What was your experience as a newcomer to VF?

[KathAL79]

I also followed the Paula Z to Collage to VF path. I got into exercise videos 1 1/2 years ago, and I probably starting seriously searching for more about a year ago when I realized the Amazon.com reviews were woefully inadequate. I had read some reviews on VF by googling workouts, but I didn't realize the extent of VF until recently for whatever reason. As you can see, I joined in July.
I haven't been big on introducing myself, so I shouldn't comment on the welcome factor.
I do a lot of lurking, mainly for 3 reasons: I've realized I'm still learning "the procedure" here, if there is such a thing. I don't do the same workouts as a lot of folks; I'm an intermediate, which is a level not frequently discussed here, and I don't do step, rebounding, etc. (Sometimes it seems like at least 1/2 of the VF population only does Cathe or Leslie Sansone, with little in between). Also, I don't have a lot of experience and precise knowledge to share just yet. I do post, but I'm pretty selective and try to watch what I say.
I'm a little intimidated / in awe of how much a lot of people know / do, so I have to remind myself that they've been working out for 10, 20, 30+ years. I can't say I've had any negative responses to posts; they do seem to be read and then skipped over a lot in favor of responding to others whose posters are better known in the community. I can't say I really mind most of the time. I'll stick with it and see what happens once I've been on here longer.
Just for grins, I think it would be interesting to follow up with "newbies" in a year or two to see what their experiences are and whether or not they feel better integrated into the community as a whole.

[Loretta S.]

I found VF through the old Firm Forum (which I found doing a search on Firm videos) in 1999. I visited intermittently for a few months, but then posted a question about Cathe videos and away I went, posting like mad.

When I was a newbie, it was still on the Fitness Online software and lots of people used their real name as their user name. Lots of people had animated GIFs and I was very impressed by that Everyone was very helpful and supportive. I particularly liked the diet-free zone aspect of VF. I liked it so much that I stayed. I've been to several VF get togethers and road trips and have found that VFers aer just as nice in person as they are on the internet. Over the course of a few years I have developed some close friendships with people that I met on this board and that is the truly wonderful part.

My sister said that she thinks it's great that I have friends who live all over the place.

[Peggy T]

I found Vf about 5 years ago, after I had recently moved to Va from Cincinnati. I moved here to be with the love of my life. Life was good! I hadnt started working yet and I had some time to surf and found VF. I'd never participated in a forum before! Anyway, I was new in the area, newly living with my new love, unemployed, and VF was HUGE in my life pretty early on. My BF and I got married about 9 months later, and he tragically died 24 days after our wedding, and my friends at VF were here for me thru that hard time. Now, 4 years later I am getting married NEXT MONTH (OMG!!) and my sweet pals have shared in my joy. I've had a chance to meet Wendy and other VFers, and they are all so close to my heart I just cant express it.

[amyzan]

I found VF through a Yahoo list serve. Several members recommended it to me, and I joined in the fall of 2001, I think it was? I was somewhat intimidated, and couldn't imagine owning so many videos. (DVDs hadn't really turned mainstream yet.) I think I had maybe three or four at the time, and my collection started to blossom--soon it was nine, and then next time I counted, 38!

Overall, my experience was positive, but I do recall taking offense at a forum member's response when I expressed frustration about complex choreography. I took what she said personally when I probably should have realized she was generalizing. I've never forgotten that thread, though. It was part of the whole "mainstreaming of workouts means less complexity" issue going on at the time, and that issue has continued to be discussed--the push and pull of dedicated fans with the instructor's need for new converts.

VF has really changed my life for the better--I exercise regularly, and I was a gym hater as a kid. I never thought I'd enjoy exercise, but here I found workouts I love, and my enthusiasm is nurtured and encouraged. I'm so glad those list serve members urged me to visit the site!

Amy

[athompson10]

though this site introduced me to YaYas - maybe through Collage or something in a fitness magazine? I knew about and used the Reviews section for a year or two before I stumbled on the Forum.

I can count on one hand the number of threads I've started, but I participate some and lurk a lot.

This site is great because of how informed everyone is - I enjoy reading the yoga threads because of all the hardcore yoga chicks who post here. I also really enjoy the tone of this forum - hats off to the moderators and to VFers. Unlike a couple of other fitness boards, it's unusual when the tone in a thread takes a nasty, sarcastic or unpleasant turn. VFers seem a lot more grown up and civil than I expected and I appreciate that. I feel as though WOMEN (and men?) post here, not girls...and I mean that in a positive way.

Allison

[bzar]

it started back in 1996 when i did a general search on Infoseek or Excite, looking for information about kathy smith videos. weirdly enough, VF popped up and from that point, i read the review section religiously.

prior to that, a friend had given me an old collage catalog (which i still have) and i kinda looked at that and shape magazine for video reviews.

i didn't join the VF forum until way later, when people at The Old Firm Forum and then Ya Ya's discussed it alot, so i was "forced" to join!

[chi-townpear]

VF was mentioned in Shape magazine in late 2003/early 2004 and I logged on to check it out. I read reviews for a month or two before I found the forum, lurked for a few more weeks and then joined. So far, it has been a great experience! I have found other VFers to be friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. As a newbie, I do think that there are some people who have been here for a while and get more of a "Norm!" (from Cheers) response than those of us who are newer, so I can understand why some newbies may find VF a bit "cliquish". But, I think that is the nature of large groups, and groups that aren't face-to-face.

[Loretta S.]

Originally Posted by chi-townpear

As a newbie, I do think that there are some people who have been here for a while and get more of a "Norm!" (from Cheers) response than those of us who are newer, so I can understand why some newbies may find VF a bit "cliquish". But, I think that is the nature of large groups, and groups that aren't face-to-face.

I think this has been discussed at some point in the past, but I think that a lot of the old school VFers tend to relate better to people who use names for their user name (even if it's not their real name ) I have a harder time remembering people with nicknames, than I do people who use a first name or a nickname that includes a first name like LisaTV or SharonNYC. I also remember people better if they have an avatar picture.

VF sort of parallels the company where I work. When I first started there were fewer than 100 people and I knew everyone (and a lot of their spouses). Now there are more than 700 people and I frequently see people in the building that I don't even recognize. It's weird. Multiply that number X10 for VF.

[mmis29]

I haven't been here very long...maybe 6 months. I found this website through google looking for reviews. I started out by posting on the getting started boards, looking for video suggestions while I was exploring different types of workouts. I was totally amazed at the responses. I was immediately welcomed by a GREAT group of women who were so friendly, helpful, and supportive. I really can't thank you all enough. I just love it here.

[Joanna]

Wow, some great responses! I am happy to see so many people post. I feel a bit guilty that some people were saying they did not get replies to their first threads. I think that can be a function fo forum size sometimes. There are so many new posts that I tend to skip over ones with subject lines that won't interest me, for example, those about equipment I do not have. I try to always reply to posts with "I am new" or some variant in the title line, but if a new person's intro is buried in a thread about (to use the already mentioned example) the Pilates reformer, I would not even know that is from a new person because I would never even have clicked the thread open.

I have also been flamed i the past for posting links to existing threads instead of new and personalized responses. If there is a helpful thread, I will still often post. But I have had enough people tell me that if I am tired of seeing a repeat question and I don't feel like answering, I should just not answer. It's no win sometimes---answer with a link, and have people get upset with me for not reaching out to a new person, or not answer at all and have the poster complain that nobody answered them. That's why I do tend to limit myself sometimes to only my check-in, or posts about topics I really like and don't mind talking about again and again.

Joanna