To the weight room

Zicon
Zicon Posts: 27
in Motivation and Support
I have in my possession a freshly arrived copy of The New Rules of Lifting for Women, and my quick read-through leaves me with the overall impression that it contains sensible advice. I definitely want to go through the workout program in it, but most of it would take me to the weight room in the gym -- and just like a lot of women, the thought of hitting the weight room makes me more than a little nervous. Outright anxious, actually. Some moral support is needed here, help!

Replies

  • suzzann666
    suzzann666 Posts: 334 Member
    don't be scared...the weight room is a safe haven...and you'll come out feeling like a bad-*kitten* sexy *****!
  • dandandee
    dandandee Posts: 301 Member
    I agree the weight room is intimidating but it's well worth it! I did my first round in there this monday and I must say, it was a very good workout. Yes, I did feel like a fool since I didn't know what half the machines were but I went in with a friend and that made it super fun. I think tomorrow I might ask someone to show me around the weight room just to make sure I'm doing things right.

    but really, other than the initial embarrassment of "oh gosh what the heck am I doing here" I enjoyed it!
    definitely try it out next time you go to the gym! best of luck :D
  • suzzann666
    suzzann666 Posts: 334 Member
    youtube is your friend...
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
    Don't be scared 95 % of the men in there won't care or won't even notice you. the other 5 % half will be proud of you and the other half might stare at you or leer. There's *kitten* in every room but the majority will be nice or just into their own thing. So just do yours

    As far as the women in the weight room I dont claim to know women. So I dont dare to presume to speak on their behalf. However, Id assume theyd be supportive or just into their own workouts.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    Do eet!

    Yes, it will be a little "OMG EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT ME" for a minute. And then you will start picking up the heavy things, and it will be all "RARGH!" and awesome. And eventually you'll realize that no, nobody's looking at you, unless you are curling in the squat rack, don't do that. Pretty much everyone is there for the same reason, which is to do their own workout, and if they're looking at anything, it is the flexing of their own biceps in the mirrors. Er, I mean, "checking their form."

    And, uh, sometimes maybe there will be an especially good-looking guy there and you will not be able to get the collar off one of the bars and he'll ask if you need help and you will die of embarrassment. (Or maybe just want to.) But you'll still go back the next day, because embarrassment is not the boss of you, you're way too awesome for that.

    Totally worth that two minutes of "uh, do I really belong here?"
  • Zicon
    Zicon Posts: 27
    I did it! I was so anxious I was nearly crying walking into the gym, but I did it!

    If anyone else is considering picking up this book, let me give you a point in its favour: Every exercise is described in glorious detail. I've never even seen a squat rack before today, and yet I knew exactly what to do when I got there.

    Also: This program kicks my donkey. I've never seen so many calories burnt from strength training before!
  • jesspi68
    jesspi68 Posts: 292
    I had terrible anxiety about it. I did all of Stage 1 at my home with my BF spotting me and our at home barbell. I just recently started doing the Strong Lifts 5x5 and I am squatting so much weight I am not able to do it at home anymore... so to the gym I went. Very anxious the whole time, but now that I've done it once I feel much more able to go back. I know what I'm doing!! I knew what I was doing before I go there lol. I actually had someone comment on my form for the squats which was funny because I had just watched two of the guys that I would have previously been intimidated by doing it completely WRONG!!!
  • celebrity328
    celebrity328 Posts: 377 Member
    I read the book :)

    I also started heavy lifting with a Personal trainer in the last month. She walked me around the weight room and explained what everything was and how it was used. At first I was like "Every guy in here is looking at me" but then realized that half the guys in there are to busy doing their own thing or looking in the mirror to pay me much attention :)!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    don't be scared...the weight room is a safe haven...and you'll come out feeling like a bad-*kitten* sexy *****!

    THIS^^^

    The YMCA that I go to is all one big room for cardio and weights. I got the trainer to help me with a few of the machines at the very beginning, then I took a free class to learn the next level of machines. Back around August or so I started transitioning to the *real* weights by accident. I saw a lady using the leg press, and when she was done with her set I told her that "someday" I wanted to be able to use it too. She told me that "someday" was that day, and helped me. That gave me the confidence to start doing other things over there. No one hardly notices me over there--occasionally the trainer or fitness monitor will stop and watch a set of squats to make sure my form is good, but that is it.
  • nmb0717
    nmb0717 Posts: 130 Member
    I am so so so glad I found this post. I was about to make one saying the same exact thing. I too just purchased NROL for Women and have gotten to the lifting program part and I'm terrified. I've worked out with a trainer for the last few months so you'd think my confidence would be there to handle it but I am so terrified!
  • homerunbetty
    homerunbetty Posts: 28
    I L.O.V.E. the weight room! In fact, I miss it. I used to be a power lifter. Of course, my shoulders are tore up because I was thin back then and lifted a lot of weight. I started boxing and that has improved my shoulder (not grinding so much). Lifting is very enjoyable for me and a great stress reliever.

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