Sounds like this.

...but really, at the end of the day, even if you are doing stupid sh*t at the gym, do you really care if some random goes and lols at you on the interweb?

I mean, I must look farking rediculous to the gym goers when I'm failing around dropping power cleans and going purple in the face (and shredding my pants...) trying to squat...

The other day it also dawned on me that peope must think I'm farking retarded when I'm doing singles and they're all doing sets of 10...

I often feel this way.

miles - I wasn't really aware that one needed a plan before going actually.

If I was trying it I guess it's possible I might make up something by accident. I wouldn't be doing the grunting and screaming though of course. I don't really know what "half range of motion lifts" means but it's no big deal.

Yeah, this type of thing has occurred to me as well. That even some of the people who know what they're doing also are fully aware that some of their stuff looks a bit goofy too (not to mention the overly-loud grunting types).

I guess I just don't see people laughing at the people who do it correctly (or not as much at least). They're just into laughing at me!! [/paranoid rant]

microbob what activity in life can a person be successful at without some sort of research or plan? even when you're about to jack off, you have to remember to get a towel or sock or something

nah, jizz in your hand then rub it in your hair, its a good conditioner

the weird thing is i'd never expect someone apparently so self-conscious about entering a gym to be willing to go in planning on winging it and figuring something out. or maybe that's why you're so self-conscious.

Think about it this way, if you were playing poker in a casino and making lots of money do you care if the other players at the table are like "Wow he barely plays any hands, what a nit, bet he reads poker books, loser."

Weight training properly is alot like playing poker properly, it requires study, understanding of what you're doing and why, and 95% of the population does it completely wrong.

A poker analogy that doesn't only not suck, it makes sense!

yes

But only the people here. Not the people that are doing it with you. They'll think you're cool.

Saw a guy yesterday in a sweatshirt, jeans and loafers. Started on the leg spreading machine for about 15 reps, moved on to the leg press machine to do about 15 calf raises, then finished on the chest press machine doing 15 leg presses.



The best part was the whole time he never put down his paperback book.

Well there are some posts in here like this (and they're lame), but mostly like others have said it sounds like you're too insecure about this.

But really though, when doing compound lifts you have like 3-5 mins between sets. Unless you have a partner, you're bound to end up looking around. And since 95% of everyone going to a commercial gym is clueless (just like 95% of poker players at micro levels are), there's bound to be something semi-funny going on.

It's like miles said though, in my mind you have to truly do something pretty spectacularly bro-ish/stupid to be postworthy. Even if there are a toooonnnn of repeats here, mostly from newer posters.

Not disputing that at all. Working on it. My venting in here might actually be helping my stupid lack of confidence in that regard (as well as some of the other points being made).

I understand that you have to look at something (especially between sets) and you can't stare at whatever hot chick on the treadmill the WHOLE time. But there are TV's around too (usually). And I was truly surprised to see some of the posts about, "so I decided to check out what he was doing and MAN was he awful" and stuff like that.

I generally just thought it was rude to stare. And even if you're being kind of discreet about it (I assume) some of it still just seems like staring to me.

If they're going crazy drawing attention to themselves like grunting or screaming for a Spot or to Feel the Burn! or are wearing a yellow and purple spandex outfit or just generally behaving ridiculously (shadow boxing in the middle of the freaking room) then that's one thing.

But I think perhaps a few of these are probably people who are mostly minding their own business and are just not conducting their exercising up to whatever standard. Maybe I'm wrong on that.

Doesn't really matter if you're insecure or super max secure as long as you do it anyway. I train with people retardedly stronger than me and I walk into the gym everyday knowing I'm the weakest on in the room by far and if I let that stop me I'd be even weaker than I am now. Don't be afraid of looking like a fool, just be afraid of not attempting something that might make you look foolish.