Embarrassing moments at the gym

deluxmary2000
deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Soo… I had a pretty embarrassing moment at the gym today and thought I would share.

I recently started a new strength program that I LOVE, and barbell rows were on the agenda today. Last week I did 60 lbs, and it felt pretty easy, so I decided to up it to 70 today. Instead of using one of the (high in demand) Olympic bars, I figured this was a good thing to use those pre-loaded fixed bars, so I grabbed a 70-lb bar off of the top rack of the tree.

Anyway, I did my thing no problem, went to put the barbell back, and realized it was really heavy, and I couldn’t get it back up to chest height to put it on its spot on the rack. I can usually clean 95-lbs (1RM) with a loaded Olympic bar, but the fixed bar didn’t have any rotation (if that makes sense), and I just couldn’t do it. So then I had the “brilliant” idea to bicep curl the bar up to chest height (I don’t know wth I was thinking – I can only curl 40 lbs), and of course I failed miserably at that, too.
So I’m standing there like an idiot trying to figure out how I’m going to get this bar back up, and turn around and there was a very nice guy standing there to help me. And he only laughed at me a little bit. I was hoping no one noticed my loserness. Lol.

Oh well – happy Friday! Anyone else do something stupid at the gym this week?
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Replies

  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    For me, it's mostly bonking my head on the barbel after back squat sets. You'd think I'd eventually remember to keep my head down for an extra step back, but no. I'm just a klutz, or should that be ditz? that way.

    It was pretty embarrassing to have a 70+ yr old guy come help me take the weight off the bar after deadlifts. I was managing fine, though it was taking longer than usual - hands trembling from the workout. Apparently I looked like I was going to keel over at any moment. It definitely wasn't that he wanted to hurry me along - no one was waiting for the deadlift station.
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    Par for the course, we've all done stuff like that.

  • mattdog02
    mattdog02 Posts: 15 Member
    I wouldn't worry about it! I sweat way too much on exercise machines...people always stare in disbelief :o
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I started a set of goblet squats without looking behind me. Down I went, smacking down into a bench full force. When I looked up in the mirror there was a guy sitting on a bench kind of behind and to the side of me who was obviously trying not to laugh but failing miserably. And really, I couldn't blame him for that it was comical in a way. I ended up laughing too.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    OP, I wouldn't call what happened "loserness" at all. I struggle with something similar: I can do goblet and sumo squats with a heavier weight than I can actually lift, if that makes sense. In other words getting the dumbbell off and back onto the rack is WAY harder for me than doing the actual squats with them.

    I know I look silly lumbering back to the rack and struggling to get the weight back up where it belongs, but if I really need help I'm not afraid to ask.
  • theblueeyedgurl
    theblueeyedgurl Posts: 1 Member
    edited May 2016
    At least this wasn't you:

    https://66.media.tumblr.com/4ef1b40fbb2b906029b55fa57529df30/tumblr_mnhyhvvpZn1s7evpeo1_400.gif

    ((Was hoping the .gif would show up on this thread instead of a link, not spam I promise.))
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    I've struggled to get a heavy barbell back on the rack before, but it was because some douchecanoe decided to do curls right in front of the rack where the lower spots for heavier bars were and WOULD NOT MOVE, despite there being a wide open spot with a better view of the mirror five feet to his left. No one could get equipment off or put it back. I aggravated my tendonitis getting it racked on a high empty spot. I really should have asked for help or left it, it wasn't worth the injury.

    I was walking across the gym, stepped on the edge of a floor mat, lost my balance, twisted my ankle, hit the floor, and bounced right back up. People couldn't decide if they should ask if I was ok or snicker. No idea how I got so off balance by such a little bump, but I seem to struggle with walking anyway. Wouldn't be the first time I've tripped over a near-flat surface...
  • CindyFooWho
    CindyFooWho Posts: 179 Member
    If anyone had seen me do it, I'd say punching myself in the face during BodyCombat
  • ohpiper
    ohpiper Posts: 697 Member
    mskessler89 wrote: »
    because some douchecanoe quote]


    Awesome description of the guy. Gotta say my vocabulary has just been enriched today.
  • ObsidianMist
    ObsidianMist Posts: 519 Member
    haha, I had that moment once. I legit put the bar down, took a lighter bar from one of the lower racks, put the lower bar on the higher rack, and picked up the heavier bar and put it on the lower rack. lol.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    I was finishing up a set of squats when I step back and place the barbell back on the rack. Welp...I misjudged myself and left one side hanging so it totally crashed to the ground. Thankfully I did not injure myself or anyone but it was loud and people were staring at me.

    I think I was sweating more due to my sheer embarrassment than the workout at the moment.
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    ObsidianMist wrote: »
    haha, I had that moment once. I legit put the bar down, took a lighter bar from one of the lower racks, put the lower bar on the higher rack, and picked up the heavier bar and put it on the lower rack. lol.

    I'm not sure why I didn't think of this! Lol. In my defense it was super early in the morning.
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    crpare814 wrote: »
    This definitely sound like something I would do. The other week I was working on back squats and when I went to up the weight I wasn't paying enough attention and switched out the plates wrong. I ended up with one side 15lbs heavier than the other and didn't even notice until someone came up and told me :D I knew something was off but my first thought was that one leg was just weaker than the other!

    I did this with dumbbell overhead presses once. I couldn't figure out why it was SO MUCH harder with my left arm, and got through half a set before I realized I had one 20-lb and one 25-lb dumbbell :smiley:
  • km8907
    km8907 Posts: 3,861 Member
    I couldn't reach the lat pulldown bar.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    mangamadayan wrote: »
    Nothing can be too embarrassing. People make mistakes. Some jocks trip and fall in the weights room, me and others who are near help them up. It is how the cookie crumbles.

    In terms of personally funny things I have done, I have worn my shorts inside out a few times and people pointed it out.

    I was lining up at the start line for the Tufts Women's 10k and noticed that I had my shorts on back-to-front.
  • chookywillow
    chookywillow Posts: 270 Member
    Cindyfoowho so glad to know I'm not the only person who has punched myself in the face!
  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    It hasn't happened to me (yet...I'm just waiting for the day) but I have seen this happen to other people. Stability ball mishaps! Both fall off of one while doing sit ups and having it slip out from under you while doing hamstring curls.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    AlphaCajun wrote: »
    In a preworkout fueled 5am fog one morning I added two 25's to the bar instead of the tens I needed for my working sets of squats... felt a bit heavy on the way down... couldn't tell you how it felt coming back up though. :D

    I have crawled out of the squat rack on more than one occasion.

    Nice! I had one occasion where I was working on "weight on heels" to the point I started to fall backwards at the bottom of the squat. Banged it down so loud on the safeties that half the gym was watching as I oh-so-gracefully (hah!) landed flat on my back outside the power cage. Good times. B)
  • shaybee377
    shaybee377 Posts: 42 Member
    Didn't technically happen to ME, but... yesterday a guy walked behind me while I was squatting and was pretty obviously staring at my butt, and he ran face-first into the door frame next to me! All his friends laughed at him- I felt bad, but not THAT bad... :D

    Let that be a lesson to all the oglers out there! lol
  • StacyChrz
    StacyChrz Posts: 865 Member
    I was moving the bench on Wednesday morning and managed to bang it into a squat rack, nice bruise on my upper thigh. Made myself laugh, glad no one else was around to see my terrible driving.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    BruinsGal_91 wrote: »
    mangamadayan wrote: »
    Nothing can be too embarrassing. People make mistakes. Some jocks trip and fall in the weights room, me and others who are near help them up. It is how the cookie crumbles.

    In terms of personally funny things I have done, I have worn my shorts inside out a few times and people pointed it out.

    I was lining up at the start line for the Tufts Women's 10k and noticed that I had my shorts on back-to-front.

    The fact that I constantly have my clothes on inside out is an ongoing joke in my family. The other day I texted my husband "I am wearing 2 shirts and just realized that both are inside out." In the sixth grade I went home for lunch and my mom pointed out that my top was inside out and I said "I wondered why it was hard to button." That's all outside of the gym so kind of off topic but apparently putting clothes on properly is my trouble spot.
  • Jonesingmucho
    Jonesingmucho Posts: 4,902 Member
    edited May 2016
    Always a good idea to try out new exercise gear walking around the house first instead of in the gym. Lesson learned the hard way with a zip front sports bra. smh Luckily I had shirt on over
  • hrod215
    hrod215 Posts: 163 Member
    I was working with my trainer and he thought it would be a brilliant idea to do box jumps, despite my telling him on several occasions that I am quite clumsy. Things were going well but I was starting to get tired and instead of listening to my body and calling it quits I decided I wanted to show my trainer I could do it... Then slammed shins first into the damn platform. The training area is in the center of the gym being overlooked by the cardio machines so basically everyone saw my demise. I laughed it off but damn was I in pain for the rest of that session. Lol!
  • williammuney
    williammuney Posts: 2,895 Member
    Nobody's cut a big fart trying to bench their max? :|
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    williammuney wrote: »
    Nobody's cut a big fart trying to bench their max? :|

    I thought that was just business as usual. Not with mentioning

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