Gym Tough Love Advice & Some Ranting :-)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
My weight room does NOT look like this!
This past Monday as I hit the gym, I encountered one of the things the makes me the angriest.... people that do not put away their weights after using them!!!! Listen, I go in at a very slow time so there is plenty of time for the gym personnel to either get up & tell the members to put their weights back OR pick them up for us! It took me close to 15 minutes of my time to find weights, barbells & other pieces of equipment that I needed for my workout! VERY VERY VERY frustrating to start out this way.
You see, with a plan in mind when I hit the gym, I like to have all the things I am going to need in my eyesight so it does not wreck my circuit type training. In fact, as I worked to put away some of the weights in the right place (and not only the ones I use but others too), a couple younger members (guys in their 20's) continued to pick up stuff, use it & drop it right where they finished OR put weight plates on the machines & not re-rack them! All this watching me clean up! Now, saying that, it is not just men because I found the lighter weights that mostly women use all over the gym as well! Even after 25 years, this still bugs me!
Things not to do in the gym for those new to it or for those that just want to bit*h with me!
1. Again, put your weights back AND take the weight plates off the machine after you are finished!
2. DO NOT stand in front of me & block the mirror while I am lifting. NO, I am not checking myself out or fixing my hair (which is bed head hair anyway). I am making sure my form is correct!
3. DO NOT talk to me while I am doing a set. That is a sure way to get a person injured! I need to focus & concentrate. In fact, if you see me moving non stop with no rest, please just ask if you can catch me at a good time. Many times I will stop to answer a quick question. If it is a longer answer, I will ask if I can get back to you when I finish my workout.
4. Don't text or cell phone talk while you are doing cardio. If you can do that, you sure ain't working hard enough! I saw a gal on the elliptical the other day that slowed down so many times in the 20 minutes she was on it to text that I doubt she got even 5 minutes of decent cardio in. AND if you do this, DO NOT complain & ask why you are not losing weight!!!!
5. PLEASE wipe off the bench or machine you are working on! Many people just bring in this tiny towel to use on their face but do not wipe down anything! I bring a larger towel for the bench/machines & a smaller one just for my face.
6. Don't sing to your iPod so loud that others around you can't hear what they are listening to... and that is pretty hard to do when we have ear buds in our own ears... you know they are loud if you can hear them!
7. When you do crunches, it is not a whiplash exercise! Don't pull your neck up & down. It is about a fluid movement & feel it in the abdominals (mind/muscle link) NOT a whiplash neck exercise. Also, if you get on those ab benches that have handles that let you pull yourself up, it is about resting into the bench & using your abs. The handles are NOT for pulling you up. You are supposed to be working your abs, right???
My weight room does NOT look like this!
This past Monday as I hit the gym, I encountered one of the things the makes me the angriest.... people that do not put away their weights after using them!!!! Listen, I go in at a very slow time so there is plenty of time for the gym personnel to either get up & tell the members to put their weights back OR pick them up for us! It took me close to 15 minutes of my time to find weights, barbells & other pieces of equipment that I needed for my workout! VERY VERY VERY frustrating to start out this way.
You see, with a plan in mind when I hit the gym, I like to have all the things I am going to need in my eyesight so it does not wreck my circuit type training. In fact, as I worked to put away some of the weights in the right place (and not only the ones I use but others too), a couple younger members (guys in their 20's) continued to pick up stuff, use it & drop it right where they finished OR put weight plates on the machines & not re-rack them! All this watching me clean up! Now, saying that, it is not just men because I found the lighter weights that mostly women use all over the gym as well! Even after 25 years, this still bugs me!
Things not to do in the gym for those new to it or for those that just want to bit*h with me!
1. Again, put your weights back AND take the weight plates off the machine after you are finished!
2. DO NOT stand in front of me & block the mirror while I am lifting. NO, I am not checking myself out or fixing my hair (which is bed head hair anyway). I am making sure my form is correct!
3. DO NOT talk to me while I am doing a set. That is a sure way to get a person injured! I need to focus & concentrate. In fact, if you see me moving non stop with no rest, please just ask if you can catch me at a good time. Many times I will stop to answer a quick question. If it is a longer answer, I will ask if I can get back to you when I finish my workout.
4. Don't text or cell phone talk while you are doing cardio. If you can do that, you sure ain't working hard enough! I saw a gal on the elliptical the other day that slowed down so many times in the 20 minutes she was on it to text that I doubt she got even 5 minutes of decent cardio in. AND if you do this, DO NOT complain & ask why you are not losing weight!!!!
5. PLEASE wipe off the bench or machine you are working on! Many people just bring in this tiny towel to use on their face but do not wipe down anything! I bring a larger towel for the bench/machines & a smaller one just for my face.
6. Don't sing to your iPod so loud that others around you can't hear what they are listening to... and that is pretty hard to do when we have ear buds in our own ears... you know they are loud if you can hear them!
7. When you do crunches, it is not a whiplash exercise! Don't pull your neck up & down. It is about a fluid movement & feel it in the abdominals (mind/muscle link) NOT a whiplash neck exercise. Also, if you get on those ab benches that have handles that let you pull yourself up, it is about resting into the bench & using your abs. The handles are NOT for pulling you up. You are supposed to be working your abs, right???
OK, I could go on & on but I thought I would leave some out for you readers to join in. What are some of the gym DON'TS that bother you & what do you do if anything to correct it? I will tell you that if I see a person walk away from a machine & not pull the weight plates off it, I ask him/her to do so because I will be using it next. Again, I also explain to people nicely that want to ask a question of me that I am a non stop workout type person. If it is a complicated question, I request that I answer it at the end of my workout. AND, I do NOT sing out loud. That would scare just about everyone away! Hmmmmmmmmmm, maybe I should start singing!
Posted by truth2beingfit at 2/25/2010 12:01 AM 
Categories: Weights, Exercise, workout, Gym Etiquette
Tags: weights Exercise weight lifting workouts Gym Etiquette
Categories: Weights, Exercise, workout, Gym Etiquette
Tags: weights Exercise weight lifting workouts Gym Etiquette
That is one spiffy clean looking weight room. Ours looked like that... once. It was last week.
Our gym replaced ALL of the dumbbells and got these sexy, brand spanking new ones and boy was it a sight. Now? Not so much. Fucking tools.
Hey Jody, maybe you don't sing, but do you grunt? You know, like the tennis chicks.
"UHHHHhhhh!" "AHHhhhh!"
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You should ask your gym for a discount on your membership for cleaning up the equipment... hopefully they will then get that they should be paying closer attention to their job.
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266.. I WISH!!!!
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i too hate it when i have to go searching for weights because people carelessly leave them whenever they feel like. another pet peeve - people who put their stuff on a cardio machine to save it for themselves, then go off and chat for 10 minutes. whew, thanks for letting me rant too!
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It has been so fun letting people rant!
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We have signs at our fitness center asking members to do most of the considerate behaviors you are suggesting! For the most part, the members do them. I certainly understand not wanting to waste time looking for that second dumbbell of the same weight to use!
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Ah, Dr. J, we have those signs too. I guess people just can't read... HA! And yes, I have to go looking for that second dumbbell too many times to count!!!! Yup, they can pick them up but all of a sudden they are too heavy to put back!
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Funny, I consider the carrying of the weights back to the rack part of the workout
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YES Dr. J! One day I saw a young guy putting back the weights BUT he did not work at the gym. I asked him about it & he said just what you did.. part of the workout! Let's post a sign!
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Don't even get me started!!! I must have at least 100 peeves about gym etiquette, not the least of which is Jaw Cardio http://contemplativefitness.wordpress.com/2009/08/06/jaw-cardio-the-death-of-progress/
Pardon my self indulgence Jody, but this just fits in too well with your rant today.
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I loved that post!!! Thx so much for sharing with us!
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Great post Jody!!!! I'm still relatively new to the whole workout scene (going into month 4 now) but most of this is common sense (like putting weights back, etc.). I don't understand why people can't do that or wipe down their benches. It just seems a little lazy to me.
And the cell phone thing drives me bonkers too!
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AFG, yes, rant away!!! I am glad I am not the only one!
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I have soooo many...but the one that BUGS me the most lately is...perfume at the gym?? why why why???as soon as I smell it I get an instant headache...OK one more on the smell dept...use you BO stick!!
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Sian, yes, perfume bugs me too. I know some people come from work & can't help it BUT the ones that put it on to come to the gym.. come on!!!!
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I can't focus in a messy workout area. I probably get half a workout just putting away all the plates and weights laying around. Then I can do *my* workout.
Another peeve for me is guys who bring half a trunkload of "auxiliary* equipment in with them. One guy at my gym lines up all of his extra weight belts and straps along the wall in the one area large enough for working with the stability ball. No more room for Cammy. I asked him to move it once, and he looked at me like I was crazy. "Where should I put it?" I didn't give my first response out loud.
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Cammy, I loved that story!! You go! Thx for including me in your post today too!
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AWESOME post! Ugh I get so frustrated when people do pretty much everything on your list while I'm at the gym. I can never understand how people can have cell phone chats while doing cardio-why bother even coming to they gym?!?!
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Amanada.... the cell phone talk & texting.. drives me crazy!
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Most people are pretty good in my gym about re-racking the weights. Or the staff is good about organizing - lucky thing, cause that really bugs me!
I hate it when someone camps out on a piece of equipment and won't let you work in. Hello? We all paid to use the squat rack, not just you! That's just rude.
How about on the indoor track. There are 3 lanes - one for walking, one for jogging, and one for running. Do *not* walk side by side chatting with your gym buddy and taking up the jogging lane!
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Lori, OMG I am one of those "hoggers". Good thing nobody is in the gym when I work out!
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