University Gym Has No Barbell

Terri6627
Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I got back to university for the year and discovered that the only barbell in our gym area is completely filled with giant meatheads. I really don't feel comfortable there and instead go to a different area within the gym that is far more female friendly. I really don't feel comfortable anywhere near the other room and the one I use has no barbell.

So my question is how can I do weighted squats without one? I was doing 50lbs before coming back to school and I'm 130 lbs. Are one legged squats a valid option?
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Replies

  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    Barbell squats are a great exercise but they aren't the only good exercise for hitting your legs. Goblet squats, weighted lunges, leg press machines and the like all lead to gains and they don't require a barbell. Work with what you've got and if you later decide you really want to do barbell training, find a gym with a barbell or buy your own.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Just get in there with the guys - they're probably nice helpful guys.

    If not, goblet squats, split squats etc.
  • b_e_l_l_a_a_a_a_a_a
    b_e_l_l_a_a_a_a_a_a Posts: 51 Member
    Go deal with the meatheads, it'll be worth being able to use a barbell.
  • MissHolidayGolightly
    MissHolidayGolightly Posts: 857 Member
    Another vote for going to the boy's side of the gym. You can do substitutions but the barbell is invaluable, in my opinion.
  • Terri6627
    Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
    I do other leg exercises so that's not an issue, I just really enjoyed doing squats.

    I have gone over before and unless it's almost empty it's not an option. I feel way too uncomfortable and from my experiences over there, they're not really "nice helpful guys."

    Thanks for the goblet and split squat suggestions!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Giant meat head here... go put your big girl panties on and learn to lift. Those people are significantly nicer than almost ALL the people in aerobics classes- and also the cardio equipment.

    There are great substitutes- but they will never take you as far as working with a barbell.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Suck it up and go anyway.

    Don't let "meatheads" from stopping you from using the equipment your tuition and fees are paying for.
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
    Couldn't you just move a barbell to use it and put it back when you're done?
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
    Agreed..just go in there and do your thing. They're too busy worrying about themselves to care about you. Get your work on!
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    Couldn't you just move a barbell to use it and put it back when you're done?

    Depending what she wants to do with the bar, no she can't - not safely anyway.
    Or it could potentially be against the university rules to do as such
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    ... that the only barbell in our gym area is completely filled with giant meatheads.

    The barbell is filled with meat heads?

    #1. Sweet bigotry.
    #2. How is the barbell filled with meat, or anything else?
  • Terri6627
    Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
    I do lift, the other gym has everything except a barbell. I know I'm being a wimp about it.

    And nope, the two areas are actually in different buildings that are connected by a tunnel. It's not like I'm refusing to go to one area of a room. I just prefer to work out in the female friendly area and would rather do all my exercises there than walk for three minutes to go do a set of squats in an area where I feel super uncomfortable.
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  • Terri6627
    Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
    ... that the only barbell in our gym area is completely filled with giant meatheads.

    The barbell is filled with meat heads?

    #1. Sweet bigotry.
    #2. How is the barbell filled with meat, or anything else?

    Haha oops. The only area with barbells in our athletic facility is filled with people who could break me in half and the only females I've ever seen in there are varsity athletes. Better?
  • Terri6627
    Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
    I enjoy how everyone is assuming all I do is cardio and Zumba. Nuh uh. When I'm at the gym (every other day), it's a cardio warm up and the rest is all strength exercises. The other days are when I do cardio.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    A lot better. Meat head is pretty derogatory.

    Honestly, I'm not in the best shape, and there's a lot of dudes at my gym who have finely sculpted bodies. (Many are fitness competitors.) I'm not going to let that stop me from getting my burn on. Know what the result was? I'm making friends with them.

    People are gregarious creatures... guys are pretty damned up front too, I think you might be projecting a little, eh? If you aren't comfortable, you aren't comfortable. However, the only time you grow in a lot of situations is by going outside of your comfort zone.

    Food for thought. I'd go squat, and if anyone has anything to say, ask them to spot get a partner and spot the bar.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I just prefer to work out in the female friendly area and would rather do all my exercises there than walk for three minutes to go do a set of squats in an area where I feel super uncomfortable.

    There is no such thing as a female friendly area outside of bathroom requirements at a gym.

    It's just a room with equipment in it.

    Secondly- ONLY doing squats a the squat rack the barbell is just silly- I can do 3/4 of my workout there - or even all of it depending on the plan- way more work can be done there than whatever other section of your gym you have.

    Just go do the thing- staying away from it is only going to make you feel foolish when make it over there and realize it was all in your head.
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    There is no such thing as a meathead section. Meathead is such an ugly term.

    I hear they sell the big girl panties at Sports Authority. Get a pair and go pick up a barbell.
  • greeneyes0809
    greeneyes0809 Posts: 422 Member
    Coming from a fellow college girl who was scared out of her mind to enter into the "forbidden guy zone", I feel where you are coming from. It's true that it is intimidating, but eventually you are just going to have to suck it up and go. Yeah it may be awkward the first few times you go in and yeah a few of them might stare, but you honestly just have to get over it.

    I know it's scary, but most things worth doing in life are. So get in there and do it!
  • Terri6627
    Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
    Just go do the thing- staying away from it is only going to make you feel foolish when make it over there and realize it was all in your head.

    I have been over there and I have worked out there before, as I've already said. I felt very uncomfortable, as did my workout partner (who is male fyi) so we decided to go to the other area. That's it. As a result I wanted exercises I can do instead of barbell squats.

    I'm aware that I shouldn't care and I should be able to use that gym. However I'm uncomfortable and I am working on that. So everyone telling me to just go over there, I know. I'm working on that. All I wanted was an exercise to replace the one I lost from my previous workout routine. I now have that. So thank you but this is getting off topic.

    I'm also aware I should not have said meat head, will not happen again. I'm just used to women only gyms so being stared at by people while working out made me highly uncomfortable and not likely to think well of the people who did it.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    one legged squats are an option, and it would be quite awhile before you'd have to add any weight, if you even got to that point.

    pistol squats are very hard

    how does one fill a barbell with meat heads?

    you know what would be truely bad *kitten*? if you went into the meat head room, grabbed the barbell, and took it back to your comfort zone lol
  • Terri6627
    Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
    Coming from a fellow college girl who was scared out of her mind to enter into the "forbidden guy zone", I feel where you are coming from. It's true that it is intimidating, but eventually you are just going to have to suck it up and go. Yeah it may be awkward the first few times you go in and yeah a few of them might stare, but you honestly just have to get over it.

    I know it's scary, but most things worth doing in life are. So get in there and do it!

    It's terrifying! And I know, I'm working on it. I'm going when there's almost no one there right now, and eventually I'll start going when there's more people.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    No one is staring at you.

    You should break up.

    Do you even squat bro?
  • Terri6627
    Terri6627 Posts: 39 Member
    you know what would be truely bad *kitten*? if you went into the meat head room, grabbed the barbell, and took it back to your comfort zone lol

    Ya I'm sooooo not allowed to do that. There's big signs everywhere that say gym equipment must remain in the room. I'd also have to take 50 lbs of weights haha.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    I enjoy how everyone is assuming all I do is cardio and Zumba. Nuh uh. When I'm at the gym (every other day), it's a cardio warm up and the rest is all strength exercises. The other days are when I do cardio.

    Actually no one assumed you did Zumba.
    He mentioned that the guys you're calling meatheads are probably friendlier than the ladies in a Zumba class. Not saying that you do Zumba but that if you were to a cardio class that was predominantly females, they'd more than likely be less friendly and talk smack than the guys in the predominantly male section of the gym. Because let's face it, females tend to be cattier than males. Not all, obviously. But some. I've met some pretty catty dudes too...
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member


    you know what would be truely bad *kitten*? if you went into the meat head room, grabbed the barbell, and took it back to your comfort zone lol

    No, that wouldn't be badass at all. That'd be super obnoxious to the people in that room who want the barbell.
    Especially since she's clarified that the barbell is in one building and her comfort zone is in another building through a tunnel
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    meatheads huh? You should go to planet fitness....They have a lunk free zone.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I'm aware that I shouldn't care and I should be able to use that gym. However I'm uncomfortable and I am working on that. So everyone telling me to just go over there, I know. I'm working on that. All I wanted was an exercise to replace the one I lost from my previous workout routine. I now have that. So thank you but this is getting off topic.

    I'm also aware I should not have said meat head, will not happen again. I'm just used to women only gyms so being stared at by people while working out made me highly uncomfortable and not likely to think well of the people who did it.

    the only way you get comfortable doing it is by doing it. not looking for ways around it.

    It's a lifting room- people at stare at people- trust me- they actually don't care at you- you're just a new thing in the place- so people will watch then a new thing comes into a regular rotation.

    Also- lifting has a different vibe- there is a lot more down time.

    Really the only way to get over your uncomfortableness is by being uncomfortable and just doing it- it gets comfortable through repetition.

    goblet squats
    DB squats
    pistol squats
    bulgarian split squats
    walking lunges

    and how do you dead lift if you don't have a barbell?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I enjoy how everyone is assuming all I do is cardio and Zumba. Nuh uh. When I'm at the gym (every other day), it's a cardio warm up and the rest is all strength exercises. The other days are when I do cardio.

    Actually no one assumed you did Zumba.
    He mentioned that the guys you're calling meatheads are probably friendlier than the ladies in a Zumba class. Not saying that you do Zumba but that if you were to a cardio class that was predominantly females, they'd more than likely be less friendly and talk smack than the guys in the predominantly male section of the gym. Because let's face it, females tend to be cattier than males. Not all, obviously. But some. I've met some pretty catty dudes too...

    exactly.
  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
    You'd be surprised, but I'd bet dollars to donuts that those meatheads are going to be more helpful and friendly than you'd imagine. While all the smiling ladies in Zumba probably say horrible things about you soon as you leave the room.

    Most frat guys that lift are generally scrubs.

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