Neutral Face When Exercising

thedangerfox
thedangerfox Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep a neutral face when doing things such as weight lifting and stretching? I've heard many times to do moves while keeping a neutral face, but I am never able to do them without making what I call a "stink face" where my mouth turns into a frown and my nose crinkles up. Same thing with stretching and doing yoga...I still get the stink face no matter how much I concentrate not doing it. Is this just because I'm still a beginner with the whole strength training thing? Will my face relax when I start getting stronger? I use fairly light weights to begin with, if not just flat out body weight exercises, so I don't think it's because I'm using weights that are too heavy.

Any tips?

Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    Lol seriously?


    ETA:
    Since this is MFP, just in case your serious, why does keeping a neutral face while working out matter to you?

    If you're exerting a lot of effort (as you should be), most likely it's gonna show on your face. Embrace it.
  • matt2442
    matt2442 Posts: 1,259 Member
    Why not exercise and look like this guy? it is way more fun this way

    lOhJwQJ.gif
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    One trick is to think about relaxing your ears, the back of your jaw, or a spot in the middle of your forehead - the rest of your face will kind of fall in line.

    Other than that, it's just practice, like the rest of your form. And you do have to practice - clenching your teeth really does give you an extra boost, so your face isn't naturally going to relax. Practice with soft face, and you have game face to bust out when you need it.
  • oregonzoo
    oregonzoo Posts: 4,251 Member
    Why not exercise and look like this guy? it is way more fun this way

    lOhJwQJ.gif
    Please stop stalking me and taking photos while I work out.
  • sandi117
    sandi117 Posts: 445 Member
    Why not exercise and look like this guy? it is way more fun this way

    lOhJwQJ.gif

    :noway: :laugh:

    ROFL! I'm so making those faces when I go to the gym tonight.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    My face when exercising.

    photo_zpse210ce13.jpg

    Get over it.
  • matt2442
    matt2442 Posts: 1,259 Member
    Why not exercise and look like this guy? it is way more fun this way

    lOhJwQJ.gif
    Please stop stalking me and taking photos while I work out.

    you sure know how to use your tongue :flowerforyou:
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Don't worry about what face you're making.

    Worry only about your form while lifting. If your concentration is elsewhere, that's how you get hurt.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    One trick is to think about relaxing your ears, the back of your jaw, or a spot in the middle of your forehead - the rest of your face will kind of fall in line.

    Other than that, it's just practice, like the rest of your form. And you do have to practice - clenching your teeth really does give you an extra boost, so your face isn't naturally going to relax. Practice with soft face, and you have game face to bust out when you need it.

    To be honest OP your efforts would be better directed to actually working out than focusing on relaxing your face while working out.
  • matt2442
    matt2442 Posts: 1,259 Member
    My face when exercising.

    photo_zpse210ce13.jpg

    Get over it.

    hnozEMg.gif
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
    My face when

    XYYdHG0l.jpg

    Get over it
  • BunkyBumBum
    BunkyBumBum Posts: 157 Member
    No tips, I just hide my expressions naturally. This has gotten me in over my head in boot camps because I don't grunt and gasp and make faces like I'm dying, and topping it off, I'm not a sweaty person, so even though I might be pushing myself to the limits and barely holding it together I don't *look* like I'm killing myself. Well, at least not until I start to walk away and my legs crumble out from under me. That's always cool.

    So, you can't win either way. Either you look like a fool or you look like you're not pushing yourself.

    I will, however, say that the dude at the gym I used to go to that would grunt and gasp on the elliptical like he was going to kill himself while surrounded by ladies working twice as hard as he was annoyed me. Not because he was making noise in itself, but because I think he was making noise and trying to get people to notice him (this was further backed up by the fact that when done, he'd stand near the weights and pace a little, wiping himself with a towel and making more noise and looking at everyone to see if they were noticing him).

    Just do what you gotta do, no one's looking anyhow, and even if they are who cares? I can honestly say that unless you're doing something absolutely ridiculous or annoying, I don't take note of anyone at the gym. The sisters with gas in the weigh section? Yeah, I notice them because I try to avoid the weights when they're there after being gassed out a couple times (seriously ladies, ease up on the broccoli!) The woman in the black plastic bag shirt? Yeah, I notice her because, really, WTH? The muslim woman who does aerobics in her hijab? I notice her because I don't know how she's not dying of heat stroke or tripping on her skirts, that's more of an "I'm impressed" notice. So, you see, unless you do something weird, people don't generally notice.
  • thedangerfox
    thedangerfox Posts: 3
    While I didn't need the snarky, "get over it" comments, I just wanted to clarify that I'm not at all concerned with how I look at the gym. I don't even go to the gym, I work out at home. My concern is being able to focus on doing exercises correctly, but I get distracted by a sore neck or face because of the faces I make. So I was looking for suggestions from people on what they do.

    For instance I read that when doing situps if you keep your tongue at the roof of your mouth it helps takes strain away from your neck and helps you focus the right muscle groups, so you can do a situp properly.

    Just saying, laughing and "get over it" comments don't help anyone. Lovely community we have here.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    No.


    641.jpg?w=490

    No seriously. You can try a mouth guard if you are clenching your teeth in particular. But if you are straining SO much that your face and neck and in pain you are probably lifting WAY out of your physical range.
  • His_Buttercup2015
    His_Buttercup2015 Posts: 114 Member
    While I didn't need the snarky, "get over it" comments, I just wanted to clarify that I'm not at all concerned with how I look at the gym. I don't even go to the gym, I work out at home. My concern is being able to focus on doing exercises correctly, but I get distracted by a sore neck or face because of the faces I make. So I was looking for suggestions from people on what they do.

    For instance I read that when doing situps if you keep your tongue at the roof of your mouth it helps takes strain away from your neck and helps you focus the right muscle groups, so you can do a situp properly.

    Just saying, laughing and "get over it" comments don't help anyone. Lovely community we have here.

    Snarky...goin to have to remember that. Seems perfectly descriptive.

    As for your question I wonder if maybe lifting your eyebrows would help? I know I have what I call my "frowny face" Although I don't know if looking surprised is any better...
  • Bearbrat
    Bearbrat Posts: 230
    While I didn't need the snarky, "get over it" comments, I just wanted to clarify that I'm not at all concerned with how I look at the gym. I don't even go to the gym, I work out at home. My concern is being able to focus on doing exercises correctly, but I get distracted by a sore neck or face because of the faces I make. So I was looking for suggestions from people on what they do.

    For instance I read that when doing situps if you keep your tongue at the roof of your mouth it helps takes strain away from your neck and helps you focus the right muscle groups, so you can do a situp properly.

    Just saying, laughing and "get over it" comments don't help anyone. Lovely community we have here.
    I don't think anyone was trying to upset you or hurt your feelings, but then I'm not the one who asked the question. I'm sorry you feel like people were having fun at your expense. I think they were trying to be light hearted about it, since sometimes weight loss/exercise for a lot of us get to be too serious sometimes and we lose the "fun" aspect of seeing our bodies shrinking. I actually laughed at your question only because I KNOW I have the same facial expressions when I exercise and never even thought about it til now. Good luck !! :smile:
  • ICOZA7
    ICOZA7 Posts: 33 Member
    While I didn't need the snarky, "get over it" comments, I just wanted to clarify that I'm not at all concerned with how I look at the gym. I don't even go to the gym, I work out at home. My concern is being able to focus on doing exercises correctly, but I get distracted by a sore neck or face because of the faces I make. So I was looking for suggestions from people on what they do.

    For instance I read that when doing situps if you keep your tongue at the roof of your mouth it helps takes strain away from your neck and helps you focus the right muscle groups, so you can do a situp properly.

    Just saying, laughing and "get over it" comments don't help anyone. Lovely community we have here.

    Just saying... maybe if you had explained why you were asking in the first place, you would have had more helpful comments. There is a big different between "how do I reduce face and neck mucle soreness" and "how do i stop making weird faces"
  • CMGoodie
    CMGoodie Posts: 93 Member
    I feel your pain.....although I don't care what people say, I am very conscience about how I look or can look like afterwards.

    If you exercise the muscles in your face, you will get the lines, the shape and the (what I call) weight lifters face...it's only the progression of things. I try to breath and grunt more on the exhale. Although it does tend to ever exagerate the "O" making of the lips and weird noses tend to escape out of this womanly body, it minimizes the facial expressions.

    You can't really get past them, it's about minimizing them....and lots of facial massage and moisturizing.

    GOOD LUCK.:flowerforyou:
  • IIISpartacusIII
    IIISpartacusIII Posts: 252 Member
    Where I'm from we come to the gym to "throw down"! There isn't anything neutral about it. Working out should be like going to war; NO MERCY! Don't waste your time thinking about how you look to other people and worry about what you're trying to accomplish in the gym ... if anything. Neutral = Failure
  • plaingirly
    plaingirly Posts: 378
    I really try to keep my face relaxed - I tend to frown when lifting weights! I don't want additional wrinkles! x

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