How to handle poor etiquette in free weight area

treasuremapper
treasuremapper Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I worked out for years at a crummy neighborhood gym that looked like a garage. No frill, and a very strict manager. Anyone with poor free weight etiquette was banned from the gym. As a result, in spite of its rough edges, and total lack of decent aerobic equipment (we jogged instead) it was a pleasure to work out there.

Now I live closer to a mega gym, yes, LTF. It is gorgeous, perfect, etc. But the gym etiquette in the free weight area is so bad I can barely stand to use it. Guys sitting on benches between sets refusing to work in. Weights, towels, water bottles, etc. left all over the ground. People hoarding two benches and multiple sets of weights during crowded times.

How should I approach this? Should I let management handle it? Switch to a chain that takes etiquette seriously? I"m just starting to lift weights again and need to lose the weight I gained during the years of lethargy.

Free weights are easier because I already know how to use them - they are all the same more or less at every gym. The only equipment resembling machines my old gym had was a cable machine and a lat machine.

Thank you. No staff are ever near, except the personal trainers, and they do not seem to care.

Replies

  • steve0820
    steve0820 Posts: 510 Member
    It can be an issue with most commercial gym's unfortunately. If I could work out at home, I would. I would talk to management, if they are really adamant about not letting anyone work in? If you can try and work around it, I know its hard sometimes. The other I had the same issue at my gym, it's a small community center gym, 1 power rack, 1 bench. A guy was doing a circuit training using squat, bench, machines and free weights, pretty much hogging whole area.
  • mjudd1990
    mjudd1990 Posts: 219 Member
    LTF was always a zoo in the early evening after work. I used this as an opportunity to try other exercises for the same body part. If the dumbell rack was crowded, use a cable cross, barbell, machine, or do a body weight exercise equivalent. If I absolutely needed to use a piece of equipment I'd give people a reasonable time frame i.e. roughly how much time I would want to use it and if they are taking an exorbitant amount of time then Ill go drop some hints for them to hurry the hell up. A good portion of gym goers are gonna be lazy and inconsiderate but I just chalk it up to them being naive rather than intentionally being jerks
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    <deal with it.gif>
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    <deal with it.gif>

    46691-cat-deal-with-it-gif-IjeF.gif
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    And for a limited time only, also available in the classier black and white version, complete with hipster glasses:

    XsfEG2w.gif
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
    Agreed - deal with it - sorry not geeky enough to post moving pictures :laugh:

    Same here - big boys gym - only weights, very limited cardio equipment + a manager + staff very in your face - no weights lying, no towels lying and no one wasting unnecessary space.

    Moved to a new neighborhood, joined a commercial gym and it's like a zoo.

    2 things I picked up from my previous gym, I (always) rack back and I am very much in everybody's face who has no proper etiquette. You waste space, you waste time, you don't rack back, you basically show poor (if any) etiquette - I won't fail in mentioning it - direct -

    It works (+ you score cookie points with the big boys and girls in free weights area)!
  • katimama
    katimama Posts: 191 Member
    I just started a lifting routing (strong lifts) and I'm running into the same thing. I'm too intimated by the big muscled guys who dominate the free weight area to say anything and I feel like a tool just standing there and waiting for my turn. I'm hoping that as my confidence in lifting builds I won't be so nervous to say something to them, but for now I am going to try and go to the gym when they typically aren't there in mass numbers.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Just go ask the big muscled guys how much longer they need the equipment. They'll be nice to you, I promise.
  • jhc7324
    jhc7324 Posts: 200 Member
    Just go ask the big muscled guys how much longer they need the equipment. They'll be nice to you, I promise.
    This

    You'd be surprised how many times the question "How many sets do you have left?" gets answered with "just one more" when the person was obviously screwing around and hogging the space. Just asking the question seems to make the oblivious and inconsiderate guy using the equipment realize what's up and hurry the hell up.

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