4. Looking cute is good, but don't worry if your Lululemon is (still) in the hamper. The gym is where attractive people look unattractive while getting more attractive. So it's a wash in the self-conscious, looking-good department. I have been checked out more wearing layered camis and leggings than in my colorful running top. While not worrying too much about how you look is good, I also wouldn't suggest the baggy t-shirt. It looks like you're wearing your boyfriend's t-shirt, which is a symbolic death wish for getting hit on.
5. Weight rooms are probably the best place in the gym for meeting guys, because:
- Lots of hot guys lift weights.
- You'll be one of the only women in there. A lot of women are (needlessly) afraid of turning into the she-Hulk, but you're smarter than that, so…
- He'll think you're a badass for lifting weights.
- Who's going to start a conversation while sprinting intervals on a treadmill?Highly scientific observations noted, the next step is actually going about it. Make sure to start off somewhere with a good vantage point. At both gyms I went to there's cardio on the same floor as weights, so I checked out the scenery first. Also, I'm kind of short, so treadmill inclines come in handy.
Target spotted? OK. Go dab off that sweat and make your move. (Note to reader: I discovered these accidentally and purely through my own awkwardness, but upon reflection, I realized they could be brilliant man-getting moves. Use for your own benefit/at your own risk…and let me know how it goes.).
1. The equipment takeover Did he just leave his bench and walk all the way over to the other side of the room to change out his weights? Yes, he did. That bench is yours! When he comes back over and stands awkwardly/quizzically behind you, patiently waiting for you to finish so he can get his lift on again, stop mid-rep and ask innocently if you stole his bench. When he says yes, smile brightly and apologize, then start to get up. Chances are he'll let you at least finish your set, and then probably offer to let you know when he's done. (Note: I did this quite accidentally, with no hidden motive, and the really cute guy actually tracked me down in the yoga room to tell me he was done.)2. The I've-never-seen-this-machine strategy It seems like every gym has weird mutant versions of your normal gym's variety. So pick the most daunting one and head on over. Look anxiously at the machine. Lean in to read the stupidly-small instructions. Circle around it cautiously, like you're sizing up a jungle cat. If this ordeal fails to get someone's attention, ask a cute guy nearby if he knows how to use it. Say you've just switched gyms and you've never used this machine before. This can lead to conversation. (Note: Not only did I do this innocently to what I thought was a shoulder-press-on-a-pulley, but I actually started using the stupid thing backwards. A really hot guy came over and asked me if I knew what I was doing, which led to a ten-minute conversation that went beyond gym chat. Too bad I was wiped out from a long bout of cardio and didn't realize what was happening.)
