Honestly, I don't think anyone will talk to you. And I'm not saying that to be rude at all, I'm saying it because usually when people go to the gym (especially to lift), the last thing they want to do is have a conversation. That's how I am. I have a specific workout that I want to complete in a certain amount of time. If anyone starts chatting with me I get thrown off and it takes me so much longer. I think a lot of people feel this way.

Just remember that everyone is kind of in their own little zone when they go to the gym and they really won't be concerned with what you're doing as long as it doesn't interfere with what they're doing.

And rock it girl! You're there to improve your health and body, that's nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone starts somewhere. NROL tells you exactly how to do each move, take the book along if you need it! If you feel stupid, you'll look stupid. If you feel confident, that'll show too.

Good luck!

In the free weight area, no one will speak to you like you're stupid because everyone is involved in their own workouts and almost everyone is wearing headphones. In fact, in my weight room, the regulars have a whole language based on eye contact, smiles, nods and an occasional thumbs up for a spectacular set or lift. We don't really talk to each other all that much. LOL

You don't need to ask their approval or permission to use the weights. Get in there, put your headphones in, claim your space, and focus on your workout. Don't worry that your weight workout looks different from others. People who lift have all kinds of goals -- pure strength, body building, training for a sport, power lifting, general fitness, etc. No one really cares what you are doing, unless it directly interferes in a rude fashion with what they are doing.

The guys in my weight room are great. To be honest, I kind of dread working out with women in the weight room. At my gym, women tend to take up too much space and equipment to do 500 biceps curls with a 5 lb dumbbell and then stand in front of the other equipment while they're chatting (always in pairs lifting the barbie weights) and blocking access to half the weights. Be polite, respect others' space, return the equipment when you're finished, ask to work in or ask if someone is finished if you need to use a piece of equipment and someone else is using it too. Don't interrupt people while they're in the middle of a set.

I used to be intimidated by the same group of guys who unanimously gave me thumbs up, high fives and "the look of weight lifting approval" upon seeing me complete my set of weighted jump squats with two 25 lb dumbbells in the middle of the free weight area last week. If you are serious about working out and follow this program, you will eventually gain the respect of those dreaded weight room guys.

Edited to add: Also, under weight room manners -- if you need help with something, ask a trainer who works for the gym. I would not like to have someone asking me a bunch of questions during my workout. I work out really hard, and then when I'm in between sets I'm totally out of breath. I like to be focused on my own workout and don't want to socialize at the gym. (Maybe that's why the weight room guys like me, I guess.) Unless you're asking someone you know, or are just asking a really quick question, I would not suggest you interrupt other people's workouts to get advice. Read your book, watch some youtube videos if you have questions about form, or ask questions here.

I asked a trainer to show me how to use all the equipment first so I would feel a bit more confident. I'm almost all the way though S1 and the only time I've had contact with other people in the weights section is:

a) to ask how many sets I have left
b) offering to put my oly bar away in the squat rack when i was done
c) lifting the bar onto the squat rack when I was having a particularly weak day (lol) :laugh:
d) asking if I want to work in between their sets
e) asking if they're in my way

^^ see totally lovely and not scary

That being said I did still feel like a royal idiot for the first few weeks. Just gotta accept that that will probably be the case and suck it up!! :blushing:

some good advice here
i am going to be new to the weight room as well..so i have a couple of questions..

-when you ask someone if you can work in with them..what exercises would you do that for? for instance if they are using the squat rack..you would do your set when they are resting?

-if you are just going to wait for someone to finish up with some equipment..do you just hoover near by? I don't want to make anyone feel rushed but how do I know who is up next to use it?

1. Can't really work in on the squat rack...too hard to change the plates. It needs to be something like the lat pull machine where you are just moving a pin.

2. Yes, you hover. If its something like the lat machine, a set is not long to wait and people will just finish their set. The more tough call is if someone is hogging the squat rack. They could be there all night.

I was doing my workout on Tuesday when one of the guys who was working out came up to me and said,

"What you are doing is making me tired."

The thought that crossed my mind? "Yeah, get you some!" :laugh:

thx for the info :flowerforyou: