Does anyone else hate this? (mirrors in gyms)

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13

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  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
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    I actually heard a study today that concluded people working out in front of mirrors do not get as good of a work out in - they get to distracted and lose focus.
  • Conscious1y
    Conscious1y Posts: 5
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    They're there so people can check their form. If you're lifting wrong, you can cause serious injury.

    Besides the occasional shameless flex, I almost always use mirrors for spot checking form.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    You know what's worse?
    There is a gym in Manhattan that has a "peakaboo shower"
    One wall has translucent glass facing the gym.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    You know what's worse?
    There is a gym in Manhattan that has a "peakaboo shower"
    One wall has translucent glass facing the gym.

    That could either be the most awesome thing ever, or most horrifying, depending upon the current population. Wrong person walks in there naked....spend the rest of your workout wishing you could just change the damned channel.
  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
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    I think mirrors actually lead to some form issues. Every time I see a guy squatting or deadlifting heavily (i.e. not just with his bodyweight or the bar) and he's craning his neck sideways to check his form, I cringe a little. Son, that is a good way to injure your cervical spine or pull a muscle in your neck. I learned this the hard way when I was new -- couldn't rotate my head to the right for days and it hurt for weeks.
  • isitsororo
    isitsororo Posts: 116
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    Thank you guys for clearing that up for me! Maybe I have just been unlucky. There was actually one gym, not too long ago, every single wall had a huge mirror on it. It was terrible. So when I would do off-the-machine exercises, or just doing the treadmill/elliptical, it was sooo far from motivational when I want to go for 30mins-hour.
    I feel like the mirrors should definitely be kept near the weights. Its just the pure psychological effect of it that will get people. And, we all know working out as just as much mental strength as well as physical strength.

    How about this: your average gym shouldn't have to cater to those with absurd levels of self-consciousness, and those who aren't absurdly self-conscious don't mind having a mirror around in the gym and can use it to their benefit. Dear lord.
  • linxus
    linxus Posts: 87
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    Thank you guys for clearing that up for me! Maybe I have just been unlucky. There was actually one gym, not too long ago, every single wall had a huge mirror on it. It was terrible. So when I would do off-the-machine exercises, or just doing the treadmill/elliptical, it was sooo far from motivational when I want to go for 30mins-hour.
    I feel like the mirrors should definitely be kept near the weights. Its just the pure psychological effect of it that will get people. And, we all know working out as just as much mental strength as well as physical strength.

    How about this: your average gym shouldn't have to cater to those with absurd levels of self-consciousness, and those who aren't absurdly self-conscious don't mind having a mirror around in the gym and can use it to their benefit. Dear lord.

    Why so catty & with the personal attack..? That was totally uncalled for. I'm not saying the gym should have to cater to me. Do I not have a right to vent about frustrating things? Better alternative than turning to food.. All I'm saying is, that catty response wasn't really needed as I haven't said anything out of line..
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
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    Our gym has them in the free weight area, but not in the cardio, weight machines or stretching areas, which makes perfect sense to me. I think the rooms where they hold cardio classes have them, but I've never been in there myself so don't know for sure.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    Some folks just like to see themselves. They like to see their hard work, rub their muscles etc and see it visually.

    A lot of times people (like myself) use the mirror to see their form while performing weight lifting/workouts. This helps greatly with getting the right form to see what you're doing
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
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    More mirrors means I can mire my aesthetics from more different angles.
  • pg3ibew
    pg3ibew Posts: 1,026 Member
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    I work out with the wife. It is embarrassing when she slaps me for staring directly at the other girls in the gym. So, I have become a professional at using the mirrors.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    The only thing I hate about the mirrors is that they don't extend into the locker rooms and bathroom stalls.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    They are super useful for checking your form when lifting. My first gym didn't have mirrors and I was shocked to find I was bending my back so much when doing deadlifts. The mirrors have helped me to stop doing that.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    You know what's worse?
    There is a gym in Manhattan that has a "peakaboo shower"
    One wall has translucent glass facing the gym.
    Oh HELL no!
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
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    As the undead I go to a gym that doesn't have mirrors, just crudely painted walls that gives it a bit of a grungy look. I'd prefer a gym with mirrors actually, so I can see who is around me because I am very paranoid of who is behind me. It's just seeing two disembodied barbells curling in the squat rack is just a bit much for people. :flowerforyou:
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
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    I hated that they have mirrors in the cardio section of my gym, however as I progress an interesting thing is happening: I'm slowly starting to like my reflection :smile:

    Since you can't change it, utilize it for motivation. Just remember to be kind to that girl in the reflection - she is doing the very best job she can! :flowerforyou:
  • rosiereally2
    rosiereally2 Posts: 539 Member
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    If you aren't checking your form, you may either be wasting your time or else risking injury. It's important.
  • Alex_is_Hawks
    Alex_is_Hawks Posts: 3,499 Member
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    They're there so people can check their form. If you're lifting wrong, you can cause serious injury.

    Besides the occasional shameless flex, I almost always use mirrors for spot checking form.

    I read that as occasional shameless sex....and I thought FINALLY someone who's not doing it wrong....

    then I read it again and realised...nope...still doing it wrong.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    No. Without mirrors how would I be able to look at myself while I work out?


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  • Carolyn_79
    Carolyn_79 Posts: 935 Member
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    I think they should be in the cardio section of the gym as well. You'd be amazed how many people have bad running form.

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