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Gym Etiquette
Replies
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meganridenour wrote: »That is a a pain, and I will tell you what bothers me even more are the people who don't clean the machines.
Its usually the fit person who wants to check social media, or post they are working out and don't have time to wipe down the machines.
I always think to myself, I bet you are the same way with your nasty body, don't clean yourself either.
and you know they are checking social media how? Maybe they are logging exercise or timing rest....
This. I am actually paranoid that people think I'm just hogging the machine or whatever, because I am constantly on my phone between sets when I'm doing strength training. I always log my workouts and time myself between sets, using my phone.
I check social media in between sets. In fact, playing in the MFP forums is my favorite rest time activity. And I couldn't give a damn what the people around me think about it. They ain't know my life. If they wanted this bench/machine so bad then they shoulda got on it before me.
If they open their mouths and ask I'll tell them how many sets I have left or invite them to work in if appropriate. But if all they gonna do is be be mad and quiet and make a thread on MFP, me no care. I know what my workout is and what my rest breaks are and I ain't got to justify myself to nobody.11 -
distinctlybeautiful wrote: »The other day I took up the only squat rack in the gym for like forty minutes. One guy came up and told me he had "nexties."
I told him it'd be a minute, and when I realized how long I was gonna be, I actually went and found him and offered to let him work in. He declined and told me to come find him when I was done. By the time I finished, he was gone! Turn down working in, use the word "nexties" when talking to a stranger, and can't hang? I don't feel bad at all.
Now to actually address the question, I always just ask how many sets the person has left so I can decide whether to wait or go on to something else. I prefer not to work in with other people. I'll do it, but usually I've got something else I can do.
I dunno, maybe he had places to be. I can't just hang around a gym forever. I find some other things to do and then I might have to move on. And with a squat rack, if the two of you aren't near the same height and ability it could be more of a pain than it's worth to work in.
I'm not saying you did anything wrong, because you didn't. I'm just saying that not hanging around for almost an hour doesn't make that guy a *kitten*.3 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »We once had to wait like 90 minutes for a squat rack from a guy who was journaling between sets of 2-3 and wouldn't let us work in.
It was infuriating.
It's only happened once, though, and most of the time, people are super considerate if you ask. The Hubster and I take turns on one rack as to not take over two unless it isn't busy.
The bolded was his only crime.
Granted, it was a doozy.
Yup, and that was the part we were annoyed by. Well, that and he wouldn't even estimate for us how much longer he was going to be, but that came after we couldn't work in, so I was likely already irritated.
I mentioned he was journaling mainly because some posters seemed surprised or unaware that people do stuff between sets.0 -
I live in NYC..so the gyms r always packed..well at least the time I go..so if I need a machine I will ask how many sets they have left n if they have just a few I would wait..but if they have a lot I would ask to work in with them or go look for another machine.but I would most likely jump in with them..only bcuz I like to hit certain machines b4 others..like squat,bench etc...0
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Whatever. Ask to work in. When I'm lifting heavy crap after a 10 hour work day you better believe I'm gonna sit my butt down between sets and yeah, I'm gonna pre-log my dinner and get my instagram on too.2
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It helps to know alternate exercises with free weights, or just pick a different machine to work out on. I would say my bigger pet peeves would be people who laugh at me, bc they're thin and cut and I'm not AND, people who don't wipe down their equipment.0
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angelross1016 wrote: »It helps to know alternate exercises with free weights, or just pick a different machine to work out on. I would say my bigger pet peeves would be people who laugh at me, bc they're thin and cut and I'm not AND, people who don't wipe down their equipment.
Who are these people that laugh at you! That's horrible! That just made me so sad.
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Precisely why I have a membership and don't go. I usually work around them, pick a free machine and come back later which throws me off my plan. I hate busy gyms.
I was going at 5:15 am when it wasn't busy but found that unrealistic to sustain, for me.
I would ask nicely to work in between their rests but too shy.1 -
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tinywonder25 wrote: »angelross1016 wrote: »It helps to know alternate exercises with free weights, or just pick a different machine to work out on. I would say my bigger pet peeves would be people who laugh at me, bc they're thin and cut and I'm not AND, people who don't wipe down their equipment.
Who are these people that laugh at you! That's horrible! That just made me so sad.
no one. no one is laughing at her8 -
I ask to work in, no biggie, no one has ever said no (I agree that's a kitten move).
My irritation is people who don't rack the weights after, as I've wanted to use the squat rack but not been comfortable doing so (in the evenings, mostly, when it's not that full) to since I couldn't tell if anyone was using it (to ask to work in), and because it's not always the easiest for me to rack the weights, depending on the weight, once I realize whoever is just gone. The first is more irritating, though.1 -
I don't like when a person hogs 3 different stations at once if they tell me they got a couple more on it I just use it and tell them I won't take long im a believer in sharing but if I'm setting up a bar to start my workout then someone quickly jumps on it I just walk away even though I do get a little irritated if they want to be rude I just let them I figure that girl must need it more then me 0
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Today is leg day.
Both squat racks were taken when I got off the treadmill.
I amended my plans and pre-fatigued my quads while I waited for one to come available.
No one died.11 -
I don't get too stressed out about machine hoggers ... there is always another exercise that works the same muscles I want to work. Now, if you leave a machine with drippy sweat, then I have a problem.2
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Oh lord reading all of this makes me even more petrified to join the gym! I'd just stand in the corner and weight for the piece of equipment i want to use to be free. If I shared with someone I'd feel like they were gawking at me the whole time wishing i'd hurry up, therefore I'd probably injure myself trying to get it done quickly lol5
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My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.3 -
melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
Video or it didn't happen!!
But oh well, if you squat, you're working your adductors and abductors enough already.1 -
melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
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Christine_72 wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
Some people do.
Most often it's people leaving plates on a barbell after they're finished with it.
It's a foul for sure.3 -
Christine_72 wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
On the bar. It's the worst, since you can't tell if they are done and might not be able to move the weights, depending.
Dumbbells really aren't an issue and I almost posted before recommending that you start with dumbbell exercises if nervous about the gym.1 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
Some people do.
Most often it's people leaving plates on a barbell after they're finished with it.
It's a foul for sure.
This guy on the bench had left 3-4 45s and a 55 on each side of the row machine but said he was finished, so I started taking them off because I wasn't gonna sit and wait while he finished benching. So then he comes over and tries to take the 55 off my hands! Little late by then. He was a big dude too.. probably didn't feel great about a female less than half his size putting up his weights. He helped in the end, but it annoyed me that he left it and then thought he needed to help me with a plate I was obviously having no trouble carrying.
On a side note, I love organizing and the gym. I might be in heaven if I got paid to do nothing but keep the plates organized 3 -
The worst is when you go to use the squat rack and have to take 200kg worth of plates off by hand - and it always happens on the sorest day after working upper body. No worries beefcake, i'll take those plates off for you since you're obviously too fatigued!5
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@Christine_72 there are some people who leave Dumbbells laying around, some that put them back in all the wrong places, but mostly it's on barbells, squat racks, hammer strength machines and the leg sled. It's ridiculous. Sometimes there's up to 5-7 plates per side on the sled. I used to be annoyed but move them, now, with a bad back, there's no way I can. Not worth the risk for me. That aside, this is no reason not to go to the gym. You'll be fine. Obnoxious that they don't rack the weights but they're nice enough.
@Carlos_421 I swear! The first time I saw it I thought it was weird, now I've seen her do it multiple times. Unfortunately, no squats for me right now, maybe never. Very close to bone on bone in my left knee, and a bad back from car accident. I've just been pain free for a couple months after a year and half of constant pain and shots. I'm very cautious.1 -
I just loudy ask, hey while you're playing "Farmville" do you mind if I keep working out !3
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heck my rest time thats what I do i walk around re racking all the lose weights !
Hey what moron left this weight here dont worry big sam will get it
Hey look another one ! big sam to the rescue again
Then I make forklift noises.....9 -
distinctlybeautiful wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
Some people do.
Most often it's people leaving plates on a barbell after they're finished with it.
It's a foul for sure.
This guy on the bench had left 3-4 45s and a 55 on each side of the row machine but said he was finished, so I started taking them off because I wasn't gonna sit and wait while he finished benching. So then he comes over and tries to take the 55 off my hands! Little late by then. He was a big dude too.. probably didn't feel great about a female less than half his size putting up his weights. He helped in the end, but it annoyed me that he left it and then thought he needed to help me with a plate I was obviously having no trouble carrying.
On a side note, I love organizing and the gym. I might be in heaven if I got paid to do nothing but keep the plates organized
We had an issue 2 years ago at my gym. Me and another girl would come in and find 45s left on the machines, and pretty much no one in the weight area. One day I watched a guy (while I was lifting) leave 6 45s on the row machine, go to the smith machine, then get on the back extention. I saw red, marched over and told him to rack his f*!king weights when he was done because it wasn't MY job and I had almost dropped one on my foot last time. His eyes got huge and he jumped up and fixed it. For the next month or so he paled every time he saw me....7 -
I deal with this by not going to the gym....0
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If someone is on a piece of kit I'd like to use
"Hi, how many more set have you got?" if the answer is "I just started" and they don't offer the chance for me to work in, I go find something else. If they've only got a couple of sets I'll usually do a bit of extra warm up whilst I wait.
I've occasionally had to tap someone on the shoulder because they were listening to music so I could ask them but I'm always polite and as friendly as I can be and I've never had a bad reaction.
I also, pro-actively let people who appear to be lurking how many sets I have left when I'm on a piece of kit (usually the squat rack or bench) and will offer to let them work in if it's practical or going to be a long time. I've met some nice people this way and it's stuff like this that gets you on nodding acquaintance terms with your fellow gym goers. I'm also happy to spot for people and not afraid to ask for a spot when required.
P.S. If someone spots for me I always thank them, tell them my name, and tell them that they can always tap me up for a spot whenever they need one. The only competition in the gym is with yourself and being friendly does not mean that you will minimise your gainz. I like to get my work out done, who doesn't? But I leave the aggressive *kitten* attitude to the younger guys.7
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