Feeling awkw ard at Gym

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  • Adaniel65
    Adaniel65 Posts: 105 Member
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    I've been going to my gym for a couple years now and... hopefully you will always have moments of feeling awkward and out of place. Many of us feel that way when we step outside our comfort zone and place ourself in unfamiliar territory. I used to only do the eliptical, treadmill... cardio stuff. I mean, you get on YOUR machine and you do YOUR thing - no one to "work in" etc. Later, I joined the bootcamp folks and was way out of my element... I've been doing it a year now, love it and can actually help some of the new kids when they join. I then incorporated BodyPump... no clue what I was doing, felt dumb, but stuck with it and now I have "my spot" in the class lol. I have just started (this weekend) working in the free weight section... with the boys (gasp) and talk about feeling awkward and out of place. I had to rerack about a thousand pounds of weights on the squat rack so I could do my little squats with 15 on either end. But I did it... 3X so far this week. I even moved some dudes towel that thought he could just go do other stuff and hold his machine - pretty bold ; ).
    My point is, when we challenge ourselves it's scary but so worth it when we get through it and do it. Go do your eliptical tonight - rock on. Then take a deep breath and go do something else that makes you feel "awkward".
    You got this.
  • jen48135
    jen48135 Posts: 13 Member
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    Adaniel65 wrote: »
    I've been going to my gym for a couple years now and... hopefully you will always have moments of feeling awkward and out of place. Many of us feel that way when we step outside our comfort zone and place ourself in unfamiliar territory. I used to only do the eliptical, treadmill... cardio stuff. I mean, you get on YOUR machine and you do YOUR thing - no one to "work in" etc. Later, I joined the bootcamp folks and was way out of my element... I've been doing it a year now, love it and can actually help some of the new kids when they join. I then incorporated BodyPump... no clue what I was doing, felt dumb, but stuck with it and now I have "my spot" in the class lol. I have just started (this weekend) working in the free weight section... with the boys (gasp) and talk about feeling awkward and out of place. I had to rerack about a thousand pounds of weights on the squat rack so I could do my little squats with 15 on either end. But I did it... 3X so far this week. I even moved some dudes towel that thought he could just go do other stuff and hold his machine - pretty bold ; ).
    My point is, when we challenge ourselves it's scary but so worth it when we get through it and do it. Go do your eliptical tonight - rock on. Then take a deep breath and go do something else that makes you feel "awkward".
    You got this.

    Great advice, thank you all! I have been spoiled with my zumba class its on a roller rink with the roller rink lights on. no bright lights on you, LOL
  • jen48135
    jen48135 Posts: 13 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    jen48135 wrote: »
    I joined planet fitness after a lot of consideration. Doing Zumba or Blast Class once a week isn't enough to keep the weight off. I have to go by myself cause I go so late at night. It was awkward; I stuck to the treadmill and did 30 minutes. There was a lot of people there and a lot of fit people. Anyone else feel that way?

    So this one time, I was doing squats, and I'm there feeling it, pounding hard. I get to my heavy squats, and we're talking weights that I have a challenge moving. I unrack the weight and let loose a monster fart.

    Apparently 300 pounds makes it hard to control certain functions. Some curl bros were surprised, and one guy started laughing. So, with the weight on my shoulders, I squat down, and get kinda stuck, so I grunt out, "Porkchop sandwiches" and the weight starts coming up.

    curl bros start laughing again. So I'm feeling froggy, and go for another rep, get into the bottom, rip *kitten* again. So I start pushing upwards, pressing the weight up, get standing and rack it. I turn around, this curl bro is looking at me so I (I'm smiling too.) look at him and say, "time to go jerk off, arms session!"

    and I walk off to the bathroom. Where I promptly get a headrush and almost pass out.

    Thank you for the great story
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    just showing, the gym can be an awkward place... don't let it get to ya, we all have the potential to be awkward.

    Unlike a bar though, we're not there to hook up or make friends. We're there to put in work. So, work. :)
  • civilizedworm
    civilizedworm Posts: 796 Member
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    Keep at it and push on OP and soon you'll find yourself feeling awkward when not at the gym.
  • kmorgan221
    kmorgan221 Posts: 206 Member
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    TL; DR

    It's Planet Fitness. If any of the fit people bother you, just complain and they will be asked to leave. It's been done before.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/20/too-fit-for-planet-fitness_n_5002658.html
  • kaseyr1505
    kaseyr1505 Posts: 624 Member
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    I told my husband, before I started lifting, that I was anxious and he said:

    "There will always be someone lifting heavier, someone will be more fit. They didn't get that way by paying attention to other people, they got that way by hard work. No one cares what you're doing, they care about them. That's how you get fit."

    So just go, get your thing on, and move on. It feels weird because it's new.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    kmorgan221 wrote: »
    TL; DR

    It's Planet Fitness. If any of the fit people bother you, just complain and they will be asked to leave. It's been done before.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/20/too-fit-for-planet-fitness_n_5002658.html

    That's hilarious especially after you see her.

    I was expecting a competing fitness model or BB. Nope.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    trivard676 wrote:
    The best advice I can give you is that those people are focused on their workouts and unless you happen to run right in front of them, while on fire, they're probably not even thinking about you.
    :grinning: I love that line. Will have to borrow it.
    Even if they are looking at you, who cares?
    You're there for you, not to appease them.
    Yep, this. Exactly.

    I see people who are more fit, can lift more, run faster or longer, who inspire me,
    and I see people who are less fit, lifting tiny amounts, doing very short times slowly on the treadmill, who remind me where I was.

    The people I notice & judge are the people being rude or gross.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    kaseyr1505 wrote:
    I told my husband, before I started lifting, that I was anxious and he said:
    "There will always be someone lifting heavier, someone will be more fit.
    They didn't get that way by paying attention to other people, they got that way by hard work.
    No one cares what you're doing, they care about them. That's how you get fit."
    :heart:
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    BTW, that HuffPo article does not say she was asked to cover up because she's too fit, that's just her claim.
    She violated the dress code (which clearly says no halters) and was asked to correct it.

    And PF does not ban intense exercise, they ban things which could harm machines or people - dropping weights, grunting.
    (Yes, grunting. You're doing a Valsalva maneuver, which can drop your heart rate. You pass out or die while trying to lift a heavy bar, and it falls on you, you're hurt.)
  • Rmntrose
    Rmntrose Posts: 23 Member
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    I started going to the gym for the first time in 5 years a few weeks ago and I feel awkward also. I'm not very over weight but I am not in shape. I wear my old Navy boot camp sweats and whatever shirt I happen to throw on at the time. I get there and see that 60 % of the people there are probably training for some type of marathon and apparently a supper model and fashion expert. I never really could figure out why people need clothes like that to work out. I was raised in the Navy where you get up at 0530 (when fashion is the last thing on your mind) to work out on the gravel and street or the fantail of the ship. So even though I shouldn't feel awkward looking at all those fit marathon models...I do. I remember where I come from and what matters to me and get back to trying to ignore the dizzy feeling as I try my hardest to hit 300 calories for the day in my tattered old Navy sweats. I will confess, though, that I do plan on rewarding myself with some more updated gym clothes when I hit my goal. Because that awkward feeling (even though I can not understand it) really kind of drives me to get to a point where I don't feel awkward anymore. Also I make an effort to pick out those other 40% of the people there who I know feel just as awkward as me, if not even more awkward, and I smile because I'm not alone and I know the courage it takes to get there anyway.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    MKEgal wrote: »
    And PF does not ban intense exercise, they ban things which could harm machines or people - dropping weights, grunting.
    (Yes, grunting. You're doing a Valsalva maneuver, which can drop your heart rate. You pass out or die while trying to lift a heavy bar, and it falls on you, you're hurt.)

    PF bans intense exercise. We all know this. It is known.

    Grunting is not dangerous either. In fact, it may be a good choice if you're trying to perform maximally.

    http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/the-pulse/64326-the-science-of-grunting-while-weightlifting

    Yeah that's what's up. The whole policy there is so that lazy people are't twisted over people who put work in. It's a great business approach, but utterly cynical. The pizza, the low cost, the colors used, the judgmental nature. It's brilliant.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Rmntrose wrote: »
    I get there and see that 60 % of the people there are probably training for some type of marathon and apparently a supper model and fashion expert.
    Projection upon others isn't a good long term strategy for fitness.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    You don't know if those super-fit people started out in the same shape as you, or much, much worse. A lot of them may have started out on the same journey as you in the past. I get looks now, some of them slightly jealous-looking, but they don't know that this time last year I was obese with a BMI of 34.

    I put my music on, check my plan on MFP and just hope to do my workout before I have to go pick up my daughter. It's me time, and half the time I don't even notice that there are other people there, except if they're using something I need.
  • shadowloss
    shadowloss Posts: 293 Member
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    I agree that you should not feel intimidated or selfconscience when your at the gym. However, people do look and stare for various reasons, but I think you will find they are far different reasons than you would think. Granted this is only from my VERY personal experience.
    1 - People will look, if you are new, just because they get accustomed to seeing the same people there. I can tell you from experience, I'm not looking at the person in disgust, but I'm congratulating them in my mind for making the decision to get to the gym, and hoping to see them around more.
    2 - People will look as you progress, or if THEY are new. I often watch new excercises others are doing and try to incorporate other things into my routine.
    3 - People will look, just merely out of human nature and so that we aren't staring at the same thing while on the treadmill, eliptical, etc... We are all curious by nature, and if you see people looking at you, you must be looking at them to see it?

    I honestly think the people that get stared at and judged the most are the ones that have been there putting in the work. We are all envious and hopefully, we are all inspiring to put in the same effort to get the same result.

    So I would suggest you look at it from a glass half full and embrace the new people that are in your world now. Enjoy the time at the gym and build some relationships. In no time you will be the gym rat that is welcoming in the new kids. Have fun with it.

  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
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    Just remember that you don't know the story behind those people that are all fit. They could have started obese and worked hard and gotten to be fit. Also what other people said, no one really cares, just get in there and work hard. Most people appreciate seeing someone work really hard.
  • madisonamanda
    madisonamanda Posts: 78 Member
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    Those fit people are fit because they go to the gym and focus on themselves and their workout. Some of them may have even started going, feeling awkward and intimidated... (this girl right here!) And now look at them! Killing it.. focus on you.. kill your workout and you'll be glad you did.
  • meridianova
    meridianova Posts: 438 Member
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    i picked planet fitness specifically because of their "no critics, no lunkheads" claims. i don't worry so much about the other people there, because i'm naturally introverted and i don't want to talk to them anyway. what i really like is how the staff won't hound you on anything, won't ask you a million questions, won't bug you unless you specifically ask for help. the most i usually ever say to them is my membership number, how many tokens i want for the massage chair when i'm done, and MAYBE a quick "g'night" when i leave.

    all i want is to do my workout and leave, and they let me do just that.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    meridianova wrote: »
    i picked planet fitness specifically because of their "no critics, no lunkheads" claims. i don't worry so much about the other people there, because i'm naturally introverted and i don't want to talk to them anyway. what i really like is how the staff won't hound you on anything, won't ask you a million questions, won't bug you unless you specifically ask for help. the most i usually ever say to them is my membership number, how many tokens i want for the massage chair when i'm done, and MAYBE a quick "g'night" when i leave.

    all i want is to do my workout and leave, and they let me do just that.

    Just so we're on the same page, but that's basically 99% of all gyms.....

    Just wanted to throw that out there.

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