It’s pretty common for new gym goer’s to be a little self-conscious about coming to the gym and training around a bunch of people they don’t know. When I started training in a gym I remember feeling this way and was so worried about what other people thought of me. I had that feeling of being judged on how I looked or how much weight I was lifting. Then once I continued to go, I slowly gained more confidence in myself and became familiar with the environment. But I also noticed another interesting thing…most people are so absorbed into what they’re doing they don’t even notice you.
If you take a minute to stop and look around the gym, you will notice how focused people are on only what they are doing. Whether it’s bopping their head to their music, in the middle of their set, focusing on their workout, spacing out, taking a selfie, talking to a friend, or even playing on their phone, nobody is paying attention to you. The closest thing to someone trying to get your attention will be lifting way to much weight than they can handle to try and look strong to everyone in the gym. So even though it is much easier said than done, you don’t have to worry about others judging you.
But what about when you have a question and want to ask someone who “looks like they know what they’re doing” or you see someone doing an exercise you want to learn about. It may be a little nerve racking to just walk up to someone you don’t know to ask for help or advice. But from my own personal experience with actual interactions and observing, I can reassure you there is nothing to be nervous about. As long as you’re tactful about it, I have found most people love to talk about themselves and will go over the top with an answer. They feel flattered that someone would come ask them for their opinion and love the ego boost. I personally feel great about myself when someone will ask me a question about what I’m doing. Even though I shouldn’t need the validation from others, it’s a good feeling that it at least looks like I kinda know what I’m doing. A lot of times I will see people go into way more detail than what is needed just because they are excited someone asked them and they want to make sure they seem like a credible source.
If you are in a position where you want to ask someone a question about what they’re doing or even a general question because they look in great shape and may have the answer you are looking for, just do it politely (disclaimer**-looks don’t always = credibility). The best time to catch people is before or after their workout, that way you know you aren’t interrupting them during it. If they are in the middle of training, try and wait until they are in-between exercises. At a very minimum wait until they’re in-between sets. If you do choose to ask a question during their workout, try and keep it concise. Most people won’t cut you off or be short with you, but inside they may become upset if you stop them for a half hour in the middle of their workout. Sometimes it can be difficult to fall back into a groove after a long interruption.
By you having the courage to go ask a question, it creates positivity all around. First you got to learn a little insight on how that person likes to train and there is a good possibility it can help you with your fitness journey. Then you made that person feel good about themselves because you showed trust and interest in what they are doing. Now going forward, that person will also probably see you as a friend because of how you made them feel when you came to them. A lot of the people that have come to asked me questions I would continuously try to talk to after the fact. I don’t force my opinion or more tips/tricks with training on them, but I do go out of my way to say hello and will ask how training is going for them, opening the door for further conversation if they do have more questions.