Nervous about gym!

Associate
Joined
21 Apr 2009
Posts
1,288
Hey, i'm looking at starting going to a gym near me soon (TotalFitness) sometime next week when i have the days off work, however it has been literally years since i went to any kind of established facility with regards to fitness etc and since then certain things have left me very self concious about my body.

Generally i'm a pretty confident guy, the life of the party etc, however my achilles heel (Metaphoric not literal) is my chest, i have pectus excavatum or sunken chest, it sinks in somewhere between half an inch and an inch.

it's probably so pronounced because i'm really quite thin and have battled with what i would term as an eating disorder (only eating when i feel quite hungry and bingeing when i do eat, then days when i eat very little or nothing at all)

I have always been very self concious about this since i was younger and i'm generally quite uncomfortable when i think about many people seeing my chest and sniggering over me, i know it's a somewhat stupid phobia to have but yea i have it.

I guess i'm just asking for reassurance that it wont be that bad or that there aren't that many people who go to the gym just to belittle or judge others, i know it's probably irrational but hey thats me :D
 

LiE

LiE

Caporegime
Joined
2 Aug 2005
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25,601
Location
Milton Keynes
There are people of all shapes and sizes in the gym and I've never seen them treated any different. I sounds like you just need to get in there and get settled then you'll forget about all these worries.
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Sep 2003
Posts
2,814
Thing is, there are people who will snigger at things and mock people because of differences in their body shape, be it fat/thin/malformed in this world no matter what activity you partake in and there's only one thing you can do about it - ignore it. There are people out there with more severe deformaties or problems than you and they get along just fine.

Go along to the Gym and enjoy it, 99.9% of people won't even blink an eyelid - you are there for you and to get fit and to make yourself feel better, don't even consider giving a hoot about what anyone else thinks. Personally when I'm in the Gym i'm concentrating on my workout and not what other people look like. Go for it, you won't regret it.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
27 Sep 2004
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Glasgow
Try not to worry too much about it, well done on going to the gym but it's doubtful that anyone will care all that much whether you've got a sunken chest or not. Maybe if you go in wearing a crop top and leggings they'll have reason to stare but otherwise you'll probably find most people are too concerned with their own workout (and even insecurities) to bother with what you look like.

If it helps one side of my chest is slightly raised/sunk (depends which way you look at it I suppose) and no-one's ever commented on it either in the gym or in the swimming pool, for all I know they haven't even noticed it.
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Jun 2006
Posts
4,839
try to go and visit a few gyms first, i went to a few and they really didnt suit me at all.
but now im in a local YMCA gym and its fantastic, absolutely no problems with people in there giving out funny looks or misbehaviour.
but just get in one and it soon becomes comfortable to visit :)
 
Associate
Joined
15 Oct 2005
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1,979
Location
Edinburgh
Most of the people who do chat\snigger about that sort of thing are the sort that are usually in no place to do it! So who cares what they think...

Most normal people are too tied up with their own body issues to notice (like me and my wobbly moobs, although the beer belly is disappearing!).
 
Permabanned
Joined
30 Sep 2005
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25,896
Location
Wigan
People that laugh or snigger are ***** probably have something wrong with them, did you not see that CH4 program with people disfigured and models wanting to be perfect and hated the way they looked.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Sep 2006
Posts
14,349
You'll get people that are pencil thin, whales, old, young, extremely fit, barely put any effort in, beef cakes and all other types.

People are too busy doing their own thing to stop and judge you. An even if they do why would you care what somebody you don't know thinks of you?

I tip my hat to anybody that's in there in the first place tbh.
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Feb 2004
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5,116
Location
Crewe, UK
Don't worry about feeling different, no one will care, and as the only time you'll be shirtless is in the changing rooms no one will look!

Which Total Fitness you at?

Rich
 
Associate
Joined
17 Jul 2006
Posts
804
On a related note I suffered the same problem as a child and had to have an operation as it effected my breathing. Had a triangular metal bar inside me for a year, and am left with a major scar. I've never been self consious about it tbh, though i appreciate it not quite the same thing
 
Caporegime
Joined
21 Jun 2006
Posts
38,372
you will be fine, there will be a lot of fatties in there, everyone will be laughing at so your okay. :D

i dont know much about this sunken chest, have you been cleared by a doctor to do weights? some gyms may not allow you until you have written permission from a doctor. if its weak or what and something happens it could cause serious injury.
 
Associate
Joined
6 Dec 2007
Posts
1,785
I started the gym about 2 weeks ago and I am what I consider a large lad, 6'5 22 1/2 stone, Everyone has been more than gracious to me and my life down the gym has been fantastic. Worked really hard down there and so far have dropped 2" on chest and neck, Which for 2 weeks work I am proud of. Everyone at the gym is treated equally as were all down there for our own personal goals and people appreciate that.
 
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