What fit people are really thinking in the gym

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  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    As someone who used to be far less fit than I am now, here is a comparison of what I was thinking then vs now.

    Then:
    "Is that person looking at me? I bet it's because all my fat rolls are jiggling. Nobody else here is as fat as I am. Maybe I should have worn something baggier. I'm going to turn up my music so I won't hear it if they say something mean."

    Now:
    "A new person! I need to smile and look friendly even though I'm suffering right now. Hi new person! I remember when I was in their shoes. I wonder if it would be weird if I went over and said hi. That would probably be too weird. I'm not going to do it. Gosh, I like their shirt. I wonder where they got their shirt?"
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Random thoughts from today....
    • Why is he wearing a hat indoors? Bald or trying to look trendy?
    • If my shorts ride up anymore doing abs work I'm going to be singing soprano.
    • Whatever is on that phone must be truly fascinating.
    • Nice squat technique.
    • Why try and do an exercise resembling an awkward dumbbell row using an incline bench press machine when there's loads of dumbbells available to actually do a dumbbell row?
    • That neon yellow shirt really needs a volume control.
    • What a stupid looking cyclist's tan (mine BTW).
    • Is gravity stronger than normal today?
    • What's for dinner?
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
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    Love it! Busy trying to bust my *kitten*, BUT when I do notice someone "not fit" getting their lift on I think to myself
    "Fcck yeah, buddy! Get it!"
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    Me doing 20 alternating lunging jump squats on each leg "This is some BULLSH!T"
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    I was judgy the other day of someone who had a spotter for their bicep curls...srry not srry...

    Also, 90% of people don't unrack their weights at my gym and it drives me bonkers. No one works there either to babysit. So YAY, 4 barbells and 3 racks/cages that are way underutilized, but..... sad face, have to pull off a couple hundred pounds every time I get there. Worth it.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    The thing with lifelong anxiety and a history of bullying, is that I can logically know adults have something better to do than to judge me. But the few that did or still do are why we are anxious. There is always someone who feels entitled to make comments about others. But thank you for sharing your insight and how you behave. I'm sure other gym goers who have these anxieties quietly appreciate you :)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    ...look up imaginary audience...

    Bubble burst. The gym will never be the same again... :(
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Mine is usually "Okay, I'm going to do a HIIT workout on this treadmill for 30 minutes." Then a few minutes later. "OMG, I might die.....can't breathe. How many minutes have I been running...20 minutes at least, right?" Then i look down and see that I've only run 5 minutes. "Crap."
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,527 Member
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    So mine today was: Damn someone on the leg press. I'll do some extensions to get my knees warm then. Damn, I missed it again. Okay, hamstring curls. Finally got to the leg press. Okay squats next. Okay I'm getting a massage today.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,207 Member
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    I need to warm up, but I really don't feel like it. Should I anyway? Is it really necessary? Fine, I'll warm up. Stop judging me.

    I spend most of my time between sets complaining in my head about the utter inability of people to pick up after themselves and/or debating whether it's even worse when they do "put things away" when they're inevitably in the wrong place.
  • RedSquadronLeader
    RedSquadronLeader Posts: 84 Member
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    Love this thread. As another Reasonably Fit Person, I can say that I am actually paying attention to other people at the gym all the time. This is for any of three reasons:

    (1) I'm admiring your leggings - thinking I'd like to get them, but then thinking how I'd have terrible buyer's remorse and I guess I'll just stick with my shorts...but maybe one day.
    (2) I think you're doing a really interesting stretch that I'd like to try. I'm always looking for new ways to make myself into a pretzel.
    (3) You just did something super impressive -- like this one dude at my gym whose vertical jump is higher than he is tall -- and in that moment I'm considering restructuring my entire fitness program because wouldn't it be so cool if I could do that.

    I guess I'm easily distracted. But I love fitness and it definitely motivates and inspires me to see other peoples' approaches to it. What I don't care about is how far along in their fitness journey a person is, because it's really a life-long thing, and everyone's got to find what they enjoy.
  • lilolilo920
    lilolilo920 Posts: 184 Member
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    Not necessarily a super fit person but today at the gym I thought about this thread...threadception?
  • DasItMan91
    DasItMan91 Posts: 5,753 Member
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    I wonder how much I'm gonna be killing it at the gym or if I'm just suddenly gonna get bored with my workout and wanna leave asap
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
    edited April 2017
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    This thread is wonderful. :D

    My thoughts are usually:

    Locker Room
    - I need to pee before I go in
    - Hurr hurr I got changed at home so I am soooo speedy and ready to go!
    - Damn, forgot my water bottle.
    - Someone has stolen my locker! Today is the worst day ever.
    - Did I pee already? I need to pee again.

    In The Gym
    - Don't fart. Do not fart.
    - Oh God why does it smell so bad???
    - She's hot. Don't stare, you look like a creeper.
    - Who the &*%$ left these heavy *kitten* plates on the leg press? Douchecanoe.
    - She's hot.
    - She's hot.
    - He's hot.
    - Mate, put your nipples away. What even is that top trying to be??
    - Is my fiance done yet? Can I quit now?
    - Need to pee again
    - Durr hurr I farted on the treadmill.
    - Oh man that guy is huge and terrifying and oh Jesus he's coming towards me am I using his machine oh God oh God oh no it's fine he's going over there. Never mind.
    - Hot damn my *kitten* looks good in these leggings. Yeahhhh
    - She's hot. Ooh, but resting *kitten* face. Yowch. Do I have RBF?
    - Ooh there's The Stealth Ginger/Crazy Frog Man/That Guy That Looks Like My Ex (I name everyone in the gym based on arbitrary things I notice about them)

    After Workout
    - Food time, food time, time to eat some food!
    - Holy Moley I smell like *kitten*. Wheesh.
    - Fiance also smells like *kitten* so I guess we match?
    - Everything hurts
    - I should have taken a picture of that super hot person doing bendy things. Is that creepy? Almost certainly. Hm.
  • RosieRose7673
    RosieRose7673 Posts: 438 Member
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    enterdanger wrote: »
    You guys are so nice. I'm looking at you and trying to figure out what famous person you look like. My gym has an inordinate amount of Justin Beibers. But I saw an Ed Koch yesterday, which made me smile.

    One day last week I was running behind some guy with the nicest tush I'd seen in a long time. I'm an old lady with kids, but I was imagining that I was chasing that guy and his fine rear end.

    Dude. There are so many celebrity look alikes in my gym!

    There is one guy who looks like Aaron Rodgers. Being a packers fan, I imagine it really being Aaron Rodgers and then we can talk Packers.

    One of the trainers looks like Charlie Day. Another trainer looks like one of the guys from 98 degrees.

    There's also another guy who looks like Dwight from the Office.

    Beyond that, I do curse my music playlist often. Some songs sound like a good idea before my workout but then irritate me when they come on.

    Beyond that, I never really catch myself thinking about anything beyond what I will do next!
  • LauraInTheWater
    LauraInTheWater Posts: 477 Member
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    What people think when they go to the pool to swim laps:

    -Do I have to pee? I should probably pee before I get in. I wonder if this pool has that fabled dye that detects pee?
    -Why didn't I shave my legs?
    -I left my towel at home...again.
    -I think my boob popped out...again.
    -My suit is up my butt...again.
    -Wall.

    Surprisingly the only time I ever notice another swimmer is when they are in a lane that is too fast for them.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    Last night:

    -Why is there a HIIT class in the deadlift area (of my very small gym)? Since when does this gym have classes?
    -Guess I'll deadlift over here in front of the smith machine.
    -Four sets of eight?!? Oof.
    -Better go pee first.
    -Seriously? Heavy block pull deads after four sets of eight?!?
    -Holy *kitten*, I just block pulled 335 lbs!
    -This woman wants to learn to deadlift? Heck yeah, I'll help!!!
    -Oh MY! She just deadlifted her body weight, first time deadlifting! She's awesome!
    -Dang it. Deadlifts are over. Time for the boring lifts.
    -I wonder if I can up my weight on dumbbell presses. Yep! Awesome!
    -The HIIT class left all their equipment lying everywhere. Shouldn't the trainer be cleaning this up?
    -Dang it. Ran out time. T-bar rows aren't happening tonight.
    -I'm done, and tired, and starving. What's for dinner? Shredded chicken tacos - YES!
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
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    - Why do my quads hurt so much when I roll them? I bet no-one else's hurt this much. I should roll my quads more. Ow. Ow ow ow.

    - Oooh, bench press is free. Go go go. I can totally crank out another 3 reps without dropping this on my face, right?

    - Can I work in with that guy on the lat machine?
    - Other guy on lats is doing the same weight as me! Hurrah!
    - Oh, he's doing it with one arm. I'm a pathetic girl.
    - No, I'm a super strong girl who at least is in the gym doing something. Well done me.

    - Hang on, that guy's pulling the big tyre. With a 25kg plate on it. And a Bulgarian bag. I'm so jealous. That's like ALL the weight.
    - And his PT is super cute. Maybe I should push it for another rep to impress him even though he'll never notice and I already have an amazing boyfriend. (I do this A LOT. I don't know why, but it does make me work harder!)

    - How is that guy wearing trackies and a hoodie? Is he not absolutely melting?
    - Why is hoodie guy arranging his half-folded hood around his ears in a really specific way? I'm so confused.
    - Why is hoodie guy's range of motion about 2 inches on bicep curls? I don't get it.
    - Ooooh they're playing the dance mix of Call Me Maybe!

    My gym's in the City and full of everything from rather large middle aged executives doing battle with their beer bellies, to semi-pro rugby players, to a professional body builder and cover model. I'll totally admit to judging people for utterly horrendous technique, but that's about it.
  • FaeryLove18
    FaeryLove18 Posts: 41 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Omg, the clomping noise. I always feel self-conscious because I swear some people run, and I mean run and its dead quiet and here I am...it sounds like any minute the machine is going to explode and shrapnel will impel everyone, and they will revoke my membership.
  • Madwife2009
    Madwife2009 Posts: 1,369 Member
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    OK, I'm not a "fit" gym person (as in, I'm still a beginner). Things I think:

    On my way to the gym:

    Yay! It's getting lighter in the mornings. Wonder when I'll no longer need the lights on the bike?
    Shoot - is there enough charge in the light batteries to get me to the gym?
    Am I going to beat my time cycling to the gym today?
    Shall I sneak down a "no entry" road to cut a couple of hundred yards off my journey? I'd get away with it if I walk up the road instead of cycling . . .

    Entering the gym:

    Why do the stupid buttons always stick so that I have to enter my PIN twice???
    Still haven't cleaned the stairs then, that (whatever) has been there for days . . .
    What time is it?
    Darn it, I am not the first one in this morning. I may have to communicate with others . . .
    Why do so many people leave stuff in the lockers? Just where am I supposed to put MY stuff?
    Bet I look really stupid going into a gym with a cycling helmet . . .

    In the gym:

    Better get on with it then.
    WHO ON EARTH is grunting like they're in labour? I didn't see any women when I came in. I hope that there's no-one in labour . . .
    What's that guy doing to the scales? He's taken off his shoes, got on the scales. Got off the scales, adjusted the scales, got back on. Now he's getting off again, shaking his head. Oh, I get it. He's not liking the numbers on the scale. I hope he doesn't hurt the scales . . .
    Darn, someone is using the equipment I want. I'll have to change my whole routine now. He should have known that I wanted to use that next!
    Why don't people bother to wipe their sweat off the equipment? Yuck. Well, I'm not wiping their sweat off. I do my own and that's enough. Ugh. People really are gross at times.
    (Sees self in mirror) OMG, look at my hair. Cycling helmet hair. OMG. I hope no-one sees. OMG. That's why people have been smiling (grinning - laughing) at me. OMG. I need to go, this is so embarrassing. Where's the door? (attempts to flatten hair)
    What time is it? Do I ring DH and get him out of bed? No, he's a grown up now. Do I ring DD and get her out of bed? No, she's old enough to to get herself out of bed.
    If that guy forgets he's taken some weights off that bar, he's going to cause himself a serious injury (he was pulling a weighted bar up between his legs. I didn't watch).
    OMG. My hair looks WORSE now I'm a bit sweaty. Sweaty cycling helmet hair. I'm doomed.


    NB: I'm a bit of a people watcher. I am fascinated by others. I learn things by watching others. I don't tend to stare at people but I am interested in what they do.







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