One of the most common things I hear about from people is that they’re afraid of people judging them at the gym, especially when they’re just getting started. It might be that they’re worried about looking like a weenie, or they might be worried about looking dumb if they’re doing an exercise wrong.
The thing is, almost everyone who goes to the gym is in the same boat that you are; they’re afraid of looking stupid, and they’re terrified of what other people think of them. In fact, they’re spending so much time worrying about themselves that they barely even notice that you’re there, much less what you’re doing. Even if you do something dumb, they either probably won’t notice, or they’ve already done the same thing.
One of the other things that people don’t realize is that the people who are seasoned gym rats are usually the nicest people in the gym. We all remember when they were first starting out and how scared we were. Regardless of where someone is in their journey, we all started from square one. We have all done exercises wrong, we’ve all farted during a set of squats, and we have all been the weakest/fattest person in the gym.
We also all have resting bitch face. If you walk through any gym, you’ll see filled with people who look like they’re waiting in line at the DMV. We instinctually avoid these people because they look like they’ll kill you if you get within 5 feet of them. However, that face has a lot more to do with concentration than it does with mood. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen someone with a full snarl on their face that melts into a smile when you ask them if they can spot you real quick or if they are using a piece of equipment.
I’ll leave you with a story. A few years ago, I was at the gym. A bunch of guys were there who I’m friends with now, but was either meeting for the first time that day or had only met once or twice previously. They were all MUCH stronger than me and in much better shape – 100% the guys who everyone is terrified of in the gym.
We all went through our workouts and chatted. Eventually, I was finishing up in the squat rack. I was about to start my last set of squats and I wanted to get 365lbs for a rep. One of the guys there, Brandon (the strongest one out of the whole group) saw me adding weight to the bar and offered to spot me. In my head, I thought to myself, “I just watched this guy squat 405 for so many reps that I lost count. I’ll probably miss the rep, he’ll pull it off my back, and he’ll do a set of bicep curls with it. FUCK!”
I settled in, and to my surprise, was able to hit the rep a lot easier than I thought, so I decided to try for a second. I struggled a bit with the second rep, but was able to finish the rep. I started to move forward to rack the bar, and Brandon said “Nah man, you’ve got another one in you. I’ve got your back.” I went for the last rep, and despite some struggling, was able to complete the rep. Not bad for someone who struggled to squat that weight for a single rep the prior week.
I racked the weight, and all of a sudden started getting bombarded with high fives and congratulations. To my surprise, the guys were celebrating my PR like we had just won the Super Bowl.
Not everyone who you talk to in the gym will be nice to you. Sometimes, you catch someone on the wrong day, and sometimes, they’re just an asshole. However, the vast majority of people you meet at the gym aren’t judging you, and either are in the same boat as you, or remember when they were, so don’t let the fear of looking like an idiot stop you from getting started, and don’t be afraid of the other people in the gym.
Seaotter Fitness 