Embarassed myself at the gym today... but its OKAY

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  • LauraRose03
    LauraRose03 Posts: 140
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    Awww! It's good to have the sense of humor you have though :) and good for you for sticking with it! If it makes you feel better, sometimes I use the elliptical backwards on purpose, just to change it up a bit!
  • skm4jc
    skm4jc Posts: 62 Member
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    The elliptical is my FAVORITE cardio machine. Best wishes on finding the machines you like, and way to go you for facing your anxieties! :flowerforyou:
  • HypersonicFitNess
    HypersonicFitNess Posts: 1,219 Member
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    Um, you can go forward or backward on the elliptical. Neither is incorrect.
  • originalkazila
    originalkazila Posts: 200
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    Yeah. i called my best friend to tell her (she did the ab workout with me) and she said "well I just sneezed myself into the fetal position.." She was hurting too.

    :laugh: Been there, done that!

    I know that feel bro!
  • pamelalk
    pamelalk Posts: 70 Member
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    don't be embarassed you went, you did good....I wouldn't know how to use all the machines either, but you were smart, hiring a personal trainer for a bit to teach you how to get the most out of every machine,,,good for you
  • jenbk2
    jenbk2 Posts: 623 Member
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    You went in and did it- that is all that matters. Every single person who works out also has started at a gym from scratch. You should be so proud of yourself !
  • JimLeonardRN
    JimLeonardRN Posts: 296 Member
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    No embarrassment there! We have all done it! The first time I got on the treadmill, I hit the CARDIO button and grabbed the handles where it measures your heart rate. Little did i know it would adjust to get you to your target HR, like right now. The darn thing had me running straight up. And I was at target HR, more from fear than anything else! Needless to say, I couldnt hit the stop button fast enough! Proud of you for taking the first step. Keep up the good work!
  • Jill_newimprovedversion
    Jill_newimprovedversion Posts: 988 Member
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    So today was my first day going to the gym. It was also me going alone. Anyone who knows me knows I have social anxiety and I hate the idea that others could be looking at me, BUT I went by myself.

    So I had already emailed the gym and asked the best times to come (when they were not busy). After he emailed me back I decided on 11:00 am. So today I got up and started reving myself up to go to the gym. I did make it there by 11 and was happy to see about 6 people total were there today. Three of the people were employees.

    So I decide I am going to try the elliptical. I have NEVER been on one. So I start trying to start it and .... nothing. I am hitting every button and I can't get it start. So finally a girl (who works there) walks past and I ask her. She says "just start moving and it will turn on". Oh geez. Then she stays to make sure I am starting it and goes, "you need to push down, your going backwards". LMAO OMG I bet I turned 100 shades of red but I thanked her and went on my merry way. I made it 5 minutes but hey its a start.

    Then I went with the treadmill because I know how to use one. All was ok there.

    I am going again tomorrow and might branch out to the stepper or rowing machine.

    No matter what I did it. I walked in, I exercised and I was sweating like a pig when I left. I did it, I did it alone and now I know I can do it again.

    I may also sign up for a personal trainer for a few times just so he/she can show me how to use some of these machines.
    Bravo to you for stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new! As someone who used to feel very much how you describe (social anxiety), I know it was NOT easy for you to do that! I think you meeting with a trainer to show you how to use the equipment is a great idea. After going to the gym with one of my friends who frequently works out (it almost felt like he was my trainer, lol), I felt less self conscious there. And I realized that most people are too worried about how they look to notice how you look working out! For what it's worth, if I see someone who looks like they're new at the gym I may try to show them how to use the machine too (Quick Start, etc) but I just do this to be nice, not to insult them or anything, so don't worry about it! :-)

    Plus, you may find that the endorphins that get released by exercising will help you overcome the social anxiety you have. Enjoy the gym...it is a whole new world in there! Keep us posted!

    KUDOS to you! and I agree^^ you've already overcome a MAJOR obstacle- just going, and walking IN the place.
    It took me 3 times of making a phone call to even inquire, and the first time i went to meet them, I balked and drove home without getting out of the car.


    Just take it one step at a time, one hurdle at a time....
    Success is a series of good, healthy choices made one after the other.

    Proud of you!
  • ECatherineS
    ECatherineS Posts: 42
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    Don't be embarrassed! I have awful balance and I nearly fall off of the elliptical in front of at least a dozen people a few times a week!

    Just laugh at yourself and keep going! Tomorrow no one will remember!
    Also, those machines can be tricky. I don't think anyone goes right up and knows what they're doing the first go around. =]
  • LucyT4dieting
    LucyT4dieting Posts: 284 Member
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    All I could say is WOW! I would not have the courage to do what you did. I work out in the privacy of my home, and my husband wasn't even allowed to come down for the first six months when I was working out. You are AMAZING!!! With that kind of attitude, you are going to have great success. I wish you all the best and I KNOW you are going to achieve all of your goals. Congratulations, you are already a winner!:flowerforyou:
  • abbezen
    abbezen Posts: 405 Member
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    YOU are a ROCK STAR! And I mean that!....
  • oh_em_gee
    oh_em_gee Posts: 887 Member
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    My first time on the elliptical it took me 10 minutes to turn it on, lol. I took longer looking for the one button than I did exercising.
  • NHoughton13
    NHoughton13 Posts: 303
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    I feel the same way, intimidated by gyms, people and machines. Good for you for trying and going back! Nice job.
  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
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    I've embarrassed myself plenty. I had a goal to do pullups and I still remember for weeks getting on the pullup bar and hanging there. And then falling off...

    One day..(ok..many weeks later!) I finally did not one pullup but I went from 0 to 3!!

    It took alot of falling down though and just hanging from the bar. I am sure people wondered what the heck I was doing. It paid off in the end!

    What really matters at the end are the results. I've learned the most from my missteps. If I stayed embarrassed or just refused to try to do pullups I definately wouldn't have the body I have today. I had to just get up on the bar...and fall! Makes the successes that much sweeter!
  • tolae2006
    tolae2006 Posts: 54 Member
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    This is the beginning of something new please enjoy it.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    Oh my gosh, that's nothing at all to be embarrassed about!! I did the same thing the first time I used an elliptical.

    The most important thing is that you faced your fear, you went, and and you got a great workout! You should honestly be really proud of yourself because a lot of people would say it's too hard or scary to go to the gym alone and never end up going.

    As for embarrassing gym moments, I'll share mine! Why not right?
    1. Farted in yoga class. yup. Laughed (along with everyone else), said excuse me, and continued. Funny that people were more friendly toward me after that, haha.
    2. Fell off the treadmill
    3. Dropped all of my belongings on the treadmill so they end up flying back at the wall or at the person who has the misfortune of being on a machine behind me.
    4. Forgot the combo on my locker lock and had to have them cut my lock off.

    Oh well! It happens. All you can do is laugh at yourself and move on.
  • efirkey
    efirkey Posts: 298 Member
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    No one was born with this special knowledge of how to run all the different pieces of gym equipment.

    Hopefully the employees are there to help you and you should ask. Though this may not be easy for you.

    I had been going to the gym for many years and I still run into equipment I have no idea how to use and the elliptical was one of them.

    Same goes for classes. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Most people will be very happy to help you out.

    Oh, and if some one is a jerk to you, try not to take it personally. They are just a jerk and are most likely jerks to everyone.
  • jennifer907
    jennifer907 Posts: 84 Member
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    You did a great job! Your story made me laugh, but I'm sure we have all done something similar. If you've never used one, how would you know? Lol. I am going to try out some weight machines next week and I have been avoiding them because I have no idea how to use any of them, but your story showed me that even if I look silly, who cares? I'm still going to get a great workout even if it's a slow start. :)
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
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    Anxiety aside (I know that is an easy thing to type but not to do...); you didn't embarrass yourself at all! Let's review:
    * You MADE IT TO THE gym. Something most people can't say.
    * You TRIED SOMETHING NEW. Something most people can't say AND
    * You WORKED OUT! Something most people can't say.

    it is easy for people to criticize from the sideline. But it is the galdiator, shedding his own blood in the arena, who gains the actual victory. NOT the spectator, cheering or jeering from the stands!

    Congrats. You were the galdiator and you stepped in to the arena when you went to the gym, took a risk and worked out!

    Congrats!
  • binkybabe
    binkybabe Posts: 16
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    You did great hanging in there! The exact same thing happened to me the first time I got on an Elliptical....lol! I have recently gone back to the gym after an almost 2 year absence....and a 67 lb weight gain! I used to do an hour on the elliptical, but now 10 min is my limit. I am hoping to increase my time to 15 min next week.

    I have developed a little routine for while I am at the gym. I do 30 min on the treadmill, then 10 min on the circuit training, 10 min on elliptical, move to ab crunch machines or other random toning machines, and then finish w/20-30 min on recumbent bike. I alternate days to work out specific areas, i.e. one day I'll do abs...next day concentrate on arms....next day legs....etc. That way I don't overdo it and get too sore the next day.

    I totally understand the "people watching me" thing....I'm like that too! I have decided that if I need to be their entertainment for the day, then so be it!! Lol! "A life form's gotta do what a lifeform's gotta do!"

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