Dealing with Gym Jerks? How do you handle it?

chelso0o

I would try talking with them and ask if you can work a set during their rest... BS I know but atleast they get the hint nicely that they need to hurry the f up. I agree with everyone to go with free weights and dumbbells but sometimes people hog up those too.

I should take my own advice though, I still have trouble dealing with this:

GAHHHHHH CURLS IN THE SQUAT RACK!! I hate that!!! GAHHHH!

bagge72

I would try talking with them and ask if you can work a set during their rest... BS I know but atleast they get the hint nicely that they need to hurry the f up. I agree with everyone to go with free weights and dumbbells but sometimes people hog up those too.

I should take my own advice though, I still have trouble dealing with this:

Yeah I hate this, it is like guys feel like they won't look as strong if they do the same weight on a 25 or 35lb bar in the curl section, or god forbid if they aren't strong enough they don't use the preset ez-curl bars.

bagge72

I don't think you can do a whole lot if they are friends with the manager, but it is kind of your fault too, if you get there, and a machine you want to use is open, but you decide to be a gazelle on the elliptical first. If you know they use the same things you do, and those things are open, you need to switch up your routine, because you don't own the equipment.

auddii

Seeing as you're in college station this doesn't surprise me...Aggies. I'll just echo what people above said, just learn to do different exercises to hit the same muscle group. Between machines, free weights, cables, suspension trainers, and pure body weight exercises you can almost always find another way to do the exercise. More than one way to skin a cat.

Ha, that explains a lot.

I don't have any really good suggestions that people haven't already suggested. If you're affiliated with the university in any way, I strongly recommend their new gym (well, it was built like my last year there, so way not new anymore). I don't know about other gyms around town, but I'm sure there are some. And they're all competing against the campus gyms, so you would think they would want to not piss off customers.

I really liked the suggestion of a letter to the manager laying everything out and how asking nicely did nothing and you would like to break your contract since the equipment is unusable and management is unable to help. But, I think that should be last resort if you can't switch up your schedule a little (whether early morning or just lifting weights first if you beat them into the gym) or change up your routine to something that includes whatever equipment is free. Do they only have dumbbells, or is there a bench press and/or squat rack? Try working with the barbell if that's an option.

lizzardsm

but like you said, these muscle guys are always hogging machines. I need to use biceps/tricep and the fly and lat machines are the worst.

I have started just going right up and telling them I need to do a set of 20 and I wait for their set to be done.. then I rudely "work in."
If I can do it as a female on a male-dominated military base, you can do it too.

god- I am sick of hearing about "muscle guys and meat heads" hogging equipment and being dumb and all this other crap. People cry cry cry about body shaming- and you know the people who put in the most work- get *kitten* on the absolute most of all groups of people. Most of them are there to get there workout in- and go home.


GO ASK NICELY TO WORK IN
GO ASK HOW MANY SETS THEY HAVE TO DO.

You don't have to be rude. Why "RUDELY" work in- that's just so uncalled for and makes for a miserable lifting experience.

Just ask be polite and work it through.

It has nothing to do with you being a female- or not- it's not a frigging gender war.

uhhh yeah. THIS^^^. the freeweight section of my gym is full of super built guys and the occasional girl (and i'm pretty sure the girls are competitive lifters). i'm quite inexperienced and lift basically nothing in comparison but everyone's been super nice - AND i've been super nice to them!

sometimes i do my OHP in the squat rack but i make sure that it doesn't look like anyone is waiting for the rack. and if someone does ask for it, i quickly abandon and go to the "pre-weighted" straight bars. when i need a piece of equipment like the bench or the squat rack, i politely ask how many sets they have left while they are resting. i'm doing stronglifts so i can't really switch but i just hang around and wait till they are done. no need for animosity.

as for these idiots goofing off - honestly, i'd switch to something like stronglifts. it's far more effective. but if you're married to your current program, just ask how many sets they have left. it's a far more direct question than "how much time." i couldn't tell you how much time it takes me to get through 5x5. it depends. if i fail to hit my 5 reps i'll need more rest time between sets.

bagge72

but like you said, these muscle guys are always hogging machines. I need to use biceps/tricep and the fly and lat machines are the worst.

I have started just going right up and telling them I need to do a set of 20 and I wait for their set to be done.. then I rudely "work in."
If I can do it as a female on a male-dominated military base, you can do it too.

god- I am sick of hearing about "muscle guys and meat heads" hogging equipment and being dumb and all this other crap. People cry cry cry about body shaming- and you know the people who put in the most work- get *kitten* on the absolute most of all groups of people. Most of them are there to get there workout in- and go home.


GO ASK NICELY TO WORK IN
GO ASK HOW MANY SETS THEY HAVE TO DO.

You don't have to be rude. Why "RUDELY" work in- that's just so uncalled for and makes for a miserable lifting experience.

Just ask be polite and work it through.

It has nothing to do with you being a female- or not- it's not a frigging gender war.

True story, and the people who do put in the most work are the nicest people at the gym, and will always let you work in, or at least give you a heads up, and hold a bench or a rack for you as soon as they are done.

__freckles__

This happens to me.. I'm a female 5'7" and not bulky.. just trying to be lean and fit.
I have a gym at my work that I use during lunch time.. that's when I do my weight training - but like you said, these muscle guys are always hogging machines. I need to use biceps/tricep and the fly and lat machines are the worst.

I have started just going right up and telling them I need to do a set of 20 and I wait for their set to be done.. then I rudely "work in."
If I can do it as a female on a male-dominated military base, you can do it too.

I also tell the gym manager and show that it is occurring. They leave their towel on a machine and work on an adjacent machine.
So I'll go up to that machine, see the towel and tell the gym personnel "someone must have left a dirty towel." Then the towel gets taken to the dirty bin and they're SOL...

God forbid you get too bulky. Hehe.

Collier78

but like you said, these muscle guys are always hogging machines. I need to use biceps/tricep and the fly and lat machines are the worst.

I have started just going right up and telling them I need to do a set of 20 and I wait for their set to be done.. then I rudely "work in."
If I can do it as a female on a male-dominated military base, you can do it too.

god- I am sick of hearing about "muscle guys and meat heads" hogging equipment and being dumb and all this other crap. People cry cry cry about body shaming- and you know the people who put in the most work- get *kitten* on the absolute most of all groups of people. Most of them are there to get there workout in- and go home.


GO ASK NICELY TO WORK IN
GO ASK HOW MANY SETS THEY HAVE TO DO.

You don't have to be rude. Why "RUDELY" work in- that's just so uncalled for and makes for a miserable lifting experience.

Just ask be polite and work it through.

It has nothing to do with you being a female- or not- it's not a frigging gender war.

True story, and the people who do put in the most work are the nicest people at the gym, and will always let you work in, or at least give you a heads up, and hold a bench or a rack for you as soon as they are done.

^^This is absolutely truth on both accounts. As one of few females in the free weight sections most of the "regular" lifters have become like big brothers, and I've learned quite a few things!

lizzardsm

but like you said, these muscle guys are always hogging machines. I need to use biceps/tricep and the fly and lat machines are the worst.

I have started just going right up and telling them I need to do a set of 20 and I wait for their set to be done.. then I rudely "work in."
If I can do it as a female on a male-dominated military base, you can do it too.

god- I am sick of hearing about "muscle guys and meat heads" hogging equipment and being dumb and all this other crap. People cry cry cry about body shaming- and you know the people who put in the most work- get *kitten* on the absolute most of all groups of people. Most of them are there to get there workout in- and go home.


GO ASK NICELY TO WORK IN
GO ASK HOW MANY SETS THEY HAVE TO DO.

You don't have to be rude. Why "RUDELY" work in- that's just so uncalled for and makes for a miserable lifting experience.

Just ask be polite and work it through.

It has nothing to do with you being a female- or not- it's not a frigging gender war.

True story, and the people who do put in the most work are the nicest people at the gym, and will always let you work in, or at least give you a heads up, and hold a bench or a rack for you as soon as they are done.

^^This is absolutely truth on both accounts. As one of few females in the free weight sections most of the "regular" lifters have become like big brothers, and I've learned quite a few things!

Totally true story. In one of my more "shy" moments, I was waiting for the rack without saying anything. One of the guys in the area asked if I was waiting for the rack. He then talked to the guy using the rack and negotiated getting me in next.

Azdak

Thanks, RG. I was using "guys" as an inclusive term. Did not mean to imply it was exclusively male.

Except that it almost always is.

Bun_Ya

god- I am sick of hearing about "muscle guys and meat heads" hogging equipment and being dumb and all this other crap. People cry cry cry about body shaming- and you know the people who put in the most work- get *kitten* on the absolute most of all groups of people. Most of them are there to get there workout in- and go home.

Real life.

LiftAllThePizzas

LOL it's called common courtesy. We all pay for the equipment and use of them. Resting is not sitting ON the squat rack itself for five minutes. Not only disrespectful to people who want to use the equipment in a timely manner but it's also disrespectful to the gym. I don't care if people are that exhausted that they need to rest for five minutes but don't sit on the equipment. The gym I go to also provides olympic bars for curling, deadlifting, stripping.... just kidding about the last one but they are provided for a reason.

Glad you had this amazing experience where someone curling shared with you and laughed with you but in a lot of cases, that doesn't happen. I think you need to "back up" and think about that possibility.

You do not get to tell me how to rest- or anyone else. If I or anyone else want to sit on the barbell while they are resting- fine-I'm going to- as a matter of fact- I do it 3 times a week. If someone is waiting for the equpiment- I move along- I make a mini plan with them and I do my thing- I don't rush- and I may not rest for quiet as long- but I'm not going to cut out resting entirely- you can just wait. I'm very amicably- I'm the first usually to come up with a plan with someone to make sure we can all get a work out in.

As long as no one is waiting and being held up- get your panties unwadded- it's not bothering you or your work out so let it be. If i'ts holding you up- that's a different story- but we are talking two different situations which require two different responses/actions.


And "disrespecting" the gym for sitting down? BAW HA HA HA H HAHA just no.

It means nothing to the gym if people sit down. - disrespecting the gym is throwing plates around- jumping around on equipment like 5 year olds -leaving crap lying around or in the middle of the walk way- spitting on the floors- not throwing paper towels away- sitting down is not disrespecting the gym. It means nothing to the gym- it's just sitting.

I'm disrespecting my dining room chair right now.

stryder77

There are several good suggestions here. I think the letter to the owner and maybe the 3 of them might maybe some impact without changing my routine yet. I'm making good progress and not sure if changing how i'm doing things because of 3 twerps is a good choice yet.

Thank you all for the suggestions.

As for it being aggies... I'm not an A&M fan. I didn't go to school here. After seeing what the university does with their money, i'm not very proud to live here. I'm only here because I got married here and my wife wants to live close to her family so I'm stuck... Trust me, on game days, I NEVER leave the house. Friggin idiot aggies.

LiftAllThePizzas

but like you said, these muscle guys are always hogging machines. I need to use biceps/tricep and the fly and lat machines are the worst.

I have started just going right up and telling them I need to do a set of 20 and I wait for their set to be done.. then I rudely "work in."
If I can do it as a female on a male-dominated military base, you can do it too.

god- I am sick of hearing about "muscle guys and meat heads" hogging equipment and being dumb and all this other crap. People cry cry cry about body shaming- and you know the people who put in the most work- get *kitten* on the absolute most of all groups of people. Most of them are there to get there workout in- and go home.


GO ASK NICELY TO WORK IN
GO ASK HOW MANY SETS THEY HAVE TO DO.

You don't have to be rude. Why "RUDELY" work in- that's just so uncalled for and makes for a miserable lifting experience.

Just ask be polite and work it through.

It has nothing to do with you being a female- or not- it's not a frigging gender war.

But if you are intimidated, it's automatically the other person's fault for existing wrongly. Do you even MFP?:laugh:

JoRocka

I'm disrespecting my dining room chair right now.

been disrespecting my work space all day

But if you are intimidated, it's automatically the other person's fault for existing wrongly. Do you even MFP?:laugh:

um no. I do not. I only pose in the bathrooms. Also only with golf clubs- because I like to intimidate people