Gym etiquette

[GoneForFuckingEver8]

throw some headfones on buddy people will leave you alone!

also bop your head to the beat, and sing out loud. this will guarantee no one bothers you.

personally i like meeting new people at the gym. who am i to complain cause someone asks me if they can work in. they pay gym fees just like i do. who am i to arbitrarily decide my workout is more important than theirs?

the only thing that bothers me is when someone rests between sets while sitting on the equipment/machine, thats rude

 

[cowsryummy]

I know a lot of people post things about their gym but I have one that bothers me.

I just joined this gym "LA Fitness". I live in a small town and there are no gyms near my house. This is the closest gym that has racks and a lot of free weights. Its 20 miles from my house.
Unfortunately this place is like the mall. At any given time, there is about 500 people there. They have like 10 of everything. Its huge.
The problem is, everytime I start using a piece of equipment, somebdy comes up to me and asks "how many sets you got left?" or "can I work in with you?"
Being the old grumpy juiced out guy that I am, I usually answer "better not wait on me, I'm gonna be here all night" or "Are you kidding me? No!"
I seem to be the only guy who says this because the reactions I get are usually not good to say the least. I just don't like people rushing me. I think its freakin rude. And with all the freaking equipment in this gym why would you ask to share it? I would never do this to someone else. I can go find something else to work on.
What do you guys think?

A buddy and I own a hydrostatic dunk tank and we visit gyms in So Cal. We've tried to book LA Fitness locations to appear and test their members, and no offense, but no one there has a clue about fitness. We even visited their corporate offices to try to talk to someone about our service and they had never heard of hydrostatic testing. "Dunk tank? Isn't that a conflict of interest?" Good luck. I've found the best gyms are always the local, independently owned ones where the supervisors actually care about fitness.

 

[n8ia]

always always let people work in and hope that most would let you work in with them. I had a trainer at a gym once say No they had one set left and they didn't want to interupt the flow, the bar was unloaded What the hell. Don't be a douche bag that is the corner stone of gym etiquette, and racking your weights. Do onto others

 

[thebrick]

i almost always let others work in with me, think about it....if you got 3 guys going one after the other it's just about perfect time between sets and i find a little friendly competition to be motivating. it never hurts to meet new people and the connections they could bring into your life might be very valuable.

Agreed. Good post. I don't mind others working in, but I always make it clear I have "X" sets left. I find that 90% of the time, people respect a good gesture if I initiate it. And conversely, if they are using equipment I want, I'll politely ask. I don't mind sharing and I expect the same in return. Its a public gym.

 

[Moen]

Hellraiser I liked your posts in the past but here I think you are just being an asshole, nothing wrong with that but you should recognize that the problem lies within you here

Once again not meant as an attack, I too have been guilty of doing similar things and not realising at the moment itself

 

[Tnoel]

I don't see the harm in someone asking how many sets you've got. I do it all the time -- if it looks like they are going to be there a while I will hit something else. If someone asks me, I will generally give them the option of working in -- I think that's just being courteous. Besides, it keeps me focused if I know someone is watching me.

 

[Pekkerwood]

I agree with Tom's post and that is the way I conduct myself, but to be fair, I can see Hell's point too.

I have definately known people with their log book, and casio watch, being extremely regimented. These folks typically worked out pretty hard and have put a lot of thought and planning into their routine and they take disruptions as much more "disruptive" than I do.

I have asked for spots before and been told "no". I admit my first thought is "a-hole", but after I think a bit (or at all ) I realize they are not put on the earth to meet my expectations, nor me theirs, etc.

I try, in general, to help make my gym a friendly place, especially to those that venture into the squat rack, and down toward the 100lb+ dumbells. Although I do not know them, I have shared something in my life with these folks for both of us to arrive at the big end of the rack. They are part of the brotherhood of iron. I know some things about them, and they about me, just by looking at each other. I know where they spend their optional time, (in the gym), I know they watch what they eat, I know they have the discipline to be regimented in at least one facet of their life, which means that discipline applied elsewhere gives them a good chance to be successful in other areas of their life should they so decide. We have chosen to sit on an incline bench with 120lb dumbells in our hands instead on the barstool with a 16 oz beer in our hands. I might not like them, nor they me, but the fact they are in the gym instead of molding their ass to a couch earns my respect.

 

[notsobig32]

throw some headfones on buddy people will leave you alone!

This is what i do , in addition to taking my baseball cap and bending the brim so much it is almost a circle and then pulling it very very low=-) If people can't make eye contact they tend to not come over and bother you. That being said, i enjoy when different people work in with me. Kinda adds some 'flavor' to a workout.

 

[hellraiser27]

Hellraiser I liked your posts in the past but here I think you are just being an asshole, nothing wrong with that but you should recognize that the problem lies within you here

Once again not meant as an attack, I too have been guilty of doing similar things and not realising at the moment itself

I hope I'm not comming across as an ahole. Thats why I brought up the thread. I just wondered how others felt. I know everyone is not like me, so it is good to get others point of view.

Its kind of like this. If you see a top pro(which I'm not) working out. Would you approuch him him and say "hey buddy let me work in with you?"
I know I'm not a top pro, but my training is just as important to me.

I appreciate everyones comments. And I hope I'm not comming across as too arrogant.

 

[HeavyHitter2]

I don't really mind if people ask me how much longer I have left or if they can work in, what I don't like is people that want to just bullshit about nonsense, that annoys me. thats why I always have my earbuds in and try not to make eye contact with anyone.

 

[tatteredxangelx]

I always let people work in ... it's common courtesy.

 

[mature muscle]

I know it can be tuff people can be dill weeds, but tolerance is the best way muscular dick heads in the gym is what feeds the media perception on aas and that's why were at the point where at.

 

[Tom]

No not really

I hope I'm not comming across as an ahole. Thats why I brought up the thread. I just wondered how others felt. I know everyone is not like me, so it is good to get others point of view.

Its kind of like this. If you see a top pro(which I'm not) working out. Would you approuch him him and say "hey buddy let me work in with you?"
I know I'm not a top pro, but my training is just as important to me.

I appreciate everyones comments. And I hope I'm not comming across as too arrogant.

I don't think you're being an a-hole at all. I totally understand your mindset and hesitation to interact with those who are not as serious as yourself. But if you let somebody work in with you it should be on your terms and if that means no chatting between sets and all business....that is what they should do as respect for you letting them work in. After all the sets are completed they will probably have had one of the best workouts ever and even understand your mindset better.

 

[SloJoe]

When asked, I tell them how many sets I have left, and in the same breath I invite them to work in. It's pretty easy to tell if their going to take you up on the offer just by looking at them.
But, I'm a lot more furtunate than you in my facility is an old YMCA, & most of my friends are stone cold juice heads. The entire atmosphere picks up when we get going & most of the members just look up to the dedication and accept it for what it is. On the whole, these guys are very friendly to other members & give them no reason to complain.
If I were in your shoes, I'm sure I'd feel the same way (no tren!)
From one old fart to another I'm 53
SloJoe