Why do some people bother?

2

Replies

  • KirstenTheFamilyCoach
    KirstenTheFamilyCoach Posts: 327 Member
    Just a bit of the "other side". I am a social worker and on call 24/7. I head to the gym and 3/4 of the time I get an 'emergency' call or text. I have to respond. If its something I can do quickly I don't want to have to leave the gym to take care of it. I try to keep my eye out and make sure that no one else is needing the machine I'm using and if I have to speak the the person on the phone I find as quiet a corner as I can. I'm not trying to be lazy and sit there and text, I'm working. Also, I use a Jefit program to lift weights so I'm consistently futzing with my phone to enter my stats during my rest period. I'm only saying this becuase so many people are so quick to judge others here on the message boards about how lazy others are when they are on the phone or texting while working out and I wanted to offer a different way to look at it.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    Complain to management and see if they will make a 'no talking on cellphones' rule. My gym has such a rule.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    Yikes! Is that what's going on in gyms these days? Glad I don't go. People are so obnoxious with their f-ing phones!!!!!!
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    I hate how everyone is glued to their phones PERIOD! It is just rude. There are a lot of places I think that phones/iPads should not be allowed. :tongue:

    THIS!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Yea, I don't care what other people do at the gym as long as they are out of my way.
    tumblr_inline_mgvw5nQ4vS1rt6jcb_zpsb8154ff8.jpg
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    MIND YA BIDNESS!
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I love Pink.
  • daj150
    daj150 Posts: 815 Member
    Hah! When someone is chatting on their cell next to me, I will start making loud grunting noises....unless there are serious exercisers on the other side of me....so, if that is the case, I will typically turn my head and stare at them (I can do this because I don't lose balance, otherwise, it would be pretty funny for everyone else). I love the responses I get from them...usually I get the "do you mind?" And I get to say, "Why yes, yes I do mind...go somewhere to exercise your mouth, treadmills don't work well for that."
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    I don't really pay attention to what other people are doing other than looking for something entertaining to watch....

    You're lucky then. I wish I could tune out annoyances but I can't.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    Just a bit of the "other side". I am a social worker and on call 24/7. I head to the gym and 3/4 of the time I get an 'emergency' call or text. I have to respond. If its something I can do quickly I don't want to have to leave the gym to take care of it. I try to keep my eye out and make sure that no one else is needing the machine I'm using and if I have to speak the the person on the phone I find as quiet a corner as I can. I'm not trying to be lazy and sit there and text, I'm working. Also, I use a Jefit program to lift weights so I'm consistently futzing with my phone to enter my stats during my rest period. I'm only saying this becuase so many people are so quick to judge others here on the message boards about how lazy others are when they are on the phone or texting while working out and I wanted to offer a different way to look at it.

    I think that's rather different than what happened this morning though. This women took a 15 minute phone call, and had the sheer brass balls to flick me dirty looks and irritably switch the phone to her other ear when my breathing got heavy. The texting I mention just because it's ridiculous - not because it impacts me in any way. She blatantly wasn't tracking workout stats.

    To all those who say "I don't pay any attention to those around me", good luck ignoring this woman as she's chatting away. And when not chatting exposing us all to her music, which included profanity which not everyone wants to hear. You'd need the focus and meditative prowess of a Shaolin monk to block her out. Seriously, you can do whatever workout you want, at whatever intensity you want, but have some common courtesy towards others sharing a small space.
  • nakiarhall
    nakiarhall Posts: 51 Member
    Yea, I don't care what other people do at the gym as long as they are out of my way.
  • jennmariepantoja
    jennmariepantoja Posts: 145 Member
    I can agree with some of this.
    I use my phone to do the C25K app while I am on the treadmill. I also am changing/searching for new Pandora stations to keep me motivated.
    I hold on to the heart rate grips. Sometimes it is to get my HR reading (sometimes it doesn't work and I am awkwardly trying to re-position my hands to get it to read). Sometimes it is because I have stability issues and could very well fall while walking.
    You never know what a person is doing while they are on their phone or why they are at the gym.
    At least they are there trying to get some type of activity in.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    MIND YA BIDNESS!

    Unfortunately her 'BIDNESS' was being conducted at high volume within 5 feet of me.
  • _Peacebone_
    _Peacebone_ Posts: 229 Member
    If I see someone taking up a piece of equipment and I know they're not using it and it's something that I need to use I'll walk over and say "Excuse me but are you using this?" That will either get them off whatever it is they're lounging on or get them to actually do a set.
    ^ This
  • TetesLorraine
    TetesLorraine Posts: 24 Member
    Hahahaha!!
    I agree. With EVERYTHING! :laugh:
  • GritsOnTits
    GritsOnTits Posts: 37
    Yes. Why do people bother making posts about how they look down on someone else's treadmil workout while saying they don't want to get dirty looks for their own.
  • Jaulen
    Jaulen Posts: 468 Member
    Pink is awesome energy music to work out to!
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    ... I'll never understand going to the gym and then spending your time on the phone. When I'm working out I turn the rest of the world off and just focus on my workout. It's just one hour. The world won't stop turning if I tune out for one hour. LOL.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    I'd say walking for 30 minutes at 2.5mph is better than not walking at all. Even if she is fit looking maybe she's recovering from surgery or an injury and can't go fast yet? I'm sure she was irritating, but it's the kind of irritating like a dripping faucet while you are trying to sleep. You can't tune it out and it gets louder and louder, until it's 100db and 99db of that is in your head. Sorta like when you are trying to talk on the phone to someone, maybe your dad who is dying of cancer and you wanted to touch base while you had a few minutes to see how he's feeling today, which happens to be while you are taking a leisurely walk, and someone next to you is breathing heavy and sighing and giving you the evil eye. That's irritating too.

    Why don't you get your own music/earbuds so you can ignore those people? Or some earplugs if you don't like music.

    BTW, Pink rules. My band plays a couple of her songs and they are among my favorites.

    Seriously, based on the number of threads on this subject, some people spend way too much time complaining about what everyone else is doing in the gym, like the busybody old lady next door who knows everyone's comings and goings in the neighborhood. Tune it out!
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
    I don't really pay attention to what other people are doing other than looking for something entertaining to watch....

    :laugh:

    We can't control what other people do. We can only control how we respond to them. So I'd rather laugh then get annoyed. Much healthier and more fun.

    If they're in my way, I've found that the great majority of people will move if politely asked. Most even apologize for being in the way.
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
    I personally don't give a damn what people think I'm doing on my phone. I am usually texting or surfing mfp. I also have a timer running tracking how long it's been since my last set and since my rests are usually 3-5 minutes. I know some people can look at themselves in the mirror for that long but I can't.

    So if someone really has a problem with it they can keep it to themselves or if they don't I will tell them to
  • gfedex
    gfedex Posts: 226 Member
    To anyone claiming it's okay to listen to music without headphones because you personally find it uplifting: Awesome! Next time I'm at the gym, I'll subject you to the experimental electronic stuff that I like working out to.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    Do not under estimate the power of walking. So what if they are walking on the treadmill for 2 hours and you want to get in a 20 minute run. How is it that their 2 hour walk is any less important? So what if they want to do 200 reps of 10lbs, Is your 120lb set more important? So what if they want to text while they walk. If your gym doesn't have a no talking on the phone rule or no texting and it bothers you, switch gyms. Make sure you let management know why your switching gyms. All this whining about gym etiquette can be solved by taking your money to a gym that caters to your needs. If your going to a free gym then you are getting what you pay for. You don't like people talking get a better pair of headphones. Do you also complain about 2 people talking to each other while walking on side by side treadmills? Should talking be banned?

    I think most of the problems at most gyms are the fault of management for either not having policy's in place or in most cases for not enforcing the policies they do have.
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 671 Member
    I agree!

    Last week some old guy was actually asleep on a machine I was waiting to use. I give him credit for getting there and getting some execise but come on - falling asleep?!!

    FTW! Seriously! Sleeping? Unless he suffers from narcolepsy, that's cray!

    Also, I work out at home. I have an elliptical, weights, weight machines, and a Stairmaster (husband used to be obsessed w/ exercise stuff). I don't talk on my phone while I exercise. If you need to talk to me while I exercise, there better be a nuclear missile test from North Korea headed toward my house. Exercise time is between me and my muscles...no one else need be involved in any way.

    I think this all boils down the the culture of the gym. Maybe there should be hard-core gyms (no talking, no phones) and laidback gyms (wear your makeup, text who you want, etc.). Sounds like there are two different kinds of gym goers.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    I love Pink.

    Absolutely. As an old guy (48), i love listening to Pink while working out. Not sure why or how she got pulled in to this mess!

    Good luck!
  • Fed_up
    Fed_up Posts: 8
    i find that throwing up on someone annoying usually gets them to move on.

    Ohh I'll have to remember this one next time!! Thanks!
  • HIITMe
    HIITMe Posts: 921 Member
    before I pick things up and put them down, i walk on the treadmill for 2.0 or 2.5 for 10 minutes...then walk away.... its called a warm-up THEN I need 3-5 minutes of rest between weightlifting sets....yep I text and surf the net during that time....

    judge away
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    BTW, a more disgusting tangient to this conversation is people who go into the bathroom and then take phone calls while on the crapper.

    I make a point of repeatedly flushing the toilet the entire time I'm in there so the person on the other end knows exactly where their friend/loved one is calling from.
  • AmandaWalt628
    AmandaWalt628 Posts: 51 Member
    I was complaining to a girl friend of mine (who does NOT go to the gym) about the same exact thing regarding treadmills at my gym. The time I go, it's difficult to get a machine sometimes. And to see two girls that are still in high school who combined probably don't weigh much more than I do walking at a slow pace while looking around the gym pointing and laughing REALLY got me mad. My friend, however, called me a "gym snob". Guess people that don't go just don't get it but thanks for saying this and proving it's not just me!! :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :drinker:
  • ashleydmassey
    ashleydmassey Posts: 106 Member
    I understand the frustrations if someone is blocking up a machine that you are ready to use; otherwise, why does it matter what others are doing? Obviously if they aren't in such position to lose the weight, they are not so concerned with burning as the rest of us. Any movement at all, however, is to be commended. It's much better they be on that treadmill texting, maintaining some kind of movement, than sitting at a restaurant and pigging out while texting. Or sitting on the couch with a bag of chips texting. Don't be quick to judge someone. People are too consumed with others. Who cares? It's their life. They paid for that membership to do with what they want. It doesn't harm you so why create an issue with them? That's just my opinion. You never know, too, if they could be rehabing a joint and having to take it easy. Easy is better than nothing.

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