The Gym is great for people watching!!

I think I am the oddball at my gym :-)

LMAO!!! I workout in either the cinema where is pitch dark almost and the only thing I'm trying to watch is the movie on the screen. It's called a cardio cinema...just like a movie theatre. But I took zumba last night and I'm sure someone like you had a story to tell about me! lmao. I would tell it but I'll leave that alone. U are TOO funny! I was crackin' up reading ur post.

theres one creepy morning gym goer man. He has to be Id say mid-60's and he immediately jumps on the treadmill and power walks whilst leaning forward in a very rigid form almost like a toy soldier and this is what brings the creep actor. He is a fan of the cheesy gold necklace and old school tank tops.

there is also and god bless her heart a little russian lady that loves to befriend EVERYONE she will trap you in conversation for as long as she possibly can. she means well tho...

I went to a step aerobics class in our gym and the county commisioner was there with his wife and while doing a leg lift he unceremoniously farted so LOUD I thought I would die!!!! Being the childish woman that I am I had to stifle it all evening, yet occasionally broke into snickers the rest of the night. ( I am laughing now). I will never be able to see him without cracking up!!!!:laugh:

1. The Leaping Lady: There’s one lady who gets on the treadmill starts walking and then does a little leap every once in awhile. There’s no rhyme or reason to it either. I watched her for a while to see if I could pick up on the pattern and, I’m telling ya, there was none. Also, she’s quite overweight so it can’t be good for her knees to be doing that.

Hmm... I do that when I run on the treadmill, but it's because my thighs are huge, which makes my shorts ride up on my inner thighs. When I go a little jump, it makes them go back down.
... That would be really creepy if you were seeing me at the gym. =O Just kidding...

There is one lady at my gym that we call "Gorgeous". She is in her 60's and ALWAYS has something bedazzled on her. Usually, it is the velour pants that have "Gorgeous" bedazzled across her behind. She is always walking on the treadmill and drinking her diet coke or her iced coffee. No joke - on the treadmill with Diet Coke or Iced Coffee.

But hey, she's having a good time!

My gym has plenty!

a) the aerobics addict - this one woman (in amazing shape) is in every single class, whenever I walk by...bootcamp, spin, body-sculpting, etc. I once asked her and she said "it costs less than hiring a personal trainer". Does this person ever work?
b) the machine hoarder - there are a few guys at the gym who commandeer the "smith machine" and use it for an hour straight. Although some of their workouts do not even involve the machine, they setup their own "circuit" of 2-3 machines, with towels over them all, and pretend they are the only ones in the gym who want to workout!
c) the anorexic - there is a young woman at the gym who I always see on the elliptical and the treadmill, she must weigh 80-lbs soaking wet. It is surely not healthy for her to be the way she is, she must be anorexic as I can see her entire ribcage, and she has zero fat on her arms & legs.
d) the housewives of nyc - there are a few ladies who come in with their kids, drop them in babysitting, and do the lunchtime aerobics class plus some cardio machines afterwards. I have never seen the "housewives" show but these women seem to be enjoying their daytime ritual of dumping off their kids for 2+ hours while they workout
e) the bodybuilding exhibitionist - there are one or two guys who train for competitive bodybuilding, and they spend half the time flexing and observing their muscles in the mirror!
f) the overdressed workout - an older woman who spends an hour on the elliptical (at low levels) dressed up far too nice for the gym, The rest of us are wearing workout shorts, etc and she looks like she is ready to attend a dinner-party! And her hair is always so primped and perfect.

I too love people watching, and gyms always have a good crew of characters to watch!

I'm robably the odd one at my gym. XP I usually go on the elliptical for an hour. There are a couple people who frequently come while I am there and usually leave before I'm done so I'm sure they think I'm always on it. One lady even always teases me or yells out when I come in something like "theres my friend, she's gonna do her hour on that elliptical I bet" and get some of the other frequents in on it. haha, I love the people who are usually there with me. (Its a small gym combined with the physical therapy clinic since I live in a small town.)

My husband always get on to me when I people watch but the gym is the one place I can do it without getting caught! I just act like I am finding a focus point.
We had this girl at our old gym who was very similar to your "all day" lady. But she seemed very young. Maybe in her mid to early twenties. She was SO skinny....too skinny. It would make me sad to watch her workout. She would be on the elliptical for hours. She looked anerexic. I would see people talking to her so she either had friends join her or they just know her from the gym.Either way I feel like they should get her some help. It can not be healthy!

Oh wow too funny! Thanks for posting! :laugh:
I too enjoy people watching at the gym. There is always the lady that is there and is power walking on a mission! full speed ahead like she is hunting someone down. Arms full speed pumping as high as they go. But here's the kicker: the butt is going left to right as fast as possible as well!

Then there is the guy in the corner so he can check himself out in both mirrors as he does his curls that will body scan himself casually to see how good looking he is.

Just funny what people do at the gym especially when they think no one is watching! I only wonder what other people have caught me doing???

I'm the first to admit i have to watch some people at the gym...mainly to think to myself i'll be like that one day. I expect people to look at me.

My favorite place to people watch is the airport...but the gym is definitely a close second!

1. The "50-something racketball man": This is the guy with the sweatband, socks pulled up to the knee, shorts that were absolutely way too small for him back in 1970, and tank top with his hairy back exposed (ick!). He is always sweaty even before he gets a chance to get into the racketball court. His goggles and enthusiasm for racketball complete the look.

Makes me laugh every time!

2. The "I'm only here to be seen woman": Her love of fitness is overshadowed by her lack of clothing or self respect. She waltzes into the gym wearing her sports bra and spandex shorts (matching with her water bottle and gym bag of course). She moseys around the weight lifting area (where all the young, athletic men are of course) and picks a machine. She sits and takes all the weight off, does a few reps, and moves to the next. She tells all her friends about her intense workouts.

3. (My personal fav) The "young athletic man, in the mirror": This guy spends all of his time in eyes view of the mirror to make sure his "form" looks good. He watches his muscles flex with each bicep curl, his intensity on his mirror image so entranced he can't be bothered by the young woman in her sports bra and spandex shorts next to him. He spends hours in the gym and even more time staring at his perfectly created body that he built all by himself. Too bad he is so busy watching every move he makes in the mirror...I think him and "I'm only here to be seen woman" might have hit it off....

I've spent years at the gym and it never ceases to amaze me. I know human nature is a funny thing, so I shouldn't be amazed, and yet, I still am!

At my gym, theres this guy who comes in smelling...I personally think he comes right from work because he always smells before he works out. Anyhoo......when he gets really into his work out, he starts singing whatever is on his ipod. Its really interesting to hear him sing as he's running really fast on the treadmill. On top of that, he's one heavy sweater. I mean, his sweat somehow ends up on 3-4 other treadmills.

I only go to my small office gym, and there are a few regulars in there. But two amusing ones are these:

1. Hiccup Guy: There's a guy who often lifts weights and does lunges with weights in hand quite a bit. Every single time he lunges, he makes a hiccup noise. And it's LOUD! It cracks me up while I'm churning away on the elliptical.

2. Towel Head: When I get into the gym around 5pm, there's usually a guy on the left elliptical that does a solid hour elliptical-ing backwards. That must hurt.. Anyway, 90% of the time, he has a TOWEL OVER HIS HEAD! Like it's a little sweat towel and it's draped over his head. It looks ridiculous!

I'm definitely the elliptical girl. Same machine, same settings, 45-55 minutes tuesdays and thursdays at 5pm... hehe. Altho I just started interval running today so that plus 10-15 minutes on the elliptical is my new thing.