One of the reasons I chose the gym I did, besides the no sign up fees, was location. There is one close to my office and one close to my home. My first trip to the location by my house was a weekday at lunch.
I’m lucky to be able to work from home one day a week and I go to the gym on my lunch those days. Having done my research in GREATER detail on what exact machines and exercises I want to do, I’m a little more confident in my second week at the gym. (Click Here to read about my first week) I’ve got my glute workout planned out, got my gym gear on, and head out to the new location.
This gym is set up on 4 levels, so I figured out where everything is. Locker rooms and group classes are on the basement level, personal training and entrance are on the first, cardio equipment on the third and weights on the top floor.
Luckily, because I’m just coming from home and going back home to shower, I didn’t need to use the locker room. Which will be a blessing to come…
I go up to the top floor, find the first machine I need in my workout plan that is open, which is the smith machine. This machine is a real blessing since I can do two of my 4 workouts on it! I set up, having the guidance and correction from the Kind Lady at my first gym attempt fresh in my mind, and do a set of weighted squats.
I finish my set of 12 and am taking a rest when up comes a lady to talk to me. I have my headphones in and now I know what “working in” means in gym speak so I am slightly annoyed she’s going to ask to work in with me. I barely know what I am doing I don’t want the added pressure of someone waiting and watching me that closely!
But no! She was coming up to me to tell me that I have a rip in my pants and every time I squat down you can see everything! MORTIFIED! AND I am commando! I know, I know…..
I thank the sweet lady and thank God that there was a sweet lady in the gym to tell me before I went on embarrassing myself further. Oy! She says you might want to cover with a towel but I didn’t bring a towel! And my shirt does not cover my bum!
So I thank her so much and I hold my head up high and make the long walk out of the gym, down two flights of stairs, past all the people who work the front office and just keep on to my car like nothing is wrong…. This is where I’m SO HAPPY I didn’t need to go down to the basement level! However, maybe if I had I would have had a change of clothes or towel….
Anyways, I made it to my car and proceeded to just lose it. I totally was defeated and started crying. I was SO excited to go to the gym that day and get my workout in and semi-confident in my abilities now and this happens, on my first set!
This gym thing is such a goal and passion I was not going to let these ridiculous first weeks of experiences get to me but it was too much and I just had a mini melt down in the car.
It’s taken a month or so of going to the gym to the finally stop checking that my pants or shorts haven’t ripped. I DON’T WEAR RUNNING PANTS ANYMORE. It was a great concern and very real fear I had going to the gym those next weeks, but I kept going. I tell the story proudly with laughter now but there was that moment in the car where I cried and had the pity party. But I can’t live in that moment. I have to keep going forward.
I did it, and I went back and they haven’t ripped since and finally my fear is a distant memory and that moment is a great laughing matter. Keep pushing, keep moving forward, every day is new opportunity. Until my next gym adventure! xo
