How to handle gym anxiety?

xsizo

I know that everyone starts somewhere, and no one knows the right form from the first visit to gym.
I keep thinking about the people around me, judging my form.
The other day, I was trying to deadlift, and I noticed a lad staring at me from far... Wen I failed to lift the barbell correctly he started to laugh along with the other lads with him which got me a bit selfcon.

I ended up checking my phone and then left the gym without really working out

Stench Blossoms

Could you go with a friend?

martomcg

Everyone has to start somewhere but if your only starting out you shouldnt really be failing.

Drop the weight and concentrate on getting the range of motion and form correct. When your comfortable move up in weight.

That'll stop lads laughing at you. If they're standing around watching people/laughing then they're not up to much in the gym anyway! So dont worry about them!

Bringing a friend would help with the anxiety tho!

intellectual dosser

xsizo wrote: »

I know that everyone starts somewhere, and no one knows the right form from the first visit to gym.
I keep thinking about the people around me, judging my form.
The other day, I was trying to deadlift, and I noticed a lad staring at me from far... Wen I failed to lift the barbell correctly he started to laugh along with the other lads with him which got me a bit selfcon.

I ended up checking my phone and then left the gym without really working out

Uhm, replace Gym with Primary School and this might be 'understandable'. I couldnt possibly give lads like that enough credit to care about what they think.

Anyway, you got a decent response above. Keep her lit and good luck with it.

colman1212

Everyone starts off wandering around the gym not having a clue what they're doing. The lads laughing would have been the exact same when they went to the gym first. Its just the way it is. Take no notice, learn the exercises, form and technique and just like anything else, the more you do it, the more comfortable you become.

Like anything else in life, it takes time to become good at something and confident at doing it. You can't control the actions of a few dopes in the gym, you can only control what you do. Use it as a positive to help you focus at training.

thegreatiam

xsizo wrote: »

The other day, I was trying to deadlift, and I noticed a lad staring at me from far... Wen I failed to lift the barbell correctly he started to laugh along with the other lads with him which got me a bit selfcon.

How do you know he was laughing at your form. might've been your string vest and green shorts. or did you not lift the weight? n that case lower the weight.
people in the gym do not look at you and think 'OMG, that guy is not lifting heavy weights he has no business being here'
there are countless reasons why you could be lifting smaller weight, recovering from injury, de-loading, learning new moves, lifting low weights for high reps.

In truth, noone in the gym cares about you or what you are doing, unless it is so outrageously bad that they cant help it. In which case we would all be watching the videos on youtube by now. Do not worry about the other people, worry about what you are doing.

The gym is filled with people too obsessed about them selves, either preening, or ashamed of the way they look, or in too much pain to care about what you are doing, there are millions of reasons why you arent the center of their world.

If you are truly worried about your form, speak to the trainer, or speak to one of the fitter lads in there after he has done his work out and ask him to show you some form. he will love the attention.
either that or go to you tube and watch some videos on correct form.

Irish_wolf

You sure they were laughing at you? Sometimes lads in a group are just laughing amongst themselves. I was down the gym myself once about four years ago and I was on the cross trainer and there were four lads chatting away beside me while one of their friends was doing bench presses or rowing or something, anyway they were talking about some antics of the previous night and they all started laughing. Next second this big fecker comes over starts giving out saying they should be ashamed of themselves laughing at other people trying to work out. They try to explain they weren't laughing at anyone but amongst themselves but he was having none of it, saying they should be kicked out and all this malarcky. I would have spoke up on their behalf, well I like to think I would have, but I was bolloxed and your man didnt seem to be listening to reason anyway.

So yeah not saying they weren't laughing at you, but if you were already self conscious about yourself it's easy to think that they are staring/laughing at you when in actual fact he could have been staring at a girl behind you or thinking about his next work out.

Like another poster said, if this was in school or something then it could be understandable but I think in general this kind of carry on does not occur in most gyms. Also definitely learn proper form before you start piling on the weight. You can seriously injure yourself.

Also next time if you think someone is laughing at you because you are doing something wrong, ask for their advice. Say you cant seem to get the form right. They'll probably leap at the opportunity to show off to their mates how good their form is and more than likely you'll learn some tips or get some new gym buddies.

Colonialboy

DONT WORRY ABOUT THEM ..... STICK AT IT ....
IT SAYS MORE ABOUT THAT PLONKER THAT HE WOULD LAUGH RATHER THAN COME OVER TO YOU AND GIVE YOU A HAND TO DO IT RIGHT OR ADJUST THE WEIGHT... SAME FOR HIS MATES IF THEY LAUGHED.

Dont worry abut people looking at you and judging your form, gyms are small spaces, peopel have to look somewhere, otherwise we'd all be walking around staring at the ceiling and bumping into eachother.

I think people are just looking, staring into space and resting between sets and just looking at whats going on.. but not in a judgmental way just out of interest.

Theres plenty nice people in gyms, generally I find people want to pass on advice and help others, so stick at it, watch others how they do it maybe strike up a conversation. Or if theres a quite time and some instructor about ask them to give you a tip or two. If your just beginning id recommend you only do 60% of the max weight you could do on anyone exercise, but do 12-15 reps and 3 sets rising to 4.
Every ones at different levels in gyms, with different goals and different sports requring different focus . You will be in the gym for years and hopefully enjoying weighlifting and exercising for years dont get put off by one bad incident.

I remember a good few years back before rugby went professional a mate of mine , small chap 5 ft 1, wears glasses real baby face, stocky but not bulky was in a gym with a load of the Munster rugby players, big lads all loud and full of ****e .
They were doing big squats , and were hoggin the machine, he asked them if he could jump in between sets to finish his routine.
They looked at him, more down at him and one of them says with a grin , will we take off some weights and the others laughed. He said no bother its grand and proceeded to full press the weights they were struggling to sqat with. Hes a world class powerlifter for his weight category... and 100% natural.

Liam90

Greg Plitt will help you.... http://www.youtube.com/user/questproductionsllc

**** the haters!!!

Noxin

As someone said above drop the weight and get your form right for one. It looks much better (and you will probably feel better) at being able to do a proper lift rather than struggling with a red face that looks like it is about to explode. Forget trying to lift insane weight in the beginning. That will come later.

Just stick at it and try not to take notice of what others are looking at. You might be surprised to find that they are not even looking at you.
I have often found myself staring into space in between sets only to realise I have been staring in the direction of someone (but not actually at them) for an extended period of time. I can imagine they would think I was looking at them when I actually wasn't.

Sometimes you will find the odd idiot in the gym. But these are usually just prats that disappear after the January flood. Take no notice of them and keep at it.

nice_guy80

I look at everyone in the gym

I'm interested to see if they are doing something different than me, what their form is like, or if there is a chance they are doing something stupid and waiting for the accident

anoda_username

Would you consider getting a fitness test and program? Most gyms offer it for free or a small charge. They can then show u around the gym and tailor a program for u, that will guide u a guide of what you can lift. Ignore those fools if they were working out they wouldn't have been looking around and it's none of their business what people do in the gym. If u went once or twice at quiet times of the day it might help build your confidence up with the machines and the weights

GeorgeOrwell

Get a tour of the gym with one of the trainers, who will show you how to use the machines correctly and with proper form.

Then, if you're still feeling self-conscious, try going when the gym is very empty so there is nobody there while you're still learning your way around.

TheZ

The Four Agreements - Ruiz - worth a look

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally.Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
   
   
3. Don't Make AssumptionsWhen we make assumptions it is because we believe we know what others are thinking and feeling. We believe we know their point of view,
4. Always Do Your Best.

Stench Blossoms

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I look at everyone in the gym

I'm interested to see if they are doing something different than me, what their form is like, or if there is a chance they are doing something stupid and waiting for the accident

Slightly off topic.

But if you saw someone in the gym doing something really stupid would you go over and tell them?

I saw a lad trying to do a bench press (using the smith machine) while lying on an exercise ball the other day. I thought he was going to kill himself.

nice_guy80

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Slightly off topic.

But if you saw someone in the gym doing something really stupid would you go over and tell them?

I saw a lad trying to do a bench press (using the smith machine) while lying on an exercise ball the other day. I thought he was going to kill himself.

No.
I've stopped doing that. I was told to fcuk off before.
Unless I thought they might break something I was hoping to use!!
anyway, natural evolution should be weeding out the really stupid people.

I use an exercise ball all the time when I am benching. great job.

Scuba Ste

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Slightly off topic.

But if you saw someone in the gym doing something really stupid would you go over and tell them?

I saw a lad trying to do a bench press (using the smith machine) while lying on an exercise ball the other day. I thought he was going to kill himself.

Never. In gyms most people don't really want to told they're doing something wrong. Even helping someone who's struggling or dying under a bar gets you no thanks a lot o the time.

In fairness if I'm doing stupid stuff I don't want anyone telling me either.

NinjaK

Buy a barbell/dumbell set in Argos or where ever and start from there, I put on a good bit of muscle that way before I hit the gym, did it for about a year, got all my form etc right so I took to the gym like a duck to water

RandolphEsq

I always look at others working out in the gym to see how their form is or else to check out some exercises they are doing, and also to perve :P The only thing I would laugh at is a lad orgasming loudly as he works out.

nice_guy80

worst exercise ever seen in the gym??

ahnowbrowncow

nice_guy80 wrote: »

worst exercise ever seen in the gym??

Saw a person chase a dog, they didn't catch it. Does that count?

nice_guy80

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

Saw a person chase a dog, they didn't catch it. Does that count?

thats like a scene from Rocky. so that is hardcore.

RidleyRider

nice_guy80 wrote: »

worst exercise ever seen in the gym??

Weirdest would be by my own friend- deadlifting with the EZ bar. I just don't know:o

Most annoying is- Curling in the fcuking squat rack!!!


Worst- Someone on the rowing machine only pulling the chain without strapping in or anything. Pointless.

IdidIt

nice_guy80 wrote: »

worst exercise ever seen in the gym??

Spotted a guy in the leg press machine struggling with a 45 degree architect triangle trying to measure the inside of his legs. I just didn't understand why he would do that. Still can't sleep at night thinking about it.

SteelyDanJalapeno

nice_guy80 wrote: »

worst exercise ever seen in the gym??

Pull ups in the squat rack.......

martomcg

TiltedBrain wrote: »

Pull ups in the squat rack.......

I regularly do that.

Most squat racks have bars specifically for them!

daddymac90

nice_guy80 wrote: »

worst exercise ever seen in the gym??

someone trying to do bicep curls on a military press machine

tmc86

RidleyRider wrote: »

Most annoying is- Curling in the fcuking squat rack!!!

This seems to be a huge annoyance to people and is mentioned a lot however I've never seen it happen in my gym....yet!

Worst gym excersise that I saw was a lad sitting facing the seat (backwards) in the fly machine and pushing the cushioned handles with his elbows back behind his back???

Come to think of it the majority of mistakes that I've seen in the gym have been on machines!

P.S I think that we need a "Gym Mistakes" thread!

daddymac90

xsizo wrote: »

I know that everyone starts somewhere, and no one knows the right form from the first visit to gym.
I keep thinking about the people around me, judging my form.
The other day, I was trying to deadlift, and I noticed a lad staring at me from far... Wen I failed to lift the barbell correctly he started to laugh along with the other lads with him which got me a bit selfcon.

I ended up checking my phone and then left the gym without really working out

shoulds like you need to go into beast mode

SteelyDanJalapeno

tmc86 wrote: »

This seems to be a huge annoyance to people and is mentioned a lot however I've never seen it happen in my gym....yet!

Worst gym excersise that I saw was a lad sitting facing the seat (backwards) in the fly machine and pushing the cushioned handles with his elbows back behind his back???

Come to think of it the majority of mistakes that I've seen in the gym have been on machines!

P.S I think that we need a "Gym Mistakes" thread!

+ a million for the gym sillies thread.

tmc86

daddymac90 wrote: »

shoulds like you need to go into beast mode

helpful, and in the OP's case its about correct form and technique not lifting heavy.

tmc86

TiltedBrain wrote: »

+ a million for the gym sillies thread.

Gym Sillies thread is now open!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=82610732#post82610732

full credit to Tilted Brain for the great thread title!

brownej

RidleyRider wrote: »

Most annoying is- Curling in the fcuking squat rack!!!

I don't really have a problem with this and I have done it myself on occasion.
The gym I go to doesn't really have a load of free floor space to do straightbar curls on, so the squat racks or the platforms are the only free space for that sort of thing. I don't see the harm if nobody is using the rack or platform for anything else.
The squat rack is a space where you can manipulate a 7ft bar without some eejit bumping into it so I thing it's a perfectly suitable and safe place to do curlz.

Aquarius34

xsizo wrote: »

I know that everyone starts somewhere, and no one knows the right form from the first visit to gym.
I keep thinking about the people around me, judging my form.
The other day, I was trying to deadlift, and I noticed a lad staring at me from far... Wen I failed to lift the barbell correctly he started to laugh along with the other lads with him which got me a bit selfcon.

I ended up checking my phone and then left the gym without really working out

Those guys are idiots. Don't worry about it. People make mistakes all the time starting off. I think everyone is always nervous starting off. Anyone who laughs a t people like this are just simply idiots.