*RANT* People staring at me in the gym

[Pringles0619]

So I have been doing a lot of Olympic lifting recently as I have an exam thats assessing Olympic lifts shortly. I generally do snatches and cleans anyway but I have cut down the weight and have just being doing technique work (they are very strict with form in exam). My lifts need to be as fluent and correct as possible with minimal error. My mentor works with athletes at the gym and he will sometimes go up to me and correct me/give feedback.

Anyway usually my mentor and his staff watch me which doesn't bother me and the occasional gym goer. However, recently it has escalated. My recent gym session, my mentor was doing some coaching with me and all the gym goers watched me the whole time. One girl beside me would sit and watch during her rest periods, two girls stood behind me literally stared and watched (caught them and they didn't even flinch).

The gym staff watched (sometimes they do) and the other gym goers glancing to see. I was the only one doing Olympic lifts and since I am focusing on technique it takes a lot of concentration but when that many people stare at you it puts you off! I just don't get why. I actually got up to go first thing this morning just to avoid it. I do get a few poor reps or bail the bar now and then when I lose focus then other times its spot on. Anyway of teaching myself to not get put off/re-focus my attention?

[chamelious]

If you are doing olympic lifts in a public gym, then expect people to stare. People will always pay attention to people doing things that seem abnormal to them.

Question though: Is there a safe space for you to do that? If anyone was doing oly lifts in my gym i'd do anything i could to get them kicked out, since there is absolutely no room to perform them safely and peoples lives would literally be in danger. Possibly this is why people are staring.

Even beyond that though, i still don't understand your problem. You say you're practising for an exam, in which your lifts will be assessed? So the examiners will be staring at you? So the strangers in your gym staring at you are good practise for you exam.

[Iceman1800]

If you plan on competing in oly lifting, don't you think people will be watching you lift?

[spradish]

Good points above.

The only way to get good at anything is to practice. That includes getting good at ignoring people.

Also, realize that it's normal for people to look around at people at the gym, especially during rest periods. Nobody (well, most people) is going to sit there with her eyes closed. That's normal behavior. If you keep noticing that they are looking at you it's because you're continuing to look at them.

[ProYeo]

Gotta focus that energy on getting into the zone and being so far into it that the outside world doesn't affect you!

Powerlifting gets attention... Olympic lifting gets attention .... hell, frequently just being a girl lifting gets attention.

You're not going to change human nature, so you've gotta focus on you. That's an especially important skill should you ever choose to lift in competition ... cuz then you're getting in front of people who are watching you on purpose! People may be watching to see if you are going to accomplish whatever you are trying ... feed off of that! Show them how good you are!

[kimm4]

Gotta focus that energy on getting into the zone and being so far into it that the outside world doesn't affect you!

This^^

[fluidZ]

Would just start selling popcorn to capitalize on this... would help pay for those coaching sessions.