Poll: Giving compliments at the gym?

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  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    I have had people give me compliments at my gym, usually in regards to my weight loss...which means it is starting to show (score!). It actually doesn't bother me and gives me warm fuzzies.

    And I have had compliments in regards to the routine I was doing. Had some guy say to me, "Just watching what you are doing makes me tired." I love comments like that, lol.
  • simsburyjet
    simsburyjet Posts: 999 Member
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    I always compliment people at the gym. .Men and Women..
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
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    Compliments aren't inherently weird. ...Of course they can be depending on the delivery.

    Id say if you find it weird or creepy to be complimented then that might be something to work on. Not being a **** here either, but graciously being able to accept a compliment is an actual skill with real life value IMO.
  • walterm852
    walterm852 Posts: 409 Member
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    I like it when people compliment me on my workout -- how much I lift, how intensely I work out. I would feel weird if someone, male or female, commented on my body.
    sorry for going off topic, maybe its on topic, 98lbs ...totally legit ...awesome! Thank you for the inspiration
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
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    I've had women ask me what I was doing and ask if I had any tips for how to improve certain things and it turns into a short compliment giving conversation. I had a guy ask me about the deadlifts I was doing the other day and then that led to some compliments. Initially, I'm kind of shocked by someone talking to me because, as a lot of these other posts state, talking to people is considered pretty much the rudest most inappropriate thing you can do at the gym... like, I'm trying to lift bro... :wink:

    Wait until she's finished with a set and ask her a question about some movement she was doing or ask how long it's taken her to accomplish whatever you look up to her for... the gym is a social environment as much as people insist that it isn't.
  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
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    It would creep me out. I would think you're either weird or that you're hitting on me. Neither would be okay for me. I absolutely hate dealing with people's judgements - both good and bad. I hate the scrutiny.

    I also hate people looking which is why I don't lift. Guys really need to focus more on themselves at the gym!

    Not everyone that says something nice to you is hitting on you. All the guys in the gym are not staring at you. I hear that comment a lot from woman and its simply not the case. Some creeps might be staring, but its not the majority.
  • iwanttoinspireothers
    iwanttoinspireothers Posts: 2
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    WOW, im just getting too old school to keep up it sounds like. Old days, people... WOMEN included LOVED having people compliment them on their well kept physiques. I work HARD to stay in shape...GUYS know how hard another guy is working to have a thin stomach I LOVE when someone notices my progress

    AND I LOVE talking with people I don't put myself in a shell with headphones and "do my thing" and get out of there. You have to be kind to your fellow man. TALK TO PEOPLE BE APPROACHABLE yourself ...It isn't JUST about you. Sorry,, but its not.
    How do you ever make friends? Oh let me guess, you don't "need" anymore friends. THAT is the bggest way today you are fooling yourself It says you think youre "all that"
    It doesn't mean JUMP in bed with me if someone says wow youre looking great!!

    WOW
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,680 Member
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    Compliments should be fine. The majority of people who exercise consistently do it to look good anyway. Just a quick comment of "just want to say what ever you're doing is working" usually doesn't come across as creepy and if you're not constantly staring at the person, shouldn't cause an uproar.
    People like compliments. They don't like being stalked though.

    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
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
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    I have done it many times in passing. The trick is to not try to make it a conversation, but a statement, and keep going on about your routein.

    seems like there is a lot of wisdom in this. if its just something you say and thats it, you'd have to be a little concieded or parinoid or something to take it as anything other then face value
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    WOW, im just getting too old school to keep up it sounds like. Old days, people... WOMEN included LOVED having people compliment them on their well kept physiques. I work HARD to stay in shape...GUYS know how hard another guy is working to have a thin stomach I LOVE when someone notices my progress

    AND I LOVE talking with people I don't put myself in a shell with headphones and "do my thing" and get out of there. You have to be kind to your fellow man. TALK TO PEOPLE BE APPROACHABLE yourself ...It isn't JUST about you. Sorry,, but its not.
    How do you ever make friends? Oh let me guess, you don't "need" anymore friends. THAT is the bggest way today you are fooling yourself It says you think youre "all that"
    It doesn't mean JUMP in bed with me if someone says wow youre looking great!!

    WOW

    So are you approachable on the toilet? In the shower? There are activities that are considered personal. Working out hard is one of them. Just because it's a big public room doesn't mean you have to talk to everyone. There are appropriate times and places to be social.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
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    I wouldn't walk up to someone in the gym who was in the middle of a workout but I did compliment someone in the locker room the other day. She just happened to be standing next to me while getting ready so I started asking her how long she'd been working out and mentioned that she has a physique I'd love to have.

    Unfortunately she was a figure skater for 17 years and has never been overweight so the likelihood of having a physique like hers.. 0% lol
  • fishnbrah
    fishnbrah Posts: 550
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    i told this hot asian chick in the gym last night that i was admiring her quads. she loved it
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    These people are just rude. How do you develop and nurture a support system with such rudeness. Is this what you teach your children? No wonder we as a society are in trouble. My goodness!

    I teach my kids to respect boundaries. I have social anxiety and I would feel totally weird and creeped out by some random comment about my body. Crazy folks come in all types.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
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    WOW, im just getting too old school to keep up it sounds like. Old days, people... WOMEN included LOVED having people compliment them on their well kept physiques. I work HARD to stay in shape...GUYS know how hard another guy is working to have a thin stomach I LOVE when someone notices my progress

    AND I LOVE talking with people I don't put myself in a shell with headphones and "do my thing" and get out of there. You have to be kind to your fellow man. TALK TO PEOPLE BE APPROACHABLE yourself ...It isn't JUST about you. Sorry,, but its not.
    How do you ever make friends? Oh let me guess, you don't "need" anymore friends. THAT is the bggest way today you are fooling yourself It says you think youre "all that"
    It doesn't mean JUMP in bed with me if someone says wow youre looking great!!

    WOW

    lol i have to say i'd probably like the gym a little better if i opened my mouth now and then.

    I'm all about getting in and out, but it might seem like less of a chore if there was some people i at least said 'hi' to in there lol
  • showerpogo
    showerpogo Posts: 1
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    After I did a particularly difficult session of lifting weights at the gym, one of those body builder type guys complimented me. He said, "You worked really hard today. Great job!" It was just an off-hand comment in passing, but it really made me feel great! Not that I want anyone watching me or looking, but it is a public forum and people are going to look no matter what. I'm horribly out of shape and have a long way to go to reach my goal weight, but the fact that he took a brief moment to give me that encouragement was awesome. So I guess it really depends on the person. But I like what someone else said, to compliment their workout or their dedication or their strength, as opposed to how they look. I would have been creeped out if that guy had made some comment about my physique.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    Wow, there are some socially stunted people in the world. It would creep you out for someone to compliment something about your physique ... at the gym ... where you are ostensibly working to improve your physique (please spare me the "I do it for health reasons" diatribe)?

    If you have honest intentions, it is unlikely that a person is going to think you're a creep over a compliment. It absolutely makes my freaking day for someone to tell me I have nice legs or shoulders or hamstrings or whatever. I never interpret it as a proposal of marriage, but I'm sort of normal like that.

    My advice would be

    - Smile, be confident, be friendly.
    - Say something like "I can tell you work really hard, and I think that's awesome," as opposed to "You have a great body, and I want to look like you."
  • copselily
    copselily Posts: 117
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    It's well intentioned but inappropriate IMO. Just because someone looks in good shape doesn't mean they're doing it in a healthy way, you could be complimenting an eating disorder for all you know.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    WOW, im just getting too old school to keep up it sounds like. Old days, people... WOMEN included LOVED having people compliment them on their well kept physiques. I work HARD to stay in shape...GUYS know how hard another guy is working to have a thin stomach I LOVE when someone notices my progress

    AND I LOVE talking with people I don't put myself in a shell with headphones and "do my thing" and get out of there. You have to be kind to your fellow man. TALK TO PEOPLE BE APPROACHABLE yourself ...It isn't JUST about you. Sorry,, but its not.
    How do you ever make friends? Oh let me guess, you don't "need" anymore friends. THAT is the bggest way today you are fooling yourself It says you think youre "all that"
    It doesn't mean JUMP in bed with me if someone says wow youre looking great!!

    WOW

    Strong First Post
  • mboromom
    mboromom Posts: 85 Member
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    OMG it's just a compliment! I love giving and receiving compliments? Since when has it become a bad thing?
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
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    These people are just rude. How do you develop and nurture a support system with such rudeness. Is this what you teach your children? No wonder we as a society are in trouble. My goodness!

    Don't understand the comment. What/who is being rude? If I understand your statement, I am being rude fo rsharing that I have no interest in talking to anyone at the gym?

    Please clarify?

    Best to all, social or not!

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