confess your gym gaffes . . .
canadianlbs
Posts: 5,199 Member
ground rules: this is for confession our own unintentional goofs, not pointing or venting at other people. so i'll go first.
i went in after work one day when it had been raining all day, so my lift shoes were packed up in my pannier bag instead of already on my feet. i peeled off all the wet rain-gear and stashed it, set my bike-riding boots somewhere out of the way, unpacked my keds . . . and went and sat down on a bench to get into them.
took me three or four minutes just to get one of them on, what with wet socks and cold fingers and all. but i was feeling all chirpy and cheerful that day, and just kind of doing the whole mindfulness thing - y'know, take as long as it takes and Be In The Moment and alla dat.
there was this guy standing behind the bench with dumbbells in both hands . . . so i kept beaming at him. i do do this sometimes, all undifferentiated cheerfulness towards anyone who comes near me. but i was more than halfway through the second shoe before i realised he wasn't quite, somehow, giving me the kinds of vibes i usually get back when i'm being like that. so i asked him, still all beamy and cheerful and mega-collaborative and all that, if i was blocking his view in the mirror or something.
he said: 'as a matter of fact i was using that bench."
i went in after work one day when it had been raining all day, so my lift shoes were packed up in my pannier bag instead of already on my feet. i peeled off all the wet rain-gear and stashed it, set my bike-riding boots somewhere out of the way, unpacked my keds . . . and went and sat down on a bench to get into them.
took me three or four minutes just to get one of them on, what with wet socks and cold fingers and all. but i was feeling all chirpy and cheerful that day, and just kind of doing the whole mindfulness thing - y'know, take as long as it takes and Be In The Moment and alla dat.
there was this guy standing behind the bench with dumbbells in both hands . . . so i kept beaming at him. i do do this sometimes, all undifferentiated cheerfulness towards anyone who comes near me. but i was more than halfway through the second shoe before i realised he wasn't quite, somehow, giving me the kinds of vibes i usually get back when i'm being like that. so i asked him, still all beamy and cheerful and mega-collaborative and all that, if i was blocking his view in the mirror or something.
he said: 'as a matter of fact i was using that bench."
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Ugh, I can't remember a specific time this happened but to commiserate, I hate that feeling of smiling at someone when you don't realize he or she is mad at you. It's like when you commit a blunder and apologize and try to laugh it off a little but a person the other side refuses to get over it.
Back in college I was on the treadmill with my iPod and my arm hit my headphone cord sending the iPod off the holder, onto the belt, and crashing into the wall behind me. The cord also wrapped around my leg and almost tripped me. I was in shock, trying to figure out how to shut off the machine and collect my technology without falling off and ending up a viral video. Somehow my iPod was unharmed.
I know I have more gaffes but I can't think of any at the moment. One problem is that after a lifetime of being awkward and clumsy, I don't embarrass easily
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[quote="MissHolidayGolightly;30731891It's like when you commit a blunder and apologize [/quote]
heh. i've just remembered another one - the time i took a plate off the smith machine in the middle of someone's workout. i was too newbie to know the difference between the end of the actual bar, and the storage pegs. left the guy with a one-sided workout for his next set of reps.
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I've almost done the same! It's true -the Smith machine's bar looks like the plate holders and is in the similar position.0
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I attempted my first ever squat in the power cage backwards. No wonder unracking the bar felt so awkward.
Another time I pulled the pin out of the cross cable machine and very nearly took a lat pull-down bar to the head when it came crashing down. Luckily a nice teenage boy caught the bar and saved me a huge headache and major embarrassment.
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Thank you @ephiemarie for jogging my memory with both of your stories.
First time I did squats, I did the same thing on the power rack. Instead of backing out, I came out forward. It was awkward both ways. Luckily, I was with my husband and he told me I did it wrong after I was done.
I also couldn't figure out how to adjust the bar holders in the power rack when I first started. I kept pulling on them to no avail. I guess I figured steel mas no match for me. Thankfully, I nice man came over and turned the holder to the side, releasing it.
I can't believe I forgot this but your pins on the cable machine reminded me of the time I was doing assisted pull ups on the assisted pull up machine. It's awkward getting up on these machines anyway because you have to climb up 4 feet and kneel while holding yourself up. So I adjusted it as needed, got on, went to pull up and *BAM* the pin shoots out, turning the machine into a human catapult.0 -
Speaking of dropping weights. Weeks ago I was doing rows using one of the lighter, fixed weight bars over on the upper body side of the gym. I set the bar down on an empty bench that no one was using. Stepped to the side and it decided to roll right off the bench. I caught it but that was a minor oops moment.
Though probably wasn't as bad as how I hit my forehead with the light weight plates during the first grit strength class I went to. Or how I managed to aggravate my wrist moving from a front squat to a back squat during the second grit strength class I attended. Me and that class don't mix well but I might try again (not this week but next week).0 -
Wonder how I missed this thread before. My nickname is Krash, I am a walking gaffe-machine. lol
For starters, I think I should copyright the joke "Mel walks into a bar" for future use. It's happened waaaayy too many times *shakes head*.
There was also this one time when I was trying to do box jumps on the adjustable stepper thing (with a handle in front to... help balance, I guess?) because they had locked the plyo boxes away during the x-fit room renovation. They were actually burpee box jumps, and after a few near misses when dropping down into a push-up position, I missed a jump and landed face first into the handle thing. I might've broken my nose (didn't go to the ER but the bugger was sore for well over a month
) and my lip grew 3 times its normal size.
Then there's the 2-3 times I actually missed box jumps for various reasons. Not necessarily funny, but a cautionary tale for all of you. If you value your shins, you might wanna wear shing guards when trying to go for a PR *nods* or sometime even a heihgt you've managed in the past. Or every time you box jump really. I know I will >_< Seriously, my shins are forever bumpy now (and the skin is still partially discolored, and the first instance was in April last year)
And now i realize these aren't really funny so I guess I'll end on a lighter note: Am I the only one that regularly forgets a piece of clothing or a towel when I need to shower at the gym? I remember this one time I really couldn't afford to go back home and dried myself up with my mini gym towel. Oh, good times! xD0 -
This isn't really a gaffe but I did kind of want to smack my forehead afterwards --
This rather tall, nicely built guy on the bench next to me was doing that "where is the damn dumbbell I need" search, since no one at our gym can put anything back where it actually belongs. I'd just grabbed one of the 30s to do my skullcrushers, so I asked him if he that's what he was looking for. He just said no and kept looking, walks down the wall of dumbbells, finds what he was looking for, heads back and starts his reps. Yeah - he was using an 80 in each hand. Definitely NOT looking for the 30.
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Once, while getting changed in the shower room at work I realised I had left everything all over the place like it was my own personal bathroom. It was empty when I had started but then a bunch of people came in at once and all my dirty gear and cosmetics etc was all over the place. Felt like such a slob.
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Not so much an equipment thing, but had an awkward moment at the gym just tonight.
One of the gym worker guys (might be a trainer? not sure) was straightening up the weight room (which I had all to myself!!!), and he asked me if I was training for something. He caught me by surprise because,
a.) no talking while I'm lifting, bro. Especially when there are ear buds in my head.
b.) he actually looked at ME and thought I was athletic! <--Something this former band geek will probably never get used to.
It was on the tip of my tongue to answer him with, "Yeah, life," because it is pretty much the truth. But I couldn't get past the cheesiness of that answer and instead stammered out some unintelligible answer about Stronglifts, triathlons, blah, blah, blah...way more information than he needed. I'm sure I was blushing so hard I was practically purple.
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Reading these has jogged my memory.
1) Put a straight bar on one of the cable machines. Didn't realize there wasn't a pin in the weights, so as soon as the bar was attached and I let go: BOOM! It crashed down onto my head.
2) My gym only has a couple of sets (3 sets, 6 total) of the 2.5 pound plates, which I often need for my bench press. I found 2 of them over by the squat racks, so I put them with my water bottle. When I was done with squats, I picked up the 2.5 pound plates and my belongings to head to the bench press area. I set the plates and my water bottle on one of the benches. I turned to put some other weights on the bar when my water bottle decided to take a leap of faith onto the floor. Somehow the cap popped off and my entire water bottle spilled onto the floor. I felt like quite the fool when I went to ask for a mop to clean up after myself.
3) I often run at work during my lunch break. One day, I brought everything I needed to run, shower, and get dressed after... Except for a towel. I refused to let this get in the way of my workout though. I ended up resorting to using paper towels to dry myself off. I never realized how crappy the paper towels at work were until I had to use them post-shower.
4) I decided one day to test my 1RM on squats. I was using one of the power racks/cages with safety catches/bars on the side. I put 200 pounds on, put it on my shoulders, then stepped back. I actually felt pretty good, the weight didn't feel overly heavy. I squatted down, broke parallel, and couldn't get back up. I struggled for about 7 seconds, before deciding it was in my best interest to drop it. I scared the crap out of a guy working out catty-corner to me. He jumped, then stared at me in the mirror with a "do I help her or leave her" look on his face. I was fine, the safety bars caught the barbbell, but I felt like a total dunce for just staring back at him in the mirror and not smilling, acknowledging that I was ok, or anything of that sort.
5) Decided I needed to start doing intervals during my cardio. At the time, I was having a love affair with the stepmill machine. I decided it was a bright idea to do run/walk intervals on the stepmill. I did 2 or 3 running intervals, but on the next one I almost died. I missed a step, caught that one with my other shin, found myself holding onto the rails for dear life with the steps still going round and round. Somehow, still not sure how exactly, I got my footing and was able to stop the dang torture device. I ended up with a scraped up shin, a few bumps and bruises, and a wounded ego. I had no fewer than 6 people come over and ask me if I was ok and if I needed anything for my shin.0 -
xcaly grl, I have forgotten my towel before I stood under the hand drier playing that no one walked in.
Another time I jumped into the shower without taking off my socks or panties.... not sure what happened there but yeah.0 -
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So I went to a yoga class last night. It was a basic course and I was looking forward to stretching and getting a mild workout in. I show up and it's a different teacher than usual.
Well, to my dismay, the class consisted of very little yoga and a lot of chanting. At one point we got into triangle pose which was uncomfortable because I wasn't warmed up. I was struggling to hold the posture during a particularly long chant; so much so, that a chant escaped from below.
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MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »I was struggling to hold the posture during a particularly long chant; so much so, that a chant escaped from below.
you just improved the quality of my life by . . . oh, 300%
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You're welcome 0
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i actually have a genuine etiquette question to ask. what do you do when you've got the rack, and you've already told person b you'll ping them when you're finished your sets? and then person c comes along, gets told person b is already on deck, and asks you if s/he can work in? and then when you've finished your own workout, there's person c all settled in and in possession, but really it ought to be person b's turn?
i'm uncomfortable about at least one aspect of all the solutions that i can think of. refuse to let c work in just because b is waiting . . . feels petty and wrong, especially with the long breaks that i sometimes need. tell c it's fine with me for my sets, but when i'm done b has the rack, so c will have to ask b's permission all over again at that point? i can say it, but enforcing it isn't my job. and so forth. it happened tonight and the whole thing was just really bothersome because there doesn't seem to be a clear rule. or a solution to it.0 -
Yeah, I can see how that would be uncomfortable.
Personally, I'd tell Person C they can work in until you're done, and then the rack goes to Person B. When I'm done, I'd get Person B, tell them the situation and that you've made it clear to Person C that the rack isn't theirs yet. And then let them work it out.0 -
ahh, i can see where i went wrong now. that basically was the way that i handled it, but when i went and found poor lifter b i don't think i was clear enough to him about the lines i'd laid down for c. from b's reaction, i think he thought i was saying 'all yours, but you'll have to work in with this other dude that i let in in front of you.'
he was very nice about it and i think he understood the spot that i'd been put in, but he was really frustrated too. because actually he'd asked for MY spot before i'd even shown up, and whoever the guy was in front of me either forgot or didn't bother to find him or was too noob to know how the unspoken rules work. he just handed over to me without a word. so b got bumped twice.0 -
What you did is fine. I would have told person C of my covenant with B, letting C work in if s/he wanted. If person B were nearby, I'd have pointed B out to C.
However, I find that simple communication is often difficult in the gym with noises, headphones, people not staying put and listening for longer than a few seconds, delicate etiquette rules, I'm awkward, etc. So it probably would have gone more like this:
B: Is anyone waiting for this after you?
Me: No, you can have it when I'm done. Wait, do you want to work in? Uh, never mind you already left and I'm talking to myself.
...
C: Can I work in with you?
Me: Um I told some guy he could have it after but you can work in but I'm almost done and then that guy will be back.
C:
Me: OK here you go!
B: Hey!
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This is my BIGGEST fear of yoga class! I haven't taken a class in years, but OMG, I can totally see this happening to me!MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »So I went to a yoga class last night. It was a basic course and I was looking forward to stretching and getting a mild workout in. I show up and it's a different teacher than usual.
Well, to my dismay, the class consisted of very little yoga and a lot of chanting. At one point we got into triangle pose which was uncomfortable because I wasn't warmed up. I was struggling to hold the posture during a particularly long chant; so much so, that a chant escaped from below.
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My very first SL day the power cage ( which I thought was the squat rack, didn't know the difference) was loaded with at least 135lbs on each side of the bar, maybe more, I cant remember. BUT...I wasn't thinking that you need to take plates off each side one at a time, so I ended up climbing through the rack to try and stop the bar from flying off the hooks and instead took 135lbs of plates on my thighs as to not make a ruckus for all to hear!
I was bruised for weeks, but I have NEVER made that mistake again.0 -
This is my BIGGEST fear of yoga class! I haven't taken a class in years, but OMG, I can totally see this happening to me!
i got totally trapped that way yesterday in the tiny crowded gym. surrounded by young macho men with another tough-enough squat set to do, and no way of marking my ownership of the rack while i left the room for a quick, um, preparation.
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canadianlbs wrote: »This is my BIGGEST fear of yoga class! I haven't taken a class in years, but OMG, I can totally see this happening to me!
i got totally trapped that way yesterday in the tiny crowded gym. surrounded by young macho men with another tough-enough squat set to do, and no way of marking my ownership of the rack while i left the room for a quick, um, preparation.
Everybody does it
Last year a woman nearly gassed me out of a class (worse because it was hot yoga) so I figure I'm just paying it forward!
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My very first SL day the power cage ( which I thought was the squat rack, didn't know the difference) was loaded with at least 135lbs on each side of the bar, maybe more, I cant remember. BUT...I wasn't thinking that you need to take plates off each side one at a time, so I ended up climbing through the rack to try and stop the bar from flying off the hooks and instead took 135lbs of plates on my thighs as to not make a ruckus for all to hear!
I was bruised for weeks, but I have NEVER made that mistake again.
Oh my, that's good! I guess I never really thought about that until I was reading about SL on its website and it said that in order to tell if a bar is an Olympic bar, put a 45-lb plate on one side and if it doesn't tip, it's an Olympic bar. I thought, oh yeah, 45-lb bar won't tip holding a 45-lb plate which made me realize that it will tip if there's more weight on one side.0 -
This is mostly a struggling in communication but we'll call it part my bad cause I had no idea what this one lady was doing or what she meant when she tried to communicate something.
Coworker's gym is really small. Section for cardio, room off to side for some classes, weight area and a little spot for foam rolling and other stuff. We go to the spot off to the side from the weights to warm up because I do wall pushups, squats and foam roll. The area has little mats for such, the rollers, a scale, exercise ball and such. Next to it is a small amount of space then a row of weight machines.
Lady was standing in the small walk space between machines and side area. She moved a lot but in one place. Doing a type of fighting dance thing (involved punches and such) which was interesting. However, I needed to get around her to where I needed to go do things. When I made a move to the area she paused and said something about the mat and hers, so I figured it was just a way to say "I'm using this." So, I said okay that I'm not going there and I just need to get over to the other section of that area. But she was in the walkway so I had to step on the very large mat (my stride isn't big enough to get over a double section of mat). Not long after she used a spray bottle to clean it off because I had stepped on it. I think she cleaned it off several times though, before each time she had to use it again.
I felt a little bad after because clearly she was doing something and there are factors she deems important for the routine but I couldn't tell what was going on and needed to get past. So, oops if I really disrupted her flow.0 -
Tae bo? Lol.
I was trying to leave one of the weight rooms the other day but some trainer was standing in the doorway and his pupil was doing weighted lunges with a fixed barbell coming towards him, further blocking the doorway and walkway outside of it. I ended up sneaking around them which probably wasn't the best manners on my part but hey, don't exercise in a doorway.0 -
Nah, I've seen those videos, this was more of a dance fighting thing. And later she did some tai chi.
Yeah, doorway is not the place to work out. tsk on them.0 -
specially if you're going to be neurotic about other people's feet. don't want people to walk on your mat? take your damn mat someplace where people don't walk.0
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