Mirrors in workout space

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
Well, I installed mirrors in my basement a few months ago & I have some mixed feelings about them.

I love making sure I have proper form. But that's about all I love.

My reflection scares the crap outta me. It's usually 6 am & I ain't looking too pretty. Also, when I see myself flailing around on a step while Cathe & crew all look so graceful & beautiful, I kinda get a complex. :eek:

Oh, & the jiggle isn't much fun to watch either. :p

I guess I'm stuck w/them--there's enough construction glue on those suckers that if someone wants to take them down they're taking the wall with them. I just wish I wasn't so frightening. :D
 
I'm sure it's not as frightening as you think! We are our own worst critics. I would love to have the mirrors like you said to check on form. Like you I am up before the roosters (4:30) & quite the site some mornings. How about dimming the lights? ;)
 
Are the mirrors on all walls? Can you face the opposite direction? You could tell yourself your practicing to audition for the next Thriller video - so you're supposed to look like that!! I'm sure you look much better than you think you do. I can only imagine what I look like (actually I'd rather not!). I love mirrors for weight training, but I agree on them for cardio. Never really liked them in the gym either (except maybe in kickboxing)
 
You know what's funny? As ugly as they make me feel, now I don't think I could live without them. My psyche is so messed up! :p

It is VERY bright in the basement (I have recessed lighting, which is fab) & the mirrors are only on one wall.

Strangely, I'd thought this renovation of mine wouldn't add to the value of my house since exercise is such a personal thing. I had lunch w/my realtor at my house last week & she said "oh no, this room adds tremendous value, everyone wants a home gym!" :) Cha-ching!
 
I had a workout space that had mirrors in it once - yes, it was helpful to check on form but it was also "scary" like you said. I'd look over and go -whoa - who is that!!!! Ugly - flabby - just awful.

But I can't possibly win against myself. Sometimes I look in the mirror and think - my - I'm not that bad - I actually look kind of nice. My next thought . . . there must be something wrong with this mirror. :p
 
Why don't you just put some posters of Cathe on the opposite wall of the mirrors :D Seriously though I am sure you look great and are just being over critical of yourself. Congrats on what sounds like a super gym in your home - you are very lucky. My "gym" doubles as the living room and triples as the girls' play area :p
 
I wish I could have mirrors because I worry about my form, . . esp during stiff legged dead lifts. Does anyone know where you can buy those circus mirrors that make you look skinny and tall. I LOVE those mirrors!!! To bad they don't sell those for installing in the whole house. I'm used to mirrors because of ballet and aerobic classes but I do tend to freak out when I see the skin a flapping. Oh well it give me more motivation to workout harder.
 
You know, I just bought a house and the room we put our exercise stuff in has a mirror closet door which is right across the TV. I was just doing HIS the other day and had my back turned to the TV and went -- this is the most awesome thing EVER! No, I don't like the jiggling or the way I look but I'm used to feeling that way so I get over it quickly.

Does everyone really have an exercise room? that's cool...though i'm just using one of the bedrooms...no basements in CA...
 
It was a real wake up call for me, when I put mirrors up. Here I thought I was this AWESOME kickboxer with PERFECT fierce technique. I envisioned myself as a sleek, fast, mean, kickboxing machine. LOL Oh man, my technique was much to be desired. My posture sucked, and it didn't even look like I was giving it 50%, let alone the 100% I thought I was giving. Seriously, all those years,...and I never knew.

The mirrors have helped my technique tremendously. I wouldn't trade them for anything (even Cathe posters)....
 
I, too, wish I had mirrors! I'm not the most coordinated of exercisers and I know that when I worked out at the gym, the mirrors were very helpful for checking my feet without craning my neck downward (especially on the step) to make sure I'm not missing it! Whoops!
 
I have mirrors too - your comments made me laugh out loud -I could have written exactly what you wrote Laura (although you are more humorous)...what I am considering doing is putting up curtains to draw across them when I am doing cardio. :D
 
I have mirrors too and just today I was pondering something similar. I have found that if I am lifting and it is pretty strenuous, that if I see myself failing I fail quicker. I guess it is a mind thing. Because if I just look at the TV or if it is safe , close my eyes, I seem to be able to do better.
I know it is totally a mind game but it is one I can not conquer apparently!

Rachel
 
I have mirrors. I love them for weight lifting. For aerobics I really don't look in them much - I have my eyes on the tv and my step for some reason.

Yeah - mornings aren't pretty.
 
First, on the mirrors.... do you do yoga? I used to do bikram and at first I hated the mirrors, but they quickly became my best friend and I honestly couldn't do balancing poses without staring into the mirror right into my eyes. I guess that's all I saw!

Hottie, no, not everyone has a "workout room", but some of us call it that even when it's also used as the play room, the tv room, the store the husband's tools there because he's too lazy to walk a few more feet to the garage room! But, on that.... in my "workout" room, I have a window behind the tv and a sliding glass door behind me, and because I work out in the darkness of the wee hours of the morning (as you know), I can see my reflection both ways and I can see the tv reflection if I'm backwards (so, you'd think I'd have those 4DS HIS steps down my now, but still, I struggle). Anyway, it's a great set up for seeing me, but not seeing me very well, if you know what I mean.

babble, babble,
-Beth
 
Question for the people who have mirros -

Did you just buy the small square mirrors you get at the home depot, or did you invest in ceiling to floor length 'studio' mirrors?

If neither, where did you get your mirrors?

Thanks!
 
You know, I have to say, the one thing where my form is excellent is KB. I guess a product of all those karate classes when I was in my 20s. :)

My mirrors are the cheapy back-of-the-door mirrors from Home Depot. I think I put up about a dozen--I had to pop them out of the frames but they were easy enough to hang.
 

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How about hanging a blanket over them when you're doing a workout you don't want to see yourself doing?
 
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