Girl approached me and asked for my name. I'm still clueless as to whether she's interested

[ymps22]

I've never been good at reading these signs so wanting to get some opinions. I've been seeing her at the gym for close to a year now. The past couple of months or so, we started to make eye contact. I figured they were incidental and didn't think anything of it. A few weeks ago, I noticed that she seemed like she wanted to talk to me. After a bit, she came up to me and asked for help with her weights. I said sure, helped, and went back to my work out.

Next time I saw her, she was working out and sitting facing towards a mirror. I finished stretching and went to a squat rack maybe 10 feet behind her. I noticed she turned towards me even though she had been sitting facing the mirror the entire time. I looked over and she waved and smiled and I did the same.

At this point, I'm thinking she might be interested, but I still want to be careful since it's the gym and I don't want to make things awkward. Finally, at the end of that day, I saw her heading out of the gym as I was cooling down. I was near the corner on the opposite end of the exit and I saw her head my way and she came up to me and asked for my name. She said, "my name is X. We just see each other all the time." and was acting a bit shy. We said a few intro things and she headed out.

I'm obviously into her, but I have no idea if she's just being friendly. I've never had any girls approach me except for one last year that straight up asked for my number after introducing herself and talking to me for a couple of weeks. Other than that, only two girls in college ever approached me. This girl is also a bit younger than me. She looks to be 22 and I'm 30. Not sure why someone so young and attractive would be talking to me. Is this girl giving me obvious signs and I'm being an idiot?

[Wiseman2]

31 minutes ago, ymps22 said:

 She said, "my name is X. We just see each other all the time." 

She's broken the ice, so see if she would like to go for a  relaxed, causal, noncommittal snack/coffee whatever after your workout. Try to get to know her before making an awkward move. At this point you don't know if she's available or interested or just friendly. A brief drink/snack won't make it awkward, but asking her out too soon could.

[basil67]

In your previous post you were 32.  I know it's only a two year difference from the age you gave here, but when there's already a significant age gap another couple of years does make it harder.  

For what it's worth, I strike up conversations with people I see regularly and learn their names...it's just about being cordial.   I guess that my answer is that there's nothing definitive in what you've written, so you'll have to take a risk if you wish to take things further.   

[glows]

Most 22 year olds aren’t going to be chatting up random men at a gym. If she really wanted help with her workout she might have joined a class or signed up with a professional trainer. I couldn’t care less who is at the gym if I’m working out and back then at her age I went to the gym to work out core and upper body strength because I kayaked a great deal. It was go in and get out, asap. Life was moving fast.

Although I can appreciate your caution and not wanting to make things awkward, I don’t see what’s the big deal about asking if she’d be interested in grabbing coffee some time. For younger people especially on the prowl this is synonymous with sexual/romantic interest and she’d know immediately that you’re asking her out. She’s free to decline if she changes her mind. Yes, she appears interested.

Edited March 18, 2023 by glows

[Lotsgoingon]

She was interested in saying hello given that you had had lots of eye contact and had been around each other.

That's it. She was interested in saying hello. That's totally normal for people who see each other frequently--at a some point we learn their names. I do it at the coffee shop. 

Does not mean she's interested in dating you, if that is your question. 

But that's irrelevant because the only next step is to say hi to her and then over time, you extend the conversation, ask her about her job and where she lives and you share the same ... and only over time will you know if you should ask her out. 

Relax. Just extend the conversation. BTW: it's pretty cool when you see a former "stranger" and now you can greet them by name. 

[ShyViolet]

From everything you're saying, it sounds like she's interested and she's trying to let you know that.  If you don't match her efforts then she will assume you are not interested and move on. Maybe you should bite the bullet and just ask if she'd like to get coffee sometime.  That way you'll have your answer either way.

[Lotsgoingon]

To add something here, look if you and she are a good fit, just by talking the basics with her and saying hi and gradually sharing more with her and asking her relaxed questions, you will know that there is chemistry. You won't have to force things. Heck often when one person is hugely shy, the other partner (and yes women doe this all the time) will take the initiative to say, "let's get together some time."

You're in a great position, just talk. Your interest will be clear. And if she's already interested, she'll make that obvious to you. She may have already done so. 

[flow28]

She may be interested but is a bit shy. She tried to break the ice by asking for your help. If you notice that she stares at you a lot then she likes you more than likely, that's what I do when I'm interested. I wouldn't just walk up to a random man at the gym to help me if I just wanted to be friends, it'd be my way of testing the waters. 

[JTSW]

I'd say she is definitely interested.

Suggest getting a coffee after a workout and see how it goes from there.

[smackie9]

Who cares just strike up a convo and ask her for her name and number.