Etiquette for Circuits on Machines?

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CA_Underdog
CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Yesterday I did a circuit of leg presses and leg curls. These machines work opposing muscles (quadriceps vs. hamstrings), thus doing one is a good rest from doing the other. A circuit gets my heart rate up more, I do twice as much work per unit time, and I use up little or no more machine time than if I did a set-rest-set cycle on one machine at a time.

When I do three-exercise circuits with a trainer nobody says anything. I've done two-exercise circuits solo and nobody's complained. Like me, if they see a particular piece of equipment is busy, they do a different exercise and come back. Yesterday, a guy appeared visibly ticked to be waiting for the leg press machine, and especially so when I left it idle.

I'm curious--how do others who do circuits handle this?

(I continued on as if he didn't exist. I may try to avoid peak gym times next time!)

When you're waiting for a machine, does it matter to you whether the person occupying it spends their 45-60s rest lounging on the machine vs. doing stretches or squats or planks?

Replies

  • motherwesser
    motherwesser Posts: 35 Member
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    Does not bother me....but I am a patient person. I also like to talk and gym rat talk in the gym also to keep energy up. I do that when resting when I can with those around me.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    No, it doesn't matter to me because other people have the same rights to the equipment as I do.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    if you're physically holding it up for you to do circuits/super sets at peak hours- then you're wrong.

    If he had the chance to work in and chose not to speak up and ask about it- that's his problem.

    Unless it's someone I know reasonably well- I never offer a piece of equipment/or ask if someone wants to work in- I don't care if they stand their holding their breath waiting or being annoyed- it's their responsibility to ASK. not mind to offer.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Another option is to use freeweights, such as squats and lunges. Besides vastly reducing the wait for others, they are more functional for outside the gym. And they almost eliminate the need to do separate ab work. Whichever you do, compound exercises are a more efficient use of time than isolation movements like curls and extensions.
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
    edited December 2014
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    Cheri, thanks for the tip! I actually do squats and reverse lunges when I'm with my trainer, but when I'm alone I have trouble doing them safely due to knee issues. Leg presses (quadriceps), leg curls (hamstrings), and hip thrusts (glutes) seemed a good way to target all key lower-body muscles and make progress during the holiday break. And besides, it's nice to get in some variety and see how much stronger I've gotten! Tomorrow's plan involves a variety of deadlifts. :)

    Glad to hear I didn't break any unwritten rules! I was just double-checking. JoRocka, yep I claimed it with a water bottle and towel--but for no more time than if I weren't doing a cycle and were simply resting on the machine between sets. And no, he didn't say anything until I was finished. Taking turns between sets is a good idea and something I'll keep in mind in the future.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Use free weights :wink:
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    if you're physically holding it up for you to do circuits/super sets at peak hours- then you're wrong.

    If he had the chance to work in and chose not to speak up and ask about it- that's his problem.

    Unless it's someone I know reasonably well- I never offer a piece of equipment/or ask if someone wants to work in- I don't care if they stand their holding their breath waiting or being annoyed- it's their responsibility to ASK. not mind to offer.

    ^^ This.
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
    edited December 2014
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    if you're physically holding it up for you to do circuits at peak hours- then you're wrong.

    Ha! Now we we have 50/50 on what's good etiquette. ;)

    For anyone who feel's it's "wrong" for a lifter to step away during their 45-60 sec between-set rest period to do planks or what-not, but "fine" to lounge on the machine for the same time, care to explain their annoyance? Either way, if you wait, you wait about 6-8 minutes.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    There's a distinct difference between monopolizing multiple pieces of equipment verses using just one for the same thing, where someone's intentions are clear and it's much easier/efficient to work in with said person.

    Running from thing to thing confuses people and regardless of if you like it or not- it's considered bad form. You don't have to like it- but the reality is it's bad form to circuit train on a busy gym tying up several pieces of equipment. It's harder to work in with someone using that type of programing because technically they have precedence and you would defer to them- except- you don't know what they are doing- and then you feel like you're in their way if they come back and you aren't done.

    It's not really a 50/50 thing. It's pretty cut and dry- ask to work in with the person who is lifting and taking long rests- or don't. It's on you.

    if someone's holding up equipment- it's not really conducivie for anyone to work in with them - and causes general confusion for anyone wanting to use all of the pieces of eqiupment.

    during busy hours holding up ANY equipment unnecessarily is rude- if a guy is using the rack and walks away and spends 20 min chatting with his buddy that's just as rude- as the guy running from rack to bar to bench to leg press... and there is a general expectation you'll keep resting and general chit chat to a min on equipment you're holding up- so it's not like the guy resting 5 min is seriously wasting his time or purposefully tying it up- he's working out and usually willing to accomadate someone else.

    You don't have to like it- it's reality.

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