I confess...

rainbowbow

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

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

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

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

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!! good luck!