"Gym-timidation"
Approaching the Gym and the Weight Room
To put it simply, I am a small girl. I am not very strong, I am not very loud, and I am certainly not very intimidating. Going to a gym, when I didn’t really know what I was doing, was uncomfortable. I felt like everyone was watching me and I was constantly afraid of messing up or doing something wrong. Entering a weight room that was mostly dominated by big guys… yeah that wasn’t something I was looking forward to, either.
Traditionally, weight lifting is something that men do.
They want to look big, strong and tough, all of which are generally considered
to be masculine traits. The media and society push body standards onto both men
and women; men should be big and strong and women should be small and slender.
This is typically why women shy away from weight training. There is a common
misconception that weight training will automatically make you look like a
professional body builder, and women are afraid that they will look “too
manly.” I can 100 percent promise you that you won’t look “too manly,” not unless you
want to. Professional bodybuilders work incredibly hard to look the way that
they do. They train constantly, follow strict diets, hire trainers and put in
years of dedication. It doesn’t just happen by haphazardly lifting weights a
few times.
Besides the fact that weight rooms are traditionally
dominated by men, starting at the gym can generally be scary. It’s awkward to
work out around random people that you don’t know, especially if you’re new to
working out. To help combat this problem, I’m going to give you five quick tips
to fight “gym-timidation.”
Quick Tips:
1. Write down your workouts ahead of time.
2. Watch tutorial videos.
3. Go at an “off” time of day. (afternoon, late nights...)
4. Visit the gym ahead of time and find out what equipment
they have.
5. Wear comfortable clothes that you feel confident in.
6. Bring headphones!
7. Bring a buddy to work out with.
8. Be confident, you belong there.
 |
| Photo by Daniel Hardcastle |
Coming Up: How to Create a Work Out Plan
Hi Kendra!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your saying, "The media and society push body standards onto both men and women; men should be big and strong and women should be small and slender." It's a true & unfair statement and I love how you are opposing the statements by pursuing to weightlift!
It is definitely true, going to the gym can be pretty awkward, especially when surrounded by hulking men in the weights area. But after reading your quick tips, I find it wise to bring headphones and listen to music while working out, something I never though necessary to do. Also, arriving at the gym on 'off' times, like you have mentioned, could also be great for me as well!
Thank you! Weight training is definitely a male dominated field, but I am hoping to change that! Confidence is key. I still struggle with it, but I'm trying to just fake it until I make it.
DeleteThis is awesome! I've been "trying" to work out for awhile now and I feel all those things you said. The biggest part for me though is finding someone to go with me to keep me motivated otherwise I'll just not do it. I'm more of a night person too and I'm not sure how late some gyms are open or ours at Washburn. I look forward to reading more about this from you and hopefully will get motivation to go because it's something that is always on my mind.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I know that the Rec here at Washburn is open until 11:00 pm Monday-Friday, but only until 9:00 pm on the weekends. I am more of an evening person, I would really like to go around 5:00 but so does everyone else so I try to avoid that time! Getting a gym partner is very helpful, even if they aren't doing the exact same things that you are. My suitemates and I try to go together when we can. Although most of them just do cardio machines and I do weights, going as a group still encourages us all to at least get there and do something! Let me know if you ever want to do a workout together, I would love to!
DeleteI have been trying to get back to my workout routine and these tips will help me do that! I definitely agree to bring a friend to workout with. My best friend helps motivates me when I work out! Also headphones are a must! Listening to some music helps boost my energy for my work out.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Having friends or people around helps a lot, they encourage you to keep going. I find that my workouts in a gym take less time and are more intense than ones I do at home because I don't stop to dance or lie on the ground and procrastinate if there are other people around. :D
DeleteI am always trying to get into a workout routine, it never seems to stick though! Maybe if I try some of your helpful tips, I will be able to!
ReplyDeleteGood luck girl! Getting into a routine is hard, but once you do it's easier to stick with it!
Delete