Hi everyone,
this is a bit of a weird one, I am not sure if I am overthinking it but I am pretty bad at social conventions and don’t ever want to make anyone uncomfortable with my actions.
I did martial arts for 20 or so years (On and off) and it’s always been a passion for me; I loved it when I was younger and still love it now. throughout my life I have always tried to practice when I can even if I am not attending classes anymore.
Now, for context, I am in the LGBT+ community (Trans) and whilst I am in a country that doesn’t make such things illegal, it is becoming more and more uncomfortable for people in my position to just be. following from that? my club (of people who I have so much time and respect for) is a rather traditional. and opinions on me would be… mixed. which, is not the kind of discourse I want to feel in a club. so, I haven’t been back.
I have struggled with weight due to the fact I feel as though there is nowhere I can go and be shown respect and dignity and have piled it on – I discovered a gym is opening up with gender neutral changing (from the fact that it’s single cubicles with floor to ceiling doors so it’s literally just you in there) so figured that would be a good place for me to try and slowly get back into exercise.
I also have missed martial arts quite a lot (it’s one of the few forms of excercise I not only feel semi good at but that I actually really enjoy. but am worried about rejoining any club due to fear of clubs being… less accepting. (I know this could just be a me thing but it feels like a legitimate concern.) so, essentially, doing a few movements at a gym could really help me ease back into exercise!
WIBTA?
EDIT: I want to make it clear that I do not want to spar in any way, or have any contact with others, I am literally talking about practicing Kata, basic forms and stuff.
What do you want to do? Do you want to spar or just hit the bags or practice form?
I am mainly just thinking of Kata and bag hitting, I do not want to do anything involving others!
INFO. I think it’s going to depend on where you’re practicing and what’s the general use of that space. There’s a huge difference between practicing in an open and vacant group fitness classroom vs moving benches out of the way to practice in the free weights area even if it was open at the time you started.
So! the place is a 24/7 gym – and there is usually a spot near the punch bags with no equipment for stretches and stuff; so I just assumed if it was free I could do it there?
If there is a space in the gym for this purpose, I can’t imagine why you’d be an asshole, that’s what it’s for.
If you want to just like do moves in the middle of the weight room, that would be weird and AH. Lol
Yeah, not planning on moving anything. I just need a bit of space bigger than my kitchen to practice forms! hahaha
By “moves” I mean don’t practice martial arts forms in the middle of a crowded space that’s for something else. But if there’s a room meant for martial arts or just like a multi purpose room with some space, go for it.
NAH. Except everyone who is making it scarier for you to just exist in public.
I’d tour the gym and see if there is really space for this. The gym I go to has a side room for stretching, P90X workouts, yoga, bodyweight exercises etc and if I saw a picture of it I would assume it would have room for someone to do kata. But, in practice, it would be hard to take up that much space because people are usually packed into the room doing our cooldown stretches. You could also just ask staff at the gym what they think; they’re clearly putting out a significant amount of effort and funds to be inclusive, so they seem like the type of business to welcome your question or figure out when you could best come in to practice.
YWNBTA
Join wherever you feel comfortable.