Autism and the Gym

Sorry, I must‘ve misunderstood. 
Also I just read about your hypermobility and joint struggles… Running might not be the way to go then. Swimming (if it is affordable where you live) is easier on the joints, so a great idea you got there along with some easy exercises for building stabilising muscles around the joints. This can be done outside of a gym and those exercises don‘t have to be exhausting in order to make movement easier, less hurtful and less dangerous. That doesn‘t solve the motivation problem but might make it easier. Is there any possibility for your GP to maybe prescribe you some physiotherapy sessions?

I don't seem to build or maintain fitness very well. Unsure why. I do also have some hypermobility in some joints and that can cause injuries.

Yes if I was going to gym I would do this. It was swimming I was more hesitant of. I had concluded that I would just dry myself off as much as possible. Put a tracksuit over the top and just go home and shower. Unfortunately my bank account is currently saying no gym.

My social anxiety just wouldn't manage classes. I really struggle with groups. It's a problem.

You sound very motivated. I think this is my biggest issue. Although I really want to do it for health etc, I just don't enjoy it and don't have the drive to actually follow through on my "I'm going to do better thoughts. I've been doing some running but needed a couple of weeks off and I feel like I've gone back to square one. I don't seem to build/maintain fitness very easily for some reason.

So I did actually try a taster session at a bouldering place near me as that is more my kind of activity. But there were quite a lot of people and my social anxiety just couldn't take it. I'd need a person to go with I think (I'd probably have the same issue with the gym). Sadly, I do not have any people to go with me so that wouldn't work. Thanks for the suggestion though.

ps did the gym thing - not really my environment tho' - too much like brute force for me personally for me tho' I appreciate the dedication that people put into it.  Martial arts, cycling and these day taiji/qigong I found much more engaging personally before I moved my exercise down a gear or 2 recently to reflect my current energy levels.

Maybe another suggestion - I share an allotment - digging, carrying, watering (oh and weeding!) and simply walking back and forth to the allotment provide a lot of healthy exercise.

Please excuse an alternate suggestion Expecto_Patronum 

  A friend of mine who is also autistic goes goes climbing ("bouldering") at an indoor centre once a week and has done nearly ever week for perhaps 10 years  There is a "solve the puzzle" aspect of it as well as the physical side of it - it's ok to watch other people solving the puzzle too and there is a "help one another do it" philosophy.  It's obviously not without risk of grazed shins and worse but there are easier and harder climbs to tackle and one wouldn't need to go too high or too difficult to start with.  There is an induction/safety session before one is allowed on the climbing equipment. Proper climbing shoes would be the investment but that's all the changing in respect of clothes most people do and, unless on public transport, then showering etc can be done at home afterwards.  My friend has told me of all ages and body shapes and sizes going to the climbing centre and he's made a few friends there who share the experience in a very low pressure and fun way.

Best Wishes

Oh and regarding the changing and showering situation… I like to simply get there in sports clothing and then just in them to go shower and change at home.

I‘m gonna move soon and don‘t know whether I‘ll be able to find another good gym for me, but here is the way it works for me right now:

- I‘m in a women-only gym which helps me as a younger woman to feel comfortable. There are also many older women there which makes me less self-conscious and the atmosphere generally more relaxed.

- I barely use machines etc. and basically only come to visit classes. I know you ruled them out, but if you ever find yourself rethinking that, I highly recommend trying it out. It helps with motivation to have a set time to train (makes it part of a routine), you don’t have to know how everything works and there are no unwritten rules because you’re just following instructions and I just always try to stand in the back (less stressful and way less self-imposed pressure). After some time, you recognise the people that always visit the class and even if you do not engage, it makes it feel less like a room full of strangers. 
I have the luxury of being able to join some classes via Zoom on a regular basis (got some weights at home)

- Finally, I balance everything by also going for runs/swimming/hiking or doing some home workouts because I‘m not able to visit the gym that often (too much sensory input, time issues because of work/studying or my dog). It usually becomes easier to do sport-related things at home, when you started to include sport in your routine. 

- I always have my loops on me when going to the gym.

This is what works for me. You might have an entirely different experience, but I still hope, some of the aspects might help you.

For me the biggest problem with any sport is that I struggle with balance, get tired much faster and easier than others and I'm generally clumsy. It's not any official diagnosis,  because I'm not a student anymore so it means I don't need any special support with it. But one trainer told me I have lower muscle tone. Which is a very common issue for autistic people. I also struggle with sudden pains in my joints - it often happens to me to take some position that causes my joints to kind of misplace. 

I don't care much about changing in front of others, but I think most gyms should have separate cabins for changing.

Currently my bank account is dictating the decision so I have decided not to join for now. I just can't have more money going out. For the summer months I've managed to do some running - pretty slow but some exercise is better than none. I am trying to do some strength training too. Nothing major - just some you tube videos with dumbbells. This is mainly for health. I don't need to lose weight but I wouldn't mind if I dropped a few lbs. It's mostly because my cholesterol is slightly high. Doctors aren't concerned because I'm otherwise healthy and fairly slim. But I'm kind of young to have high cholesterol and struggle with diet so I'm hoping regular exercise will help with this and just health in general. My issue is we are now approaching the winter months and this is where exercising falls apart for me. I can still do the dumbbells but running is difficult in the dark. Ive previously tried doing hiit workouts and such from YouTube but I just give up too easily and find it hard to copy the exercises which could do more harm than good.

Expecto_Patronum said:

3. I have never used a gym. I don't know how different machines work. I know they will likely do a gym induction but I will not retain all that information and will struggle to ask for help.

What are you interested in achieving? Building strength? Building cardio fitness? A specific sport? Losing weight? Helping with injuries?

Try to figure out what you want to do and ask whoever does the induction for suggestions on how to go about it. Any half decent fitness instructor will at the very least point you in the right direction and tell you how to do things safely. 

There are plenty of books on such topics; Strength Training by Anita Bean is good if you are wanting advice on strength training. There are plenty of YouTube videos showing how to do specific exercises of use certain machines.

Expecto_Patronum said:

I don't know whether I can start using the gym straight away if I do it online or whether I have to wait for a card or whatever.

They will tell you this on their website and/or when you go in. Some will give you (or post you) a card. Others, like the one I go to, give you a PIN number which you type into a keypad to make the door open (mine is a budget 24 hour gym so doesn't have a reception desk, and is not staffed 24 hours).

Expecto_Patronum said:

6. Feeling judged.

You won't be. 

If you are still concerned, just remember that there will always be someone there who is fatter/thinner/weaker/sillier than you. Example: I'd say about 80% of people who go to gyms don't have a clue how to use a rowing machine properly and always make themselves look silly in doing so.

EDIT: Just realised someone was necroposting a 6 month old thread. How did you get on with your gym endeavours?

Ah. I do know what a cross trainer is. But I know I wouldn't use it. I find it a rather boring activity. It is largely one of my biggest issues with exercising - I just find it really boring. I know what would work for me and that is a personal trainer but unfortunately at the moment my bank account is not entertaining my idea of maybe joining the gym, let alone a personal trainer.

Expecto_Patronum said:

I've never seen one of those. I don't think buying one machine will work for the ADHD part of my brain.

These are also called cross trainers - I picked up one from Argos for about £300 after doing research on decent models (the models have all since changed) and I set it up facing the TV so I could watch whatever I wanted while I worked out - a good distraction that kept my ADHD impulses calmed.

I used a bluetooth headset when my partner was working so I didn't cause too much disturbance.

It lasted 6 years before I sold it when moving house and it was used a great deal - certainly much cheaper than going to the gym and it was something I could do at any hour, even in just my underpants in the hot weather.

Swimming sounds like a good idea since they say it is an excellent way of exercising the body while being supported by the water. Also, in the water I would have thought there's less chance of someone trying to socialize as you're always on the move, so if you are someone who prefers to keep yourself to yourself it would seem a good way to begin going to a gym and, perhaps in time. experimenting with other forms of exercise.

As already mentioned, you can always change in the toilet if they only offer communal facilities. I suppose it depends on the gym.

I started by just scoping out the gym at the quietest times, which made everything way less overwhelming. Changing in the toilet is a total game-changer too.

I've never seen one of those. I don't think buying one machine will work for the ADHD part of my brain. It gets bored too easily. Keep talking myself in and out of the concept of joining the gym though. Think I will finish my physio sessions and then make a decision.

I used to have a skiing machine and I loved it, it's very low impact, but it really increases strength and stamina, I'd just use it for about 10 mins at a time maybe whilst watching telly or listening to music. They're harder to get now as cross trainers seem to have taken over, but I can't get on with them, I think it's the back and forth with my arms whilst going up and down with my legs. The cross country skiing motion seemed much more inutitive.

I go to the gym regularly. My advice is shop around and find one that fits with you ie the types of people that go there. I just want to exercise on my own and be left alone so I found a cheap gym that is pretty basic but is welcoming to all kinds of people regardless of age or body type. It hasn’t got the best equipment, but it functions and works for me 

It would have to be someone understanding. I wouldn't do well with someone barking orders at me.