Why do men make noises at the gym?

groovy_gals2000
groovy_gals2000 Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I understand weight lifting and grunting sort of come together. But there's this guy at my gym, who unfortunately seems to favour the hour right before it closes like I do, and he grunts all the time! With everything. Weights, stepper machine, rowing machine everything. He's also known to be a bit creepy, lots of people know 'of' him and I know girls who refuse to go alone to gym in the evening in case he's there.

What I want to know, is if the noises are required. Or if hes just trying to get attention? I've seen people lift heavier stuff then him, or work higher settings on rowing machines and not grunt. Its frustrating and very off putting when you're trying to concentrate on your own thing.

He really annoys me, when using the weight machines he always drops the weight from height, so they make an almighty crash noise. And, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that's bad for the machines right?

Anyway, I just sort of wanted a guys opinion. I don't actually know any guys who go the gym (except one, but he just uses the bike so not sure he'd know). Thanks
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Replies

  • rejectuf
    rejectuf Posts: 487 Member
    Sounds like the dude is just a weird jerk.

    It's completely normal to grunt or make noise on your last set if you're doing a heavy weight or doing something like working up to a 1 rep max. But doing it on rowing machines, and constantly is just annoying. There's also no reason to drop the weights.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    Snickering loudly when he's grunting & using the rowing machine might be effective. Failing that I'd probably just be tempted to hop on the next machine & out row him minus the accompanying noises. Disapproving pointed looks are also a good tactic. The bloke sounds a right tit.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    My husband and I were just talking about this today. He was making some noises today when he was lifting the most he ever had. Then he told me that he was talking to one of the managers at the gym and apologizing for all of the noise...she said that it wasn't that bad; BUT she did have to tell one guy that he was being too loud. THAT guy makes noises on every machine all of the time too.

    It's probably that the guy is weird or has no concept that it is obnoxious. Why do some people sing while they are exercising? I'm pretty sure that they are in their own worlds and don't even realize that EVERYONE can hear them. I think the singing is really weird.
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
    Yeah dropping the weights is pretty bad IMO. One rep is up AND down isn't it? So dropping them means you're only doing half a rep and probably have a gorilla brain. I do think grunting helps you lift/work more though, so I wouldn't care so much about that (have you watched a tennis match?). I am more of a wheezer personally lol.

    As for advice, headphones in, volume max!
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Well, consider this...Martial artists grunt or yell because the expulsion of air allows for greater power/speed. That is partially why some weight lifters do it.
  • rejectuf
    rejectuf Posts: 487 Member
    Dropping barbells when working on a max set can happen and is a normal part of going to the gym. On a machine, it's pretty idiotic.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    how his noises compare to others' is irrelevant, as are the amount of weights he's pushing and pulling.

    he is exerting himself, and likely getting a kick-*kitten* workout.

    i grunt a lot at the gym too.
    and then when i come out of the stall and go lift, i make noises then as well.

    he's working hard.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    i made a 'lil noise today on a last rep or two.

    i was werkin hard.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Yeah dropping the weights is pretty bad IMO. One rep is up AND down isn't it? So dropping them means you're only doing half a rep and probably have a gorilla brain. I do think grunting helps you lift/work more though, so I wouldn't care so much about that (have you watched a tennis match?). I am more of a wheezer personally lol.

    As for advice, headphones in, volume max!

    What if they're lifting to failure? Weights will be dropped, and it's a sign of success.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    I can get the noises with the weights. As for the cardio he's probably just setting the levels too high & not doing intervals. Which is totally fine its his call. If he's grunting with the exertion on the rower he's probably got the damper set too high. It wouldn't actually be doing him any favours if he has. Maybe he's more into lifting & added in some cardio recently but hasn't been instructed on the machines? You could always just give him a heads up if you're on a machine next to him.

    *Edited for semi illiteracy.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Yeah dropping the weights is pretty bad IMO. One rep is up AND down isn't it? So dropping them means you're only doing half a rep and probably have a gorilla brain. I do think grunting helps you lift/work more though, so I wouldn't care so much about that (have you watched a tennis match?). I am more of a wheezer personally lol.

    As for advice, headphones in, volume max!

    A bit of distraction from grunting is better than hearing loss IMO.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    You could've just told me this in the gym, you know.

    *cry*
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    I grunt.

    Maybe you should work out at another time or change gyms altogether if his "grunting" annoys you so much....
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    LOL at grunting on the rowing machine. I think I actually would LOL IRL if I saw this.
  • amberrenee813
    amberrenee813 Posts: 395 Member
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  • WeepingAngel81
    WeepingAngel81 Posts: 2,232 Member
    I grunt at the gym, but I'm a woman. Is it still unacceptable?
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Yeah dropping the weights is pretty bad IMO. One rep is up AND down isn't it? So dropping them means you're only doing half a rep and probably have a gorilla brain.

    Thanks for that, Gorilla brain here since I drop the bar when doing max deadlift or cleans, and even sometimes when just doing heavy sets and not PR's. Good thing I don't go to your gym, I might offend you. :huh:

    Rigger
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    So one guy at your gym makes noises.....and he now represents all guys?
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    If you think grunting and dropping weights is not normal or expected, you know nothing about lifting heavy.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    So one guy at your gym makes noises.....and he now represents all guys?

    We're all the same.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    I grunt at the gym, but I'm a woman. Is it still unacceptable?

    Yes - who do you think you are?!
  • WeepingAngel81
    WeepingAngel81 Posts: 2,232 Member
    I grunt at the gym, but I'm a woman. Is it still unacceptable?

    Yes - who do you think you are?!

    Must be that gorilla brain keeping me from being all lady like. By the way......I sweat too *gasp*
  • George_Baileys_Ghost
    George_Baileys_Ghost Posts: 1,524 Member
    Look....with all the pressure exerted on my torso during my average lifting session, the sound is going to come out one end or the other....your choice, lady.
  • pennyks88
    pennyks88 Posts: 167 Member
    That's why my iPod is my best friend while exercising. I'm an introvert anyway, so it's nice to be in my own musical world and ignore the people working out around me. If there was a guy grunting non-stop at my gym, I'd just crank up the volume and laugh about him later. There was a guy at the gym I used to go to who would get on the machine directly behind me, every time. I know I have a nice butt, but come on! It's not hard to figure out a creep.
  • joan23_us
    joan23_us Posts: 263 Member
    I understand weight lifting and grunting sort of come together. But there's this guy at my gym, who unfortunately seems to favour the hour right before it closes like I do, and he grunts all the time! With everything. Weights, stepper machine, rowing machine everything. He's also known to be a bit creepy, lots of people know 'of' him and I know girls who refuse to go alone to gym in the evening in case he's there.

    What I want to know, is if the noises are required. Or if hes just trying to get attention? I've seen people lift heavier stuff then him, or work higher settings on rowing machines and not grunt. Its frustrating and very off putting when you're trying to concentrate on your own thing.

    He really annoys me, when using the weight machines he always drops the weight from height, so they make an almighty crash noise. And, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that's bad for the machines right?

    Anyway, I just sort of wanted a guys opinion. I don't actually know any guys who go the gym (except one, but he just uses the bike so not sure he'd know). Thanks


    used to get annoyed with this as well.... get an ipod on your ear, blast that hard rock music on and lift heavy or do HIIT in the cardio machine... you will be grunting yourself in no time without noticing it... and who knows, someone in here might put a complain here as well lol, ;P on a serious note, focus on your own training thats why i usually just get the workout quickly, an hour the most, monitor your rest periods.... 60-90 secs. tops each set... and get out of there quickly! ;)
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    If you think grunting and dropping weights is not normal or expected, you know nothing about lifting heavy.

    So you're a fan of a little bit of grunting?
  • joan23_us
    joan23_us Posts: 263 Member
    That's why my iPod is my best friend while exercising. I'm an introvert anyway, so it's nice to be in my own musical world and ignore the people working out around me. If there was a guy grunting non-stop at my gym, I'd just crank up the volume and laugh about him later. There was a guy at the gym I used to go to who would get on the machine directly behind me, every time. I know I have a nice butt, but come on! It's not hard to figure out a creep.

    creep, grunting... they are everywhere and the gym is not an exemption... get in do your exercise and get out ;P
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    If you think grunting and dropping weights is not normal or expected, you know nothing about lifting heavy.

    So you're a fan of a little bit of grunting?

    I'm a fan of people who lift heavy. And grunting goes with the territory.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    Arnold Schwarzenegger said it best:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nZ1v96-veM
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    I don't .. if anything it is more like a very soft whimper that only I can hear. ;-)

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