Excuse me

firef1y72
firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I've got up to 3 sets of 10 reps with 80lb (heavy for me and going up to 90lb next week) on the lat pulldown and need a couple of minutes rest between sets. I prefer active recovery, so I'll get up and walk around a little in the same area, leaving my towel, water bottle and notebook on the floor next to the seat. Both the towel and notebook are bright pink and can't be missed (this is relevant, I promise).

Turned my back for literally 2 seconds after my first set and there's someone jumping on the machine, dropping the weight down to 20lb for their 20 reps and then wandering off without replacing the pin or even acknowledging me.

I was too shocked to say much at the time, but I would have happily wiped my puddle of sweat up and let her work in. (After all she took less than 2 minutes). It took all my control to do no more than roll my eyes at her cheek and not ask if she enjoyed sitting in my sweat. Mind she did give me a funny look when she saw me putting the pin back in 80lb for my next set.

Replies

  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    It happens. Some people don't know how to ask. Obviously, it would have been better for them to have asked to work in.

    Don't know if they adjusted the seating at all, but at least it's just having to adjust the pin. Taking your plates off the barbell without asking is worse, in my eyes, and then not helping you put them back on. That's more of a hassle.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    firef1y72 wrote: »
    Mind she did give me a funny look when she saw me putting the pin back in 80lb for my next set.

    I'm sure this happened :lol:
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    _incogNEATo_ wrote: »
    That's part of working out at a public gym. There's not really much you can do other than post about it in a public internet forum.

    This kinda seems more like a brag post about being able to do 3 sets of 10 at 80 pounds for lat pulldowns. I wouldn't have initially thought that, but then you threw in the part about doing 90 pounds next week...

    +1
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Plus you really make a puddle if sweat from lat pulldowns?
  • fitgamercatlady
    fitgamercatlady Posts: 63 Member
    edited August 2016
    Not everyone is aware of what others are doing or of their surroundings at all. She could have either not have seen your stuff or thought someone accidentally forgot their stuff there. I think these two scenarios are the most plausible explanations to the behavior--I really doubt she was trying to be rude and sneak in on your machine.

    My suggestion: Put your stuff on the machine. Or, since you mentioned sweat, carry a sweat towel with you. Lay that over the seat when you're doing your rest. If I have to get up from a machine between sets to go to the bathroom or refill my water bottle, I put my drawstring bag on the machine to let people know I'm still using it.

  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    Aside from not putting your pin back, I don't see what she did wrong. If your breaks between sets are multiple minutes long why can't someone work in?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I don't understand the problem. Surely you would have let her work in. Since you weren't using the machine or sitting on it, do you think she should have followed you around to ask? Why? It was less effort for both of you to do what she did.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    not sure what the issue is here...if I am resting and someone wants to work in then I let them ....I guess you could of left your towel on the machine, which some take as a sign that it is in use...but like @Hornsby said, once you leave the machine it is free ....

  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
    I can't sit or just walk between sets so I rotate 2 or 3 different lifts. Never had a problem with people moving the pin. Takes a second for me to put it back. I don't own the equipment. It is shared. It does me no good to get upset because someone else doesn't move a pin.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    If i'm hogging something for my supersets I will leave my towel ON the machine. I do try to superset on things next to each other and if I see people looking at the machine I offer to let them share it (people tend to hover - I do anyway!) so we share way and change weights as needed. Especially if a pin - I tend not to ask to share if on a plate-loaded machine.
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    This didn't go how OP planned it, did it?

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