matter) Pretty cool!
- She looks hot! - This is more likely to apply if you wear short shorts or something like that.
- Wonder if she needs a spot, that's a lot of weight!
- I wonder if I can get my wife/girlfriend to come along now - A regular there actually admitted his wife wanted to lose weight and come to the gym but she didn't want to workout with all men.
and...
- Her form doesn't look that great, I wonder if she'd appreciate any help with that. - If you're form is fine, you don't have to worry about this, but it's a possibility.0 -
True story: yesterday at the gym, a really jacked man skipped in front of me like a six year old girl pretending she's a fairy princess. I know that there's a logical explanation for this, but I can't think of one. I was the only one staring at him like he was crazy.
From personal experience, men are thinking one of three things.
(1) she looks hot in those shorts/yoga/pants/strange womanly clothing item I don't know what it is;
(2) wonder if she needs a spotter;
(3) hope she doesn't think I'm not lifting enough weight.
^This. But mostly (1). The skipping part hurt my brain.0 -
When I go to the gym, all the guys swinging their backs like rocking chairs to get their max lifts intimidate me. My solution is to run 3 miles, go home, don't shower and then come back the next day. That sweat will have matured into a permeating scent that will clear all the machines and benches within a 5 meter radius.0
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I scoff at bird legs boy, back curls with bicep assist, 30 set guy on bench, gallon jug of water guy, shrug and flex in front of the mirror guy, screamer guy, half squat dude, vanity leg press guy, dumbbell dropper guy, and flirt with all females guy much more than I care about a woman working out.0
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I feel I should comment, since I actually am one of those men, and actually have first hand experience of having a man's brain;
-someone new? (I can promise most never notice clothes, sometimes lack of them, but never the clothes)
-#Op op op op oppan Gangnam Style# (or whatever is playing)
-is my rest period up yet?
-No guy, that's great, I love reaching around you, get your bench a little closer to the rack why don't you?
-See, if she's brand new, why is the only other person trying to lift with decent form?
-Oop! That must be my rest time up0 -
One reason you get looked at, among several, is you're a new face in that part of the gym. Go in, do your work. Ask for a spot/technique help as needed. Once they see you're there to train, there should be no issue.
Remember also, anyone making you uncomfortable at the gym is the person with the problem. You're there to work.0 -
Go to a hardcore body building gym. Not a commercial gym. You'll either get people offering assistance or leaving you alone.
Commercial gyms are full of pervs, hard core 'spit N sawdust' gyms, they're there to train. Most built guys are soft as they come, like me.0 -
Yup. It's very unusual to see women in the weights section in the UK, but the ones that are there regularly get the same respect as everyone else.
I wouldn't be so blunt but I agree. As long as you're putting in work, no one will care.You are there to train, not to care about what others do, male or female. Yeah they might be looking, and thinking you look finnne when you do a squat, i know because i would be one of those guys, it lasts about 3 seconds in our heads then we could give 2 sh*ts about you. If any of them try to hit on you, tell them to *kitten* off, more then likely you will get away with it because there is always the bigger guy to pull the other ones back into line.
I seen one of the greatest sights the other day. A lady squatting 315, *kitten* to ground. Most guys can't even do that.
Work hard, and nobody cares whether you have to two love nuts hanging between your legs.
They get the upmost respect from me and is one of the big reasons me and my misses got together - she trains, trains HARD and trains with no BS, gets on with it and lifts hard and heavy.
She's had nothing but respect from the guys at the gym and now they've actually started asking her for advice... so its gone full circle.0 -
When i first started weight training i was the same, and the gym had a separate little room where there used to be a punch bag so i used to take all my weights in there and train.
I've not been able to go to the gym for a few months now due to an injury (sad face!!!!) but im desperate to get back! The gym is being refurbed and all new equipment so I cannot wait to get back in Jan and hit that weights arena! The big roidy blokes can just move over (even closer to the mirror!!) to make room for me.. I no longer care! 0 -
BTW us bigger guys do have feelings too! Just because I look like
Doesn't mean I am devoid of feelings!0 -
Ha, a million times this. People think I'm an ogre or something. I really hate confrontation and feel really awful if I ever upset anyone.BTW us bigger guys do have feelings too! Just because I look like
Doesn't mean I am devoid of feelings!0 -
I posted that btw as it seemed ok for people on this thread to use all kinds of names for us.0
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Ha, a million times this. People think I'm an ogre or something. I really hate confrontation and feel really awful if I ever upset anyone.BTW us bigger guys do have feelings too! Just because I look like
Doesn't mean I am devoid of feelings!
Gotta agree! Some of the nicest guys I've ever met are big, muscular "meatheads" (as some would say)0 -
Just do your thing. I find that the guys in that area tend to check out what everybody is doing...must be a testosterone thing :-)
I've gotten to know most of the guys in the weights area of the gym pretty well. Most of the time now they comment when I'm doing something badass in the gym now. They are great guys with hearts of gold.0 -
This probably makes me a big sissy. But my gym does have a private woman's weight room for this reason. I use the floor for cardio, but when it comes ot weight lifting I o in the private section. If I had ANY upper body strength, I wouldn't be quite so embarassed.0
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Just do your thing. I find that the guys in that area tend to check out what everybody is doing...must be a testosterone thing :-)
Question.
How do you know they are checking out you?0 -
So I've just started weight training and for my first few sessions the weights area (that is still a bit of a foreign area for me) was nice and quiet. Got to the gym last night, it was packed with BIG, scary-looking blokes, all prancing around and not doing a great deal.
I felt like they were ALL staring at me and probably thinking "what is she doing in here"
What advice can all the weight training females on here give me.. I really want to stick to doing this programme but I really found the experience very off-putting last night. Squatting especially!
I totally agree with you on this! I'm just getting advice on how to start weight training but then my next step will be daring to go into the 'mens area'. Think I'll feel a lot better if I actually look like I know what I'm doing.0 -
So I've just started weight training and for my first few sessions the weights area (that is still a bit of a foreign area for me) was nice and quiet. Got to the gym last night, it was packed with BIG, scary-looking blokes, all prancing around and not doing a great deal.
I felt like they were ALL staring at me and probably thinking "what is she doing in here"
What advice can all the weight training females on here give me.. I really want to stick to doing this programme but I really found the experience very off-putting last night. Squatting especially!
I totally agree with you on this! I'm just getting advice on how to start weight training but then my next step will be daring to go into the 'mens area'. Think I'll feel a lot better if I actually look like I know what I'm doing.
How do you think I started when I was smaller? Yep, rolled into the weight area, felt awkward, lift, ate and grew!0 -
I posted that btw as it seemed ok for people on this thread to use all kinds of names for us.
Matt- i didn't mean to offend any of the big guys. I'm in awe that they could probably bench press me if they wanted. Maybe one day, when I've put on a bit of muscle and drank my brave pills I might actually talk to them and make friends..
for now, i still feel scared!
:blushing:0 -
Hun, I felt the same way at first! Just get into your zone and ignore it. The more you start lifting the more they will stare and are probably just surprised or happy to see a girl in the weight room! You'll feel even more comfortable over time. 0
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They probably think that you are hot, I doubt they are thinking "what is she doing in here". Nothing to worry about, be strong and just do it. Don't let this put you off, weight lifting is great for everyone.
Good luck!
Yup ^^^ I would rather have a pretty girl in the weight room then some sweaty dope like me 0 -
So I've just started weight training and for my first few sessions the weights area (that is still a bit of a foreign area for me) was nice and quiet. Got to the gym last night, it was packed with BIG, scary-looking blokes, all prancing around and not doing a great deal.
I felt like they were ALL staring at me and probably thinking "what is she doing in here"
What advice can all the weight training females on here give me.. I really want to stick to doing this programme but I really found the experience very off-putting last night. Squatting especially!
I totally agree with you on this! I'm just getting advice on how to start weight training but then my next step will be daring to go into the 'mens area'. Think I'll feel a lot better if I actually look like I know what I'm doing.
How do you think I started when I was smaller? Yep, rolled into the weight area, felt awkward, lift, ate and grew!
The concept that guys have feelings is often overlooked on here.0 -
I posted that btw as it seemed ok for people on this thread to use all kinds of names for us.
Matt- i didn't mean to offend any of the big guys. I'm in awe that they could probably bench press me if they wanted. Maybe one day, when I've put on a bit of muscle and drank my brave pills I might actually talk to them and make friends..
for now, i still feel scared!
:blushing:
You don't didn't insult just others have thrown names like meatheads, roidys etc etc.
I don't think I'd get on very well here if I came in same I just saw some beached whale/fat ***** doing XYZ. So no offence caused by you!
I do understand feeling slightly nervous, I do when I move between gyms myself!0
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