Does anyone else feel like they look incredibly stupid at the gym?

@crucisdecristo Truth be told, I felt the same way (plus gym memberships can get overpriced) so I created an at home work out area in my apartment. I invested in some equipment and I am more inclined to work out in my home. I’ve saved money and I can get in a good solid work out in private, very worth it!
 
@crucisdecristo If you have enough room for a yoga mat now you can add some resistance bands, an ab roller and an exercise ball- some free weights would work too!
As for the gym, I noticed going earlier in the daytime or later in the evening the gym was usually less busy too, so that may help as well to avoid crowds.
 
@crucisdecristo Stare straight ahead like a horse with blinders on and confidently do whatever it is you’re doing. You sound prepared though! If your form is off and you’re worried about people judging - your confidence could still throw other people off into thinking they’re the ones doing it wrong! Ok but honestly just pretending like no one is around and not making eye contact with anyone, standing tall, and walking with your head straight and shoulders back is how I would go to the gym! I would get self conscious of how sweaty I was or of my skin being imperfect but 99% of the time no one bothered me unless it was to ask if I was done with a certain machine or just blatantly checking me out (that one was creepy). I hope this helps, good luck with your gains :) One last gentle reminder that no one gives a fuck about you at the gym!
 
@crucisdecristo To me it's kinda like your first day wearing glasses. It feels like you're wearing goggles and like you look like a fool, but once you get used to them you forget they're there. It just takes time and repetition.
 
@crucisdecristo Most exercises are fine like barbell squats and deadlifts and pull ups etc, the standard compound exercises

Other exercises (hip thrusts, and leg abduction machine I'm looking at you) make me feel ridiculous and vulnerable in a room full of blokes so i tend to avoid them
 
@crucisdecristo People are usually so focused on how they look, they don't even see you.
The only thing someone would think would be wow, she's smashing it! I wish I could be as focused as her!
Good luck smashing it!
 
@agapewarrior52 Haha I usually feel the same, but our training loft upstairs doesn’t have mirrors, so you kind of have to look somewhere in front of you. I usually just try to go in one of the corners where I’m out of sight 😂
 
@crucisdecristo I hear you! But we are all on a mission so if somebody thinks I look silly doing an exercise, i could not care less. I stay focused by keeping my end goals in mind. I have my music blaring and just zone out. We think we look silly but i think a lot of people (like me) look around to see what new exercises we can pick up and start doing. I like to mix up my routine a lot so I'm always looking for new exercises to do. Sometimes I forget about an exercise and will see someone do it then I start up with it again.
 
@crucisdecristo I always look stupid exercising! My running gait is silly and I'm still learning yoga. I love my current studio because I often exchange smiles with the people next to me when one of us falls out of a pose (Looking at you, crow) or doesn't know what the fuck we're doing.

For the longest time, I was terrified of group exercise because of some comments from the peanut gallery in my college gym when I was fat/thin-from-the-throes-of-my-ED. Sucking it up and keeping at it has helped so much because now (A) I have good experiences to balance those out (B) Practice makes perfect! Putting myself in situations more often where I might look dumb has made me less sensitive.
 
@crucisdecristo Gym anxiety is real, and when I realized this, just reading about other people experiencing the same thing helped me to overcome the general uneasiness about going to the gym. The more you’re there, the more comfortable you’ll feel. That being said, I still have off-days where I get to the gym and it just doesn’t feel right - everyone is crowding (even pre coronavirus this made me nervous) or seems like all the equipment I need is in use or whatever the reason. On those days, I just walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes. If I feel better after those 10 minutes and think I can get a good workout in, I stay and do my lifts. If I’m still not feeling it, I give myself the grace to say “it’s okay if I just leave” because if I’m in my head and thinking I won’t have a good workout, I won’t.
 
@crucisdecristo there's a woman at my gym who will dance her way through her workout. Literally, she'll start by the cardio machines and move her way through the weights, the racks, the functional fitnessroom... Her headphones are on and she's doing a full on dance routine, a mix of salsa, belly dance, hip hop, lyrical. She is truly dancing like no one is watching, completely owning her space. It looks ridiculous and beautiful.

Whenever I feel self conscious I think about her and her confidence and how truly joyous her workouts look. :)
 
@paullyparrot That sounds awesome!
Question: when you're at the gym where do you put your phone in order to listen to music? Most of my workout clothes don't have pockets, but even if I wear men's sweatpants the phone is heavy and pulls them down...
 
@metalmommy4 I just put it on the floor next to me for the most part. I used to have a phone holder arm strap thing, but I wasn't too keen on it (I didn't like having to fish my phone out of it when I wanted it for something). But that might be an option for you?
 
@paullyparrot Ahh that’s how I feel sometimes, headphones with just my music and I get oblivious to everything else around me. That’s the best way to get a good workout in tbh haha. Just focus on yourself and do your thing 😋
 
@paullyparrot I saw the same thing here, except it was the sweatshirt wearing, weighted belt, truck-sized weightlifter. He'd start singing to his fave songs between sets, and it brought me ludicrous amounts of joy.
 
Back
Top