Intimidated by the men in the weight section of gym!

IronSmasher

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:

If you wait until you're happy enough to go in there, you'll never get in there. Just do it.

I'll say it again, they're more scared of you than you are of them

mtiheartmuscle

I had that same issue at my gym for awhile. I'm 5'2 and really only lift. At first they would watch me and snicker, now they go out of their way to talk to me and compliment me on a daily basis. They even ask me to spot them once in awhile.

Stick it out and don't let them get in the way of your lift! It's about dang time us women started showing the men up in the weight area and showing THEM who's boss. :-D

elprincipito

actually when i see a girl in the weight room I think to myself "Cool! A girl lifting!"

NovemberJune

Here is how I managed... I put in headphones turned up my music to loud levels did my program and pretended like no one was there. I promise you... if you stick to it they will come to respect you and you will become a part of the normal scene.

Good advice!!

I agree, only I listen to audiobooks. lol. It did take me a few weeks to get used to it.

TR0berts

The concept that guys have feelings is often overlooked on here.

Sad, but true.

As far as OP goes, I don't believe I can add much to what has already been said. Just try to go in with the attitude that you belong there. Maybe you can't lift as much as the guys, but as long as you make progress, they'll notice and (most likely - there may be a lunkhead or two) appreciate the effort you're putting in and take you more seriously. If it helps, maybe make a custom t-shirt (or whatever top you like to work out in) that reads something along the lines of, "Real Women Lift Iron."

FITnFIRM4LIFE

I felt this way once upon a time..But, we all have right to be there. I just get my music on and focus on the lifts;-) and everything dissapears..Just focus and forget anyone at gym:-) Good day!

wareagle8706

Put on your b*tch face on and workout. Don't worry what they think about you. Chances are they are just doing bench press all day long and don't know how to really workout anyway.

snowboardn

I agree, only I listen to audiobooks. lol. It did take me a few weeks to get used to it.

Nothing like an audiobook to pump you up

I really don't get why girls would be intimidated in the gym, being a weak dude who jumps on the bench with 25 lbs plates swaying back and forth barely able to push out 10 reps... Scared to ask somebody for a spot because you have a 1/20th of the weight of the rest of the guys is much worse...

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

BTW us bigger guys do have feelings too! Just because I look like



Doesn't mean I am devoid of feelings!

If you were at my gym, I'd stare a lot. Would have to be careful to not drop a weight on my foot. Not ashamed to say it.

caseythirteen

Think of it this way - the next time you go in, it won't be the first time they see you anymore! You already got that first time out of the way. Go in and do your thing and try not to think too much about what they may be thinking. We can't know what others have going on in their heads so it's not worth stressing over it. You're there for you and you only so do your thing and go home. It won't take long before you're a fixture there just as much as they are. And maybe you will even inspire other ladies to come on over and give it a try!

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Put on your b*tch face on and workout. Don't worry what they think about you. Chances are they are just doing bench press all day long and don't know how to really workout anyway.

Not true at my gym. It's not one of those commercial places. Lots of 40-50+ aged really fit guys that are there to work out hard. If they're staring and I'm doing something wrong, I'm pretty sure I would get help.

Mamoonie

Hire a personal trainer for a session or a few. Let them show you what to do, how to do it, especially proper form. Once you know what you do, you will be less intimidated.
I first went into weight room with my personal trainer. I have a session every 2 weeks, and work out by myself like 5 times between 2 sessions, doing exercises he writes down for me. He told me once I'm familiar with the smith rack (I had to look up the name of it), he'll send me to do exercises on my own. I was totally scared and told him so, his only answer was: nobody's gonna look at you, they are all too busy checking their own body, their form, their muscles.
At the beginning, I was quite shy to go in there, but as my PT expected me to do this special work out, I had no choice but to go there and do the thing. I knew my form was good, I knew what to do, so I concentrated on myself only, shutting the rest out.
Now I don't know if they accepted me, or are disturbed by my presence, I don't really care. I'm there to work out, I'm there to get fit and strong and slim and that's what I do. After some time I even started to feel like I belong there, and that was a really nice experience :-)
Stick with your program, do it and don't let others keep you from getting fit and strong! Shut everybody out, concentrate on what you have/want to do and leave when you're done.

Oh... my PT told me once: "Some people are jealous when they see you working out...." Apparently there was a guy who was impressed by my consistency and determination, not sure though if he was one of the weight room guys or not :-)

megalin9

I work-out in a very small gym on my company campus, and there are a lot less men than women. There's been a new guy in there lately, often piddling around the weight rack and cable machines. I am most definitely intimidated, but I build myself up and say to myself, "This dude is totally impressed with how much I'm curling right now." Whether he's really thinking that or not, I have no idea, but it gives me the confidence I need to ask him if he's using that barbell I need for my squats.

I'm actually more intimidated by this group of girls who come in and hog up all of the benches and space in front of the weights rack. I'm glad to see them lifting weights instead of spending a lot of time on the ellipticals, but they give off a very snobby vibe. I have no idea if they really are or not, and I realize that's me projecting my insecurities on them. All the same, I suck it up, puff my chest out, and do what I need to do, ACTING like I don't give a rat's rearend what they think of me...even if I do.

jessicaw79

I'm so happy to read this...I've been wanting to get into the weight section for awhile now, but I always chicken out. Honestly though, I am more intimidated by the women there than the men...I am going to try the loud music and go in my bubble method, lol!

DavPul

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!

Are you sure you were at the gym? Sounds like you might have wandered onto the set of The Nutcracker

Seriously tho, just work out. Not only are the Russian Dancing Bears you just described not paying attention to you, I would be any amount of money that if you asked any one of them for help, they would drop whatever they were doing and take care of you. Wanna bet?

Try it on your next squat session. Set up the bar and then go up to the biggest, scariest bloke in the room and ask if he could give you a spot and judge your form. 100 x out of 100, he's going to say yes, jump up, help you, give you tips, volunteer to help on the next set, speak to you next time he sees you at the gym, and help you out anytime you need.

testease

Im afraid of the freeweight section too. I usually just stick to the cardio machines.

girlinahat

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.

I go to both sorts of gym. In the hardcore body building gym both the men and the women (there are a few) have plenty of muscles. They are friendly, say hello and would offer to help I'm sure. In the other gym all the people in the weights room look a little weedy. They do half-squats and make a lot of noise about it, then leave all their weights on the bar on the rack so I have to dismantle it before I can even start.

I'm not intimidated by them, just annoyed at them.

RobfromLakewood

I am glad you say you feel this way. For the most part, what we feel people are thinking and what they are actually thinking may have no basis in reality. I agree there seems to be a group who do little but high-fives and talking loud to be noticed, but who really cares about them?

Most people are trying to get their work in, maybe worrying a little how people either view their body's form or weight lifting amounts, but rarely worrying about what others are doing. I call it the middle school dance phenomenon, you think everyone is watching you, but mostly, everyone is worrying if you're watching them. So have fun,. take care of yourself and like minded people will find each other in conversation from time to time.

My wife went through the same thing when she first started lifting, but she did have me with her to help her get through these concerns. Now she looks back and wonders what she ever really worried about.

Cranktastic

Im afraid of the freeweight section too. I usually just stick to the cardio machines.

cool!

I KNEW it!

bdamaster60

actually I prefer to have women in the gym, its very rare, and if a cute looking one so happens to be workout it in the next squat rack over, i tend to add more weight hehehehe