Working in between someone's sets?

micheleb15
micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This seems like a dumb question, but I've always wondered how this works. Luckily, I've never had to do it because I will just work on something else until the rack is open. So, what's the etiquette? I figure I may have to learn once the New Year's resolution people swarm to the gym in January. It honestly doesn't make sense to me - doesn't it take more time to switch the plates/weights back and forth than to just let them finish their entire set?

Replies

  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    Who does that?
  • beekay70
    beekay70 Posts: 214 Member
    I get what you are saying. I know that it's supposed to be okay to work in, and I've offered to let someone work in; but it does seem impractical most of the time and awkward, especially if you are adding or losing a lot of plates. I've worked in on a curl/tricep machine and a pulldown machine, but it was just a matter of moving a pin to my weight, then as a courtesy, I moved it back to the weight that was previously selected.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Depends. Don't ask the guy doing huge numbers to work in- if you are just starting.

    working in with sets TENDS to be better for machines- moving 1 pin is much more simple than 2-300 lbs.

    Also Dumbbells- kind of weird- but if you know them you can work between sets.

    Squat racks/power cages- meh- it's hard to work in- if I'm dead lifting and someone wants to squat it'll never work. But if they want to over head squat- and I'm straight squatting- it's not going to be an issue.

    You gotta get a feel for who is around and what they are doing. it does not ALWAYS work. that's just the way the cookie crumbles.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member

    working in with sets TENDS to be better for machines- moving 1 pin is much more simple than 2-300 lbs.

    I figured this was the only way it worked. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member

    working in with sets TENDS to be better for machines- moving 1 pin is much more simple than 2-300 lbs.

    I figured this was the only way it worked. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

    I lift with one friend regularly- and I can hang with him up to a point and then we spend the time switching weights out- because his squat is almost 100-150 lbs heavier than mine. His bench is much heavier too. So we spend some time moving plates- but it's worth the effort because I like lifting with him.

    When I lift with my other friend- she's not even breaking 100 lbs for her deadlift- it's REALLY hard to do because my warm up is with the wheels on. So we are moving 100 lbs just to GET WARMED UP.

    That's a huge pain in the *kitten*. TWO BARS.

    But yeah- it's one of those "it depends" ... use common sense and general courtesy and it'll get you through just fine. You're definitely not missing anything!
  • SexKittenlovesitrough
    SexKittenlovesitrough Posts: 486
    it depends....there are a few guys that I will do this with...mostly because their sets are getting so heavy that their rest times are almost 3-5 minutes....so i can fit a set and a rerack into that time...

    i've been around my gym long enough to know who I can work in between their sets and who I can't....and they are friendly enough to offer to let me do it...I didn't even have to ask to be honest.
  • ChancyW
    ChancyW Posts: 437 Member
    It depends. If it's a machine where the weights can easily be adjusted by moving the pin down or up, I will work in.

    Something like a squat rack I will just wait my turn for.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    it depends....there are a few guys that I will do this with...mostly because their sets are getting so heavy that their rest times are almost 3-5 minutes....so i can fit a set and a rerack into that time...

    i've been around my gym long enough to know who I can work in between their sets and who I can't....and they are friendly enough to offer to let me do it...I didn't even have to ask to be honest.

    yup
    I think that's the other thing- not just the weight and the exercise- but HOW they are doing it.

    Some of my rests are like 5-10 minutes long. You're damn right I'll let someone work in... i'm not that greedy.

    You just get a feel for it as you get used to being around the same people.
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    it depends....there are a few guys that I will do this with...mostly because their sets are getting so heavy that their rest times are almost 3-5 minutes....so i can fit a set and a rerack into that time...

    i've been around my gym long enough to know who I can work in between their sets and who I can't....and they are friendly enough to offer to let me do it...I didn't even have to ask to be honest.

    yup
    I think that's the other thing- not just the weight and the exercise- but HOW they are doing it.

    Some of my rests are like 5-10 minutes long. You're damn right I'll let someone work in... i'm not that greedy.

    You just get a feel for it as you get used to being around the same people.

    I see the same people, but never pay attention to their workout. I've worked in with pull-up bar at the cable machine, but that is in no way the same. I'm just going to hope that the New Year's people stay on the cardio side.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    I must have been out of the gym too long. Back when I went to one, it was very common to work in with people even if you didnt know them. People were friendly and it usually wasnt a big deal. As long as you dont have to fully strip the bar, changing plates takes seconds with a person on each side.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I must have been out of the gym too long. Back when I went to one, it was very common to work in with people even if you didnt know them. People were friendly and it usually wasnt a big deal. As long as you dont have to fully strip the bar, changing plates takes seconds with a person on each side.

    I'll only work in with strangers on machines.

    I wouldn't ask someone I didn't know to do squat work with me. nope. To much work. To busy- to much time.

    But I agree- it's much faster with 2 people.

    I have had clients WATCH me change their weight- I was like- GET OVER THERE AND HELP!
  • karinefitness
    karinefitness Posts: 336 Member
    I get what you are saying. I know that it's supposed to be okay to work in, and I've offered to let someone work in; but it does seem impractical most of the time and awkward, especially if you are adding or losing a lot of plates. I've worked in on a curl/tricep machine and a pulldown machine, but it was just a matter of moving a pin to my weight, then as a courtesy, I moved it back to the weight that was previously selected.

    That.

    I usually don't ask and I'll wait until the machine is free for me to use, but I might ask if I really need it now (maybe if I am almost done with my workout or something). I usually don't ask to use the squat rack/cage or if there is moving of plates involved, unless I am using the same weight as the person who is using it.

    But I have no problem sharing my machine with anyone who asks.

Categories