Attention Men: Advice Needed!!! Girls in the Weights Section

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cbear017
cbear017 Posts: 345 Member
in Motivation and Support
Okay, so I've seen some threads here about feeling intimidated in the gym, but I haven't come across anything yet that specifcally asks the question I want to know, which is, how do guys who lift weights in the weight area of the gym feel about ladies who use them?

As a girl, I'm scared sh*tless of the weight area at my gym (Goodlife). When I do weights, it's either at home or on a Sunday afternoon when no one else is there. I know I shouldn't care but I always feel like people are staring at me, like I'm encroaching on their territory...what's the deal?
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  • smrtcar
    smrtcar Posts: 104 Member
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    I suspect some of the guys are just watching you to make sure you don't get hurt. Just my two cents.
  • hm_day
    hm_day Posts: 857 Member
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    I work at a gym. I'm a girl, but I'm paid to see these things. Guys, for the most part, don't really care. They're there for themselves, just like you should be. It's like when I see the girls come in these skimpy little outfits, trying to impress the men and they don't get a second look. Guys spend more time staring at themselves than anyone else ;)
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    I'm not a guy, but i lift. the gym i go to is pretty serious, not a lot of women go. i have never felt that the guys think i'm encroaching. some ignore me, some say hi to me, a few have told me i'm doing really well. i say throw off your fear and go claim your dumbells. i felt like you did. it took me a month of small panic attacks before i finally went to the gym, first time there, i was in the locker room and i was shaking. but i went out there and found something i absolutely love to do.i think on the whole, men admire women who lift. and those who don't should just be ignored because they're not worth your time anyway. lol
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    They're impressed that you're the kind of girl that knows that lifting weights is good for you and makes you smooth and sexy and not like those weird bodybuilder women. They're guys, they're just checking ya out :D
  • glockster972
    glockster972 Posts: 704 Member
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    Ask them for some advice! You might be surprised that they will help you.
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    I work at a gym. I'm a girl, but I'm paid to see these things. Guys, for the most part, don't really care. They're there for themselves, just like you should be. It's like when I see the girls come in these skimpy little outfits, trying to impress the men and they don't get a second look. Guys spend more time staring at themselves than anyone else ;)

    haha we had one woman like that. she'd come in with her boobs hanging out and her ratty hair extensions and spent more time on the phone than she ever did doing anything but always around where the guys are working. she doesn't come anymore. as far as i can tell no guy ever talked to her.
  • lionsaults
    lionsaults Posts: 70
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    My cousin and me lift weights every time we go to the gym. We get a few looks at first but after that none of the guys really pay attention. Everyone just does there own thing.
  • yanicka
    yanicka Posts: 1,004 Member
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    Perso I was really intimidated because the men look at me and they must know that I barely know what I am doing....but it never stop me from going
  • I_give_it_2_u_str8
    I_give_it_2_u_str8 Posts: 680 Member
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    I work at a gym. I'm a girl, but I'm paid to see these things. Guys, for the most part, don't really care. They're there for themselves, just like you should be. It's like when I see the girls come in these skimpy little outfits, trying to impress the men and they don't get a second look. Guys spend more time staring at themselves than anyone else ;)

    its true.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    I don't lift in a gym. But if I did, and a woman came to the free weights section, I would think to myself, "now there's a woman who knows what she's doing. that is excellent". And my own workout would probably get a boost, because I feed off other people's good mojo.
  • pnieuw
    pnieuw Posts: 473
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    I worked out at Goodlife (Toronto - new Yonge St location) and a few ladies hit the weights. Hey, you pay the same for your membership as I do. Go for it. I'm a fat (less fat now) middle aged dude, lifting stuff 1/10th what the muscle boys are doing, and I don't care. I just do my thing.

    Go for it!
  • dcgonz
    dcgonz Posts: 174 Member
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    I suspect some of the guys are just watching you to make sure you don't get hurt. Just my two cents.

    Really?! Like we don't know what we are doing?

    Most men don't care, they are into their workout and if they are looking it's to check you out or they are impressed by the fact that you are lifting weights. I wouldn't sweat it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    I train female clients EVERYDAY in the weight room and the only ones looking are other women. Guess they're trying to figure out how my girls are getting in shape and they aren't.
    Most men don't care. I myself think it's awesome.
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    I lift alone all the time, and I've found that they love to talk LOL I've always been treated just like one of the guys. Some like to correct you, but it's not because you're a woman. I've found them to be chatty, helpful, and nice to look at while I'm in pain haha!
  • cbear017
    cbear017 Posts: 345 Member
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    I'm not a guy, but i lift. the gym i go to is pretty serious, not a lot of women go. i have never felt that the guys think i'm encroaching. some ignore me, some say hi to me, a few have told me i'm doing really well. i say throw off your fear and go claim your dumbells. i felt like you did. it took me a month of small panic attacks before i finally went to the gym, first time there, i was in the locker room and i was shaking. but i went out there and found something i absolutely love to do.i think on the whole, men admire women who lift. and those who don't should just be ignored because they're not worth your time anyway. lol

    Haha...that's exactly how I feel right now. Every time I go to the gym I get my ipod all ready, psych myself up and then chicken out and hit the Body Pump class instead because it's "safe". My old gym was in a rural area and the guys there were really cool (this way years ago) and since I was the only one there they'd just talk to me and give me advice but now that I live in the city I have to go to a scary city gym where the guys kind of posture with one another and it scares me! I just want to be ignored...lol.

    I guess I feel like they'll judge me for my wimpy weights (relative to theirs) or my incorrect form, etc. I'd really like to follow The New Rules of Lifting for Women program but feel kind of silly with my book in hand and not knowing how to use everything, doing things for the first time, etc. Guess I just have to get over myself!
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
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    ALL I do in the gym is circuit-weight-training and most of that is in the testosterone-heavy free-weights/cable-tower/plate-machine side and less in the Cybex/Nautalis more estrogen-friendly side of the weight area (24hr Fitness). I get nothing but respect from the guys in there. Previous statements that the guys care more about looking at themselves than at you and that women who weight-train look better/more athletic and experience more rapid results than the cardio-queens are also true in my opinion as well.

    If you are unsure of where how to start (if you're unsure of form or how equipment works) there are 3 ways to approach this:

    1.) hop on a cardio machine with a good vantage point and observe what the guys are doing until you're comfortable imitating them
    2.) spend the $ on a personal training session specifically geared towards strength training
    3.) approach a lifter when they are obviously resting who is doing an exercise you'd like to try and ask them if they wouldn't mind showing you or simply allowing you to watch up-close (most guys/girls are flattered & will at the risk of looking like a total douche otherwise. Best bets are those who workout without earbuds or who only have one earbud in because they are more open to being approached.) *at your own risk, they may not know what they are doing afterall.

    (with a weight you can only handle 6-10 actions with -reps- for 3 times -sets-, with either about a 1-3 minute break in-between -traditional strength training- or you alternate with a similar exercise working a complimentary muscle group -circuit weight training or supersetting-)

    I'm sure you'll also get some good book recommendations and sometimes YouTube or bodybuilding websites have great how-to videos.
  • cbear017
    cbear017 Posts: 345 Member
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    I worked out at Goodlife (Toronto - new Yonge St location) and a few ladies hit the weights. Hey, you pay the same for your membership as I do. Go for it. I'm a fat (less fat now) middle aged dude, lifting stuff 1/10th what the muscle boys are doing, and I don't care. I just do my thing.

    Go for it!

    I thank everyone for the great advice. I'll give it a shot this week.

    Hey, PNieuw (sp?) we might work out at the same scary gym together! I'm in Toronto at one of the new locations. If you see a girl who looks a little unsure of herself in the weight area go easy on her!
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    im doing new rules of lifting for women now. i started with a different program and after two times i switched it up. it's a good program, basic, and you'll do some awesome moves. totally go for it. they seriously are too busy checkign themselves out.
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
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    Just approach it like men do.

    Stop your whining and pick up heavy objects.

    The rest is white noise ;)

    Most of us are looking in the mirror enjoying our manly bicep pump and inflamed pecks.
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    Just approach it like men do.

    Stop your whining and pick up heavy objects.

    The rest is white noise ;)

    Most of us are looking in the mirror enjoying our manly bicep pump and inflamed pecks.

    some of us girls are enjoying your manly bicep pumps too lol. and to be honest, i enjoy looking at my bicep pumps too. they'er kinda pretty awesome right now, even with all that fat still there. lol

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