The 12 awkward, embarrassing gym moments every woman has experienced.

Image via HBO

For many, going to the gym is simply an opportunity to exercise. For me, it’s often turned out to be an opportunity to thoroughly embarrass myself in front of a room full of strangers.

However, it seems I’m not alone. When I asked around the office, everyone had a rather awkward and/or majorly embarrassing story to share, and they were all moments others could relate to.

RELATED: “The 5 most embarrassing things that have ever happened to me at the gym”

Behold: the 12 cringe-worthy gym moments we’ll all probably suffer through one day.

1. Not knowing how to use the equipment, trying anyway… and getting caught out.

"I smacked my head into the bar above the lat pulldown on the weekend. Everyone saw - it even made a ringing noise! Pretty embarrassing." - Wendy

"I was working out on a machine which lifts your whole body, except I forgot you have to add resistance to the weights. It suddenly pulled me up off the ground and I got stuck. Because it was a 24-hour gym, I was stuck there for 40 minutes before someone else arrived. That was the last time I went" - Molly

2. Suffering from a serious wardrobe malfunction.

"I once did this really hard class. I was so exhausted I didn't notice that mid way through the class my gym top had moved to the side and my left breast (covered in a sports bra thankfully) was all the way out of my top." - Bianca (Post continues after gallery.)

"I treated myself to a pretty funky pair of bright pink workout trousers. Only thing I didn't realise was when I bent over, they went completely see-through, showing off my also brightly patterned undies. Worst part is, I was doing squats right at the front of the workout area!" - Claire

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3.  Bumping into the last person you want to see.

"I once signed up for a free personal training session... and it happened to be a guy I used to hook up with." - Kate

"I was running on the treadmill, mid-workout, when a guy approached and made a sign he wanted to talk (I was listening to music). I was pretty confused because I was sure I wasn't over the time limit on the treadmill and there were plenty that were free. I slowed down and he... asked me out. Mid-run, with sweat flying everywhere. The rest of my workout was so awkward. (I was engaged!)" - Bella

RELATED: How to pick the right personal trainer for you

4. Getting caught out doing what you're not meant to.

"I fell asleep on pile of yoga mats for fifteen minutes in a very public spot. Also, fell asleep in a reformer pilates class on the reformer bed." - Katie

"I used to go to the gym purely to use the hair straighteners in their changing rooms. I used to at least dress the part in my workout clothes, but one time was in such a rush I went in and out with normal clothes. My hair was particularly wild and frizzy that day, and the manager gave me the strangest look when I walked out just 20 minutes later with completely straight and styled hair..." - Brooke

RELATED: 19 problems only people with naturally curly hair will understand

5. Destroying everything around you with your clumsiness.

"I walked into, and knocked over, a Christmas tree at a yoga studio... admittedly it was a "yoga" styled tree (i.e. some twigs with lights on them). I couldn't put it back together . I ruined the zen of the studio and my ego." - Diane

6. Accidentally releasing bodily functions unto the world (aka gym class)

"I've totes farted in yoga before. I just turned around glared at the person behind me to make it look like it was them" - Kate

7. Trying (and failing!) to avoid running into people.

"I tried having a PT, but after a few sessions where I wasn't learning anything I decided to stop. And by stop, I mean completely avoided her messages and emails trying to arrange more sessions. Once when I was at the gym, I saw her in the distance so tried to make a run for it without her seeing me. I failed - she caught up with me (she is a PT after all!) and asked where I'd been. Awkward." - Brooke

RELATED: The 15 awkward eruptions every ‘yogini’ has suffered – and how to disguise them

8. Accidentally making eye contact with a stranger.

"There was a reasonably good-looking guy working in the weights section. Thinking he couldn't see me, I was looking at him via the mirror. Then he looked up and saw me. I changed direction suddenly to try to cover my tracks and ended up tripping over my feet and landed on my bum." - Casey. (Post continues after gallery.)

9. Not being able to clean up your sweat on the equipment before someone else uses it.

"After one particularly heavy workout, the seat on my bike was absolutely covered in sweat. As I walked to the side to get the spray and wipe, someone sat on the machine, then looked horrified at their now covered-in-my-sweat pants. They gave me the dirtiest look." - Grace

10. Being shown up by the person next to you.

"One time I was feeling particularly chuffed at finally working out how to use a piece of equipment with what I felt were pretty heavy weights. Then I looked over and saw a BLIND MAN doing exactly the same by himself... at three times the weight." - Lucy

11. Being singled out during a class.

"There is nothing more horrific than rocking up to a gym class as one of two attendees. This happened to me once at Body Attack. It was just me, a 50-year-old man and the instructor. There's nothing more awkward than your instructor honing in on you the entire time, watching your every move. Or an older man clapping and cheering enthusiastically to an empty room." - Fi

12. Struggling to subtly remove a wedgie.

"During a spin class I developed the worst wedgie... but I was right at the front. Each time we got up, I tried to wiggle it out inch by inch. It didn't work - and I ended up just giving up and removing it very in a very unladylike manner." - Josie

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And the downright amazing...

"This is too weird to make up. My Dad is 65 and fit but he's never stretched in his life so he joined a gym. The PT had him lie on the floor lift his legs and hook a theraband (stretchy rubber) around his feet to stretch his hamstrings. It snapped off and hit him in both eyes. They were bleeding. They thought he could be blind.

"He was rushed to hospital in Brisbane with a ophthalmologist on standby to operate. By the time he got there (an hour away) the doc prepped him for surgery and said 'Brace yourself I'm going to remove the bandages and your eyes will be light sensitive from the damage and you may scream' they gently removed them and Dad yelled out, 'It's a miracle! I can see!'

"Turns out he didn't need surgery, but he had scarred his eyes. But here's the thing... once he healed, his eyesight IMPROVED. Only my Dad could manage a DIY laser eye surgery."

Do you have an embarrassing/awkward gym story? Tell us in the comments!

After a positive yoga story? Look no further than Jessamyn Stanley, who's changing the body perception of the typical 'yogi'.