the good restuarant

I don't know why all my analogies and comparisons come back to food. Maybe its because its so universal.
While introducing my clients to the gym, I always take time to point out the free weight/dumbbell area. I also point out all the "intimidating" buff men/women. "look how in shape they are... they are very muscular" I'll say to my clients. They are so muscular because what they are doing works. Then we will walk to the machine area. "now look at the shape of these people." While there are obviously muscular people that also use the machines, they are primarily in the free weight area.
Areas in the gym are like a good restaurant. When a place has amazing food and good service, its always full and busy. People want to eat there because it looks good. No one wants to eat in a place where people are running out holding their stomachs, or a place that is mysteriously empty on a Friday night around dinner time. We know without over analyzing that a deserted restaurant is a bad sign, that no one wants to eat there.
But what about the gym? We see the results that are given by the free weights, and the dedication of those participants. So being afraid of the most popular parts of the gym is like being afraid to eat at the popular restaurants.