Gym-anxiety

2) trainers - I have never yet met a trainer at one of the local big gyms that knows how to teach lifting form, all they want to do is bodyweight ****, cardio and machines. hey *kitten* I can do that on my own.

Interesting you say that while also saying you don`t know what you are doing. many lifts start with body weight to get correct form. When you visit the gym you intend to join ask about the trainers - tell them your goals and find one that works for you - if you do not feel any of them will work for you - look for another gym. Search for private trainer only gyms and see who works there. It takes a little work to find the right trainer - I know many people here are very anti - trainers - but personally I would never have for to the point I am at without one.

If you are stuck with the one gym - write out a list of questions and ask them when you get an orientation

my personal experience is with a total of 3 trainers. I was quite clear about wanting to learn about how to #1 squat w/ the barbell and #2 get into the weight room in general ... despite my clearly stated goals (and we are talking 10 minutes of talking w/ the first two) had me doing bodyweight stuff, balancing on stuff, using a treadmill. the second one, when I stopped her mid-session to ask when we'd be going into the weight room because of what I actually wanted to learn, she had me do tricep extensions w/ dumbbells (again, I can do that at home AND I know how to do those FFS). I later dawned on me that she probably had no idea how to do barbell squats either. same w/ the other guy trainer. the last one just wound up cancelling on me twice.

Which is why I quit that gym and never went back.

I know well enough how to do what I'm doing now at home, and I do know enough to know what I don't know if that makes sense? I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and go in there, suck it up and learn as I go. I read Starting Strength last year but never did the actual program.

in the end, I guess I'm frustrated and anxious but I do know what I have to do and i'll do it. but, apparently, not without grousing about it first