Who are you in your gym?

[KyleAaron]

Originally Posted by Tikibeast

I can tell you from a guys perspective it never really occurs to us that it might be a major ordeal or a life changing event in the making when we leave our weights on the bar.

It occurs to me all the time. Thus, I always rack the weights.

If you're too tired to rack the weights, they were too much for you, do some lighter weights instead.

If you're not too tired to rack the weights, then you're just a lazy bastard. Don't be that guy.

Clean up after yourself. Your mother's been telling you that since you were 4

[maefeather]

I go to two gyms. A women-only gym and a co-ed. My membership at the all female gym is almost up and I couldn't be happier because that place sucks. Wayyyy to much estrogen for me...(The TV's are set to lifetime...)

At the co-ed gym I am "the kid" everyone thinks I am younger than I really am. Probably because I'm kind of baby-faced. :P The guys are all really polite, rack their weights and don't just SIT on the weight machines long after they've stopped using them. Omg right?! I actually like the people there even though they give me ****, does that make me 'one of the guys'? lol.

At the all female gym I am probably known as the bitch because I will not hesitate to ask you to move if you've been SITTING and texting on a weight machine longer than you used it!

[Tikibeast]

Originally Posted by KyleAaron

It occurs to me all the time. Thus, I always rack the weights.

If you're too tired to rack the weights, they were too much for you, do some lighter weights instead.

If you're not too tired to rack the weights, then you're just a lazy bastard. Don't be that guy.

Clean up after yourself. Your mother's been telling you that since you were 4

Lol great, thanks man...so I'm the only lazy ******* around here! I'll admit it, I'm rarely too tired to rack my weights, I'm usually too lazy or I've got it in my head that the 2min it'll take to rerack everything will throw me off schedule.

Originally Posted by maefeather

I go to two gyms. A women-only gym and a co-ed. My membership at the all female gym is almost up and I couldn't be happier because that place sucks. Wayyyy to much estrogen for me...(The TV's are set to lifetime...)

At the co-ed gym I am "the kid" everyone thinks I am younger than I really am. Probably because I'm kind of baby-faced. :P The guys are all really polite, rack their weights and don't just SIT on the weight machines long after they've stopped using them. Omg right?! I actually like the people there even though they give me ****, does that make me 'one of the guys'? lol.

At the all female gym I am probably known as the bitch because I will not hesitate to ask you to move if you've been SITTING and texting on a weight machine longer than you used it!

I don't know if it makes you one of the guys but it certainly makes you one of the women that actually belongs in the gym.

[KyleAaron]

Originally Posted by Tikibeast

Lol great, thanks man...so I'm the only lazy ******* around here! I'll admit it, I'm rarely too tired to rack my weights, I'm usually too lazy or I've got it in my head that the 2min it'll take to rerack everything will throw me off schedule.

Oh, there are zillions of guys who don't rack their weights. Rackers are the minority.

Just think of the racking as extra exercise. Dump the rows and cleans from your workout and rack the weights instead.

Rack them sensibly, too. The 2lb, 5lb and 10lb plates can go at shoulder level. The 20lb plates at waist level. The 30lb and 45lb plates go on the lowest level. Lowest weight on the outside, heaviest on the inside.

That's because if someone drops it, it's better to be dropping lighter ones from a height than heavier ones; and because a person who is going to use 45lb plates is strong enough to move 30lb plates, but not vice versa.

In general, people are not going to be injured by your leaving a mess of plates everywhere. But they will be pissed off, and some of the physically weaker people may be discouraged from using the free weights at all. Already it's a problem that women don't do free weights at all, and the boys do weights but don't work their whole body. Let's not make it worse.

[Tikibeast]

Originally Posted by KyleAaron

Oh, there are zillions of guys who don't rack their weights. Rackers are the minority.

Just think of the racking as extra exercise. Dump the rows and cleans from your workout and rack the weights instead.

Rack them sensibly, too. The 2lb, 5lb and 10lb plates can go at shoulder level. The 20lb plates at waist level. The 30lb and 45lb plates go on the lowest level. Lowest weight on the outside, heaviest on the inside.

That's because if someone drops it, it's better to be dropping lighter ones from a height than heavier ones; and because a person who is going to use 45lb plates is strong enough to move 30lb plates, but not vice versa.

In general, people are not going to be injured by your leaving a mess of plates everywhere. But they will be pissed off, and some of the physically weaker people may be discouraged from using the free weights at all. Already it's a problem that women don't do free weights at all, and the boys do weights but don't work their whole body. Let's not make it worse.

I don't know if I can dump the rows but I've got no choice but to rack my weight now. My mother instilled a strong sense of guilt in me and after reading Josephine's story I couldn't help but rack my weights.

[Danger_Close]

Originally Posted by Tikibeast

Wow now I regret all those plates that I've left sitting around or on the bar.

THAT WAS YOU!?

[Tikibeast]

Originally Posted by Danger_Close

THAT WAS YOU!?

What? Who?? Me??? **** no man....it was.........that ******* over there!

[josephinedalton]

Originally Posted by KyleAaron

It occurs to me all the time. Thus, I always rack the weights.
If you're too tired to rack the weights, they were too much for you, do some lighter weights instead.
If you're not too tired to rack the weights, then you're just a lazy bastard. Don't be that guy.
Clean up after yourself. Your mother's been telling you that since you were 4

KyleAaron... you are from the old school mentality like myself. I started training in 1987. My gym coach made it a BIG point to clean up after yourself in the gym; wipe you sweat off the benches (even if you're a pretty girl), re-rack your weights, don't sit at a machine too long, don't grunt too loud while lifting heavy, socialize away from machines and not close enough that other exercisers are forced to hear your conversation, limit cardio machine usage to 30 minutes during peak hours, etc.

I once worked out at a gym in the midwest and actually heard a member tell another member NOT to re-rack his weights nor dumbbells because that is the floor supervisor's job.... so I confronted him in a not-so-feminine manner. And reminded him that during peak hours, there'd be too many people to clean up after and it's more logical that each member clean up after themselves, and that his philosophy is that of a low class, egotistical meathead with a low IQ, whose monthly membership was most likely a day's pay, who has no idea what the hell is going on and probably does rhoids, and whose wife probably cheats on him cos his overdevelop quads inhibit full hip extension. I went on & on. Coincidentally, that guy was a friend of my boyfriends... who was all that I just stated... to the T.. including his wife cheating on him regularly :-}

We re-rackers are a rarity. I take pride in practicing gym etiquette. I cannot stand to see what a ****hole many weight rooms have become. I have seen guys fling sweat on the mirrors, intentionally intimidate smaller men AND women right off machines, clanking of entire weight racks right next to my head, I've seen guys break dumbbells by throwing them on the floors, guys kick machines because they hit failure a rep too early, I've even see tobacco spit accumulation in the water fountains, I've seen girls hog up full olympic bar stations chatting on the phone about their last manicure and even had to endure 2 girls on stairclimbers conversating over me about their herpes scare.. And my 2 favorite... bitches who don't have enough sense to lift the toilet seat when they squat to pee.... sprinkling on the seat and not cleaning it off when they flush ANd the old thong style leotards back in the 80s... once a lady showed up in one to do bent over rows. Even as a straight woman, how can anyone get a decent workout with such an available view! UGH ! ! !

Originally Posted by Tikibeast

I don't know if I can dump the rows but I've got no choice but to rack my weight now. My mother instilled a strong sense of guilt in me and after reading Josephine's story I couldn't help but rack my weights.

Thank you for your future consideration. I'm sure most guys who don't re-rack their weights just aren't thinking about all the potential consequences of their lack of action. Maybe I should have a tshirt printed "I lift 3 lb dumbbells cos I dislocated my shoulder cleaning up 45-lb plates after a lazy meathead". This way, I don't have to explain to every guy in the dungeon... they can just read my chest :-)

[josephinedalton]

Originally Posted by Stephanie_9

I'm the chic who has just finished work, make up is worn off, hair looks terrible so its tied back, the ipod is on as loud as it goes and i go nuts on my workout... i get so into what i'm doing i don't notice you around me... i look like i enjoy what i'm doing.

Girls like you make me smile at the gym. Wish ALL the girls were like that.

[mnmiz4me]

I'm the mean chick who uses profanity and makes guys feel bad about using my girly weights. I'm the only female lifting also. The women ignore me the men watch me. But everyone says Hi or nods because I'm there 5 to 6 days a week.

[TPower81]

Hmm, good question.

Most of all probably that really quiet guy that doesn't talk to anybody and lifts with good intensity.

People have joked that I dip and squat too much...so maybe I'm that guy thats always in the squat rack (squatting) and if I'm not there you can find me dipping heavy.

I'm not big enough to be a "meat head" so maybe people think I'm just a normal guy that keeps to himself.

[Tikibeast]

Originally Posted by josephinedalton

KyleAaron... you are from the old school mentality like myself. I started training in 1987. My gym coach made it a BIG point to clean up after yourself in the gym; wipe you sweat off the benches (even if you're a pretty girl), re-rack your weights, don't sit at a machine too long, don't grunt too loud while lifting heavy, socialize away from machines and not close enough that other exercisers are forced to hear your conversation, limit cardio machine usage to 30 minutes during peak hours, etc.

I once worked out at a gym in the midwest and actually heard a member tell another member NOT to re-rack his weights nor dumbbells because that is the floor supervisor's job.... so I confronted him in a not-so-feminine manner. And reminded him that during peak hours, there'd be too many people to clean up after and it's more logical that each member clean up after themselves, and that his philosophy is that of a low class, egotistical meathead with a low IQ, whose monthly membership was most likely a day's pay, who has no idea what the hell is going on and probably does rhoids, and whose wife probably cheats on him cos his overdevelop quads inhibit full hip extension. I went on & on. Coincidentally, that guy was a friend of my boyfriends... who was all that I just stated... to the T.. including his wife cheating on him regularly :-}

We re-rackers are a rarity. I take pride in practicing gym etiquette. I cannot stand to see what a ****hole many weight rooms have become. I have seen guys fling sweat on the mirrors, intentionally intimidate smaller men AND women right off machines, clanking of entire weight racks right next to my head, I've seen guys break dumbbells by throwing them on the floors, guys kick machines because they hit failure a rep too early, I've even see tobacco spit accumulation in the water fountains, I've seen girls hog up full olympic bar stations chatting on the phone about their last manicure and even had to endure 2 girls on stairclimbers conversating over me about their herpes scare.. And my 2 favorite... bitches who don't have enough sense to lift the toilet seat when they squat to pee.... sprinkling on the seat and not cleaning it off when they flush ANd the old thong style leotards back in the 80s... once a lady showed up in one to do bent over rows. Even as a straight woman, how can anyone get a decent workout with such an available view! UGH ! ! !



Thank you for your future consideration. I'm sure most guys who don't re-rack their weights just aren't thinking about all the potential consequences of their lack of action. Maybe I should have a tshirt printed "I lift 3 lb dumbbells cos I dislocated my shoulder cleaning up 45-lb plates after a lazy meathead". This way, I don't have to explain to every guy in the dungeon... they can just read my chest :-)

You're welcome, I think this needs to be added to the signs that say please rack your weights...and to be honest they'd probably be trying to read your chest even without the writing. I don't know how ladies deal with the constant ogling.

Originally Posted by mnmiz4me

I'm the mean chick who uses profanity and makes guys feel bad about using my girly weights. I'm the only female lifting also. The women ignore me the men watch me. But everyone says Hi or nods because I'm there 5 to 6 days a week.

Why are the men using your girly weights??

Originally Posted by aneas

This is how I remember the late 80's. We wiped our sweat off with our hands. It was ok to scream at the top of your lungs. There was no need for ipds, etc. Metal blarred through the gym. Lazy people not racking the weights incurred the wraith of the Orge behind the counter. There was no waiting for equipment. Working in was normal. No need to look around for a spotter people would ask you. You didnt know what you were doing it was ok. There were no trainers but the big guys looked out for the little guys. They wanted to help you and you wanted their help. I was lucky enough to get a competitive PL to take me under his wing. At 125lbs I was so scared walking in the gym for the first time. I looked like a human stick figure.

See this sounds like a gym I would've loved.

[swindled]

Originally Posted by josephinedalton

We re-rackers are a rarity. I take pride in practicing gym etiquette. I cannot stand to see what a ****hole many weight rooms have become. I have seen guys fling sweat on the mirrors, intentionally intimidate smaller men AND women right off machines, clanking of entire weight racks right next to my head, I've seen guys break dumbbells by throwing them on the floors, guys kick machines because they hit failure a rep too early, I've even see tobacco spit accumulation in the water fountains, I've seen girls hog up full olympic bar stations chatting on the phone about their last manicure and even had to endure 2 girls on stairclimbers conversating over me about their herpes scare.. And my 2 favorite... bitches who don't have enough sense to lift the toilet seat when they squat to pee.... sprinkling on the seat and not cleaning it off when they flush ANd the old thong style leotards back in the 80s... once a lady showed up in one to do bent over rows. Even as a straight woman, how can anyone get a decent workout with such an available view! UGH ! ! !

Thats absolutely brutual about your shoulder! And wow to the herpes scare convo...
Im glad I was raised as a re-racker..even though I am younger and havent been raised in the gyms that you and KyleAaron described... I had a coach, who had the mentality "you use the equipment, you respect the equipment." That was directed to the weights that we had, as much to the boats that we had.

Although I even see a big difference in my generation to my sister's generation...their generation has much less respect for the equipment than my gen did (they are under the same coach too..my sister is good, but the other athletes really abuse the equipment and dont care.)

My gym is decent as far as being considerate goes, most people wipe down the machines (you are required to carry a towel, and you have to wear a t-shirt, no tank tops or anything). There is a lot of sitting on the equipment chatting, but if you ask politely most people move right away. But I cant stand the guys that throw the barbells around, we just got new barbells that had the nice rubber around them, and already within a year the rubber is torn off, ripped, etc...and mostly from guys who throw the weights around. The lack of re-racking is also a major issue, our gym doesnt have much for free weights anyway, Ive had to walk around the gym collecting plates from other pieces of equipment that havent been cleaned up, drives me crazy...someone else's laziness makes my workout a hell of a lot longer

[KyleAaron]

Originally Posted by aneas

This is how I remember the late 80's. We wiped our sweat off with our hands. It was ok to scream at the top of your lungs. There was no need for ipds, etc. Metal blarred through the gym. Lazy people not racking the weights incurred the wraith of the Orge behind the counter. There was no waiting for equipment. Working in was normal. No need to look around for a spotter people would ask you. You didnt know what you were doing it was ok. There were no trainers but the big guys looked out for the little guys. They wanted to help you and you wanted their help.

I first lifted in I guess 1992 (lots of breaks since then, as anyone can tell from my pictures) but yes - it was exactly like that. Except we had no Ogre behind the counter, nobody supervised. Still, you knew the things you should and shouldn't do, or learned them quickly.

I wasn't thinking of gyms of years ago, though. It's just basic consideration. Either your plates are small and why inflict that clutter on someone else, or they're big, and some new person who struggles to bench 20kg is going to have to move a bunch of 20kg plates to get at the 5kg one.

This discourages people new to lifting from trying it, and frankly in my little community gym we have too few dedicated lifters already. Put it this way: I was thinking it'd be fun to have a board with everyone's best lifts. But I know without asking the gym owners would consider this "inappropriate."

Why make that even worse? Re-rack the weights, seek out help from people obviously more experienced than you, offer help to those less experienced, offer to spot, etc.

[sofitsosweet]

The crazy girl. Always running around and really focused. At my old gym the regs nicknamed me Rocky. Comp I guess unless they think i look like an overtanned white dude with a busted jaw. Tee hee hee. Get asked a lot if i'm training for something.

[JAWS22]

Im also the guy who the trainers ask to help them rack weights when everyone else leaves for the night but me and 2 other hard core guys are left in there at 9 PM.

[Tikibeast]

Originally Posted by sofitsosweet

The crazy girl. Always running around and really focused. At my old gym the regs nicknamed me Rocky. Comp I guess unless they think i look like an overtanned white dude with a busted jaw. Tee hee hee. Get asked a lot if i'm training for something.

I don't think anybody could easily mistake you for a dude...could just be the aggressive hardcore training attitude that you come in with.

Originally Posted by JAWS22

Im also the guy who the trainers ask to help them rack weights when everyone else leaves for the night but me and 2 other hard core guys are left in there at 9 PM.

This is why I love my gym, there is no end of the night...though sadly the trainers are pretty much crap.

[JAWS22]

Originally Posted by Tikibeast

I don't think anybody could easily mistake you for a dude...could just be the aggressive hardcore training attitude that you come in with.



This is why I love my gym, there is no end of the night...though sadly the trainers are pretty much crap.

Yeah dood if I could Id work out at like 8:30-10. But bleh. Dood you should pick up some freelance training jobs dood.

[Pretty Boy Floyd]

the guy who always wears a hat, tans, wears wifebeaters, does some weird lifts and never talks to anyone

[.Cassandra.]

the girl that can barely lift 10 pounds lol. i bike alot tho

[Danger_Close]

speaking of leaving weight on the bar. I was at the gym today and I was just chillin in between my DB rows and I see this small lady over by the squat rack. She couldn't have been more than 5'2" 100. I look at the bar and see like 4 yes 4 100lb plates on the bar, and it was racked like 7 feet high. Even if she could reach the bar there was no way she was gonna lift all that weight. I walked over took all the weight off the bar and set it lower for her.

man wtf is wrong with people?

[coolhandlulu]

It's already a rude and coarse act for any woman to sweat in the south, but I sweat an ungodly amount. I've only seen a couple of other women glistening at my gym. Most read on the treadmill for 15 minutes and leave. Actually I sweat more than most of the guys at my gym too. I think it's the yerba mate, but it keeps me focused so I'm not giving it up.

Also, I'm probably known as the "lone wolf". I keep to myself and take care of business. I at least try to be friendly to the seniors at the gym. But for the little sewing circle, I ain't got no time. They wanna be getting me mixed all up in some drama at the gym. Ain't going there witcha, bruh...Hehehehe

[1337h4x]

im the guy who tries to have as much fun lifting as possible, joking around with friends talking with random people. making gangster jokes to the janitors as they laugh at me.

i donno.... gotta make it fun.

[canakat]

In the "get in, do my thing (quickly), get out" kinda gal. And I'll give any of you creepy guys the evil eye if you stare at me! It gives me the "no" feeling (I dunno about you ladies, but the gym I go to is full of creeps...I live in a city with a woman to man ratio of 1:5). Also, I will promptly give you **** if you don't wipe the equipment off after you're done...I'm on red alert!!

[parsnip1965]

I posted earlier, but after reading Josephine's story I'm also the guy who sometimes suggests that people go see a personal injury lawyer. This incident took place so long ago that there may be no hope of recovering damages, but if there is any hope, the damages would be substantial so I would see about pursuing it. The employer and their insurance company would be the defendants.

BTW - I ALWAYS rack my weights. Big fetish about it.

[jewelisa]

this is funny .............

i'm miss popularity ........... i train hard, heavy , and look and smell great doing it ... so i hear lol

oh and since my training bud is a guy .. some assume we are sleeping together ... dumbasses .........

[justanotherchik]

Originally Posted by aneas

I have to say who cares what anyone else does in the gym? Half the people with that pet peeve dont even look like they spent serious time under the squat rack themselves.

i agree in so much as i really don't care whether or not others squat/workout only upper body/ or for the girls just do cardio 2 hours a day. curling in the squat rack just bugs me b/c you can curl anywhere but i sort of need the rack to squat. if the gym is empty by all means go ahead, but if the place is packed and people are waiting its just polite to curl elsewhere imo

[cassiegose]

Originally Posted by josephinedalton

Today at the Palm Springs Golds, I was the girl in the "bright" blue brazilian outfit with Gaspari printed on the right leg


I was a trainer there, so of course it is the floor trainer's responsibility to keep the weight room clean and clear of unracked weights. So I had to clear off 12 (TWELVE) 45 lb plates from an overhead press bar because some punkasses were too lazy to do it themselves. I didn't even get halfway through one side before my right hand lost grip, but my left hand held one and the plate hit the ground, yanked my humeral head right out of socket

That was the summer of 2004, right after I got out of college and right before I moved to the West Coast. To this day, my blood boils when I enter a weight room and see 45lb plates left on machines. It pisses me off so bad that I force myself to use the women's private gym.

Every time someone leaves a plate on the bars or doesnt return dumbbells to the racks, I think about how my future in competing in figure has been ruined ! I literally cannot build deltoid or pec muscles, nor can I compete in any sport or compete in fitness because of that injury. And it takes me every ounce of will from yelling at guys for not reracking their weights.

If you cannot feel it already, my blood is boiling just typing about the issue

Oh jeeze that SUCKS girl! I'm sorry to hear about that! Even with an injured shoulder you look great!

Now to answer the question... I'm the incredibly grumpy gal that hits the weight room every morning at 5am so i can spend 10 freaking minutes unloading all of the weights that weren't put away by the a$$hole night crew. Seriously... to all of the those people who don't unrack your weights after using them... PUT YOUR F-ING WEIGHTS AWAY!!! This makes my blood boil too! One thing about it, I get so mad every morning that the anger can help make a pretty intense weight workout.

Oh and I've also been called the "nazi spinning instructor" from those who take my class. I personally don't see how "nazi" has anything to do with spinning but thats what they call me.

[MissSusie]

Im the total Freak Magnet.
Stange people come up and start to talk to me. With no reason. Im more loner than really social person.

Worst pick-up line ever
Small Geek looking bloke to me "So,did you really run?"
after I just finished hour long run at treadmill, standing there really red and sweating.

why oih why? These guys just keep coming up to me.

[JCbabi]

the bodybuilding ballerina (spell?)

i try to go when few are there cept for the old guys, they love me, and just cant seem to figure out how i can be so flexible and lift os much at the same time