Ridicule at the gym?

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  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
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    I have never seen this at all... it seems like something that is self projected.

    This is my take, as well.

    My gym is a powerlifters gym. It would be easy for a beginner to feel intimidated, even though the guys there are always willing to spot and are just happy to see others there working out. The feeling of intimidation is more about the beginner's insecurities, and not the other people working out.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    I have exercised for decades--typically Jazzercise--but I have been to gym's too. I HAVE NEVER seen anyone ridiculed or intimidated because they were overweight. Most people are happy you're there, trying to take it off. And many in a gym will help you if you have a question, and some may speak up to try and help you if you're doing something wrong. (That's not intimidation or ridicule, it's just a concerned member helping out that's been doing it for a while--that is trying to keep you from injuring yourself.)

    I think a lot of overweight people "think" that people are watching them--whispering behind closed doors in gym's about them, when it's really not happening. In fact, I think the gym is the LAST place you go to in your daily activities that you would be watched or ridiculed. Many of the members were probably fat at one time in their lives, and many are there for the same reason you are.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    Its like the first day of school when you are at a new school. You don't know anybody, don't know what to do and are terrified. It always possible to run into a jerk but I have never seen it happen.
  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 874 Member
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    enterdanger said:
    However, I look crazy when I exercise since I like to sing and dance on the elliptical and treadmill when I'm exercising. People leave me alone.
    Sounds great. I would appreciate a person at the gym who enjoys life so much. Almost all the people at my PF plug in the headphones and zone out. Boooring.

    If the gym rats kept poking fun at me, I also would feel terrible and leave. Then I would cancel the membership, demand a refund and tell management the reason is abuse. When a business loses money, they take action
  • congruns
    congruns Posts: 127 Member
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    sticks and stones....
  • ClintonnGottaDoItAgain
    ClintonnGottaDoItAgain Posts: 17 Member
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    I don't worry about what people are saying. I don't even care that they are watching me lift weights. I have on headphones and music to drown out all the gym noise and bantering. I have had people come up to me and talk to me because I'm not supposedly the normal average gym goer because I have a Physical Impairment. I'm not there to gawk or stare or look at women's a**** or whatever most of the dudes lifting free weights are doing. I've even noticed women continually walking around just trying to get noticed by the weight lifters. Planet Fitness has already had talks with a couple of women at my gym for "Flaunting" or "Causing Distractions" because of what they are wearing and how they keep walking around the gym. I am glad to see Seniors, Disabled Individuals, Special Needs Individuals at my gym because everyone has a right to be fit and healthy and not be judged while going through the motions. I am done.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I have belonged to a few different gyms and this has never happened to me.

    However, at the first gym I belonged to, every Saturday morning these two women would fight like crazy over one of the treadmills. They weren't nice to each other, but they left other people alone. It was entertaining.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,895 Member
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    I have never seen this at any of the gyms I have been to. I'm sure it happens because not everyone in life is as nice as they should be, but I would hope that other people wouldn't stand for that. I would definitely speak up if I saw someone being picked on or intimidated.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
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    Wear headphones & stay focused.

    I would never know if someone at the gym had something to say - I'm in my own world.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    I don't worry about what people are saying. I don't even care that they are watching me lift weights. I have on headphones and music to drown out all the gym noise and bantering. I have had people come up to me and talk to me because I'm not supposedly the normal average gym goer because I have a Physical Impairment. I'm not there to gawk or stare or look at women's a**** or whatever most of the dudes lifting free weights are doing. I've even noticed women continually walking around just trying to get noticed by the weight lifters. Planet Fitness has already had talks with a couple of women at my gym for "Flaunting" or "Causing Distractions" because of what they are wearing and how they keep walking around the gym. I am glad to see Seniors, Disabled Individuals, Special Needs Individuals at my gym because everyone has a right to be fit and healthy and not be judged while going through the motions. I am done.

    This isn't judgemental at all... :noway: :noway: :huh:
  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
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    No one does that at my gym, from what I've seen. I'd like to see someone do that to me so I can trade it for a dumbbell to the head :P

    My sentiments exactly. I have never seen or experienced it. I think some of the "intimidation" is in peoples perceptions and is not reality.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    I've never seen that unless it's between friends, and even so, not.
  • coolraul07
    coolraul07 Posts: 1,606 Member
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    I've never seen it. I've never been party to it. I've never had anybody tell me directly that they've seen it or been party to it.

    Do I believe that it happens? Yes. But then again, the news spends way more time talking about people that win the lottery than they do about people who lose. And I'm sure that lottery odds are higher than incidents of ridicule.

    I usually go to a national franchise gym, but there's rarely more than 5 people there when I go. The only conversations I've had were:
    (a) about when a piece of equipment will be free and
    (b) 1 incident where a guy gave me friendly advice about my SL-DL form. I was appreciative... and he was right.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    I have never seen this at all... it seems like something that is self projected.

    That's what I was thinking but you wrote it so eloquently. Cheers!
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    (I like to zone out and listen to music while I lift, and he kept saying "you need to smile! You're bringing down the energy of the room!")

    GOD that is irritating. Like you need to smile every second of the day. I know what you mean, he was badly flirting but really, get a clue, right?
  • KrissyRawrz
    KrissyRawrz Posts: 342 Member
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    No one does that at my gym, from what I've seen. I'd like to see someone do that to me so I can trade it for a dumbbell to the head :P

    Lol :)
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    I wish someone would try to step to me in a gym.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    Planet Fitness has already had talks with a couple of women at my gym for "Flaunting" or "Causing Distractions"

    Wow, I didn't know they did that. When I was at Planet, I saw some chicks like that, particularly one with a white, tight wife-beater and no shirt underneath. It was pretty obvious what she was there for.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Planet Fitness has already had talks with a couple of women at my gym for "Flaunting" or "Causing Distractions"

    Wow, I didn't know they did that. When I was at Planet, I saw some chicks like that, particularly one with a white, tight wife-beater and no shirt underneath. It was pretty obvious what she was there for.
    I'm wondering how someone who is just a member knows that other members have been "talked to." Sounds like a privacy violation to me.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    (I like to zone out and listen to music while I lift, and he kept saying "you need to smile! You're bringing down the energy of the room!")

    GOD that is irritating. Like you need to smile every second of the day. I know what you mean, he was badly flirting but really, get a clue, right?

    OT- I hate this soooo much... I am usually thinking of a million things at one time and smiling is the last thing on my mind.

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