Common Myths #2

So I have been hearing from quite a few people recently about their experiences or, more frequently, their lack of experiences at the gym. From what I can tell there is a lot of gym-phobia out there. Some of this has to do with a myth, or series of myths actually, about what actually goes on at a gym.

Myth #2: Only hot guys and gals work out at the gym, and if you don't know what you're doing - people will laugh at you.

Hmmm. This was an actual line from an IM conversation that I had the other day. At first, I thought it was some of the ever-so-common IM banter, but after a little digging I realized that this person actually believed it. He said he went to the gym one time but got so intimidated that he did go back for 3 months. His 90 bucks a month just goes wasted unless he goes really late at night and heads straight to the treadmill - something he says he does only once a month.

That's sad.

But I can relate. Gyms are intimidating places. I had always worked out at home with a great set-up that included a flat bench, dumbbells, a pull up bar, lots of mirrors on the wall, and one medicine ball (that I hardly knew how to use). Moving from my expansive place in Buffalo to the Metropolis meant leaving it all in storage. I was fit, and I pretty much thought I knew what I was doing. However, the prospect of actually going to a "Health Club" freaked me out big time.

So -- I joined a 24 hour gym. I went around 2 a.m. just to avoid seeing other people. Nobody works out at 2 a.m. right?

Wrong!

There I was, in the lockerroom frozen still because I heard a shower turning off. All those issues with the middle school post-swim class locker room situations came rushing back. You know the ones, that kid is "becoming a man," but I am still just a boy.

Where do I look? What do I do? Is somebody going to run over here and snap my ass with a wet, wound-up towel?

I had imagined that a huge muscular Adonis reminiscent of the High School football captain would saunter around the corner. I focused intently on my lock, pretending it had changed it's own combination without warning.

From the corner of my eye I see a foot. In this whole great big lockerroom this towel-clad guy ends up next to me?! Like I said before, locker selection is always a gamble.

My heart was racing. He was so close I could feel the steam coming off his body. My neck hurt I was looking down so hard.

I wanted to run away screaming.

What was the big deal? I can't really say - but I will say I was wholly intimidated and I hadn't even set foot in the weight room yet. At that instant, I felt like I had no business being there.

Needing an escape, I worked up an urge to pee. Not there of course (get your mind out of the fetish gutter it was just in)! That's when I saw him - the most plain looking, soft-edged guy.

Phew. No Adonis was going to judge me today.

I did feel like everybody else there knew what they were doing. I had only ever used the basic equipment. I always pretended to be stretching near a machine while I discreetly read how to use it. I managed to navigate my way into some great workouts but it wasn't easy at first.

My confidence grew and I started testing myself. I decided to go at 6 p.m. when I figured it would be busiest. I was right. It sucked. People everywhere were fighting over machines and weights and treadmills. However, it was that crash course that made me see that there were people of all shapes and sizes - all with their own motives (some of them questionable of course) and all with a clear variety of knowledge. I started trying out other clubs as a game with myself purposely trying to get over the fear of the unknown.

Fast forward a bit of time -- now I work for the club. Life is funny that way.

But the moral of this wandering story is that the gyms certainly are not filled with hot people and they are certainly not filled with people who know what they are doing. Every day I'm there, I see people do some crazy things and unless it's dangerous I just look on in amazement. So, I say go on with your wild self and jump right in - there's no reason to wait.