Considering joining a gym but have no idea what I am doing

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  • flosoup24
    flosoup24 Posts: 44 Member
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    Thanks everyone. I'm going looking on Tuesday
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    edited May 2018
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    ya i agree with location, You can get a good workout in anywhere (even at home if you decided thats the way to go/start) BUT getting to the workout really is the most important part of your workout. Its sort of like how waking up and knowing you have to go on a long walk sometimes sounds daunting and hellish, Until you get your butt up and dressed and out there you smell the fresh air feel the sun and suddenly you walk even further then planned. Getting OUT is the important step, Set yourself up to succeed by whatever you choose to do fitting nicely location wise into your day. And then i guess just watch youtube, Watch the people around you, Even see if your new gym has a free trainign session and then show up prepared with things youve researched and want to know equiment wise how to use.

    And then just fake it lol. You learn as you go find something basic you can do, Watch what others do and copy it. Within no time youll have tried many mchines and have a good idea how things work and you can build from there. NO ONE goes into a gym the first time knowing what they are doing, No matter how many youtube tutorials we watch lol. People at the gym may or may not be overly chatty to eachother but we all respect eachothers hustle. We all have fitness and health as a priority and that is respectable. No one will point and laugh and if they did (they wouldnt) youd have a swarm of people at your side backing you up where im at lol.


    edit to ask: sorry if i missed it but have you ben working out? walking? anything? because if not id honestly say just start there, dont become a gym statistic that signs up and never goes. I wouldnt begin a gym until i started up a workout "routine" -like walking daily- and stuck to it for a while. Coming from someone who lost 100 pounds before ever steppping foot in a gym, I aswell am socially "awkward" -i just hate people lol- So the gym wasnt for me then, It may not be for you either right now and that is okay. Just had to add that in. Do what your comfortable doing, Only push your boundaries slightly. Being a little uncomfortable is how we grow sometimes (or shrink lol ;D ), Being so uncomfortable we crash and burn is how we dont achieve anything lol
  • vanmep
    vanmep Posts: 410 Member
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    I keep to myself at the gym. So do the other people. Sometimes they say hi. :smiley:
  • CarolF11
    CarolF11 Posts: 67 Member
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    I’m 38 yrs old and i just joined a gym about a month ago for the first time. I had the same thoughts you do. I didn’t want people staring at me or think I was exercising wrong. After the first couple of times of going I got over it. Everyone that goes just go and do there own thing. And for not knowing how to use the machines properly, I literally have watched so many YouTube videos that have helped me a lot.
  • flosoup24
    flosoup24 Posts: 44 Member
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    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    ya i agree with location, You can get a good workout in anywhere (even at home if you decided thats the way to go/start) BUT getting to the workout really is the most important part of your workout. Its sort of like how waking up and knowing you have to go on a long walk sometimes sounds daunting and hellish, Until you get your butt up and dressed and out there you smell the fresh air feel the sun and suddenly you walk even further then planned. Getting OUT is the important step, Set yourself up to succeed by whatever you choose to do fitting nicely location wise into your day. And then i guess just watch youtube, Watch the people around you, Even see if your new gym has a free trainign session and then show up prepared with things youve researched and want to know equiment wise how to use.

    And then just fake it lol. You learn as you go find something basic you can do, Watch what others do and copy it. Within no time youll have tried many mchines and have a good idea how things work and you can build from there. NO ONE goes into a gym the first time knowing what they are doing, No matter how many youtube tutorials we watch lol. People at the gym may or may not be overly chatty to eachother but we all respect eachothers hustle. We all have fitness and health as a priority and that is respectable. No one will point and laugh and if they did (they wouldnt) youd have a swarm of people at your side backing you up where im at lol.


    edit to ask: sorry if i missed it but have you ben working out? walking? anything? because if not id honestly say just start there, dont become a gym statistic that signs up and never goes. I wouldnt begin a gym until i started up a workout "routine" -like walking daily- and stuck to it for a while. Coming from someone who lost 100 pounds before ever steppping foot in a gym, I aswell am socially "awkward" -i just hate people lol- So the gym wasnt for me then, It may not be for you either right now and that is okay. Just had to add that in. Do what your comfortable doing, Only push your boundaries slightly. Being a little uncomfortable is how we grow sometimes (or shrink lol ;D ), Being so uncomfortable we crash and burn is how we dont achieve anything lol

    I walk 30 minutes a day and also do Taekwondo twice a week. But I feel I need more
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
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    Flosoup: Best of luck. Once you do this you will look back and be glad you took that step. There are lots of different things you can do at a gym so you won't ever run out of options. Hang your head high and remember that you belong there as much as everyone else does.

    You got this!
  • PokeyBug
    PokeyBug Posts: 482 Member
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    flosoup24 wrote: »
    In veey overweight and quite shy in public so that's why I'm worried about being laughed at.

    I stopped going to the gym a few years ago when I gave up having a car of my own to save money (SAHM, homeschooler, you do what you've got to do), but I remember seeing really big people in the gym, and you know what the first thought to enter my mind always was? "Good for him/her!" It doesn't matter what a person's starting point looks like, it's the fact that they want to improve their health. Don't worry about what anyone else is thinking, because it's more likely they're admiring your bravery -- yes, bravery -- in getting out of your comfort zone and doing something about your health.

    That being said, I advise you to do as I've seen others already advise. Visit a lot of different gyms, find your best deal of course, but find a location that is convenient to visit. Close to work might be good, but I think close to home might be good, too. No excuses on your days off that way.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
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    I've just joined and feel a little lost at times too. But the people are friendly and just just stick mostly with the things i have figured out and then slowly figure out a few more. I can also ask other members or the trainers (the gym manager is one of the trainers and when he's not busy, is happy to chat).

    I have picked a small gym and an off-peak membership, so there's usually only a handful of other people there.

    I also try and remember that everyone there was new once, we aren't just meant to automatically know how it all works.
  • Foodfavor
    Foodfavor Posts: 94 Member
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    Not to scare you, but I am in a group fitness class designed for overweight people and we have had people look at us and I have heard people say some nasty things under their breath as they walk by. From what I can gather they get frustrated as our group reserves certain equipment as it is a circuit class and since we are all bigger it means we take up more space and they might have to take 2 extra steps to get around us t0 the free weights.

    That being said... 98% of people just ignore us and I have had one very sweet woman come up to me and tell me I am doing a great job. I was terrified about joining a class but don't regret it at all! I love my class and look forward to it every week. One of the best decision I have ever made. :smiley:
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    flosoup24 wrote: »
    In very overweight and quite shy in public so that's why I'm worried about being laughed at.

    I get you - I have some social anxiety and don't like going to new places. However, I do like having a gym membership and have moved a lot over the years so have gone into many, many new gyms. I start at the desk and ask for a tour.

    All gyms I've joined have offered 1-3 free sessions with a personal trainer. I can't recommend this enough. This will help you get comfortable with the facility as well as develop a routine. A few additional sessions with a trainer will be well worth the money. Some gyms have small group sessions with trainers for very low prices or free.

    I've seen the most diverse bodies at the Y and least at LA Fitness.

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