Vibe in the gym...

baby and crumble

Ok, I have decided that I need to seriously loose weight and get myself healthy (this PhD lark has meant I sit on my arse for far too long every day!), but as I'm pretty overweight and kinda self-conscious, I was just wondering about the vibe in the gym... Is it full of youngsters prancing around in lycra, or are there 'real' people (read:kinda fat like me ) in there just doing their thing? Same question with regards to the swimming pool. It won't mean I won't go in if it is, I just kinda want to be prepared, that's all...

Cheers guys

evercloserunion

Well, there are a lot of guys in there who obviously work out a LOT and it shows on them. There are plenty of out of shape people who frequent the gym too of course (including me, if I can manage to shift my lazy arse!) so it's a bit of both.

Why do you ask though? If it's because you're nervous about being judged or something, don't worry about it at all. Everyone there is just doing their own thing, minding their own business. Seeing a lot of fit, in-shape people walking around can be a good motivator too!

baby and crumble

evercloserunion wrote:

Why do you ask though? If it's because you're nervous about being judged or something, don't worry about it at all. Everyone there is just doing their own thing, minding their own business. Seeing a lot of fit, in-shape people walking around can be a good motivator too!

Yeah, I guess it is a little something like that... Plus I'm not exactly undergrad anymore, so I'm self-concious about that too. Plus I've been to gyms before where the vibe was very intense, or something, and it did seem quite like people were trying to impress each other- I really wasn't into that, so it made me really self conscious.

Good to know it's not really like that. Thanks.

AH92

Here's my advide to you!!!
When you go to the gym you are only there to improve yourself!!! f**k all the other people who make you self conscious you are not there to impress them!! Thanks to this mindset I lost 40 kilograms and there should be no reason you won't be able to as well

sandi24

Hi dont worry ,There are people of all ages and sizes there.Nobody is going to judge you.Most people are too busy working out to even notice you.Good luck with it.:)

ApeXaviour

A lot of graduates use the gym too so don't worry so much. There's all varieties of ages and sizes of people there... as one person said there are a few regular people who are clearly there all the time but they're fine, absorbed completely in themselves . The only time I'd see anybody being looked at oddly is if they clearly don't know what they're doing and are possibly a danger to themselves, or are practicing extremely poor gym etiquette. If you're ever self conscious about doing any kinds of exercises go to the personal trainers and get them to give you tips or make an appointment for some personal instruction (that's what they're there for, and it's included in the membership).

Anyway don't ever let anything like that put you off going, it's a fairly lame excuse. Just lift the damn heavy things, then feel the happiness

Also in terms of weight, it's usually very diet related. Give the aul nutrition and diet forum a look, you'd be surprised what kind of things you can learn and what kind of misinformation (utter utter crap nonsense) you're spoonfed through marketing and even officially because of lobbying groups.

ThirdMan

To be honest, I don't think anyone will judge you, or care one way or the other, as long as you stick to the cardio equipment. There's a definite 'vibe' around the free weights area. By vibe I mean groups of muscle heads group blocking the equipment, so an outsider can't use them, at least not without feeling awkward about it. It doesn't always happen, but when it does it's very uncomfortable. Don't be afraid to tell them to **** off, works a treat.

baby and crumble

Cheers guys,

Yeah, the plan is to get one of the fitness appointment things, I've already started with the diet, but thanks for the link. It wasn't at all the case that I wouldn't go because of people judging me, they can feck off, like I said I just like to be prepared for these things, means I'm less likely to go in, get a weird vibe when I'm not expecting it and then loose all my confidence and never go again (it could so easily happen!)

Thanks a million everyone

Doug Cartel

Sign up for a sports club. I personally hate gyms, but the need to get fitter for judo has me going there three times a week.

Carl Sagan

zoegh wrote: »

Cheers guys,

Yeah, the plan is to get one of the fitness appointment things, I've already started with the diet, but thanks for the link. It wasn't at all the case that I wouldn't go because of people judging me, they can feck off, like I said I just like to be prepared for these things, means I'm less likely to go in, get a weird vibe when I'm not expecting it and then loose all my confidence and never go again (it could so easily happen!)

Thanks a million everyone

Along with your appointment, make a post on the fitness section of boards and the guys there will give you a really good plan to follow. I can't recommend the fitness forum enough!

PARARORY

I feel the same way except for slightly different reasons , Im not muscly at all and I wouldnt wanna embaress myself or something by not being able to do certain things in the gym etc! Whenever I walk by its full of bodybuilders and the like!

ApeXaviour

PARARORY wrote:

I feel the same way except for slightly different reasons , Im not muscly at all and I wouldnt wanna embaress myself or something by not being able to do certain things in the gym etc! Whenever I walk by its full of bodybuilders and the like!

So you don't want to go to the gym because you're not fit enough.

You realise how insane that sounds right?

PARARORY

So you don't want to go to the gym because you're not fit enough.

I'm fit , just skinny!

ApeXaviour

replace fit with strong.

Sabre0001

ApeXaviour wrote: »

So you don't want to go to the gym because you're not fit enough.

You realise how insane that sounds right?

It happens...it's the first hurdle to get over and it can be tricky - very easy to fall into the mindset (and habit) of doing nothing / you're self-concious because you can't do a push-up. Unfortunately, the only way is to try and do 1 one week and keep upping...But it is the first challenge

PARARORY

It happens...it's the first hurdle to get over and it can be tricky - very easy to fall into the mindset (and habit) of doing nothing / you're self-concious because you can't do a push-up. Unfortunately, the only way is to try and do 1 one week and keep upping...But it is the first challenge

Thank you! This is the stuff im talking about!

Carl Sagan

PARARORY wrote: »

I feel the same way except for slightly different reasons , Im not muscly at all and I wouldnt wanna embaress myself or something by not being able to do certain things in the gym etc! Whenever I walk by its full of bodybuilders and the like!

They started somewhere too. To be honest, you're lucky that you're skinny. Now you get to go to the gym, lift weights, and eat as much as you want for a few months. :pac:

Sabre0001

PARARORY wrote: »

Thank you! This is the stuff im talking about!

I was (am?) in the same boat. Did a few home excercise workouts - nothing mental but enough to get the heart rate going and push myself a little. Netfit is a decent site to help you get started.

Went for my first day out to the gym today (I'm in Limerick but same theory) - stuck to the running track with situps and pullups thrown in. It's a start!

ApeXaviour

Sabre0001 wrote: »

It happens...it's the first hurdle to get over and it can be tricky - very easy to fall into the mindset (and habit) of doing nothing / you're self-concious because you can't do a push-up. Unfortunately, the only way is to try and do 1 one week and keep upping...But it is the first challenge

I'm not doubting its existence, rather any rationalisation of it. Giving a rats arse that a bunch of strangers will think you are (shock horror) a beginner... you are a beginner! Who cares? Get over it, run and lift things.

Griffin1983

think this is such a common feeling with newbie gym goers. I'm feel kinda well placed to chip in here, I was a fitness instructor and personal trainer for 6 years before i went back to trinity as a mature student. I think if you can get over the first mental hurdle of getting into the door of the gym your home free. The chaps training in trinity around the free weights area, esp the guys who look like they do a lot of training are a really friendly bunch and it has some of the best gym manners (a massive pet hate of mine) I've ever seen. It's only the occasional twat who will make a big show and hog a machine. To be honest if the guy knows enough about working out he should have no need what so ever to hog one machine or, hevan forbid, ask you to move. rest assured if he does either of these things he is major tool who knows nothing about exercise in the first place.

Aldito

No one gives a sh1t about what other people are doing in the gym, unless they take a machine/bench they were using.

Most people are listening to music anyway

Mooo

I used to go there pretty much everyday, nobody cared what anyone else did. theres a mirrored area in the corner which you can fullly avoid if you want to by just using the stretch room for a warm up.

honestly, its just natural for people to have a nose about whats going on around them and thats as far as it went - its a head phones in and get on with it gym, or at least it was!