what's made you see red at the gym?

fieldsy4life

Regarding the Original Poster, there are only rules like that at Planet Fitness and those other $20/mo gyms that serve pizza to their clients. If you can afford it, you might wanna go to a different gym that has a culture of excellence, not mediocrity.

I work out at a fitness club, not exactly a hardcore gym, but everyone there gives it 100% and every is pretty chill and friendly. The dumbbells go up to 120 so I'm set for a while (unlike the aforementioned gym that I think goes up to 60).

My pet peev with my gym is the high school kids who are there on the weekends and at night. They load up the squat bar with 4 plates on a side and then go down like 1 inch. I'd tell them to check the ego at the door and do proper form, but I know what it's like to be young and I know they will just roll their eyes at me. On top of that, they never re-rack the weights. Unfortunately the weight area at my gym is generally unsupervised unless there is a personal trainer working with a client, so there is no way to enforce that rule. I'd go so far to say that anyone under 18 shouldn't be allowed to train unsupervised.

sheleen302

There were 4 guys, friends, helping each other workout the other night. I swear I have seen teenage girls in McDonalds check their phones less than these guys were. Between the four of them it was easily 10% exercise and 90% phone.

They were probably using their phone apps to post GYM RANT threads on MFP.

That is all. Have a great day everyone!
Thank you for providing a dose of compassion and sanity to this thread of negativity. Like anyone else, I don't enjoy being the receipient of rude comments or behavior, but I know focusing my energy on the bad experience only prolongs it. Get over it by letting it go. Move on.

caretheaton

I LOVE a high energy leader during classes. It really sets the mood for the room, and I actually find it motivating when they are vocal. That's their job, to keep the energy of the class up. I even love it when other people in the class start to yell and get really into it! I, however, am I very focused and quiet worker-outer. I can't stand it when they say things like, "You guys are being too quiet! I need some more participation!" Even worse... when they come right up next to me and tell me that I need to be making noise. This is MY workout! If being loud works for you, great! Do It! I encourage it! But don't tell me that the only way for me to get a good workout is if I am yelling too!

RedHeadDevotchka

Oh OP that would PISS me off! But i think I am safe from the oldies since I work out at like 10 pm!
I don't like when the tough guys who just train their arms all crowd around something, starring at themselves in the mirror and block me from doing my workout.
At this point, I am fine with going right up to them in a nice loud voice and saying "How many more sets do you have/are you using this?" so they get the hint to let me use the weights or get moving. I am respectful and have proper gym etiquette but I won't put up with the gym hogs anymore.
And for the most part the guys I work out with are nice, but it's those few who just get me MAD!!!

JessyJ03

Dav in rare form this morning


The grunting thing is kinda funny. I don't mind it but it kinda makes me laugh and it's hard to keep my arms/legs/whatever from whimping out while laughing.

Hate it when people don't offload their plates


A few people mentioned a 20 min time limit on cardio... seriously?! This exists? I would be pissed if someone put a time limit on me. I can't run (yet) and 20 minutes is barely enough time to do anything. I would find a new gym.

RGv2

Dav in rare form this morning


The grunting thing is kinda funny. I don't mind it but it kinda makes me laugh and it's hard to keep my arms/legs/whatever from whimping out while laughing.

Hate it when people don't offload their plates


A few people mentioned a 20 min time limit on cardio... seriously?! This exists? I would be pissed if someone put a time limit on me. I can't run (yet) and 20 minutes is barely enough time to do anything. I would find a new gym.

Areed. When I moved and was looking at a new facility I was getting the tour and they showed their 20 min cardio limit. I walked out.

Erienneb

I'm a member at Lifetime Fitness (I worked there for almost six years and I couldn't just leave haha) and even though it's expensive, I love it. With the exception of January (new years resolution people) even the busiest time of day, which is when I'm in, I don't ahve to wait for the equipment I want. Sometimes teenagers are annoying, but they're like that everyone.

Sometimes I walk on the treadmill. I have tendinitis in my knee and sometimes I just can't run and it's a little frustrating to see that annoys some people. Walking is better than sitting at home, but again people aren't waiting for me to get off.

The free weight section is crowded but I only go in there on weekends when it's dead so again, no bothers there.

_kannnd

Well the one thing that makes me really irritated and has become somewhat of a trend at my gym lately is when people come in dressed in regular street clothes *WITH FOOD* (last time it was ice cream and a bag of chips I believe) and sit on the weight machines to watch tv. :noway:

First off there is a pretty hard to miss sign declaring NO FOOD on the door to get in. and secondly work out or GTFO!!! It is a gym not your f**king living room!!! Last Sunday it was some couple who came in to watch the Walking Dead. ._. okay it is a good show and all but really -_- (my apartment building has a gym)

And then of course when you ask em to move they get all pissy at you. oh sorry for interrupting your show!! :mad:

OHHHHHHHH and another fun trend is when people decide to bring their young children to the gym. :grumble: Again right by that cute little NO FOOD sign there is also a "no persons under 18 yo is permitted" Yet still there are times when people bring in like 4 of their kids who are like 5-9 years old and they're just everywhere!! That isn't safe! >_<

This happens in the gym at my apartment complex too. I've had to run people off who were just sitting there watching TV or talking on the phone when I'm trying to workout. Then one of my neighbors brings her two small grandkids in the to burn off some energy. Ugh...they don't need be playing with the machines that can hurt them. And there is this one couple who are quite big, but they will come in with Arby's bags, eat a sandwich and curley fries and drink a large soda, and then proceed to walk at 2 MPH on the treadmill. Really?

Sylkwyrm

Regarding the Original Poster, there are only rules like that at Planet Fitness and those other $20/mo gyms that serve pizza to their clients. If you can afford it, you might wanna go to a different gym that has a culture of excellence, not mediocrity.

I work out at a fitness club, not exactly a hardcore gym, but everyone there gives it 100% and every is pretty chill and friendly. The dumbbells go up to 120 so I'm set for a while (unlike the aforementioned gym that I think goes up to 60).

My pet peev with my gym is the high school kids who are there on the weekends and at night. They load up the squat bar with 4 plates on a side and then go down like 1 inch. I'd tell them to check the ego at the door and do proper form, but I know what it's like to be young and I know they will just roll their eyes at me. On top of that, they never re-rack the weights. Unfortunately the weight area at my gym is generally unsupervised unless there is a personal trainer working with a client, so there is no way to enforce that rule. I'd go so far to say that anyone under 18 shouldn't be allowed to train unsupervised.

I don't think you need to pay more to be allowed to grunt when you work out. I pay $10/month at Crunch Gym and their rule is "no judgements". Lady would be the one breaking the rules there. Get *yourself* some head phones and that will probably discourage people from complaining at you if they don't think you can hear them. Sometimes I wear headphones without music playing just so no one tries to start up a conversation with me when I'm trying to focus on my work out.

I see red when all the benches in the locker room are taken and there is someone dressed and ready to go sitting down texting for 10 minutes while I wait for a bench to open up so I can change. This is a gym not a coffee shop! >:-/

Dunkelheit666

I might sound like a jerk saying this but whatev...

I am a very regimented person. I have my routine, i go every day, same time, rotate my work outs...Its all planned out. my whole week.

I work out at the gym in my apt building and every so often, i end up w/ some guy or gal in my way simply becuase they got a work out bug up their *kitten* the day before and decide to work out 1 time. Now, i totally appreciate people needing to start a program slowly or whatever...but it really aggrevates me when someone who works out 1x a year or even 1x a month gets in my way.

understand this.

1.) if this person was starting up a fitness routine and started showing up daily, i WOULDNT have a problem w/ it. My problem lies w/ someone getting in my way who will NEVER work out again so they're wasting my time and theirs. go home and eat something please.
2.)If someone gets in my way every day, that i do not mind cuz i can plan around them, work around them whatever. Its the random show ups to the gym i hate. There was a guy that was constantly in my way but he works out every day so we helped spot for eachtoher and rotated and communicated.

Does anyone else have a problem w/ this?

Cheri_Moves

Regarding the Original Poster, there are only rules like that at Planet Fitness and those other $20/mo gyms that serve pizza to their clients. If you can afford it, you might wanna go to a different gym that has a culture of excellence, not mediocrity.

I work out at a fitness club, not exactly a hardcore gym, but everyone there gives it 100% and every is pretty chill and friendly. The dumbbells go up to 120 so I'm set for a while (unlike the aforementioned gym that I think goes up to 60).

My pet peev with my gym is the high school kids who are there on the weekends and at night. They load up the squat bar with 4 plates on a side and then go down like 1 inch. I'd tell them to check the ego at the door and do proper form, but I know what it's like to be young and I know they will just roll their eyes at me. On top of that, they never re-rack the weights. Unfortunately the weight area at my gym is generally unsupervised unless there is a personal trainer working with a client, so there is no way to enforce that rule. I'd go so far to say that anyone under 18 shouldn't be allowed to train unsupervised.

I go to a locally owned fitness center... I love it, they have everything i need but The problem is that I have a very small time frame to go, and I end up going mid afternoon when most of the older people are there. It sucks, but it is what it is.

And to add; I talked to the staff afterwards. I was assured that I was not in the wrong and to just keep doing my thing.

When your lifting heavy enough to struggle with the last rep or two, your not gonna care about quietly setting down the weight!

DebraYvonne

Ok this sounds cute at first and it was the first day or two: there is an old man and woman at my gym that work out exactly when I do. The little old man goes thru this same process every day of getting 4 cups of water from the water fountain, staking out ellipticals after he follows lil old woman around on the weight machines. They get on the ellipitcals with their little cups -- she leans over and goes as fast as she can without holding on to the hand levers. In the meantime BOTH of them are carrying on loud & long conversations with everyone that will look their way. I avert my eyes and TRY to get far away. I am a very friendly person but in the gym, my time is limited and this is not social hour. I just try to not get close to the end they like but if I do, it is VERY annoying especially, the loud talking. Other than this, my gym is fairly easy to navigate and no one is terribly rude. People wipe down machines and the staff is friendly & courteous.

elperrogigante

one of my fav's is when some one sits on the exercise bike for an hour sweating all to hell then gets up leaving a ton of *kitten* sweat on the seat and doesnt wipe it off...thats just nasty!!!

I can't believe it took until halfway down the second page for someone to mention a REAL pet peeve at the gym. I loathe people who don't wipe down the gear after they are done. I work out at a Y and they have not only paper towels but also disinfectant bottles everywhere. It takes 10 seconds, people! Wipe your nastiness off the machine!

csuhar

I've never really gotten to a point of seeing red, but there is one thing that tends to frustrate me more than others: Parents who have their children on the track with them and the kids are running all around.

Let me say that I actually have no problem with having your children with you or exercising with them. In fact, I like seeing parents involving their children.

But my gym is on a military base. If somebody's running on that track and they're between 18 and 40 years of age, odds are they're there to be able to practice their running component for their fitness test (which they have to pass to keep their job), or otherwise improve their performance in this arena. For us, being at the gym, even in our "off" time, is often an important part of our work-related duties. So when little Jimmy is cutting across the lanes and cutting people off, it's annoying and disruptive. By all means, bring him with you and let him run on the track, but teach him to stick to a lane, please.

I don't even mind the "stroller patrol", who will walk 2 or 3 abreast on the track with their strollers (even though they could easily do this on other on-base walking trails), because they get into a lane and stay in it.

edge_dragoncaller

My Pet peeve. The Loud Duo, a.k.a. the Motivational Drill Instructors.

I've only noticed a couple folks like this, but they come in as a pair, and usually two guys. They hit the weight machines and take turns. They give each other motivation....sounds good so far.

Until they start yelling at each other "C'MON! 3 MORE ... 2 MORE... 1 MORE... DO ANOTHER! YEAH!"

About the only thing missing is a flying chest bump and someone spiking a dumbbell in the endzone.

I don't mind folks grunting when they lift heavy. I don't mind the sounds of weights hitting the floor, or even the sounds of someone talking on their phone when they are on the elliptical. These are muted by my headphones. But when I can hear them clearly over Rob Zombie and 50-Cent, then I've issue.

DopeItUp

Ok I don"t the general gym squabbles as I am one of a few in there in the insomnia crew...but

If you are working out behind someone at midnight and your work out includes a gas mask to limit oxygen...please just a hey heads up i am not crazy would suffices so i don"t have to go to the bathroom grab the personal alarm neckalce and wonder WTF while you breath like darth vader for 60 minutes!! Untill I can get home google it and figure out if you planned to kill me in the parking lot of if there is a valid reason for your gas mask...which there was. But at midnight it is creepy as F and deserves a courtosy "i am not crazy" heads up.

I got a kick out of this one. Guy's working out in the gym but is somehow obligated to let you know he's not crazy? Just because of your insecurities that he couldn't have possibly known about? Hilarious!

JessyJ03

I always assumed the gas mask thing was for military type people. I've seen someone do it at my gym. Also guys coming in with big packs on.

icimani

I was waiting to use a machine and the old guy that was 'using' it was actually asleep!

I mentioned something to the attendant and he just said, "Oh, he does that all the time waiting for his wife." ???!!!

mangobadango

This is just me being stupid and judgmental, but there is an older couple that comes into our apartment gym and us the treadmill and elliptical at very low resistance and speed, complain that the elliptical ramp is preset at 10, and then proceed to have whole conversations with each other while "working out"

Yes I know some people have health restrictions to where this is the best workout they can do, but it bugged me last night because the guy was looking at how long I had been on the elliptical (around 50 minutes, was aiming for 60) and pointedly looked at the list of the rules on the wall. I tend to look too far into things and took it as an implication that I should get off so his wife could get on the elliptical.

Other than that, no complaints about my gym because it is just the apartment gym and I only use it for the machines and sometimes just to have a place to do jumping jacks without fear of disturbing our downstairs neighbors.

debdelilah

Didn't make me see red...but I couldn't look away. I was kind of interested in what was on this guy's mind.

This was an older guy, maybe 50s, overweight, and he was running on the treadmill at a very high speed. But every couple of minutes, he would move his feet to the side of the treadmill and rest, while letting the treadmill run. And several times in the course of about 40 minutes, he scratched his rear in a place you normally don't see people do in public. Yes, it can be extremely irritating to have a "down there" itch, but if you scratch in public, the person behind you without a book or tv headphones may notice, lol.

Every time he got back on the treadmill, he would lean his weight heavily on the sidebars while getting used to the high speed, then run at that speed for a couple of minutes, then get off and rest on the side and scratch down there while the treadmill ran...and at the end of 40 minutes his treadmill said he burned well over 1000 calories and ran nearly 5 miles, and I saw him looking intently at the numbers - doing the math to get the real number?

I don't understand why someone would want to let the treadmill run without being on it for so much of a workout. He could have brought the speed down and then put it back up, and it would have given him more accurate numbers.