going to the gym??

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amberxoxo13
amberxoxo13 Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hi everyone! i'm 18 and i really want to start working out but i feel so awkward going to the gym alone or taking classes! none of my friends are really committed to going with me no matter how much i ask but i feel like it's awkward to see a teenage girl there alone or like people are judging you?? i know they aren't but i don't know, am i better off trying at home?

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  • d_waters
    d_waters Posts: 11 Member
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    Try a crossfit box. !
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    People are probably not judging you. If they look too long, maybe they just like your outfit, lol. If you feel uncomfortable, try doing some exercise videos at home. Then you won't feel like such a newbie at your first class
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    It seems to me like most people go to the gym alone, so I wouldn't worry about that too much. And most of us are so absorbed in our own workouts that we're not regularly gawking at others...sometimes a particularly odd thing or loud person will catch my eye, but for the most part my workout takes my attention. When you sign up for a gym, see if they have a session or two with a trainer to show you around so you'll know where everything is and won't have to wander around too much looking for the weights/machines you want to use.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    around here, teenagers are one demographic the parks board actually creates lifting courses and programmes for. they care about getting teens to start out right doing it.

    so that's one thing to take a look for. for myself, being way past teenager, i couldn't do that. but i found a course that was 'intro to weights' for women. it wasn't helpful exactly (to tell the truth), but i think that was more about the instructor and my own situation than the course itself. she didn't want to teach me anything serious and clearly didn't think that i'd keep it up because i had to disclose that i have rheumatoid arthritis.

    another option to investigate is the ywca, if there's one in your city. you could also just try a google for your area with general terms like strength training or lifting, and see what comes up.

    i see quite a few young women lifting so you're definitely not alone. you could also try asking the p.e. teachers at your school to give you some ideas? most of the women i know who were ever athletes ahd some kind of strength trainign they had to do whether they liked it or not. so even if you can't do it directly through school maybe someone on the school staff will be able to ease your entry in some way?
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    There's almost always a new person in the gym classes I go. You'd be like anyone else wondering what they're getting into and what the class will be like. Don't worry about it - you're in good company and most instructors are thrilled to have additional people in the class. Some people like to introduce themselves and let the instructor know it's their first class, but if you just want to sneak in and figure things out quietly as you go, that's fine too.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Nobody will be watching you let alone judging you. But who cares if they are. Their opinions are irrelephant in your life. It's like irrelevant but has a long nose.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    People are pretty self-involved. Rarely do you find a stranger who thinks about you as much as you think about you.
  • broseidonkingofbrocean
    broseidonkingofbrocean Posts: 180 Member
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    Doing anything new in life usually gives anyone that same feeling. The best remedy for me is to just keep going. eventually it'll get normal and you'll stop caring about other people. You might even meet some friends who would like to workout with you.
  • CatRunna
    CatRunna Posts: 27 Member
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    Most people go to the gym alone. And TBH, nobody really cares what everyone else is doing. I felt self conscious and awkward when I started going to the gym years ago, and now, its one of my favorite places to be. Be brave and give it a go, you will soon realise that most people will be supportive and kind :smile:
  • girlgroves
    girlgroves Posts: 235 Member
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    I'm not a teenager, but I know how walking into a new gym can be really overwhelming and off-putting at first. That feeling doesn't last though. You only have to do it once - no one turns and stares like you worry they might! No-one judges - or even takes any notice. The majority of people go to the gym on their own, the classes I go to are full of lots of lovely people, who, I can virtually guarantee, all had the same fears and apprehensions on their first visit! But once you've been a few times, and know your way around, you'll feel like an old hand. Go for it!
  • NoLimitFemme
    NoLimitFemme Posts: 118 Member
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    Sometimes you just have to do it. That first step is the hardest you will ever take.

    Personally I like seeing teens in the gym. I like seeing people take charge of their health and fitness. I have a 16 year old son and a 13 year old daughter and they have both been going to the gym for years with me and thier dad. My son focuses on weightlifting (he plays football and wrestles) and my daughter does classes with me (Zumba and Spinning) and she does my weightlifting routine as well, just with less weight (she also swims competitively and play basketball).

    Good luck and remember everyone was a newbie once.
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,543 Member
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    amberxoxo13 wrote: »
    hi everyone! i'm 18 and i really want to start working out but i feel so awkward going to the gym alone or taking classes! none of my friends are really committed to going with me no matter how much i ask but i feel like it's awkward to see a teenage girl there alone or like people are judging you?? i know they aren't but i don't know, am i better off trying at home?

    If you think somebody views an 18 year old in the gym alone as awkward, you'd be dead wrong. Go in with a plan. Find a workout regime online that is highly regarded pertaining to your goals and that will give you a little more confidence going in. You may not have friends that are committed to going with you, but there's a high likelihood of you finding a friend or two while you're in there. My response is all over the place and I'm sorry for that: main thing to take away from everything I just said is that you belong in there, nobody is worried about you and what you look like.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    I started lifting at 18, going to a very small "private gym" (ok, it was in someones garage lol). There were several people who went there that I didn't know at the time, but they were very willing to help. We actually trained together for the most part of a year and they taught me sooo much.
    This past year I joined a wellness center, I was pretty intimidated because it is usually busy and very different than what I was used to. But again I've found people to be extremely welcoming. A lot of the people I was most intimidated by now say hi, spot me on lifts, etc.
    Most people won't even notice you, and if you approach them most people will be more than happy to help you. It was intimidating at first, but I think going to the public gym has helped my confidence tremendously.

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