I confess...

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Replies

  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
    I think most guys will be willing to help a lady who needs help... I get the hesitance though and I'd be the same. You ladies think you're alone but I have many male friends who will quietly share almost exactly the same sentiments over a beer or ten. Almost everyone is afraid, that's why almost everyone doesn't reach their fitness goals.

    Love your replies..what a sweetie & helpful : )
    Thank you kindly and take care.
  • SlimJanette
    SlimJanette Posts: 597 Member
    The thing is, I am really intimidated in that area. I know I need to get over it. I don't think I would ever build up the courage to actually walk up to a stranger and ask "can you show me how to do this?". UGH. Maybe I should just hire a trainer for a couple of sessions until I feel more confident to do it myself.

    You guys are right and I know you are, lifting is going to change my body. I need to get over being too embarrassed to go over there and do it part.

    I was intimidated and still am, but I would watch how people are doing it and my gym is 24 hours so I would go early in the morning and try doing them. once I get comfortable doing it, I can do it at night with the bad *kitten* group.

    As someone else stated, at 1 time those people didn't know what they were doing either.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    I think most guys will be willing to help a lady who needs help... I get the hesitance though and I'd be the same. You ladies think you're alone but I have many male friends who will quietly share almost exactly the same sentiments over a beer or ten. Almost everyone is afraid, that's why almost everyone doesn't reach their fitness goals.

    Love your replies..what a sweetie & helpful : )
    Thank you kindly and take care.

    :flowerforyou:


    I was intimated too, and I was 40...the first time i went and saw myself in the mirrors i teared up..I went in the locker room and said SELF, no one cares that you are overweight, just DO IT.
    33110506_7732.jpg

    I do not regret it.

    WATCH the youtube videos for form... So You Think You Can Squat is one i liked.

    and
    http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs
    http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    There is this one girl on here Crankstr, she is awesome. I mean pretty much if she posts, listen to her.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    I have this desire to lift heavy. I seriously would love to go to the gym, grab a bar and just have at it. Do squats, and be bad *kitten*.

    But...every single damn time I go to the gym I do my cardio (run on the treadmill). The entire time i'm thinking to myself, I'm just going to go and do it. Then when I'm done, I walk my *kitten* over to the free weights and just do those. :sad: All these people in the bad *kitten* people section know what they are doing and I don't have a clue. I know that if I go over there i'm going to look like the biggest dumbass. :laugh:

    I confess i'm a gym scared-y cat. :grumble:

    I wish I had someone that would go with me just a few times until I felt confident doing it on my own.

    Many are novices, others are just as scared as you are.
    You only get good if you start. So start.

    If you have a question, ask. People love to help.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I say, get a trainer for one session and go at it. Just learn good form first !
  • professorRAT
    professorRAT Posts: 690 Member
    Hiring a trainer was the best money I ever spent on myself. Try to find one that will really challenge you. I had one that took his job very seriously and put lots of effort into designing good workouts for me and that really made it worthwhile. Even if you just hire one for a few sessions to help you get comfortable and show you good form (which is crucial!), it will be worth it!
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
    Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply.

    Would you guys believe it if I told you that my husband was a trainer once upon a time rofl.gif

    He stays with the kids while I go to the gym so we never go together. Maybe I can hire a babysitter instead of a trainer and just take my man! LMAO!

    In all seriousness, I am going to do SOMETHING. I really want to start lifting heavy and changing the shape of my body. I have lost 25 pounds and I can see a difference, but I feel like I need more.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    There is this one girl on here Crankstr, she is awesome. I mean pretty much if she posts, listen to her.

    thank you:flowerforyou:
  • Kittenopolis
    Kittenopolis Posts: 26 Member
    Google that **** & start slow. Then start out in front of a mirror so you can watch your form.

    A lot of serious people at the gym don't mind being approached but would probably prefer not to be recruited for free training lessons.

    There are TONS of awesome videos on youtube of experienced trainers who walk you through proper form/technique & you can make a list or even bring your phone along & watch a clip right before you practice the exercise. Also, free weights are the way to go, girl. For example: when doing a bench press with a bar, say your right arm is stronger than your left, your right arm will help your left cheat to get the bar up. Free weights don't give you that option. Each muscle is responsible for it's own training. :)

    Best of luck to you & just remember, no matter what your level is, you will automatically be respected for trying because hey! you're out there, braving your fears, making it happen, & working for what you want.

    No shame in that. :)
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    My advice (and as much as i hate saying it).....


    Buy like 1 or 2 training sessions and just have them bring you around the areas you want to learn, teach you the form, and build some confidence.

    Then ditch them and do your own thing. :)
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    I have this desire to lift heavy. I seriously would love to go to the gym, grab a bar and just have at it. Do squats, and be bad *kitten*.

    But...every single damn time I go to the gym I do my cardio (run on the treadmill). The entire time i'm thinking to myself, I'm just going to go and do it. Then when I'm done, I walk my *kitten* over to the free weights and just do those. :sad: All these people in the bad *kitten* people section know what they are doing and I don't have a clue. I know that if I go over there i'm going to look like the biggest dumbass. :laugh:

    I confess i'm a gym scared-y cat. :grumble:

    I wish I had someone that would go with me just a few times until I felt confident doing it on my own.

    I fyou don't want to spend time reading and researching it here or on Youtube, or wherever, would you feel comfortable creeping the "badasses" and just watching what they do and try to repeat it?
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member

    Best of luck to you & just remember, no matter what your level is, you will automatically be respected for trying because hey! you're out there, braving your fears, making it happen, & working for what you want.

    No shame in that. :)

    ^This is true. At least it is at my gym. This morning, I saw a girl who usually only does cardio and some core work every day make venture over to the free weights area. She played with some dumbbells, and did some bar work. On one occasion, I saw her attempt some work on the lat pulldown machine. She pulled off a few reps, and then got up, and read the instructins on the machine. Then she got back down and pumped out a few more reps. My personal thoughts were, "Alright. Look at her trying something new to help herself. Go get it girl!"

    If she would have been still there after I finished what I was working on, I would have gone over and asked her if she had any questions as she looked like she was trying to figure it out. I was just admiring her willingness to try, and wanting to make it a pleasant experience for her so she would want to keep coming back to it.
  • RobP1192
    RobP1192 Posts: 310 Member
    I agree with everyone else and their suggestions. Just to reiterate. Research the exercises you like to do before hand so you have an idea of what you're doing. Then go to the "bad *kitten*" section with the free weights and try stuff out. A lot of people are apprehensive about lifting weights when they're unfamiliar with it. Men and women. I wouldn't worry about what other people are thinking. If anything, they'll admire the fact that a women is over there trying to get it in! And should you struggle with anything, a lot of people will feel compelled to give hints and tips. So you could always take advantage of it.
  • carissar7
    carissar7 Posts: 183 Member
    I too once felt exactly like you did. You just have to DO IT. Research online, read books, watch videos, anything you can to learn how to do the different exercises, proper form etc. Take a quick stroll through the free weights section before you plan on using anything just so you know where everything is. I made the transition over from cardio, to bodyweight exercises, then to machines, and then finally free weights/barbells, but the transition was very slow and I was shy. I don't have a gym buddy and I am always there alone. I read New Rules of Lifting for Women and follow the Stronglifts 5x5 program (highly recommend! it's done amazing things for my body). Now, after learning how to do all the compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press etc., if I pick up a pair of dumbbells I really don't know what to do with them besides like 2 or 3 exercises. I also don't know how to use the majority of the machines my gym has, which is a LOT! I got so used to barbells that everything else became unfamiliar to me. It's funny how things change!! :wink: good luck!

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