Are the News Years resolutionists still at your gym?

[jrs]

Crowding everything during all hours. Some are terrible to look at and don't know what they're doing. Others are training for sports and setting competitive goals, and that's really cool to see.

This thread, however, focuses on the douchebags.

A couple days ago, I was benching for the chest portion of my workout. One guy asked me for a spot on the bench next to mine. I kindly helped him. No problem, there's no reason I can't take time out of my workout to give somebody pointers and a spot if they need one. This went on for a couple sets alternating.

When the time finally came for my heaviest set, he looked at me and said "I'm not sure I can help you out with that load". (It was only 405.)

I thought that was pretty shitty and rude. I'm not going for a one rep max like him, I would've just been able to push myself 1 or 2 more reps than I otherwise would with somebody there to grab it if need be. Besides, I took all that time helping him out.

I call my girlfriend over who weighs all of 125 lbs to give me a liftoff and a spot. Worst case scenario, she might be pulling 20-30 lbs with me pushing as well if I fail on the last rep.

The look he gave me when I called her over was priceless. I hate rude people.

Today I had to ask somebody who was curling in the squat rack how many sets they had left. They pointed to the person in the squat rack next to them and said, "that one is for squats". I had to explain that since they were both squat racks, they were both used for squats, and that curls typically aren't performed in something that has a completely different purpose.

When will these people leave?

 

[stan66]

Personally, I think you are looking at it the wrong way.
How does he know that you are going to get reps with it and not need him to pull all of that weight up and off of your chest??

He was more than likely not trying to be rude, but to be safe, for your sake and his, since he had doubts about his ability to save your ass if needed....
but thats just my take on it from reading your version of the story.


As for the usual New Years resolution folks, I actually have not seen too many this year, but then again I get in and out of the gym earlier than I ever did before, so I may be missing them.
I luckily get in during a time where I can do whatever I want, wherever I want with no one in the way at all, I actually have to search out a spotter if need be in other sections of the gym its so barren at the time I go.....

 

[jrs]

Personally, I think you are looking at it the wrong way.
How does he know that you are going to get reps with it and not need him to pull all of that weight up and off of your chest??

He was more than likely not trying to be rude, but to be safe, for your sake and his, since he had doubts about his ability to save your ass if needed....
but thats just my take on it from reading your version of the story.

Because I had just been giving him advice on how he should start with a moderate weight and increase over time and that using a weight you can't handle well will get you nowhere fast. Spotters are more a "just in case" thing.

 

[Chrysler]

Personally, I think you are looking at it the wrong way.
How does he know that you are going to get reps with it and not need him to pull all of that weight up and off of your chest??

That's what I was thinking.

 

[red5260]

I feel for all these New Years newbies that show up this time of year. Many of them are clueless and don't know what to do. And what really bothers me is the "trainers" that prey on their ignorance....promising to be a friend and give them great results if they can just get their credit card and get them to sign on the line.

 

[bloodshed]

Today I had to ask somebody who was curling in the squat rack how many sets they had left. They pointed to the person in the squat rack next to them and said, "that one is for squats". I had to explain that since they were both squat racks, they were both used for squats, and that curls typically aren't performed in something that has a completely different purpose.

When will these people leave?

i feel for you. and its usually 140lb kids curling the bar and a 10lb plate doing this. it drives me nuts. ive gotten to the point where i just take the rack from them. it seems rude, but there is no need to do 10 sets of curls when you dont squat or deadlift...

 

[Matt Rock]

I feel your pain, my gym is still pretty full especially on Monday nights for some reason. I stretch between every heavy set and I'm getting sick of turning around to find some kids unloading the bar when my water and logbook are sitting on the floor right beside it and I'm 4 feet away...

 

[RINO]

They are all there Mondays. Fewer on wed and fewer yet on fri. Seems a lot of the regulars are not around lately though. Probably training elsewhere.

 

[Steve123]

My gym is packed with them right now and it's pissing me off. I'm at the point where I'm so discouraged, I have to drag myself in there. At some point I plan to build an addition on my home that will have an underground garage. That garage, probably 30x30 will be a gym. I'll never step foot in a commercial gym again if I can help it.

 

[particleacc]

so that's it!

I typically go into the gym very early. There is a decent number of people, but not too crowded. Well, on Monday I went in around noon. The gym was PACKED and I couldn't figure out why. Most were very overweight people who liked to stand at the water fountain and talk. Many stood at the steps to the second level and yacked away, blocking the stairs. I had to ask many people to move as nicely as I could.

Then there was the very sweaty guy who kept following me around. He had an average build and was covered with sweat, although I didn't see him working out on anything. However, EVERY time I finished a set on something, when I got up, there he was BEHIND me with a big smile on his face. It really creeped me out.

I was beginning a set and a woman that I used to work with a little more than a year ago came up to me. When I am in the gym, I don't tend to socialize. I am mostly all business, so I don't notice people too much (unless you're a creepy sweaty guy watching my ass on every set!). She wanted to a have a nice long conversation with me and kept drooling over me, telling me how awesome I was looking. Now, this usually isn't a bad thing to me, but this woman very nearly outweighs me (I'm now 280) and her bodyfat is substantially higher than mine. She just kept standing there, going on and on and on. TRYING to be nice, I finally said, "OK, nice seeing you. You better get back to your workout."

Any way, I guess I will just have to make sure I keep going early in the morning. However, I did also notice that as the week goes on, the crowd gets much lighter!

 

[toby99]

I typically go into the gym very early. There is a decent number of people, but not too crowded. Well, on Monday I went in around noon. The gym was PACKED and I couldn't figure out why. Most were very overweight people who liked to stand at the water fountain and talk. Many stood at the steps to the second level and yacked away, blocking the stairs. I had to ask many people to move as nicely as I could.

Then there was the very sweaty guy who kept following me around. He had an average build and was covered with sweat, although I didn't see him working out on anything. However, EVERY time I finished a set on something, when I got up, there he was BEHIND me with a big smile on his face. It really creeped me out.

I was beginning a set and a woman that I used to work with a little more than a year ago came up to me. When I am in the gym, I don't tend to socialize. I am mostly all business, so I don't notice people too much (unless you're a creepy sweaty guy watching my ass on every set!). She wanted to a have a nice long conversation with me and kept drooling over me, telling me how awesome I was looking. Now, this usually isn't a bad thing to me, but this woman very nearly outweighs me (I'm now 280) and her bodyfat is substantially higher than mine. She just kept standing there, going on and on and on. TRYING to be nice, I finally said, "OK, nice seeing you. You better get back to your workout."

Any way, I guess I will just have to make sure I keep going early in the morning. However, I did also notice that as the week goes on, the crowd gets much lighter!

Come on bro Big girls need love too !!

 

[FordTurboDiesel]

Hmm, thankfully my gym isn't, "THAT" bad. We have had a surge of people that seem to be completely ignorant to what they should be doing. I see people doing some dangerous shit just likely out of feeling inferior.

I saw a couple kids doing squats on a smith machine with 315 loaded and were squatting no more than 10 inches of travel.
Saw another guy benching 315 and was extending the bar 4 inches off his chest, up down, up down....4 inches at a time.
I like the guys who get on a machine and, "whip" their whole body into the exercise. Got one that gets on the AB machines and rather than sit his ass down in the seat and do the routine properly, he stands up and lets all his body weight fall on the pad. I guess gravity works real well for his routine.....

At least we got some good looking women coming in.....til all the whores in the gym scare them off that is...

 

[Chrisco915]

They are still there.....probably until about the beginning of march 99% will be gone. Every year we seem to pick up maybe 1 or 2 regulars.

 

[stan66]

Because I had just been giving him advice on how he should start with a moderate weight and increase over time and that using a weight you can't handle well will get you nowhere fast. Spotters are more a "just in case" thing.

Well then, he must have been just a dick and you are right....

I mean why else would this guy who was going back and forth with you on spots, as well as probably BS'ing with you in between not spot you on your last set of 405??
I mean, I am sure he just decided then and there to be a rude, inconsiderate dickhead and say to himself,
"I don't really have a reason, but I am not going to spot this guy on his final set!!!"



You keep acting like this guy should have known he was going to exert very little effort even though he is sitting there looking at 4 plates on each side of the bar.
Meanwhile, my point is, YOU have no idea whats going to happen.
You have no idea if this is the set where the bar rolls out of your hand, you pull something on the way up or down, or you sneeze in the middle of the set (kidding obviously).......
He was probably looking at it as if something happens, I am going to get this guy hurt, and I would rather not have that onus on me.

If he was a newb, maybe he was a bit afraid to screw up with that much weight at stake.
If he was a regular, maybe he has dealt with (as I have) those guys that think getting 405+ up once or twice while giving the spotter a deadlift workout is a clean lift and will acclomplish something.....

Either way I think you made a mountain out of a molehill on that issue....


But I do agree with your other point and the rest of the replies that if these people are going to come in to the gym to make changes for the new year, either do things right and be courteous to the rest of the folks there or go the fuck back home.

 

[get it in ya]

my gym is packed on monday, of course its chest day and then they dont lift until friday. they come back on friday so they can get a pump before they go out to the club. the gyms are full of douchebags right now and they are in my way

 

[notsobig32]

Because Monday is the universal chest day(i think it is on the verge of becoming an internationally designated requirement for lifting), i have off set my schedule so monday is legs. It works out pretty well and honestly, there is NEVER ANYONE on the leg equipment on a monday night. I was pretty happoy with the results of my little shift.

 

[jdchaffin]

The trend I see is that their resolutions will last until St. Patricks day. at that point its been long enough that the initial changes have slowed and the real work sets in that they just give up after their night of drinking and pretzels.

 

[SisyphusRocks]

I stay away on Mondays altogether and go Tue - Wed - Sat to avoid as
much of the crowding as possible. Monday is also ab day for everyone

 

[notsobig32]

Lol, yeah the only thing i can saythat is great about the resolutionists is that they very rarely if ever occupy the squat rack (unless they are doing bbell curls) or the leg press.

 

[get it in ya]

The trend I see is that their resolutions will last until St. Patricks day. at that point its been long enough that the initial changes have slowed and the real work sets in that they just give up after their night of drinking and pretzels.

bingo