For those who go to the gym...

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Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    When the new year approaches and all the new gym newbies with all their new resolutions start invading, how do you plan on handling it? I tend to skip the gym altogether which makes me fall off from my own health goals and I don't want to do that this year...

    Maybe welcome them in as new members and applaude them for wanting to take the first steps to health.
    Great thought C4RL! I agree. A lot will quit but a little encouragement could make the difference for a couple and what a difference that could make in their lives.
  • wechoosenow
    wechoosenow Posts: 15
    Be in inspiration!

    Do what you do, when you need to do it.

    I've had several people ask me questions and I'm always willing to help if I can.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I think it's important not to be so judgy-judgy to the new people at the gym over the holidays. First off, some people use the discounted rates as a good time to get a good deal to switch gyms, so they're not ALL resolutioners. Second, even though there's a high failure rate, some of those people will stick it out. Third, you were new at one point, remember?!?! And fourth, those people offset the price of YOUR gym membership, without them it would be much more expensive.

    So just suck it up, go at a different time, run outside, take a training break, or just be patient, smile at a scared looking newbie, and offer to help someone who looks confused in the weights section. It will go in to your karma bank, and the busy season is pretty short lived anyway.

    Awesome post Bean! Totally agree. A welcoming spirit. A little help. Maybe you make a difference for someone.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    it's already started at my gym. so far in the past 3 weeks i've had more conflict than i've had all year

    #1: girl doing kettlebell/situp routine BETWEEN 2 squat racks. there isnt a lot of room to walk between the two either.i started setting up the barbell, she saw me and bent down - i assumed to give me space to set up the barbell. she stood up and clocked herself in the head because she ran into the barbell

    i saw she started talking to me so i took my headphones out but then when i realized she was yelling and talking BS. i just put back in my headphones and kept putting my weights on :laugh:

    when i was ready, i lifted the bar out, and stepped back to do squats she finally realized she needed to move but instead completely moving she just moved back a bit.she started fussing again , but i just threw up the kanye shrug and pointed to my headphones to let her know honey badger dont care.

    she eventually moved completely into the squat rack next to me since noone was using it but she kept giving me the stink eye. she came with some guy and i saw her pointing towards me, i guess whining about how mean i was with the barbell. i pretty much gave him the "what? say something? say something?" look and he didnt :laugh:

    #2 some woman was trying to hog the assisted pullup machine in between her sets of poorly executed lunges with 3 pound weights. i go to use the machine and she runs up out of nowhere to say
    her: i'm using this between my sets of lunges.
    me: so does this mean you wants me to wait until you're completely done with your routine before i sue this?
    her: yes
    me: no
    her: :grumble:

    i then put my head phone on and did my set. while i took a break she hopped on and did hers and we alternated like that.


    #3 i politely asked a guy reracking his weights to pay attention to where he's putting then because he was putting the 25s where it was clearly marked 10s, and putting 5 pound plates behind that :mad: dude was just like well i wasnt paying attention blah blah blah. i saw him again my next lifting day and he did the same exact thing. i was just like REALLY? we're not your freaking maids. he also gave some BS excuse about not paying attention. i was like so you really cant feel the difference between the size of a 25 pound plate and the 2.5 pound plate you're putting right behind it?!?
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    when i was ready, i lifted the bar out, and stepped back to do squats she finally realized she needed to move but instead completely moving she just moved back a bit.she started fussing again , but i just threw up the kanye shrug and pointed to my headphones to let her know honey badger dont care.

    You are my hero. :heart:
  • xtrout
    xtrout Posts: 193 Member
    Great ideas. When i start my gym membership in January, I am heading straight for the free weights. Slice of pizza in hand. :devil:
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I think it's important not to be so judgy-judgy to the new people at the gym over the holidays. First off, some people use the discounted rates as a good time to get a good deal to switch gyms, so they're not ALL resolutioners. Second, even though there's a high failure rate, some of those people will stick it out. Third, you were new at one point, remember?!?! And fourth, those people offset the price of YOUR gym membership, without them it would be much more expensive.

    So just suck it up, go at a different time, run outside, take a training break, or just be patient, smile at a scared looking newbie, and offer to help someone who looks confused in the weights section. It will go in to your karma bank, and the busy season is pretty short lived anyway.

    Awesome post Bean! Totally agree. A welcoming spirit. A little help. Maybe you make a difference for someone.

    Yeah, I agree with this. And maybe I will make some new friends or run into some of the other moms that have kids in school with my kids. I plan on continuing as usual. But, if it gets too crowded I could just do yoga a lot. It's always fun once in a while to have an excuse to devote more time and energy to increasing my flexibility and yoga skills and it really benefits my dancing. If I feel overwhelmed by people, yoga is a good way for me to unwind also.

    Parking isn't an issue for me because I walk to the gym.
  • JustANumber85
    JustANumber85 Posts: 644 Member
    I will go at my normal 5am :) I see the parking issue but i dont mind to walk.
  • SRDB00
    SRDB00 Posts: 50 Member
    I now go early before work (between 4:30 and 5:00) so I don't see this being a problem this year like it was last year. Since you already know what the deal is find an alternate time to go until the newbies slack off again. This way it won't hinder your progress.
  • carolconboy
    carolconboy Posts: 3 Member
    I'll keep going - the newbies will come in droves in January but fall off even more quickly. I refuse to quit my routine. I vote that you keep going and not let all those new folks be the deciding factor in the way you feel!
  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
    Dumbest question ever...
  • allegram
    allegram Posts: 117
    I will have to adjust what time I get up and go because parking and machines fill up SO FAST come resolution season. My gym opens at 5:45 and I'm usually in by 6:05 but I have to get there when doors open! Things start to thin out by February or so which is sad for them but nice for me :)
  • tehzephyrsong
    tehzephyrsong Posts: 435 Member
    I think I'm just going to do my exercising outside of the gym for a while. January 1st I'm starting a new body-weight exercise regimen (100 pushups/200 situps/200 squats/150 dips), which I can do in the privacy of my own room, and I'm running a 5K the first weekend in February, so I'm planning to do all my running outside rather than on a treadmill. It's a university rec center gym, so I'm not really anticipating a huge influx of new people as it is, but it's convenient that my fitness plans will get me out of the gym anyway.
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    When the new year approaches and all the new gym newbies with all their new resolutions start invading, how do you plan on handling it? I tend to skip the gym altogether which makes me fall off from my own health goals and I don't want to do that this year...

    Why does it concern you if more people come in, yes it's annoying when it gets more crowded but either work out early in the morning or deal wit it

    Really? Because last week, I had to wait 45 minutes for a squat rack. Yeah, I think it concerns me.

    ugh, that's awful. I use the new gym at the local university (part time student). Brand spanking new. Someone donated about 10 million and they spent most of the year building it. The free weight section is usually pretty dead and that have a few cages and platforms in there. Really sweet IMO.

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