Bizarre sight at the gym today

jadedone
jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So I was on the elliptical, which faces the mini circuit in my gym. There is a lat pulldown machine. I saw a woman hop on doing the most random stuff. First she pulled down the bar and was in a crunch position on the seat. Then she started doing squats while pulling down the bar. Everyone was looking at her like "what is she doing?"

Has anyone else seen some unconventional uses for the machines?
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Replies

  • thatsnumberwang
    thatsnumberwang Posts: 398 Member
    I saw someone put the weight so high she couldn't pull it down and then hang from it to stretch her back/shoulders. Actually a pretty good idea, but I would have preferred if she hadn't picked such a highly-coveted machine to hang from!
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
  • PrincessLou71186
    PrincessLou71186 Posts: 741 Member
    I'm knew to the gym scene so I don't yet know what is normal and what's not but seeing as I watch other people using things other than treadmill, elliptical and bikes (they all seem to be self explanatory) in order to gauge how to use things, I hope I watch the people that do things that are considered normal gym etiquette. Lol.
  • addisondisease2
    addisondisease2 Posts: 348 Member
    Just yesterday. 1 arm barbell curl... in the smith machine! :laugh:
  • paleojamie
    paleojamie Posts: 191
    yes, plenty.

    One guy was stood in front of the preacher curl bench machine - and was doing shrugs ..

    another guy used the shoulder press machine for the same reason.
  • durangocal
    durangocal Posts: 90 Member
    No-but yesterday a group of 4 men walked by me and one of them (or all of them for all I know) REEKED of alcohol. Your topic gave me a flashback to yesterday! Guess he wanted to sweat it all out...
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    oh. my. goodness. Yes! It is SO hard not to go over and ask what they are doing and try to explain how to correctly use it.... I've seen something similar to what you are talking about and was sincerly afraid she was going to hurt herself. I have also, on occassion, seen a personal trainer walk up to someone doing stuff like that and stop to explain that they are in fact using it wrong and showed them the proper way to use it.

    So, did you say anything or just keep going?
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
    Actually I did something that got a few looks. I friend told me to do squats on the lat/ tricep dip machine. I stood up on the foot rests and did a deep squat while holding the weight between my legs. It allowed me to get a deep squat w/o the weight hitting the ground, and because of the placement of the foot rests, my form remained correct through the entire motion.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    I often do squats or lunges in conjunction with the cable cross. I haven't done it with the lat but I don't know why I wouldn't. Might look unconventional, but it's a time-saving and efficient way to work your full body in one set.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KApHC0B1xcs
    If that's what you mean, I would totally do that either with a continuous squat or reps. And it would be such an efficient exercise I wouldn't care who was looking at my funny ;)
  • MarilynGrube
    MarilynGrube Posts: 75 Member
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player



    That was a weird video lol
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    So close, her legs were at an angle like in the boat pose or hundred in pilates. I was puzzled!
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    Just yesterday. 1 arm barbell curl... in the smith machine! :laugh:

    yeah, but isn't that exactly what a smith machine was made for?

    :)
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    oh. my. goodness. Yes! It is SO hard not to go over and ask what they are doing and try to explain how to correctly use it.... I've seen something similar to what you are talking about and was sincerly afraid she was going to hurt herself. I have also, on occassion, seen a personal trainer walk up to someone doing stuff like that and stop to explain that they are in fact using it wrong and showed them the proper way to use it.

    So, did you say anything or just keep going?

    I kept going. I was having so much trouble going through my workout I think stopping would have ended it. She did like 10 reps and then started to do some lunges...
  • Jamiewoodle
    Jamiewoodle Posts: 100 Member
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player



    HAHAHAHAHAHA! STRANGE!
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
    amazing thread:D gave me a good laugh
  • mandy_freeman
    mandy_freeman Posts: 35
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    That woman is on meth... only explanation I have for that. Good entertainment!
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    I don't worry about what anyone else does in the gym, unless they are kids. I've made plenty of comments to 15 year olds challenging each other to heavy benches, squats etc..

    they need some guidance, but if a grown man or woman wants to do the same...power to them
  • recriger
    recriger Posts: 245 Member
    I would have to say that I'm probably a poor judge of weird. I'm an engineer by trade, so I overthink EVERYTHING. A motion that could be perfectly reasonable will just stick in my mind. I will look at it, then in my mind overlay the motion on an anatomy picture. Look at the directions of the muscle fibers........................... Then come on MFP the next day and ask. Generally to be told that yes it is a very common practice. I need to become friends with the driver of a horse drawn carriage so that I can borrow the blinders from the horse! :embarassed:
  • rjmwx81
    rjmwx81 Posts: 259 Member
    I'm knew to the gym scene so I don't yet know what is normal and what's not but seeing as I watch other people using things other than treadmill, elliptical and bikes (they all seem to be self explanatory) in order to gauge how to use things, I hope I watch the people that do things that are considered normal gym etiquette. Lol.

    Ask a staff member to show you how to use the machines. That doesn't guarantee that you'll be shown proper form, but it certainly improves your chances over watching random people.
  • jdavison91
    jdavison91 Posts: 50
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    ^^ hilarious!! :)
  • Tubby2Toned
    Tubby2Toned Posts: 130 Member
    Anything done while standing on an exercise ball is bizarre to me.
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    I'm knew to the gym scene so I don't yet know what is normal and what's not but seeing as I watch other people using things other than treadmill, elliptical and bikes (they all seem to be self explanatory) in order to gauge how to use things, I hope I watch the people that do things that are considered normal gym etiquette. Lol.

    Ask a staff member to show you how to use the machines. That doesn't guarantee that you'll be shown proper form, but it certainly improves your chances over watching random people.

    or a Personal Trainer
  • MelissaE27
    MelissaE27 Posts: 682 Member
    When I was at the gym a few weeks ago there was a girl on the treadmill she had it set on 8.5 and she was holding herself up on the handles and letting her feet tippy toe on the treadmill part... then she would sway her legs back and forth just barely touching the treadmill... really odd.. I had to change machines because it was irritating me so bad..lol
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,024 Member
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    Looks like she has a plan! i will try them tomorrow!
  • recriger
    recriger Posts: 245 Member
    Anything done while standing on an exercise ball is bizarre to me.

    Exactly! That is one of the things I posted about the other day. I thought the personal trainer made it up to look more experienced. i never saw Arnie standing on an ab ball while lifting weights! I was quickly corrected. -hangs head in shame-
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    rotfl...I couldn't get past the BOOTS! wth?
  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    Just got my ab workout......lmao :laugh:
  • stang41992
    stang41992 Posts: 129 Member
    There is a woman that goes to our gym and takes up a treadmill for an hour. She sets the treadmill for about 8 or 9 and will be able to keep up for maybe a minute and then she holds at least half her weight with with the sides for a while (several minutes) and runs on her toes (sort of) and then she goes back to running again. This goes on for a long time. Then she will go off the sides and stretch and then keep going. I know she's very proud of herself for being on there for an hour, but she isn't really doing much for herself. I get really irritated when I want to do intervals and she's hogging one of the machines....
  • jcstanton
    jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
    like this?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxn0BYvIthI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

    Ummm...speechless. Personally, I'm always afraid to do any exercise in public that requires me to put my butt in the air like that...I have this irrational fear that I'm gonna put too much pressure on my stomach and push out a loud fart. :embarassed: Hmmm...come to think of it, maybe THAT'S what she was trying to do. Maybe she had a stubborn gas bubble that was causing stomach pain and she was desperately trying to coax it out and get some relief. :laugh:
  • yvonnej1
    yvonnej1 Posts: 904 Member
    Now when the title said bizarre sight at the gym, I was immediately taken back to my distressing experience a couple of weeks ago when an older man walked in wearing VERY tight lycra (budgie smuggling) leggings, it was not a good look! Even worse, when I was stretching on the mats I didn't realise he'd walked over and was stood in front of me, I was on my knees in a lunge stretch and as I put my head up my eye line was right level with his ummm ****
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