Ridicule at the gym?
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Thanks for your post and encouragement.0
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I've never had a bad comment directed at me while at the gym. It's more of a fear projected onto yourself.
I met some personal trainers for my gym at the Ottawa's woman show and really liked what they were saying about how they view fitness/nutrition so I booked a meet and greet session. I almost cancelled that session because I was terrified I would hear negative comments from other members. The gym specializes in personal training for professional athletes. I knew I was close to 340lbs and all I could think of was "I'm overweight and slow and out of shape" I went anyway and I'm really glad I did. I signed up and booked 36 sessions with them. My first workout I was terrified again at what people would say, nobody noticed me. It was wonderful. Over a couple of months I noticed that some of the usual gym goers were observing me as I worked out and would cheer me on as I did it too. (they still do).
Everyone there is super nice and friendly, they're all willing to offer help and advice/tips. I noticed over the past few months that when I go on weekday evenings it's only the owner or other personal trainers who are working out as most of the members tend to go during the day. On weekends because I go so early in the morning I usually get more trainers and the occasional body builder. People have noticed the change and improvement and its just more motivation to keep on going.0 -
I was never insulted. I never heard anyone else insulted.
I see lots of posts from people who are afraid to enter a gym and it's crazy. The whole world really doesn't care as much about them as they seem to think. You aren't the first fat person to enter the gym. You won't be the last. Fat people in the gym - it's not an uncommon thing. Just get over yourself, because everyone else was over you before you even got there. They really don't care about you.0 -
I never had issues, but I don't usually pay attention to others too much.0
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Its mostly all in the persons mind like others have said. There was only literally one time that ive been witness to anything like that happening which was at a low cost kinda heavy duty gym with a lot of serious lifters. The cardio room was packed and some high school punk said something very harsh to a lady on a treadmill so she would get off, and he could use it, in about 1/2 a second he was given the option to walk out or be removed from the gym and was banned from ever coming back.0
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I invested in a Home gym in my garage. This November will be 3yrs I been in it day in and day out. if someone was to approach me in a mean manner or something to that nature I would go straight for the face with all I got end of story. have a bless day MFP!0
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I once joined Planet Fitness and a co-worker dragged me into a step-class. We were trying but not very coordinated. The teacher actually stopped and suggested we might do better or what not in the beginner class. That was pretty damn infuriating. I never went back.
I joined a family fitness center several months ago. I love it. Though yes I still avoid classes.0 -
i think more often than not i see posts about a FEAR of ridicule at the gym. or the perceived interpretation of a look someone gave them... and mostly i think it is projection of ones own insecurities. never have i been to a gym where anyone talks crap. i am sure there exists people who do talk crap, but for the most part everyone is in their own world and dont care.
however, in the beginning i did think people were looking at me and judging, and it made me run longer on the treadmill to prove them wrong. later i come to find out nobody was watching and i wasnt the center of the universe, even if i was gigantic in my mind.0 -
I'm 5'10" and 159lbs (last check, two weeks ago, probably less now). Anyways, I'm fairly small for my height. I had a guy on the elliptical next to me say "you better work harder, I've burned twice as many calories as you..."
Now...he easily had 100lbs on me, EASILY. So as a 260+ pound guy, he was doing LESS time, LESS speed, AND LESS resistance but was (per the machine) burning more calories due to his size.
I replied with "that's good for you though, looks like you really need it..."
It pissed me off though, it really did lol.
Good for you! What a jackwad for even commenting at all!0 -
everyone lovely at my gym and mostly more concerned with getting their workout done and get out. Also pretty quite so at times can feel more like your own gym as it never gets busy. No posuers and quite a few pensioners.0
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Some of the people here imagine that they're being bullied in the forums just because someone dared to disagree with them. I bet lots of folks imagine that they're being ridiculed at the gym, too. Maybe it's "obesity induced paranoia" .
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I've been to several gyms, large and small, military and non-military, I've yet to see people ridiculing anyone at the gym. I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm sure people aren't making it up when they say it happened to them. It's just not something I've witnessed at any of the gyms I've visited. Most people seem to be afraid that others are going to ridicule them or stare. I agree with the poster above me who said it's the FEAR of what people might say at the gym that stops some from going.
People are really nice at the regular gym I go to. You recognize the regulars who exercise at the same time of day you do. People don't hog machines or stare. My only gripe is that people don't wipe down the sweat on machines, but I suppose that's a First World Problem.0 -
I've never been ridiculed, nor seen ridicule at my gym. Mine is actually next door to a physiotherapy place, so they get a lot of 'graduates' from pre or post surgery/injury, as well as the usual assortment of gymgoers.
Knowing that people really aren't ridiculing you isn't enough to stop insecurity, though. In my experience, nobody has ever been as mean to me as my own brain. I suspect the same is true of others.0 -
I don't even know why people waste gas and time to drive to the gym to ridicule people when there is this perfectly free app right in the comfort of their own home from which to do it?
BTW...
Earbuds.0 -
I've been going to a large gym for about 5 years now and I've only had a negative interaction with someone once in that time. Some enormous (in both muscle and stature) guy came up to me and said I shouldn't be doing the exercise I was doing (it was something dumb like lat pulldowns I think), he told me that "only professionals" should do it, and proceeded to show me what I "should" be doing... to clarify there was no asking if I would like advice or help, I was silent the entire time, and pretty intimidated, I think just by his sheer size and, um, very confident demeanor, he probably had a pretty intense pre-workout... I left immediately afterward.
I don't think he meant to be intimidating, he probably really thought he was helping me, but I felt small and foolish - even though I know pulldowns are a perfectly normal exercise!
But that's the only negative interaction I've ever had. I think it's pretty rare but when it does happen, it's memorable
ETA: everyone else at my gym is just there to put their work in and friendly all in all.0 -
everyone lovely at my gym and mostly more concerned with getting their workout done and get out. Also pretty quite so at times can feel more like your own gym as it never gets busy. No posuers and quite a few pensioners.
same story here, pretty much exactly0 -
I have never had it happen to me in my 15 years on and off of going to the gym. Even at the gym I went to in college and grad school, full of young college students, no one has ever said anything to me, and if they commented about me, I had my headphones on so I didn't hear it. Besides, I tend to have an intimidating look when I'm minding my own business, so I rarely ever get ridicule from strangers in general despite my weight.
I don't think that the fear is completely unfounded. It's clear from some of the posts that it does happen - just very rarely. There's a difference between very rarely and never.0 -
Years ago I was in the weight room regularly. When the high school let out for the summer I was very intimidated because the football players were now there and they all knew my son who was on the team.
One day I had just finished my leg workout and I saw them looking at me and talking...I asked them if I could help them...ready to be nasty back if they made fun of me....
They said....Damn Mrs R!!! Your leg workout is awesome!!!!!
Sometimes people look at you and think nice things.
:bigsmile:0 -
Hi,
im new to MFP have been using it a few days and would like to meet some new people for more support
21 13st and 5"7
im sick of being the big one!0 -
I have been at my same gym for 4+ years now. Many saw my transformation and I get commended to this day. I honestly believe when newcomers or Introverted individuals enter a gym they have the preconceived notion that everyone is looking at them and commenting. I am very observant and pay attention to things around me, thus the reason I may look up at someone. Many of us are there for the same reason, to get healthier, to maintain, become more sculpted, etc.. I would like to think that gyms in this day and age have some sort of protocol to deal with members who do not know how to behave and disrupt the atmosphere in the gym.0
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There is someone at my local Y that is pretty open about ridiculing others, it's pretty damned depressing when he's there.
No one says a damn thing because he's a cop (and on anabolics.)0 -
Good post & I agree with you. A lot of my friends like to go to the gym between midnight & 5am because less people are there and they feel less intimidated by all the fit bodies & staring. I go at that time because I hate crowds and get to choose the machines I want to use and can exercise in peace. No one should feel awkward or uncomfortable at the gym. We are all there for the same reason, to get fit, healthy & maintain a healthy body.0
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Heh, already quoted your first post to mention the resting b1tch face that I'm "blessed" with, glad there are more of us in the boat!
Exactly. I have resting b*tch face anyway, and I'm fine with that. If I saw someone just randomly smiling in between sets, I would think they were a lunatic.(I like to zone out and listen to music while I lift, and he kept saying "you need to smile! You're bringing down the energy of the room!")
GOD that is irritating. Like you need to smile every second of the day. I know what you mean, he was badly flirting but really, get a clue, right?
OT- I hate this soooo much... I am usually thinking of a million things at one time and smiling is the last thing on my mind.0 -
Very interesting posts!
I have been a member of a number of gyms (2 in 12 years) and over that time have had snide comments made behind my back & to my face. It does happen it's not always 'self imagined'
" don't worry she won't be here after January her good intentions will have gone"
" I'll move as you obviously need more space in the class being so big" I actually left the class at that point!
" you'll never be able to do it at your size'
" look at the state of that"
The stares and looks I don't mind most of the time and I do enjoy watching their faces drop when I do the yoga poses so much better than them. But some times when I'm a little down the looks and comments do hurt! I have as much right as anyone to be there. I do not comment on them walking round posing or comment on their choices I get on with my workout and zone them out.
I have not given up going to the gym I have made lots of good friends there .
But to answer the question yes in some gyms it happens some days it is difficult to carry on when someone takes a verbal pop at you.0 -
I had someone mimic me once. I'm sure I looked silly, I was doing Jillian Michaels Body Revolution on silent so I could listen to music on my iPod. I was "jumping rope" and a girl nearby started jumping spastically and laughing with her friends. They left immediately after that, and I haven't seen her since.
I'm not a "large" or obviously overweight person, so it doesn't just happen if you're fat, etc. It happens because people are just rude!0 -
Never had that happen at the gym and when people tell stories, they always seem to be made up in their head because THEY FEEL intimidated, not because they are actually being intimidated.0
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Does it count as intimidating behavior if the person on the treadmill in front of you farts several times? Like to the point where you have to decide if you want to smell it or taste it. If so, then yes, I've been intimidated at the gym.
LMAO!! I apologize...that may have been me. (Guilty as charged.) My gut sometimes has a mind of it's own. ;-)
Or wear deodorant. I understand that some people don't wear it at all..but when you're on the treadmill....it's not very pleasant for anyone in the vicinity. I have a severe sensitivity to smell, sometimes to the point of nausea, and I had to decide whether to be rude and abruptly leave the treadmill and appear rude, or stay and deal with it.
I ended up moving, but I did feel kind of bad. Personal hygiene should be mandatory in life, but even more so at the gym.
And I've never heard any negativity, everyone, I mean EVERYONE is headphoned out..nobody talks 0 -
Does it count as intimidating behavior if the person on the treadmill in front of you farts several times? Like to the point where you have to decide if you want to smell it or taste it. If so, then yes, I've been intimidated at the gym.
LMAO!! I apologize...that may have been me. (Guilty as charged.) My gut sometimes has a mind of it's own. ;-)
Or wear deodorant. I understand that some people don't wear it at all..but when you're on the treadmill....it's not very pleasant for anyone in the vicinity. I have a severe sensitivity to smell, sometimes to the point of nausea, and I had to decide whether to be rude and abruptly leave the treadmill and appear rude, or stay and deal with it.
I ended up moving, but I did feel kind of bad. Personal hygiene should be mandatory in life, but even more so at the gym.
And I've never heard any negativity, everyone, I mean EVERYONE is headphoned out..nobody talks
Do you normally wear deodorant in your butt?0 -
I agree, it's the people with the most to lose who inspire me the most at the gym. I admire them for having the courage to step foot in a gym and start the journey. They deserve our cheers and admiration!:flowerforyou:0
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Im sure it does happen though i wasn't saying it doesn't when i replied earlier. I just don't see it happening when I am there I guess? However, sometimes I do get a cold vibe from a lot of them so I'm just like pfft whatever brah/chick-I got this-and i do- (ok ego calm yourself woosah, wooooooosah):bigsmile: 0
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