what would you do????

truddy6647
truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My question is, what would you do if you knew something that someone was doing could cause them harm and is a high possiablity that it would at your gym? bellow is what I posted from my phone in my status tonight and I decided to post here and see what everyone has to say.

first post:

So i am at the gym and one of the exercise balls that they have is not rated for gym use but home use and has a weight limit of 250 pounds which is a static weight limit meaning u can only sit on it not do exercises with it....any case this lady who looks to be close to my size which is well over 250 was using this ball with weights i proceeded to tell her that the weight limit is and she got mad and said well if u r going to tell on me than i wont use the ball. I said that's not why i was telling her and that i was only telling her because i didn't want her to get hurt and that i know what it is like when a ball breaks because i have had one break on me before and just didnot want her to go through the same thing. She then tells me that she is irritated that i said something and if it breaks on her than she will deal with the consequences .....really i was not trying to be mean but keep her from harm...i would feel bad if she got hurt when i could have warn her before hand

second post:

Okay I just left the gym and I'm still irritated with this lady... it wasn't like I was saying this to be mean I just wanted to keep her from getting injury... I've had one of those stupid things break on me before and I know it does not feel good... furthermore the type of ball it is at my gym with the exception of one ball that I bought in left there is the type that should not be a gym as it is rated for home use only its not even rated for doing some of the exercises a lot of people use it for... such as you're not supposed to use weights with it you're not supposed to go up and down on it the only thing that you are allowed to do is static hold such is using it up against a wall on your back and squatting in a seated position

Replies

  • Tennessee2019
    Tennessee2019 Posts: 676 Member
    My choice would have been to go to one of the people who work at the gym, bring it to their attention & let them handle it.
  • Dunkirk
    Dunkirk Posts: 465 Member
    Isn't the gym being negligent having sub standard equipment?
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    the people who work at the gym are not there when I am. This is a gym that is a 24 hour gym with limited staffing.....as a member you are given a key to go when you want. Frankly I don't think the owner cares other wise they would have put in equipment that is rated for gym use not home use
  • conorpatmanCHANGED
    conorpatmanCHANGED Posts: 253 Member
    meh, it's her problem
    just tell her i told you so if it breaks :flowerforyou:
  • JJordon
    JJordon Posts: 857 Member
    Watch to see if they win a Darwin award.

    I ceased long ago to try to fix stupidity. It has to break itself.

    People have the right to risk their lives, limbs, etc even if it costs them said lives, limbs, etc.
  • Tenzuya
    Tenzuya Posts: 64
    You go to the gym for you, i would ignore everyone else and just get on with what your there for.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Survival of the fittest. Worry about yourself.
  • melbournemummy79
    melbournemummy79 Posts: 80
    If you can read it I am sure she can too. Why get involved at all?
    She probably thought you were being a busy body.
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    Actually the only reason I know what the limit is, is because I did research into the product at the gym. There are no signs or anything posted on the ball itself regarding the weight limits, so unless someone tells you or you do the research you would not have any clue as to what the weight limit would be
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    i think you did the right thing. its up to her now. dont feel bad
  • dmthiessen66
    dmthiessen66 Posts: 2
    I can see why you said something to her, you were trying to be considerate. From this point you can only just let it go. There is no sense getting worked up over it since its not your problem. Live and let live. It's the gyms responsibility to make sure things are safe. If you have a real concern then maybe you should speak to the gym manager about the safety of their equipment. Just my food for thought.
  • traceyleighgirl
    traceyleighgirl Posts: 43 Member
    Good for you for being a genuinely nice person!!!!! If she couldn't see that, forget her! What you did was exceptional. I would've appreciated it, as would most people! She was probably just embarrassed because she didn't know about the ball's weight limit. It's not your fault. I'm happy to see that there are people who care for the safety of others.
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    I don't think the gym owners care. When they first opened (over two years ago) they stated that they only put those balls there as a temporary thing till they could get professional grade ones and yet they are still in the gym with no replacement of any of them. Some of the other things that they have replaced has been with low grade items. according to corp. for this gym (franchise) They are not suppost to be using these balls in the gym and that they are to use professional grade equipment and balls that are rated for dynamic weight vs static (dynamic allows you to do many of the things like using weights, bouncing on the balls etc...more than just static holds)
  • trixiemou
    trixiemou Posts: 554 Member
    If the owners will not do anything, all it takes is to put up a poster, why not get in touch with the franchise, it is their name that will be pulled through the papers or the law court when that lady or some one else sues them for negligence on Health & Safety.
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
    other than making an effort to let the Gym owners know they need to post warnings or up grade the equipment you have done all you can do. It is very irritating when we try to help people with the best of intentions and they take it the wrong way. You have done your best though and can now feel at peace.
  • squatsandlipgloss
    squatsandlipgloss Posts: 595 Member
    I understand that you were trying to be nice and helpful, but I can't stand it when people give me advice I didn't ask for. On anything. I am sure you meant well but you are going to the gym for you and shouldn't be too concerned with what other people do there. And consider this: 80% of the people at the gym are there for them and don't like people paying attention to what they are doing. I would feel really uncomfortable. But then again, people that do are the reason I work out at home :)

    If you feel like you should do something: tell the people at the gym about their unsafe equipment.

    Just my honest opinion :)
  • jenrome
    jenrome Posts: 7
    It bothers you because you are a nice person and don't like being thought of that way but her reaction might have been one of embarrassment in the moment and she may even have gone home feeling bad about her overaction. You can't always explain your intensions at the time if people aren't receptive. Irritating but let it go. You did the right thing.
  • Tachyonic
    Tachyonic Posts: 64 Member
    OP, I think you are stressing a bit too much over this. I understand that you are irritated about the gym's practices and concerned that someone might get hurt, but it seems to me like you also might be irritated because things aren't being solved the way YOU want them to be solved. I know that it's tough when people can't get the memo that things need to be changed, but it's out of your hands.

    If it bothers you that much that the gym is neglecting to change the fitness balls, switch gyms if there is another one in your area, or write a letter/e-mail to corporate.
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    The owners know about the equipment not being safe for anything other than static exercise with the exception of the one ball. However, they don't seem to care. According to the franchise they belong to they are not even suppost to have those type there, but they don't go around telling their members this. I guess I am the type of person who would hate to see anyone get hurt when I could have warned them before hand, so if I didn't say anything and they got hurt I would feel awful.
  • cranberrycat
    cranberrycat Posts: 233 Member
    I think you did the right thing. She didn't take it very well. You would have felt much worse if you had ignored the problem and then something bad happened. That is what makes you a good person. The next step would be to inform the staff of the incident and the substandard equipment and put it in their hands. Your job is done. Don't feel badly just because she didn't take it well.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
    I know you meant well but imagine that lady making a post on here...

    "I was at the gym working out and trying to get healthy and someone told me I was too heavy for the equipment". She'd be inundated with responses telling her what jerks people could be.

    It was a lose/lost situation for you really. You don't want someone to get hurt BUT it's also not very nice to have someone imply that you're too fat for the gym equipment, and that's basically what you told her. Maybe a better way to approach it would have been to address the exercise rather than her weight. Something like "hey I just want to let you know that I was told not to use those balls for anything other than wall exercises because they sometimes break".
  • truddy6647
    truddy6647 Posts: 519 Member
    I didnot tell her that she was to heavy for it but rather that the type of exercise that she was doing was not what the ball was meant for, and stated that it is meant for static exercises up to 250lb....what she was doing was not static. With that being said I could see how someone could take it as me saying she is too fat, hell in that sense I'm too fat, I'm roughly the same size as her
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
    I don't get involved with other people at all. No one appreciates unsolicited exercise advice in the gym, no matter how nice you think you're being. Just dont do it and worry about yourself.

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