Venting about a bad gym experience

breesasha

Today, I was sent away from a Zumba class (from 4:30-5:30 pm) from the California Family Fitness. The operations manager came into the class five minutes into the dance class to forcefully remove individuals who did not have wristbands. I, along with five or so other women, was told to leave because I did not have a colored paper wristband. I have never been so embarrassed in my entire life. Other nearby participants stopped to look at us as we were made to exit the room. I was confused about why I had to leave, and had to gather my stuff all in a rush because the operations manager stayed right beside me until I left. I, along with a few of the other women, went ahead back to the lobby in an attempt to get wristbands from the front desk staff. I was promptly told at the front desk that all the wristbands had been given out prior to the class starting and that I could not return to finish the class I was only allowed to complete 5 minutes of.

I returned to the group exercise room to speak to operations manager once again in an attempt to understand what I could do about my exercise class. He instructed me that I could not return to dance because I did not have a wristband. He made sure that I could not re-enter the room to finish my workout. I have been a member of California Family Fitness for over a year and I have attended several Zumba exercise classes over the last six months. I was not prepared to work out at the gym so I had to leave without getting any workout in. I come to the gym to de-stress after a hard day at work and I did not appreciate being stressed out further by being sent away from the gym. I left in a worse mood than I had been in before I came in. This is the first time that the “wristband policy” has ever been enforced since I’ve been attending California Family Fitness.

To be forcibly removed in the middle of the class in front of 45+ other participants is embarrassing and could easily be prevented. I finally found an exercise class that I love at the gym but to be turned away like this really threw me off.

donyellemoniquex3

Find another gym

WakkoW

You are upset because they are enforcing a policy? It sounds like you knew about the policy, but decided to ignore it.

Sympathy not activated.

IronSmasher

What does the wristband indicate?

tequila09

Are you supposed to get a wristband to participate? They may only allow a certain amount of people in the room so they can work out comfortably space-wise. However at my gym the instructor takes our passes at the beginning before anything starts to avoid that situation. I would find a new gym.

ninerbuff

Zumba is a popular class and I'm more than sure that the wristbands were handed out (on a first come first serve basis) to limit the amount attending since being too crowded can end up with people colliding in class. We have "passes" that are collected for Zumba classes for this same reason.
Management did the right thing. You just weren't prepared or possibly ignored the activation of the program.
To resolve it: Get there earlier to get a wristband.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Alpina483

Well they might have done the right thing on the whole, but it did not have to go that way. I mean, it's just bad for business, so definitely not a good decision overall. Even if it was a rule from day one but nobody followed, you don't just start throwing people out of class. You let them know beforehand and then you don't let them in without the wristband, not throw them out after a class has begun. Sheesh.

IronSmasher

We have a booking system and attendance sheets that are checked before classes. It seems they've decided to clamp down on rules that have been lax in the past few months. I agree it wasn't the way to do it, even newly enforcing a rule, they should've done it before class and it should've been clear from the start.

glovepuppet

if they get caught packing too many people in they might get into trouble, but this really should've been something they told you at the start of the class. poor customer service = lost business. I suggest writing to the big boss, not complaining about the policy but airing your concerns about the insensitive way it was implemented.

next time I suggest sticking to the rules though.

MelodyandBarbells

Yeah, that was pretty disgusting the way the idiots enforced the rule. If a rule has not been enforced, EVER, don't get a big head because your classes are popular and start embarrassing people. Start with a prominent sign or two, announce at the start of classes so your regulars know and can spread the word. But hey, Zumba IS popular. If you're willing to look, there are tons of places that'll have it, too. I myself am hooked on my current instructor, but something $hitty like this happening and I might have to find some place else (for cheaper, no doubt)

Participants could very easily have thought the bands were just for fun. Kinda like hip scarves. Imagine if I suddenly found that hip scarves were actually a requirement to attend Zumba and not just for fun, and some moron thought to kick me out of class as a way of communicating this. You better be handing me my monthly payment back as you kick me out, *kitten*

mperrott2205

I really don't see what the problem is... Everyone else seemed to have a wrist band and you and 5 others didn't. You didn't obey the rules (And no, it doesn't matter if you was ignorant to them or not) so you was asked to leave, and quite rightly so.

You then complain about not having the chance to workout even though you stated it was because "you wasn't prepared to workout in the gym"... Why? That's your own fault - Hardly the gyms fault.

Instead of moaning to the gym manager, why not just ask him how to go about getting a wrist band for next time. I'm sure the people in the class really won't give a crap about you getting kicked out that one time - However, if it's that big of a deal then find another gym.. And this time, learn the rules.

Alpina483

That's your own fault - Hardly the gyms fault.

I hope you don't start your own business... :laugh: or it will be a really steep learning curve.

mperrott2205

That's your own fault - Hardly the gyms fault.

I hope you don't start your own business... :laugh: or it will be a really steep learning curve.

Very true :laugh:

hookilau

I really don't see what the problem is... Everyone else seemed to have a wrist band and you and 5 others didn't. You didn't obey the rules (And no, it doesn't matter if you was ignorant to them or not) so you was asked to leave, and quite rightly so.

You then complain about not having the chance to workout even though you stated it was because "you wasn't prepared to workout in the gym"... Why? That's your own fault - Hardly the gyms fault.

Instead of moaning to the gym manager, why not just ask him how to go about getting a wrist band for next time. I'm sure the people in the class really won't give a crap about you getting kicked out that one time - However, if it's that big of a deal then find another gym.. And this time, learn the rules.

Well, you won't do that again, will you? :laugh:

No, really, I don't mean to be harsh...but I'm with this guy & the other posters. You seem to be aware of the wristband policy and since the majority of the class took the time to get bands, it sounds like something you could've avoided had you made the extra effort.

I get that you're miffed though, that kinda sucks but you know how to avoid that now, sooo.....:drinker:

april1445

Try to let it go. That could have been handled better on their part, but if you hold it against them, you're only hurting yourself since you actually like that class. Get a wristband next time, even if they aren't enforcing it every time.

Delicate

All gyms go through quiet and peak periods, people are thinking about halloween and xmas parties now so are joining a gym in prep, meaning classes get more busy. The policy probably wasnt in force during the summer months while the gyms are generally quieter.

Having a class too full is dangerous, and can also cause insurance problems for the instructor (who is usually self employed on behalf of the gym, or contracted in) or the gym (if a participant falls into someone else, or classes and bashes someones face in)

You seem to be aware of the policy but appeared to ignore it, its bad it hasnt been enforced (so quickly) but most instructors will take a note of how many people are in class each time, and with numbers creeping up to the point it is dangerous to teach, its better they deal with it sooner rather than after someone has been injured.

ps the gym floor can be an amazing work out if you want it to be, but i understand if you prefer a class

pyrowill

Wristbands are there for a reason. You might not like how they enforced it, but they have a duty to people who clearly read the rules and got their early enough/booked to get a wrist band. Sorry but you lose on this one.

jimmmer

This is the reason I lift in a garage and sprint on a hill......

3dogsrunning

:huh:

DrMAvDPhD

You are upset because they are enforcing a policy? It sounds like you knew about the policy, but decided to ignore it.

Sympathy not activated.

This. Wish my gym had a first-come-first-served policy that they actually enforced. I've stopped going to Zumba because the classes are so overfull that they are dangerous and you can't actually move.

cwolfman13

Maybe they started "enforcing" the policy because they got tired of you and others not voluntarily following the policy even though you know about it. Love it when people break the rules and then get all butt hurt when they get called on it. No sympathy here....

MelodyandBarbells

I tried to attend that crazysocktv guy's Zumba class when I was in San Diego. He was nice enough to inform me about needing to get there one hour early to get a pass. He even suggested trying spin or using the machines while I waited. Back then I was like, uh... No thanks. . But now I take three hours of classes back to back sometimes and might actually go for this!

One lady at work likes our Zumba class but won't attend because it's too full. I just go really hard in class and there's always some space around me :laugh:

Cranquistador

Could you maybe have adjusted and lifted some weights or something?

Strength training blows off steam and is great for you.

sevsmom

Ummm.... they probably have limited space and the wrist band keeps the class size appropriate. You are "venting" because you tried to circumvent a policy that you felt was unimportant to you and you got busted. That's called life. Be a grown up, admit YOU violated the policy (regardless of how well it had been enforced in the past), put on some walking shoes and go walk it off. And next time, get a wrist band.

AllanMisner

Pretty easy solution. Find another gym, leave negative feedback on yelp and Twitter, and move on.

JDMarlowe

If it is a policy, then it should be followed. True, its the gyms fault for just now starting to inforce it, but honest people should follow policy whether it's inforced or not. And I wouldn't say that you were "forcibly removed" from the class. No actual force was used. It was a supervised removal to make sure other policies were not broken. I'm sure it was very embarrassing to be made to leave, but honestly it's not that big of an issue, you were not the first one, the only one, or the last one it has happened to. Just overlook it, and move on. Just get your work out on and if you want to go back to that class, just make sure you get a wristband.

sunman00

a pity they don't enforce such rules in the weight room; I'm fed up with beefcakes loading the bars & machines up with huge weights & then walking away & leaving them when they're done, sometimes hogging 5 stations at a time

LoraF83

:huh:

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking.

Ann262

It sounds to me like this is a policy to keep the class from getting too crowded that might have been ignored and only loosely enforced and on this particular day, they were enforcing it. In your rant, you didn't state the reason for the wristbands or whether or not you knew you needed one. I suspect the reason is to limit the numbers in that class AND that you were aware of the policy but had gotten lax on following it and that you expected that since you have been a "regular" for the last year and a half that they would excuse you from the requirement.

I guess if they haven't been enforcing it, then it is reasonable that you would not expect to have to get one to do the class. However, there may been member complaints about that class getting too crowded. They are enforcing it to ensure the class maintains its value to all members.

I realize you came into the gym psyched up to do Zumba and that you were disappointed not to get to do it. However, to make fitness a lifestyle, you need to learn to think outside the box and improvise. California Family Fitness offers a plethora of options. I can't believe that if you were dressed and prapared for Zumba, that you were not dressed for or able to hop on a treadmill, bike or elliptical to get in some good cardio and maybe lift a few weights. I bet if you had, by the time you would have gotten off that treadmill, you would have been "over" being mad. You would have gotten your workout in and we probably wouldn't be having this discussion right now.

Honestly, if you want to make a permanent change in your lifestyle it cannot be dependent on the availability of a Zumba class or any class. Maybe the gym management handled this thing poorly or were rude to you and you have good reason to be mad but the truth is that it is YOUR fault you didn't work out that day.

BeachIron

You are upset because they are enforcing a policy? It sounds like you knew about the policy, but decided to ignore it.

Sympathy not activated.

^ This. I got in trouble for dropping the weights doing deadlifts one day. Yes, I was doing 1 rep max PRs. Yes, I was using bumper plates. Yes, I was doing the one exercise where dropping a short distance is sort of part of the lift. But there it was, plain as day, a sign that said "Deadlifters: Please Do Not Drop the Weights." So, yes, I may have pouted, but not much more I could do.

It's kind of hard to argue with policies that are designed for a public gym to be comfortable and usable by everyone. Perhaps they don't like overcrowded classes.

Contrarian

You have to follow the rules. We're trying to enjoy a civilisation here, and following the rules is one of the cornerstones.