Mini Rant

MichelleLea122

So there's this high schooler that recently started lifting weights at my gym, and he doesn't doesn't rerack anything. Today he left a loaded smith machine, barbell, and multiple sets of dumbbells. When I saw him about to leave the gym floor, I reminded him that he left out all of his equipment, and that he should rerack them. Then this kid looks right at me and says "Alright"... AND LEAVES. That's right. He turns to me, says alright, and walks out the door leaving all of his stuff there.

Some part of me feels like I am way too angry about this. But it's not fair to the rest of the gym members who could be using that equipment, and it's certainly not fair to the employees who have to stay late to clean up after an entitled gym goer. I think the most irritating part was that he was made aware of his mess, but still chose to leave it there. Rant over.

samhennings

I am obsessive about re-racking weights, and even ordering them on the stand.

Small ones at the top, large ones at the bottom...

I ALWAYS leave a station in better shape than I left it because it seems I am the only one who ever puts weights back, and it is a real source of frustration for me.

So I can sympathise!

mir1104

He's just challenged you, typical **itheaded teen who thinks he's too cool to act civily. Look, it's the gym staff that should call him out, not sheepishly stay late to clean up after this brat. So, first thing to do, complain to the staff.
Calling them out is useless, they'll take on the challenge, but stealing their stuff works. Just hang around there next time, check what he does and the first moment he puts down something you know he'll need in a few minutes you pick and use it. If he dares tell you anything don't discuss, don't argue, just ignore him and give him your best "I could be your mom" stare, raised eyebrow included. Used it a few times.

deluxmary2000

Complain to management. And KEEP COMPLAINING until they do something about it.

Willbenchforcupcakes

The 20 burpee penalty per piece would probably work rather quickly.

not_a_runner

There are plenty of adults at my gym who don't know how to put things away either.

3rdof7sisters

TresaAswegan wrote: »

There are plenty of adults at my gym who don't know how to put things away either.

True. But that doesn't make it any more acceptable.

Report it to management. This is not a private gym, and no one should be allowed to do this, nor should any of the rest of the members have to put up with it.

quiksylver296

"Accidentally" drop one of the weights he didn't rerack on his foot.

Tacklewasher

Not a gym rat, but my response would be to report it and insist the staff re-rack it right then and there and not leave it for another patron. If they don't want to deal with the kid (or an adult) then they need to fix it themselves.

LiftandSkate

This passes me off. At my gym, it's the meat heads lifting a billion pounds who somehow can't manage to re - rack their own weights. I've seen trainers chase them down and tell them to re - rack or lose their membership. I love that!

giantrobot_powerlifting

Some people just have to die.

buffalogal42

At my gym, if we let the managers know, they'll check the tape and suspend the person's entry card. When they try to get in next time, they'll be forced to talk to someone and they give them the spiel that if they do it again, their membership will be cancelled.

canadianlbs

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

Some part of me feels like I am way too angry about this.

no, you're not. i mean, yeah; you are . . . but i would be too. that's insolence on top of his original crimes of selfishness and laziness.

i like the rat-him-out thing to the management. as just another gym goer you don't have anything to follow through with, but they do.

subcounter

Sounds like you need a guy like Walter in the gym:

Canehdn

I think it's awesome you said something. I did that once when some guy racked the dumbbells in the wrong spot.

He kind of smirked and started to walk away. I looked at him and said I wasn't kidding. He turned back around and reracked.

I can't stand people that don't pick up after themselves.

samhennings

buffalogal42 wrote: »

At my gym, if we let the managers know, they'll check the tape and suspend the person's entry card. When they try to get in next time, they'll be forced to talk to someone and they give them the spiel that if they do it again, their membership will be cancelled.

Im my gym the trainers are among the worst offenders so I doubt this would happen for me!

Numerous times Ive seen them set up the bench in the rack to incline press (totally fine, btw) and then just wander off when they are done.

Bench left in rack, loaded bar, plates left all over the place (despite there being pegs for plates on the bloody rack!)

I usually make a bit of a show of moving it all afterwards, que sheepish looks from trainer...

MichelleLea122

Haha I loved reading all the responses. I actually think it's the gym rats who are great about putting their weights back, it's the newbies/ casual lifters who don't.

We suddenly had an influx of high schoolers who have absolutely no idea what they're doing. The worst of them is this kid. His form is absolute *kitten*. I know that sounds harsh, but I'm honestly surprised he hasn't injured himself yet. It's so bad some patrons and I have politely tried to correct it, but this kid doesn't care. *sigh* no one listens to the tiny little girl.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

I stopped the last one I saw and said, "are you really going to leave that there for someone to trip over? My 10 year old puts his own toys away." he put it all away and the apologized. Gym staff told me later that he asked them if I was allowed to do that and they said "sure. It saves us the trouble."

lilac_bunny

I think they should fine people who don't rerack

ItsAllMental819

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

Some part of me feels like I am way too angry about this.

Nope, you seem very nice & not angry enough!

rugratz2015

MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »

I stopped the last one I saw and said, "are you really going to leave that there for someone to trip over? My 10 year old puts his own toys away." he put it all away and the apologized. Gym staff told me later that he asked them if I was allowed to do that and they said "sure. It saves us the trouble."

Ha ha ha

canadianlbs

i always wanted a shirt that says 'your mother doesn't lift here - re-rack your weights'.

except how would i know if people's moms lift there or not.

Timshel_

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

So there's this high schooler that recently started lifting weights at my gym, and he doesn't doesn't rerack anything. Today he left a loaded smith machine, barbell, and multiple sets of dumbbells. When I saw him about to leave the gym floor, I reminded him that he left out all of his equipment, and that he should rerack them. Then this kid looks right at me and says "Alright"... AND LEAVES. That's right. He turns to me, says alright, and walks out the door leaving all of his stuff there.

Next time you see him just walk up and say, I asked nice last time for you to re-rack the weights like all the other adults, but if you want to ignore that and act like a kid I'll ask management to remind you to do it. Just wanted you to know it's your choice".

canadianlbs

Timshel_ wrote: »

Next time you see him just walk up and say, I asked nice last time for you to re-rack the weights like all the other adults, but if you want to ignore that and act like a kid I'll ask management to remind you to do it. Just wanted you to know it's your choice".

oh yeah . . . i just remembered the teenager factor where just because they smirk or walk off in the immediate moment, doesn't mean that it doesn't penetrate. so sometimes it's better to just say your piece, and then keep your powder dry for the next time around.

50% of the time they will go along; they just want to do it on their own time so it doesn't look like they're smelling the glove.

patslitzker

Slap the weights out of his hand next time you see him there

firef1y72

MichelleLei1 wrote: »

Haha I loved reading all the responses. I actually think it's the gym rats who are great about putting their weights back, it's the newbies/ casual lifters who don't.
.

Send some of the gym rats that even go near the free weights let alone put them away here, I'm fed up of being the only one who puts the plates away after them. One guy yesterday managed to leave 20kg plates on the Smith machine, right at the top so I couldn't even reach them let alone unrack (I only wanted to do invert rows) another set of 20kg on the squat and a set of 10kg on the bench, pretty normal for him to be doing that. Then there's the PT who leaves 20kg plates on the bench....plus countless others.

trigden1991

If everyone re-racked their weights and wiped down machines, then the gym staff wouldn't be in employment

JK

MichelleLea122

Update. So today he left the leg press completely loaded and someone asked him to rerack it. He said "alright", but didn't do it So later when I needed to use the leg press, I asked him to rerack it. Again he said "alright", but just sat there doing nothing. Then I told him I needed to use the equipment now, and that he still didn't strip it from when someone else asked him 10 minutes ago. I kid you not, he looks straight at me and goes, "I mean you can do it yourself." I looked at him and said "really? you're going to make me rerack 400 lbs?"... and he just stares at me. So then an actual man helped me strip six plates off the machine. I ended up only doing a single set, just so I could call management down there asap. If he does it again they're canceling his membership... good riddance.