I'm finding the toughest obstacle I have to sticking w/ any weight training program is finding a place that I find comfortable and inviting enough to go to. I like my local gym, but I hate using free weights there b/c there are always a lot of men crammed into the area where the barbells are and it's really crowded in that space. The spot where most of the women use dumbbells and stability balls is even smaller and it's wedged between a few machines that people are always using so someone is likely to be stepping by your head if you're on the stability ball. On the other hand, I like using the machines there b/c you have your own personal space. for me, I like to be around people and around activity but I need to have my own personal space too. If the freeweights at the gym were set up w/ individual stations that each had a complete set of equipment, i would be happy. I do have some equipment at home, but it's in the basement (for lack of space anywhere else) which isn't heated and it gets really cold down there right about this time of year so not very inviting. What do you do to find a space you like?
I go to the gym, which isn't necessarily intimidating but, being in a college town, is very crowded at peak hours. I like to go in the early morning when there aren't many people and the people who are there are serious about working out, but also tend to know how to be courteous.
Sounds like your gym has a space issue, so not really sure what you can do there. But in my case, I had serious anxiety that was a result of not only the physical space, but also my own head space.
When I first started NROL4W I was so intimidated by the free weights area, for the same reason - its crammed full of men. And at my gym these guys are always grunting and dropping giant weights on floor. It looks hazardous!
And honestly, I still do have a little trepidation, but now its because I think people are watching me do my very own grunting (i do not drop weights on the floor though, that still seems dangerous).
At any rate, somehow I've acquired the confidence to just go there and own my space. I get my bench and my weights, I keep it nice and tidy, I focus on my lifting and listen to my music. And lo and behold, as someone had commented in a different thread, I actually feel pretty cool! And every once in a while I get fist bumped by guys working out - If you saw me, you'd die laughing.
I said it before somewhere else, but here's what I did to get over my anxiety:
1) Do my lifting in the AM when there are less people around
2) Switched up the routine so that the exercises flow better according to how my gym is set up. So instead of walking from the free weights all the way to the back extension machine, I do all of my free weights exercises and then go do the other stuff. I don't know, something about walking around, having to come back to the bench, just made me feel like I was attracting unneeded attention.
3) Sometimes I wear a baseball cap - this was someone else's suggestion! Helps block out everything else.
I work out at a very small and I must say crappy gym. The advantages are that is quite frequently empty when I go in the free weight area, its closeish to my house, and its cheap. The disadvantages are no squat rack, and no one to ask for a spot.
I looooove lifting in the free weights area. I love lifting at the gym. I love the atmosphere. It motivates me. I love having spotters nearby. I love the camraderie. Just do it...it's not scary. It's great.
The availability of gyms is pretty limited here in rural Kentucky. Furthermore, I can't really afford to join a gym, and don't really like the idea of working out with a bunch of men. I have an empty bedroom in my house where i have a Weider home gym system, an elliptical machine, and a small collection of dumbells.
At my old house, I also had a basement with no heat, and that was my workout room. I bought a couple of portable electric heaters. About 30 minutes before workout time, I'd go turn those on. Then, I'd do about 10 minutes on my treadmill before starting to lift weights. The heaters and the treadmill warmup were usually enough to keep me warm. I admit, though, on a few really cold occasions, I wore gloves (the kind for cold weather, not weightlifting) while I worked out.
I know exactly what you are talking about! Its sounds like you are descibing my local gym. This one is so out dated, even the colors of paint is depressing.
The weight room is very cramped and smelly.The weights are old and rusty. Though I have never seen a prison yard gym, Im sure it looks just like this one. Everyone one in the entire building stops what they are doing, just to see who is walking in the door. I kid you not!
I went there a couple of times and decided that I had enough of the atmosphere, so I found another gym of the same chain (24 Hr Fitness) thats 11 miles away, thats bigger, newer and more spread out. The drive is inconvenient, but totally worth it! Now, I love going to the gym, and look forward to it all the time!
__________________ Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. - Truman Capote
I was a member of a gym and did my weights there but I kept running into other members who apparently marked their territory before I got there. It was weird, but they wouldn't let others "work in" and if they left to do another exercise, they left their towels to "reserve" the cable machines and totally freaked if anyone tried to do a set. As I said, weird. (I think they missed the point of gym etiquette). So anyway, I invested in weights for my home. I love it. I can grunt, make ugly faces, sweat and bust a move when the right song comes on my ipod. All things I don't feel comfortable doing at the gym. Also, if I don't wipe down my db's and bb's, who cares? And, I don't have to worry if someone else didn't wipe them down either.
But really, what it comes down to is you. Visit Chapter 13 of the NROL4W. If you don't want this, you won't do it and no matter where or what the workout is...you are your only obstacle.
I think I'm just having a problem w/ sticking to it. I also recently started running, something I've never enjoyed in the past. But this time, I'm sticking to it, 3x per week and the reasons are clear -- I love the local HS track, it's up on a knoll and very scenic, I'm outside, I have a goal to shoot for (half marathon), it's easy to keep track of and see progress via Nike + ipod, and there is a strong mind/body thing going on (I do the chi running approach). Now, to transfer all of that to strength training is tough. I suppose I'll just have to work on making my little basement corner a bit nicer. and does anyone know of a good web site for tracking fitness progress?
where do you work out?
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