Dealing with awkward folks at the gym....

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DeathIsMyGift
DeathIsMyGift Posts: 434 Member
in Chit-Chat
Ok...I know a lot of you here go to a gym. I happen to work in a fancy place that has a gym in the basement. (And yes, it's free). Normally I am there at 5:45am so I can be at my desk at 7am. I am the only one there until about 6:15. That's when this dude comes in. He's cool, we chit chat, whatever. Well...a new guy has been showing up a few days ago. Yay for him getting in shape and all but....dude is WEIRD. He is short, hairy chest (he wears V-neck shirts) and arms but bald....and creeeeeepy. Dude does these weird stretches that has his junk all up in the air. He moves to a machine right next to me and stares while he works out. He almost makes me uneasy because we are the only ones in there until 6:15. Well....today dude comes in and goes straight to the tv to lower the volume. I can't hear Sports Center (Espn) over the elliptical that I'm on so I hoped off and turned it back up. Dude even wears headphones. I felt a wee bit rude turning it back up but I was the first one there...(and have been for months)...and he didn't even ask. So my question to you folks is: How do YOU deal with weirdos, creepers and awkward people in the gym?
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  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    IGNORE THEM!!! At my old apartment, there was this one guy... I would only see him occasionally but he was friggin' RIPPED and you could tell he had an ego 'cause he would stare at me like "You like what you see?" and I would just give him a look like "You're the one lookin' at ME" hahaha!! :happy:
  • metalpalace
    metalpalace Posts: 576
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    I work out at home. I've gotten more results at home than at the gym anyway. It's absolutely wonderful
  • SimonLondon
    SimonLondon Posts: 350
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    Headphones and blank them :smile:
  • Aid_B
    Aid_B Posts: 427
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    Burry them under the basement, its a great cardio workout ! :O)
  • CreativeRedhead
    CreativeRedhead Posts: 2,166
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    Hahahaa this is the EXACT reason why I do not go to the gym. I absolutely hate to be stared at. But yeah I guess if I were in your situation I'd throw on my headphones and crank some music and just forget about everyone in the room. On the other hand you could go the other route and just be rude..say hey creepy dude quit staring!! But that might be mean! Lol!!! Maybe work out after work. Hope the creeper goes away for you though.
  • Elokyn
    Elokyn Posts: 448 Member
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    roundhouse kick to the head........hah, but seriously, try to ignore him. If he continually comes in every day and turns it down I'd just politely say "This is a routine I've had for a while now and I would appreciate it if you would respect that just as I'm respecting you"
  • sonjavon
    sonjavon Posts: 1,019 Member
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    I have to say... if the guy creeps you out... avoid being there alone with him. Women get hurt when they ignore their gut feelings. Stay alert, stay clearheaded and ignore him as much as possible.
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
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    I work out at home. I've gotten more results at home than at the gym anyway. It's absolutely wonderful
    I workout at home 6 days a week, but 2 days a week I workout on base. Our gym is mostly military and there are some civilians that use it, so I can't really say I've encountered anyone like that. But if I did, I would ignore them. And I would've turned the volume back up too!
  • shanerylee
    shanerylee Posts: 298 Member
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    head phones for sure. I hate that, its so awkward.
  • byHISstrength
    byHISstrength Posts: 984 Member
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    If he continues to be a problem try talking to someone who works there.
  • MyDream
    MyDream Posts: 72
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    Isn't there someone who works at the gym there too? The previous company I worked for always had at least one person there at all times.
  • jmmsunshine
    jmmsunshine Posts: 11 Member
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    Burry them under the basement, its a great cardio workout ! :O)

    OK - I just love this one!!

    Seriously, if this were a club gym with lots of people, I'd say ignore him but stay on guard. But you're in a potentially scary situation where you're alone with this guy. Don't ignore your instincts - as women, we tend to ignore our instincts and worry about being "rude." I'd rather be a live rude ***** any day of the week than a beaten, assaulted, possibly dead polite girl. Statistically, women are more likely to be assaulted by people they know, and in situations where they don't assert themselves. Next time he turns down the TV, look him square in the eye and say, "Please don't turn that down - I can't hear it." And then go turn it up. If he picks the machine next to you and stares at you, look him square in the eye and ask him, "Why are you staring at me? That makes me uncomfortable. Please stop." You need not feel uncomfortable - he's the one who should be uncomfortable. If he expresses "interest" you can still be polite but firm, "Thank you for the compliment, but I'm not interested/I have a boyfriend/I'm married/I'm a lesbian..." whatever you're comfortable with. If he's just socially awkward and utterly harmless, then you won't have done any harm. If he's a potential predator, you may have saved yourself.

    Good Luck!
  • DeathIsMyGift
    DeathIsMyGift Posts: 434 Member
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    Burry them under the basement, its a great cardio workout ! :O)


    baaaahahahahahaha I like the way you think :bigsmile:


    See...here's the deal. I like to watch Sports Center, well the baseball highlights anyway. Everything else (hockey, basketball, etc) I put my headphones back on. So I want my sports and my GAGA too. ha

    I told my girlfriend about it this morning before I left and she said she will come up here and kick his *kitten*. lol...that was a bit extreme but it made me laugh. I was texting her while on the elliptical to tell her the volume story. I told her I was ignoring him and she said it was good to ignore him but to also be aware and alert at the same time. I am very alert but I also watch the clock to see when my cool dude will come in.

    I just don't want it to come down to a confrontation. I mean, we both work here and I don't want my gym time to be all awkward ya know. Because believe me I'm not one to back down from a confrontation...lol. Those days are long gone :wink:
  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
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    The guy can't help it that he is bald and hairy. How do you know he is staring???????
  • DeathIsMyGift
    DeathIsMyGift Posts: 434 Member
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    Isn't there someone who works at the gym there too? The previous company I worked for always had at least one person there at all times.

    We actually have two campuses (is that the plural of campus? ha) here. I am in the smaller building. The gym is smaller than the other one and the other one has a gym instructor but I think they come in at 6:30. The smaller gym has no instructor. However there is a "card swipe" thingie that we have to use our Employee Badges to enter the building/gym. It's all logged.

    I just think he is socially awkward but you never know. I could totally take him. I can unleash the crazy when I need to.
  • sweetrevenge
    sweetrevenge Posts: 188
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    Burry them under the basement, its a great cardio workout ! :O)

    ABSOLUTELY the BEST answer. I agree with this one....LMAO!!!
  • DeathIsMyGift
    DeathIsMyGift Posts: 434 Member
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    The guy can't help it that he is bald and hairy. How do you know he is staring???????


    Yeah but he can help by NOT wearing a V-Neck shirt that is 2 sizes too small. And how do I know he's staring? Because I'm not blind.
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,117 Member
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    How about you stare right back until he looks away... if he doesn't. "Houston we have a problem". LOL
  • DeathIsMyGift
    DeathIsMyGift Posts: 434 Member
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    How about you stare right back until he looks away... if he doesn't. "Houston we have a problem". LOL


    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA For real. It hasn't gotten to that point...yet. When it does, I will totally call him out.
  • Aid_B
    Aid_B Posts: 427
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    maybe he's not really staring at you, he could be short sighted and too vain to wear glasses to the gym, :glasses:

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