Rant: Politeness in the gym

ishtar13

Dear young-guy-in-the-gym:

Re-rack your goddamned weights when you're done.

I shouldn't have to move 230lbs of plates before I can lift 55-60 lbs.

Although I did laugh at you doing seated overhead presses in the Smith machine, I really don't want to turn into the gym mom.

Also, who is the silly person who keeps removing the safety pins in the power rack? Really? They're kinda there for a reason.

tameko2

Dear young-guy-in-the-gym:

Re-rack your goddamned weights when you're done.

I shouldn't have to move 230lbs of plates before I can lift 55-60 lbs.

Although I did laugh at you doing seated overhead presses in the Smith machine, I really don't want to turn into the gym mom.

Also, who is the silly person who keeps removing the safety pins in the power rack? Really? They're kinda there for a reason.

*raises hand* I've done that when I wanted to squat ATG and also occasionally when there's no where else to deadlift.

I used to not mind removing other people's 45 lb plates because it was the only time I got to touch them (>_>) but sometimes there are like SIX of them because some Dbag just had to do shrugs (I hate shrugs, stop jeopardizing my goddamn cage, I need it to do big girl exercises) and I hate that. but evne that isn't as bad as what I got the last two times I was in there, when there were about 10-12 weights literally STREWN around the cage. 4 45s, 2 35s, 2 25s, 2 10s, some 5s and babies maybe. Just effing EVERYWHERE.

ishtar13

Also, who is the silly person who keeps removing the safety pins in the power rack? Really? They're kinda there for a reason.

*raises hand* I've done that when I wanted to squat ATG and also occasionally when there's no where else to deadlift.

I can kinda see that (if ATG means "@ss to ground"), but the lowest pin setting should still allow that, even for a small person.

I used to not mind removing other people's 45 lb plates because it was the only time I got to touch them (>_>) but sometimes there are like SIX of them because some Dbag just had to do shrugs (I hate shrugs, stop jeopardizing my goddamn cage, I need it to do big girl exercises) and I hate that. but evne that isn't as bad as what I got the last two times I was in there, when there were about 10-12 weights literally STREWN around the cage. 4 45s, 2 35s, 2 25s, 2 10s, some 5s and babies maybe. Just effing EVERYWHERE.

Oh, yeah.

My gym has a platform for deadlifts and a lot of people think it's supposed to be for shrugs. And shrugs was what this guy was doing with 230 lbs. Ugh. His other lifts weren't nearly as impressive. I think he was only doing the overhead press with 95 lbs. Now, I can't do 95 lbs on the overhead (yet), but I'm also not sitting down in the Smith machine to do them!

tameko2

For some reason the rack at my gym doesn't have holes drilled all the way to the bottom, they stop about a foot up. You're right though, it'd still probably be ok, I just hate the clang noise when I hit them. I don't know what other people are doing with it though. I'm the only person I've ever seen squat that low at my gym but sometimes the bars are off anyway.

There are ALWAYS tons of guys doing shrugs and leg presses because they allow you to put a LOT of weight on -- I mean you only have to move the weight like,1-2 inches. It makes them think they look super awesome and strong. Oh man, I just thought of an awesome thread.

JaimeBrown5

I HATE THAT. It makes me even more angry that the trainers take their little clients around and don't tell them to re-rack and just leave everything for. Great, they're paying you hourly to train them - that should include gym etiquette.

Also throwing it out there re: shrugs - I wish dudes with no necks stopped thinking they looked so great. They all look like Johnny Bravo. There are two meatheads at my gym who walk around staring at themselves (possibly because they can't actual turn their heads AWAY from the mirrors anymore) and think they look wicked to all the girls starting at their unfortunateness... meanwhile there's a guy who trains near me a couple times a week and he's jacked in the most perfect way.. and his neck? Beautiful. AND existent.

aj_31

For some reason the rack at my gym doesn't have holes drilled all the way to the bottom, they stop about a foot up. You're right though, it'd still probably be ok, I just hate the clang noise when I hit them. I don't know what other people are doing with it though. I'm the only person I've ever seen squat that low at my gym but sometimes the bars are off anyway.

There are ALWAYS tons of guys doing shrugs and leg presses because they allow you to put a LOT of weight on -- I mean you only have to move the weight like,1-2 inches. It makes them think they look super awesome and strong. Oh man, I just thought of an awesome thread.

I had a squat fail yesterday. I will NEVER remove those pins again. Lol! Even at 5'2 I can have them at the highest point and still be fine.

Only time I will remove them now is for deadlifts. We do get the guys that use the deadlift station for everything else. Ugh...

irridia

Squat falls SUCK!!! And I wish I had had some kind of catchweight at the time and had even thought of using the kitchen chairs as one! grrr.

I workout at home... so you'd think I wouldn't have this problem, right? Wrong. My hubby occasionally leaves the plates on after his benches (we tend to use our standard bar for all the ground work for expediency) but the worst is my 18yr old leaving all the freakin heavy weights on the bar. For benches it isn't so bad but I really hate dealing with them on the ground. Unfortunatley the plates everywhere is something all of us do and for good measure my 6yr old loves to rearrange them around the room as well and he also often hides the bar pad! Yay! I'd like to think that getting a weight rack would help but I'm not certain.

JaimeBrown5

I want to bring this thread back from the dead to tell you about what someone did the other day at my gym.

We have four press racks all together in a group end to end, so you're beside one person and your head-to-head with someone behind you (make sense? they form a square?)

==][==
==][== <- Like that. There is also a stand of different plates at the foot of the bottom left rack. So I take the empty bar from the rack at the bottom left cuz no one is using it and place it at the top of the whole area and proceed to do some deadlifts. When I'm done my warmups, I slide all the weights off my bar (so they're lying on the floor at either end of the bar), grab two of them to put them back on the rack and grab heavier ones (be thinking about how close that rack/stand of weights is to where I'm working, that diagram is practically to scale!). While I'm walking back with more plates, intending to grab the others that are lying with my bar and return them, a guy walks from the empty rack where I took said bar and takes me bar away! He proceeds to set his weights, then chat with his buddy for a few minutes. I'm LIVID....and too shy to tell him off. So I resign myself to something else, get over to the mats to do abs and decide screw THAT GUY. I walk back over, stand in front of him and ask "How many sets do you have left. " He holds up two fingers and acts like he's sooooo tired he can't even say the word. I reply with "Awesome." and stand there. The entire time. Staring at him. Then the bar beside him frees up so I stomped over, grabbed it (in a very tough, you're-a-**** kind of way) and went back to where I was and did my deadlifts while giving him a stare down.

I was so. so. mad.

stormieweather

Ugh. I think I would have yelled at him..yo yo YO!! I was using that...still!! TYVM. Use another rack...:devil:

Qarol

I get really annoyed when the plates haven't been racked after someone's finished set. Like it's their own personal gym, and no one else matters.

But Jaime...that's just wrong. Steam. From my ears. That's how mad I would have been.

ishtar13

The other day, someone left 45 lb plates on the bar in the cage. I removed the plates and put them away, put the pegs at my height, reset the bar, set the safety pins, went to grab my weight plates and came back to see a guy getting ready to use it, despite my water bottle and towel being there.

Um, dude?

"OH, were you using this?"

Not yet but I was about to, kthxbai.

Just_Dot

That happened to me yestetday. Grrrrrr.

JaimeBrown5

Why is it so frigging hard for people to rerack when they're done??! I get it, sometimes between sets, the meatheads like to walk across the room for a gulp of water - they use that as a way to time themselves between sets. But when you're done, BREAK IT DOWN! I CAN move your 45lb plates myself, I just dont' want to.

Oh, and dudes who are standing RIGHT behind me when I'm using the rack. I know you want it - standing in my line of vision isn't making me hurry. Oh, and when I'm done and unracking my plates - don't do the whole "Oh I'll get those for you." I just squatted ALL of them, I think I can take them off and return them just as fast as you there Knight in shining armour.

tameko2

Jamie - haha, how do they think you got them ON there in the first place? But I think if they are waiting to use the equipment, helping you unrack is just helpin them get in there faster so that's not a big deal.

mandasimba

I'll admit, I'm the b that almost never unwracks. Nobody else does so I never really thought about it before when somebody else leaves their weights on.

Though the other day I was pissed at the gym. There are only three power racks. One guy was using it for squats, ok, though he was barely squatting. Another was using it for bicep curls and the third was being used by a guy to do sit ups. I have no idea why he was there. He brought a bench over, set it inside the rack and did sit ups on it. That was it.

I never talk to anybody, but I was so angry and he was taking forever I actually went over and asked if he was using the rack... he said yes and continued on. HE WAS NOT USING IT AT ALL!!!!!