How do you handle these types of people

[CSWOLE]

I go to a small gym where pretty much everyone knows each other. Ive been a member there for about 6 monthS. When I first arrived I was the new kid on the block. I am by no means one of these mass monsters that lurk on this board. . I'm only about 5'5 188 pounds give or take. ALooooooooot of guys especially the younger guys would come up and ask me what am I taking, bla bla bla...u know the story. Well there is this old guy there who swears he is a body bouilder but looks more like a amature sumo wrestler. (U know the type who always talks about what they used to look like and who wears track tops, so everyone thinks that they are big) Everyone looks big in a track top.... Everytime I see him, he has to give me "pointers".....im 25 and yeah I have respect for people who have been in the game a long time but c'mon. If u are seriously over weight and saying u still compete(pipe dream)..something is wrong......furthermore......I can't do a single set with out him tellin me what I " should" be doing. Ive been doing the same thing for about 5 yrs and have managed to pack on 50 lbs of quality muscle and some fat of course but my point is obviously I must be doing something right. Its to the point now that its becoming annoying, he's not my trainer, I do not need one, I don't compete, don't want to. I just want to workout in peace and do my own thing without hearing a bunch of stuff I know is not right..like "oh you should train your triceps everyday". ....ummmm yeah whatever ....i tried the nanopod approach but he sees me gets excited and comes and slaps me on the shoulder. Any other suggestons on a polite way to tell him to TAKE A BREAK and to leave me alone? I could see if his advice was useful but some stuff is just off the wall and garbage and he swears to know the "PRO's" who tell him how to train one being an 8 time Mr Olympia....Its almost like a joke...cuz he looks nothing like what he preaches.... ....just want him to leave me alone without offending him..or causing a scene

 

[Big Danny]

Ask for a photo. Tell him that the people here at pm are interested in seeing him and take his advice. lol

 

[HUTCH]

For a couple snickers each, Edge and MAINEVENT will travel to your gym and give this man a savage beat down...Throw in some ice cream and they will workout with you afterwards!!!!

 

[vadim_b1]

Hes offending you on a daily basis, and you still want to be polite? Why? Just tell him to fuck off and be done with it, I guarantee you that he will never approach you again.

 

[wedge]

Yea I hear ya.

Pretty much every gym has a couple of dudes that fit the description.
I don't know if you can do it without offending the person or persons. Try wearing a Stereo Headset or something and if that doesn't work just be as gracious... as you can be. If the person takes it wrong just be honest and tell him you here to get a workout in, not a bullshit session. The gym is my private time for me, so I am there to get in and get out without wasting much time. The people who are sincere and repectfull I enjoy chit chat with but there is always a few who test my patience like the one in your gym.
you will do fine.

wedge

 

[Amazon Doll]

Men do that to me. I dislike it and view it as them trying to dominate me and put me in my place and that is what this guy is doing to you.

cut his legs out from under him with a scathing comment, but without causing a scene.

 

[SouthernMuscle]

Men do that to me. I dislike it and view it as them trying to dominate me and put me in my place and that is what this guy is doing to you.

watch out for the he-devils!!!




yeah dude, just tell the guy to fuck off, he obviously can't take a hint, or tell him you've got arnold schwarzeneggers book and that's what you follow, how can he argue with that?

 

[lookatpicture]

For a couple snickers each, Edge and MAINEVENT will travel to your gym and give this man a savage beat down...Throw in some ice cream and they will workout with you afterwards!!!!

HA!!!

 

[Amazon Doll]

watch out for the he-devils!!!

don't lump me with man-hater's, I am anything but!

A dominant arrogant asshole is just that, it's not a gender thing. There just aren't a bunch of women in the gym if you haven't noticed,and if there were I am sure there would be a bitch in the group as well

 

[SouthernMuscle]

haha, I couldn't help it

glad to know you're not a man hater::ction-sm

 

[Amazon Doll]

haha, I couldn't help it

glad to know you're not a man hater::ction-sm

hehe.......thats okay, I just don't want to be equated wit Rosie or anything.

Hey, is Southern Muscle Magazine still on-line, I only get back isues from 2006?

 

[SouthernMuscle]

no clue, my name only denotes the fact that my muscles are southern

 

[rl3355]

I had a similar situation with a couple of people and started doing staggered sets so I was always moving and doing something.

Since you don't want to offend him or cause a scene try to talk to him after your workout and..."While I appreciate your advice and knowledge I don't feel it would work for me. So would you mind keeping stuff like that to yourself because it's really starting to become a distraction for me and I don't really like to chit chat at the gym."

Good luck with that.

 

[nosmas]

Ya, I always did the I-pod thing and a menacing look like I am knowone you would want to talk to. The I-pod worked pretty good. It didnt stop the staring though. I actually took to staring at the wall between sets sometimes if I was feeling self concious.
As far as the little dudes asking what you take, I think the T-shirt I read not long ago says it best "No I do not take steroids, BUT THANK YOU FOR ASKING!"

 

[oldfella]

For the little young guns, whenthye ask what your on tell them "I'M on, steak, chicken, potatoes, pasta, fish, whey protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals..........etc. Just make the list so long and boring they'll lose interest. Then tell them your gym program is the JFL sytem for maximum gains!!! When they ask (excitedly cause they think they're about to hear of some new shit) what's JFL........You say "JUST FUCKING LIFT"

As for "BACK IN MY DAY" you could just ignore him............but that probably won't work. If you really want to offend him, just tell him your gay and to meet you in the locker room in five minutes!!!! Naw that might backfire.............hmmmmm..........just tell him you would like to train your way which is on your own and intense. His constant interruptions are a distraction and you need to concentrate to get the mind muscle thing happening.

 

[oldfella]

Men do that to me. I dislike it and view it as them trying to dominate me and put me in my place and that is what this guy is doing to you.

cut his legs out from under him with a scathing comment, but without causing a scene.

Listen here, you just get down here to my gym now and train..............you heard me!!!!! I'll show you a thing or two...........or three. And you're not allowed to lift more than me....is that clear!!!! you,you, man hater you......hahahahaLOL.

Go getem darlin!

 

[JohnnyPro]

I have known people like that, and I sympathize with you. I always have trouble with predicamints like this, because I don't like hurting people's feelings. He probably doesn't have many friends and since he is obviously a failure at bodybuilding he pretends he has lots of knowledge and tries to get people to look up to him. I can't help but feel pity for people like that. I don't know what the answer is, I would probably try to gradually break off your "friendship" with him, without hurting his feelings too much if possible. I know it's hard, some people will not take hints. Good luck.

 

[Tman2002]

REPLY

Quit bein a puss and tell him if you wanted his advice you would ask for it, thats what I do.

 

[hiddenbelow]

This is why I go to the gym when the least amount of people are there.. I swear it is ridiculous every two damn seconds someone asking a question telling you about the new muscletech supplement how it is going to put 20 pounds on them in 4 weeks.

I basically work my lifting routine around the people who are in the gym. Normally the annoying crowd is in there between 3-7 p.m. So I either venture to the gym at 6-9 a.m. or 10-12 p.m. depending on work.

DW

 

[violentmessiah]

well....

you could always say "frankly, fatty, I don't give a damn"....

I got that one time from an old guy, got it when I was newer to lifting as a young guy. This old dude was in it to bench, and that was about it. He'd tell me how to do things, I'd say, "thanks for the advice"....and SOME of it was good. After about a year of lifting (17 yo or so) I was at 160lbs and getting 320lbs on bench for two. This irked the old dude, especially since I was pound for pound much stronger than him....he ended up trying to show off and hurt himself, never recovered to 100%. Not my fault.

I actually think a nice approach would be, "I've heard that story before. Now, I'm sorry, but I've got limited time and would like to get the workout I've planned done before I have to leave. Also, judging by 'what you used to be' as compared to what you are now, maybe you ought to stop working those muscles of vocalization and mastication and start getting a little muscle on your body again". This is typically the type of approach I take these days, because I don't like people wasting my time telling me how they USED TO BE better than me......come on, shut up jackass.