Unsolicited advice at the gym - helpful or annoying?

AJinBirmingham
AJinBirmingham Posts: 497
in Fitness and Exercise
It happens to almost all of us at one time or another . . .

With me, it depends of the source and the approach. I keenly take advice from a 74 year old friend of mine at my local PF. He's an ex medical professional, now doing a degree in corrective exercise for fun in his retirement. He's freakishly strong with amazing form, and at his age, can still do push ups with one leg behind him on a medicine ball. He's doing something right, and I'm apt to listen to him.

And sometimes I get "advice" from guys that, although it's worded differently, sounds a lot like, "Look at me! Look how strong I am! This has nothing to do with your workout, but wanna see what I can do?" I thank them politely and move on.

STRANGEST UNSOLICITED ADVICE EVER: A spontaneous "faith healing" regarding an arthritis affected grip, perpetrated by another lifter nearby. (I wasn't involved, and both parties seemes okay with it, so live and let live.)

What do you guys think?

What do you guys think?
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Replies

  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
    Funny you should post this today as I had a a random dude give me advice. He saw I was struggling on inverted rows, and approached me between sets and bent down to talk to me, which was nice because I was on the floor. He suggested I widen my grip because I would be using more of my back muscles and that would make it easier. He was very nice, didn't terry and didn't stare. So I agree its all in the approach =)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    usually annoying. it's only not annoying when it's actually helpful information but most of the time it isnt. i suppose everyone thinks their advice is good.

    the last bit of good advice i got was a few years ago about the lat pulldown machine. the trainer suggested that i do it not seated but more squatting to help build abdominal strength since that position is more useful to working your way up to full pullups than seated pulldowns.

    everything else since then has been garbage
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
    Being a meathead in the gym has its advantages. No one bothers me. On the opposite end, I normally keep my mouth shut but there was a time when I saw two college girls (it was a college gym) trying tonuse the back extension machine. Instead if putting their legs under the pad, they were sitting on top of it. I asked my female friend over to correct them since I didn't want them thinking I was hitting on them.
  • jen10st
    jen10st Posts: 325 Member
    Bump for later, phone battery dying in 3..2....
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    Lol, if it's from me, it's helpful. And I haven't yet gotten FU responses. Or if I do, it's behind my back!:laugh:

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    It really depends. I hate the annoying, self righteous, condescending know-it-all type. Most often the people with the best advice are the ones who don't want to offend anyone with unsolicited advice.
  • mommylifter
    mommylifter Posts: 123
    Irritating. Plain and simple. Not to mention embarrassing. I had an older gentlemen approach me months back while I was working out my chest. He first told me I wasn't doing it properly and then tried to show me the proper way as if I was a clueless kid. To top it off, he added ''I'm glad to see you working out your chest, that way when you get older, things won't go south.'' INAPPROPRIATE! I was mortified.
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
    I typically try not to give advice in the gym just because I don't know how it will be received. If someone gives me advice, I usually thank them. I have actually gotten a few good tips.
  • adopt321
    adopt321 Posts: 111
    I haven't received advice yet, but I always have my headphones on. If the person looks credible and the advice is legit, it's always appreciated (sometimes I'd actually like clarification on certain things like form). If it's from someone that may be hitting on me I would take it as a compliment. If it's from someone who doesn't look legit then I'd probably make a polite comment filled with sarcasm that eludes to thanks but no thanks.
  • mattschwartz01
    mattschwartz01 Posts: 566 Member
    I always welcome some pointers so long as the person offering them asks me if I'm interested first.
  • vlmay1955
    vlmay1955 Posts: 100 Member
    Solicited - usually good advice. Or if a friend, someone I know, offers some unsolicited advice it's usually good. (I work out at a gym where several people I know from outside the gym also work out). Unsolicited advice from people I don't know - usually not real helpful.
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    I've had a couple of gorgeous women correct my squat form. It was definitely very appreciated, but I had to run away to go to cardio because I blushed so hard.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,078 Member
    For some reason i present myself as unapproachable to people no matter where i go.
    I have been told i need to loosen up.

    I wouldn't mind someone giving me advice if they know what there talking about.
    I need it when it comes to form.
  • jen10st
    jen10st Posts: 325 Member
    I don't mind aslong as it's not pervy. Had a nice chat with a man at the gym yesterday, he's run 4 marathons and gave me some training tips and complemented me on the weight I've lost so far.
    Just because someone give you advice doesn't mean you have to take it. :smile:
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Totally depends, but in my experience it's mostly been unhelpful at best, and often times annoying.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    oh so annoying. noone knows except me what my history, goals, feeling on the day in question, intention with the weight/equipment i've chosen or journey is. I don't care if you're a random or a fitness guru, if i haven't asked your advice, then shut it.
  • vstraughan
    vstraughan Posts: 163 Member
    Depends ... if someone has spotted that the way you're going about something could very well result in an injury, then I'll take that every time.

    BUT I have had someone tell me that they've seen me work out on the elliptical for more than an hour and I should try rowing so I could spend less time doing it. That royally p***ed me off as they have no idea why I'm doing what I'm doing or what I'm trying to achieve.
  • writetomab
    writetomab Posts: 226
    I have often wanted to give some advice but have thought better of it as I know some people hate that. Personally, as long as someone is constructive and is able to improve my technique and form then I would be happy for someone to provide some advice.
  • jajnn
    jajnn Posts: 33
    I used to pull someone aside if I saw them doing something blatantly wrong because I didn't want to see them get hurt... now I just stare and laugh.
  • wibbley74
    wibbley74 Posts: 80 Member
    mp3 players are wonderful things

    i do pool running and totally zone out with a good audio book
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
    If I'm doing something incorrectly, I'd like for that to be pointed out to me. Obviously, that can be done improperly, but as long as the advice is good, the messenger can otherwise be ignored.
  • ShaunaMcMac
    ShaunaMcMac Posts: 160 Member
    I've had a couple of gorgeous women correct my squat form. It was definitely very appreciated, but I had to run away to go to cardio because I blushed so hard.

    Adorable!
  • 3LittleMonkeys
    3LittleMonkeys Posts: 373 Member
    Agreed.
  • swaymyway
    swaymyway Posts: 428 Member
    It's never happened to me so I am not sure how I would feel - I think that there's probably nothing worse than someone asking/offering advise as long as they back straight off if you say 'No thanks'. But if someone jumps right in and tells you you are doing something wrong and should be doing it like this - I think I'd feel quite embaressed and annoyed.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Depends on the situation and who it's from.

    If I'm loading up over 100kg on my squat and the ex-powerlifter tells me to watch my footing, it's appreciated.

    If the cardio bunny tells me I'm going to hurt my knees, it's not.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    a 74 yea old still doing all that??? I'd hang on every last word that guy has to say.

    If I'm 74 and still doing pushups, damn skippy I'm going to be yelling out all sorts of things to the young kids.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    Depends on the advice, if I was doing something that could injure or wear down my body because it wasn't correct then I definitely want that advice. If the advice is a matter of personal opinion then I am probably not interested.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    That's the problem, isn't it? Good advice is good and bad advice is annoying, so you can't really give a blanket yes/no answer. I've only been offered advice twice, and it was one of each; one was a trainer who pointed out something I was doing wrong, which was appreciated. The other was an older lady who advised me to stop picking up weights over 5 lbs before I got too bulky, which was not.

    I would only say something if I saw someone doing something really crazy/dangerous. I mean, who knows, I do some weird stuff sometimes but it's always for a purpose - if someone told me that wasn't the way to do whatever they thought I should be doing, I'd be annoyed. Maybe that guy really does have a reason for doing quarter-squats, half-presses, and swingy curls, I can't read his mind.
  • IronMikeFox
    IronMikeFox Posts: 458
    I haven't gone to a public gym in a long time, but I always found unsolicited advice annoying. One day I was stretching after my squat workout. I would always stretch before and after doing my squats. This guy comes up to me and tells me that I shouldn't stretch so much because it was going to weaken my joints!
  • Shan790
    Shan790 Posts: 280 Member
    I go to the gym at the same times every day so I recognize most of the people there that do the same thing. Once and a while I get some advice or encouragement and I appreciate it. I had one girl tell me that I wasn't doing enough sets/reps to have any effect and I should be doing at least 6 sets of 15-20 reps with the lowest weights available. Another member kindly pointed out that she didn't know my goals or my medical history or my health and that I was doing just fine :)

    I've been adopted by some of the guys now that I am venturing into lifting heavy weights, not many women on that side of my gym :) And I appreciate the advice, and the help when some one leaves weights on that are too heavy for me to remove :mad:

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