Do you ever have people stare at you while lifting?

[thedreamthief]

I had this happen to me for the first time this past Saturday. I was doing deadlifts (not a lot of weight by any means, 260 lbs.) and apparently majority of the people at my local Y have either never seen anyone do deadlifts or seen anyone do deadlifts with that much weight.

Anyhow, by my 2nd rep out of 5, I noticed about 8-10 people just staring at me, watching me do my deads. It was really distracting and even more embarrassing. I wanted to stop and ask "What are you looking at?"...but, I just finished my set without saying anything.

As I was leaving the gym, I overheard one guy mentioned to his friend "Did you see all those people who were starting at him when he was doing that lift?" which made me feel even more embarrassed.

On one hand, I guess it was kind of cool to have everyone staring at you in awe (at least I hope they were staring in awe and not staring at me like I was a dumbass or something) ...but it really was more embarrassing than anything.

Anyone have similar experiences? Does it bother / distract / embarrass you at all?

 

[H_T_]

you must train at an awful, useless, pos, gym. the people at my gym mind their own business and there isn't a lift they haven't seen. find a real gym. quit training next to blue hairs....

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Yes. It happens sometimes in my gym... vastly different types of people train and workout there... from 250lb+ lean mofo BB types to skinny fat kids trying to get big biceps to old lady's doing flys on the yoga ball.

solutions:

-learn to deal with it
-find a new gym
-stop working out

 

[Powerbuilder333]

I think all powerlifters watch their peer group train, and give encouragement. There's genuine comradery amongst powerlifters, even in competition.

 

[rnch]

staring is one thing.....LAUGHING is another.

 

[HaZaRDouZ]

lol, never happened to me. i lift at a private whole in the wall gym where your average lifter (there isnt many people) is 210lbs+ and with above average weight on lifts. my gym is "Where the serious animal trains" thats the slogan. so no.

 

[Itsadeepburn]

After a heavy squat session i was on the exercise bike stretchin the legs out a bit, and tried to softly squeeze out a fart that turned out to be a crack of thunder....it was a few weeks ago, and the gym was packed full of the "resolutioners". I stopped a good bit of people dead in their tracks.

 

[crossy]

Funnly i had the same thing last week when doing deads, must of been that my face was red and my eyes blood shot. But yeah very distracting.

 

[steig]

I had a similar experience. A couple of people were staring at me while I was doing floor presses and finally one of the guys walked up to me and told me i could use his bench so i could bench for the full range of motion.

 

[youngguns]

When your gosh darn beautiful, you get used to it.