I went into the big boys gym survived! (question for lads)

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  • tomomatic
    tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
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    TG no one talked to me... not even a grunt.

    Another thing I have to ask while I am here...you know in the middle of the training if you want to get water (fil up the bottle from the fountain)...is it bad form to walk in front of someone who is lifting? What if there is no mirror. Oh, and might I add, I'm scared to walk anywhere near them so I'll need to go to the loo before I go in there again :)

    I guess no one is up for talking. No biggie. Someone will get the nerve eventually.

    Don't walk in front of anyone. Just walk behind them or around them. If there's no mirror, I'd still avoid walking in front of them. I don't want a weight dropped on my foot. Weights can still fall off the bar if they're not clipped in properly.
    BUT if they're lying down on a bench, then it should be fine.

    I'm sure you're over thinking it.
  • rachietuk
    rachietuk Posts: 308 Member
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    I'm with you on this. Tomorrow is my first day in the boys part of the gym. I am leaving the cute circuit behind and venturing over to the weights and scary machines.
    I'm sure its not as bad as I think its going to be.
    Good luck, you can do it
  • timmymon
    timmymon Posts: 304 Member
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    I honestly do not pay attention to anybody when I am at the gym. I go and am pretty much in my own world for the entire time. Don't worry about other people, I promise they don't even notice you!
  • ukulele2010
    ukulele2010 Posts: 126 Member
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    The guys don't talk to the other guys in this section either - so I don't think this is an issue of gender. I notice that the women tend to have better form lifting in the "big boys" side of the gym anyway. I see men "squat" and they usually are doing a quarter of half squat - the women tend to perform an actual squat.
  • LarryHG
    LarryHG Posts: 5 Member
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    When I see someone who is "unfit" working out or running or whatever, I always say to myself, way to go! This is really hard at the beginning. It makes me proud of you for being out there and working on yourself. Go for it. We all had to start somewhere.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    First let me say, I realise both men and women work out in the weights only heavy weights part of my gym... it's just tonight, my first time in there with a trainer, it was all lads. I would say there were 20 there and probably I was the oldest person there by at least 10 years (I'm 43)...

    I was in with my trainer who is a cute female in her late 20s I'd guess.

    I felt really really uncomfortable training there as they don't really chat and we were talking (because she was training me and it was my first time) and self-conscious. Not that I'm flattering myself into thinking they were looking at me, as I'm sure they have their own ****e to think about and working out is something you need to be focussed for...

    but... what do lads think of unfit women in the big weights gym?

    I'm hoping that I can go back there again to train and not feel so incredibly out of place, unfit and frankly frightened. It's not like they were going to gang up on me and make me do the plank but I was still so nervous...

    any tips from girls who've done it and any lads who have a comment, please, enlighten me and say things that will make me want to try again!

    PS I actually got a great workout in terms of form and effort because I felt like I was on the telly!!

    I don't care WHAT the big boys think!! I still have 30# to lose before I cross the line from obese to overweight...then another 20 or so to be *healthy*

    I have wanted to go in the big boys room for a while. One day I was doing the machines and I saw a lady over there leg pressing. I made a comment to her about wanting to do that *someday* and she showed me how!! The bar alone was 118lbs, and I actually found it to be EASY. The next time I leg pressed, I asked the trainer ( early 20s guy, super cute) to help me load the machine. he put 90# on there ( for a total of 208) and I did it fine!!

    I keep hearing that squats are awesome, and the trainer is a big advocate of using weights vs machines...so a few weeks ago I decided to try squatting again ( I tried it like 6 months ago and was SUPER sore, so I quit) and asked the trainer to watch me to make sure my form was good. I can squat a measly 65# right now, but am hoping to be close to 100# by Christmas.

    Great job!
    Squats are great! Look at videos for form or read Starting Strength. Btw, the bar usually 45lbs for free weight squats. Always start you squats with the bar unloaded.

    I asked the trainer :D pretty sure he said the bar was 18 or 20lbs and double checked it for me. I told him how much I had been doing on the assisted machine and had him help me load the bar. He's a really sweet kid and always happy to make sure my form is OK or whatever.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    Bumping because I'm 46 years old and starting in a couple of weeks and was wondering about etiquette there. Don't want to piss anyone off because I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing.

    Rack your weights......that's pretty much it.

    Ok, think I can remember that! Thanks :)
  • AnahitaCanDoIt
    AnahitaCanDoIt Posts: 448
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    compressor pants? sounds painful?
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    compressor pants? sounds painful?
    compression pants.

    they help me with recovery. i dont near as sore when i wear them
  • sportytalldoll
    sportytalldoll Posts: 208 Member
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    Personally, I usually think, "wow great to see that you're there working out - keep it up!"

    I think you'll find that those guys that are really big, you know the tatted up monsters that look like they could eat the weights they're lifting? They're usually pretty nice guys that freely give advice if asked when the weights aren't in their hands. Quite a few have helped me. Just smile and enjoy yourself.

    Exactly!
    I workout at a a dirty, man-filled, free weights/equipment filled gym, that has multiple ufc fighters, strongman contestants, and past/present bodybuilder competitors who workout here evveryday. I've made soooo many friends, who are more than helpful - they're encouraging, and fun to workout with..they have introduced me to a new world of sled pulling, tire flipping, sledge hammer swinging, firehose swinging workouts! I'd never go back to being a cardio girl at the YMCA (no offense to Y members) - my body has built muscles, burnt fat, and toned - my mind has gotten stronger, my heart to excell has never been soooo strong, and my pride has swollen (but not to an unhealthy point). Added bonus, I found out just how much guys like when you work as hard/or harder then them...I've had a few tell me its a major turn on to see the dedication and strength it takes to do what I've been doing.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    compressor pants? sounds painful?
    compression pants.

    they help me with recovery. i dont near as sore when i wear them

    x2.

    They rock.
  • AnahitaCanDoIt
    AnahitaCanDoIt Posts: 448
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    compressor pants? sounds painful?
    compression pants.

    they help me with recovery. i dont near as sore when i wear them

    will research....are they like spanx because I've got those already! :) lots of them!

    spanx-example-783969jpg.jpeg
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    no, like this:

    2xu-compression-tights1.jpg
  • AnahitaCanDoIt
    AnahitaCanDoIt Posts: 448
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    Personally, I usually think, "wow great to see that you're there working out - keep it up!"

    I think you'll find that those guys that are really big, you know the tatted up monsters that look like they could eat the weights they're lifting? They're usually pretty nice guys that freely give advice if asked when the weights aren't in their hands. Quite a few have helped me. Just smile and enjoy yourself.

    Exactly!
    I workout at a a dirty, man-filled, free weights/equipment filled gym, that has multiple ufc fighters, strongman contestants, and past/present bodybuilder competitors who workout here evveryday. I've made soooo many friends, who are more than helpful - they're encouraging, and fun to workout with..they have introduced me to a new world of sled pulling, tire flipping, sledge hammer swinging, firehose swinging workouts! I'd never go back to being a cardio girl at the YMCA (no offense to Y members) - my body has built muscles, burnt fat, and toned - my mind has gotten stronger, my heart to excell has never been soooo strong, and my pride has swollen (but not to an unhealthy point). Added bonus, I found out just how much guys like when you work as hard/or harder then them...I've had a few tell me its a major turn on to see the dedication and strength it takes to do what I've been doing.

    I love this! My gym is more sophisticated and the time I go is mostly students or people who I'm guessing are bouncers by the size of them! :)
    I dread the day one of my male colleagues comes in when I'm there! I saw the partner of a female ex-colleague of mine today...cringe... I'm sure I look different than the last time he saw me at a wedding fairly drunk!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    yeah compression pants are like the ones msf74 posted, but damn wouldnt this be a fun outfit to lift in?:laugh:
    compressor pants? sounds painful?
    compression pants.

    they help me with recovery. i dont near as sore when i wear them

    will research....are they like spanx because I've got those already! :) lots of them!

    spanx-example-783969jpg.jpeg
  • Humbugsftw
    Humbugsftw Posts: 202 Member
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    Rock it! There is nothing wrong with women in the free weights section. I was there for a session a few days ago, doing bench presses, and a super skinny guy next to me was trying to keep up but failing miserably. Us ladies can rock the weights too when we want to ;) And even if people stare, let them. I know the guys at my gym are quite friendly - they'll give me the weights to deadlift with when I want to, they'll talk about technique etc and all in all, it's all good.
  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
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    I feel you.
    I won't go in without my husband. I feel way better having my husband training with me, and I know it's all because I'm overweight and I feel gross. I'm not unfit, I can lift alot... but I just don't feel comfortable by myself (YET!)
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    So long as you're working hard, nobody cares. Speaking for myself, the only people that annoy me in the weights room are the ones fluttering about doing very little of anything.
  • mousepaws22
    mousepaws22 Posts: 380 Member
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    Up until two weeks ago I was the only girl I'd ever seen in the weights room (my trainer is female though and amazing) and I was intimidated at first, but it's fine. I see a lot if the same guys regularly and they're all really friendly, help me if I need it- like when someone leaves the bar on the floor with 200 pounds on it and I'm struggling to move it all- let me jump in and do my sets during their rests and I've even had a couple of compliments :-) Enjoy it!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    but... what do lads think of unfit women in the big weights gym?

    We don't. Just like we don't about unfit men in the big weights gym. We don't think about fit people either. The only thing we think about is how awesome we are going to look after we finish the 18th set of bicep curls in the big weights gym. Come on in and get your workout on. And don't be afraid to ask for help whenever you need it.

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