PSA!!! Gym Etiquette!!

Although I totally agree with the notion of what you're saying, a lot of these points are plain and simple common sense and courtesy. I didn't know before this thread what the "big three" are, so maybe I should stop going to the gym BUT I do know to not stand in the middle of a walkway talking, I know how annoying it is when some big dude leaves 100+ kilos on the leg press, or a barbell fully loaded on the only free rack and if people just took a moment to think about how THEY would like to find the gym a lot of these silly little peeves and threads wouldn't exist. Saying that, I learnt a lot from threads like this before I entered the gym 3 weeks ago

Yes it would go a long way if everyone exercised golden rule ethics when they went to the gym. I think an interesting article to read would be one covering what to do when someone violated these rules. That can be quite the mine field. Confronting someone too strongly can put them on the defensive and escalate and otherwise small nuisance to a higher level. If you are too timid it could result in being ignored.

While it can easily be called common sense I do think there is value in posting things like this. Obviously I did not agree with all of it but I did agree with a lot of it. Perhaps a third person would have different points of objection and agreement. From the dialogue a common ground can be found and progress can be made.

Mmm, you're quite right - how do you pitch it? I guess it's a case of being firm but polite, much like you'd deal with any hassle in daily life. But you're going to come back and say what is "firm"? right? That again is subjective to a degree. Yes, as I said, I learnt a lot from these kinds of posts - some of it I had figured out, but other things I'd never considered so it's always interesting to read these!

And we wouldn't be human if we all agreed on every point, variety is the spice of life after all :bigsmile:

finally a good post.

P.P.S. I feel I should come clean here and that my profile picture is not what I actually look like.

But it's your goal body right? :P

"This experiment may take you several hours—or even days—but you’ll eventually see someone trying to squat at your local Planet Fitness."

:laugh:

Yeah like me, I do squats at PF so what of it? Oh and I do use the "Tampon pad" as the author referred to it, although with much higher weights than he suggested (a few 45's per side to be sure)

You gotta build up that callous across your lower traps/rear delts. Let those bar knurls draw blood! Then you are squattin!

cbcbrass98: I did not quote you to prevent obliterating the screen space.

You did address everything I said point by point and you actually addressed my arguments without making any logical fallacies so right off the bat I am impressed. Especially given the vitriol in our original exchanges I did not expect such a pointed response. Most people on the internet would have simply said something derogatory and.

Your first point that the article was actually directed at an esoteric group but has rules which can apply on a large level. That is a pretty strong argument which we do apply in our daily lives all the time. I doubt any of us are Olympic athletes but you see people all the time trying to learn from their training routines. So point for you there but I do maintain that not all points are necessarily applicable on a universal level.

I have always had a problem with the error on the side of caution mentality. If you really want to call me a hypocrite now is your chance because I do still do it. The reason I do it is for the reason you might expect. It is just easier. If I behave in a manner that is acceptable to the most easily offended then I am less likely to offend anyone. I do take issue with this in some respects because it gives the most easily offended too much power and it can be difficult to gauge in some situations. Trust me on this army uses this policy for sexual harassment and it can get pretty dicey.

I have already conceded that you did not write the article and that I was wrong for proceeding with that assumption.

The movie theater seats make for a much better analogy than the urinals. That said I think the seats put you a lot closer than a couple of elliptical machines. Perhaps they are closer at other gyms. I just think a person can be too cavalier in claiming personal space. There comes a point where I am far enough away. How big of a bubble should we give the most easily offended before we just tell them to deal with it?(rhetorical question)

My *kitten* is not as toned as I would like it either. I too am working on it. I will be sure to let you know when I get there.

I did type "no hard feelings" followed by "chill out a bit" but I don't think "chill out a bit" a is that bad of a thing to say. But there are other parts of what I was typing that came off far more harshly that I had intended. I guess I was off on a bit of rant there.

As a side note I was not actually trying to be derogatory about your *kitten*. You are legitimately in far better shape and I do look forward to having some real muscle tone of my own. Perhaps when that day comes my profile picture will be of me.

I did sense the snarky sarcasm behind your "no hard feelings" at the end of your post but truth be told I don't have any hard feelings and I did deserve it.

Although I totally agree with the notion of what you're saying, a lot of these points are plain and simple common sense and courtesy. I didn't know before this thread what the "big three" are, so maybe I should stop going to the gym BUT I do know to not stand in the middle of a walkway talking, I know how annoying it is when some big dude leaves 100+ kilos on the leg press, or a barbell fully loaded on the only free rack and if people just took a moment to think about how THEY would like to find the gym a lot of these silly little peeves and threads wouldn't exist. Saying that, I learnt a lot from threads like this before I entered the gym 3 weeks ago

Yes it would go a long way if everyone exercised golden rule ethics when they went to the gym. I think an interesting article to read would be one covering what to do when someone violated these rules. That can be quite the mine field. Confronting someone too strongly can put them on the defensive and escalate and otherwise small nuisance to a higher level. If you are too timid it could result in being ignored.

While it can easily be called common sense I do think there is value in posting things like this. Obviously I did not agree with all of it but I did agree with a lot of it. Perhaps a third person would have different points of objection and agreement. From the dialogue a common ground can be found and progress can be made.

Mmm, you're quite right - how do you pitch it? I guess it's a case of being firm but polite, much like you'd deal with any hassle in daily life. But you're going to come back and say what is "firm"? right? That again is subjective to a degree. Yes, as I said, I learnt a lot from these kinds of posts - some of it I had figured out, but other things I'd never considered so it's always interesting to read these!

And we wouldn't be human if we all agreed on every point, variety is the spice of life after all :bigsmile:

I guess many of our innovations are born from those disagreements so long as the conversation remains at a productive level. That is the key thing. It is ever so easy for a dialogue to devolve. It is an even bigger deal if it is with one of those people that is in the gym at the same time you every day. You will more than likely see them again.