Current Events > tfw you're woefully out of shape trying to work out at the gym

(+) Yeah! (+)

we've been going the last month or so but I've been focused on cardio. Just tried the rowing machine for the first time last week and really enjoyed it, so I did some more of that yesterday then tried to do some of the arm building machines, fml. Could only comfortably do 25 pounds with the triceps and by the time I went to do the biceps I literally couldn't lift the 15 pound weight with my left arm.

shit is embarrassing, especially when you step up to the machine and the weights were set at like 70 pounds >_:
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You will make progress. Keep working hard and those numbers will rise my friend. Stay consistent!
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No reason to be embarrassed. Effort is much more important than ability when it comes to getting in shape.
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MegaTech posted...

You will make progress. Keep working hard and those numbers will rise my friend. Stay consistent!

Yeah I've already seen some improvement, feels pretty good.

Thanks for the encouragement!
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Do slow controlled reps so it looks like you are doing low weights on purpose.

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Squall28 posted...

Do slow controlled reps so it looks like you are doing low weights on purpose.

lmao I mean I was doing that with the tricep machine but I could actually also at least do that and feel it working.
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This is one of those scenarios where you may feel self-conscious, but nobody else is paying attention to you. I know it is hard to get that through your head, but it really is true. The vast majority of folks at the gym are there to do their workout and be done, they don't care what you're doing at all.

And on the off-chance that somebody is there, judging a newbie, then that person can go f themselves, they're just a terrible person.
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jcmason posted...

This is one of those scenarios where you may feel self-conscious, but nobody else is paying attention to you. I know it is hard to get that through your head, but it really is true. The vast majority of folks at the gym are there to do their workout and be done, they don't care what you're doing at all.

And on the off-chance that somebody is there, judging a newbie, then that person can go f themselves, they're just a terrible person.

Oh yeah I got over my anxiety after the first couple visits. I'm still a little "eh" if we get there and there's like more than a half dozen people. But I figure as long as I'm sweating on the machines it looks like I'm doing something >_>
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Good for you, TC. If anyone gives you crap at the gym, just say "Yeah, maybe I should go the f'ing gym or something." I doubt it'd happen, though. In my experience, gym rats are the most compassionate bros. The only time anyone has ever given tips, it was on important immediate things like bad form or prefaced by "Really sorry, can I offer some unsolicited advice?"

One day in 2014 or 2015, I misracked my barbell not from too much weight, but just misjudging my hand. I spent maybe forty or more so wriggling like a non-Muppet Henson puppet to escape as it pushed down my neck in a way that wasn't perilous, but uncomfortable and probably could have eventually done some damage. That day, I realized no one at the gym looks at each other. None of the muscle guys noticed, no one asked if I was okay, no one teased me, no one offered embarrassing advice, no one mentioned anything next time. It was honestly so liberating and was the final push I needed to never feel intimidated at any gym again no matter my scrawniness.

One last thing and I do say this with love, but heads up that if you loved the rowing machine, you're probably doing it wrong. ;) [Source: multiple years competitive collegiate rowing] It's a fantastic butt-kicker, but holyyyyyy. Have someone make sure your back and core are firm or you can really mess up your lower back and neck. Your stroke should travel through arms, body, legs in that order. Keep up the good work!
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VanananaHeyHey posted...

One day in 2014 or 2015, I misracked my barbell not from too much weight, but just misjudging my hand. I spent maybe forty or more so wriggling like a non-Muppet Henson puppet to escape as it pushed down my neck in a way that wasn't perilous, but uncomfortable and probably could have eventually done some damage. That day, I realized no one at the gym looks at each other. None of the muscle guys noticed, no one asked if I was okay, no one teased me, no one offered embarrassing advice, no one mentioned anything next time. It was honestly so liberating and was the final push I needed to never feel intimidated at any gym again no matter my scrawniness.

That sounds effing terrifying to be honest. Glad you are OK.

I honestly don't know if I'm doing the rowing machine right, guess I can watch a video to make sure. I just know that my forearms feel like they're on fire afterwards. Feels crappy but good the next day.
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As someone who has almost always been the strongest person in the rooms of various gyms for 15 years (not bragging, this is not impressive or laudable in a commercial gym) I can tell you I could not care less how light the weights other people use are. If I notice at all I just think for half a second good on them for being here.
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Get into mixed martial arts

The few people who will diss you for starting out with light weights generally don't have constructive opinions you should be listening to anyway. And they're even less inclined to admit they started out light too. A lot of them like to pretend they were instant naturals at heavy lifts, but the rest of us familiar with the gym all know that's not true.

I've been lifting for years now and it shows, but even I can admit some of the supposed "top dogs" in some gyms started out and continued lifting those first 2 years just because of an enormous hole in their self esteem. It's actually really common. Maybe they got dissed for being small, got dumped, was the runt in the family, or got critically depressed at seeing noodles in the mirror. Even though some of them like to play it off as not the case, they're human and they started with the lightweight rookie stuff too...

Not every gym rat is a stereotypical shaming douche and many of us don't look at "starting out" as something shameful. We look at it as a first step. We've been there. A bunch of the jerks who would bother to shame you for that usually have some inner esteem issues themselves. I know. Gyms were one of my hunting grounds for dates for a while and the amount of impressive-looking lifters I met who ironically still had thin-skinned ego problems was surprisingly common.

Fuck some of them were looking for a cheerleader just to take their mind of their insecurities...
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Hexenherz posted...

feel it working.

lol

People who do train hard and care about strength will only applaud you for taking the step of being in there and doing the work. It doesn't matter how much weight you're moving as long as you do it with heart.
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A good chunk of people use weights too heavy for them anyway. Keep your form good and push yourself to improve and you will.

Everyone starts somewhere, stop caring so much lol you're at the gym and everyone does it lol you're not special and nobody cares about you as much as you think lol now get back to work and stop thinking so much.
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Thanks for all the reassurances.

I guess I'm just my own worst critic really. It's a military gym which is why I feel out of place (for me to pass my PT test I barely have to do more than 40 pushups/50 situps and then 80 calories on a stationary bike which I do by the 8 minute mark, and you have 12 minutes to do it >_>). Doesn't help when you've been in for so long and haven't done any traditional military shit like deployments.
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Hexenherz posted...

Thanks for all the reassurances.

I guess I'm just my own worst critic really. It's a military gym which is why I feel out of place (for me to pass my PT test I barely have to do more than 40 pushups/50 situps and then 80 calories on a stationary bike which I do by the 8 minute mark, and you have 12 minutes to do it >_>). Doesn't help when you've been in for so long and haven't done any traditional military shit like deployments.

WTF? Why do they measure the bike by calories??? Why not distance
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EpicMickeyDrew posted...

Hexenherz posted...

Thanks for all the reassurances.

I guess I'm just my own worst critic really. It's a military gym which is why I feel out of place (for me to pass my PT test I barely have to do more than 40 pushups/50 situps and then 80 calories on a stationary bike which I do by the 8 minute mark, and you have 12 minutes to do it >_>). Doesn't help when you've been in for so long and haven't done any traditional military shit like deployments.

WTF? Why do they measure the bike by calories??? Why not distance

I don't know to be honest but I'm not gonna complain. What they do is they take your raw calorie count, do something with your weight and convert it to a run time. But the cool thing is, they don't put your weight into the machine... So at 127 pounds I literally only need 80 to pass (I actually get in the "Excellent" category generally, the next tier up), whereas someone who's heavier would need more. The elliptical *did* require you to put your weight into the machine, so I would have had a harder time burning more calories just based on how the machine does the calculation.

And apparently they are going to add the rowing machine to the PT test which is why i was curious to try it out. They are looking at having it be a simulated 2 kilometer distance but I don't know if they're going to have similar time limits like they do for the run, or what the resistance is going to be. I guess my form wasn't too far off based on the instructional videos I looked up, I just need to work on my "going in" motion and focus on keeping a straighter posture the whole time.
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The only people I judge at the gym are people who use too much weight for their level. "Ego lifting" is what they call it

Don't go in there and ego lift, or you won't make progress. Lifting shouldn't really be that hard, despite what TV makes it look like
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Colorahdo posted...

The only people I judge at the gym are people who use too much weight for their level. "Ego lifting" is what they call it

Don't go in there and ego lift, or you won't make progress. Lifting shouldn't really be that hard, despite what TV makes it look like

I always heard the "low weight, high rep" philosophy was decent. Still working on the "high rep" part >_>
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I was extremely overweight and jumped into crossfit...

It was brutal, but I'm glad I did it.
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Hexenherz posted...

I always heard the "low weight, high rep" philosophy was decent. Still working on the "high rep" part >_>

Form is very important as well as range of motion. A good rule of thumb is keeping your back straight. Most workouts require your back to be straight or slightly arched.

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jcmason posted...

This is one of those scenarios where you may feel self-conscious, but nobody else is paying attention to you. I know it is hard to get that through your head, but it really is true. The vast majority of folks at the gym are there to do their workout and be done, they don't care what you're doing at all.

And on the off-chance that somebody is there, judging a newbie, then that person can go f themselves, they're just a terrible person.

^^^
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Hexenherz posted...

Colorahdo posted...

The only people I judge at the gym are people who use too much weight for their level. "Ego lifting" is what they call it

Don't go in there and ego lift, or you won't make progress. Lifting shouldn't really be that hard, despite what TV makes it look like

I always heard the "low weight, high rep" philosophy was decent. Still working on the "high rep" part >_>

About 8 rep sets is a fairly safe middle ground until you know what you are doing. Generally people will say things like 1-6 rep sets will build strength and 6-12 rep sets will build muscle size but different exercises are suited to different rep ranges and above all your intensity, form and diet will matter more than reps and weight.

Form is a little overrated. It's not a bad message to convey because outright bad form is a more common problem with beginners but lots of times people online who are much weaker than the lifter in the video will admonish effective lifting because it's "bad form". It's not bad form if it's getting results, like cheat curls and partial pull-ups. Sometimes you DO want to sacrifice pretty form for heavier weight.

The stronger you are the safer this is because you have more experience reacting to something dangerous on the fly and you have a more solid base of muscle mass to protect yourself.
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As a gym nut and former fat man, Im always happy when I see larger people try to get themselves in shape. I feel like most people do too unless there a*******.

keep it up TC!

consistency is key. don't worry about getting to heavy weights quickly. it took me almost a year to get to borderline decent numbers. I still can't bench my own weight and I'm on 2 years since I started going regularly
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Here's a secret, wipe your equipment down when you're done and no one cares how much or little you're doing. The fact that you're going and trying means you're ahead of the curve

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i been working on my cardio the past 4-5 days. i'm doing as much walking as i have done before my dog got old (no offense to her) we still love that dog. went 2 hr's straight walking yesterday and i was wiped. but it was worth it since i found a couple 3 star eevee that paid off.
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