What makes you laugh at the gym?

[dsm246]

I'm not sure if this one makes me laugh more or rustles my jimmies more but I'll post it here ....

So my gym has 1 women's olympic bar and about 10 mens bars. I've gotten it into my head that I want to learn olympic lifting so have been working through the progressions and the women's bar is just much better for doing that - the smaller diameter really does help my grip on cleans. Anyway, more often than not I go to grab the one women's olympic bar and there is some random guy using it. This last time, some dude was actually squating with it. I'm pretty sure he's probably got no clue that he's using the women's bar. I fantasize about walking up to these guys and saying "Hey, when you are done using the women's bar could let me know." I like to envision the look of horror on their faces. I haven't gotten up the nerve to actually say anything yet. But it makes me laugh to think about it.

[BrotherWolf]

I fantasize about walking up to these guys and saying "Hey, when you are done using the women's bar could let me know." I like to envision the look of horror on their faces. I haven't gotten up the nerve to actually say anything yet. But it makes me laugh to think about it.

do it .. seriously

the last time I was at the gym I saw this girl in good shape , really nice petite body,athletic
w/ nice quads round butt etc..

she goes and grabs a 40lb curl bar and starts doing front squats , steps right in front of the rack stopping anyone from using the bars
great .. I was kind annoyed so I walked up to her first I complimented her for actually doing front squats with pretty decent form
then I pretty much told her to gtfo lol

I wasn't rude I just told her she was good at it and that she should use the squat cage with a barbell which is only 5lb more I obviously embarrassed her she apologized a few times i told her not to worry i had to rest too so I'd work between her sets .....

now I feel kinda bad I hope I see her again so I can clarify all I wanted to say is to not be intimidated to lift in the cage

[Madi-J]

do it .. seriously

the last time I was at the gym I saw this girl in good shape , really nice petite body,athletic
w/ nice quads round butt etc..

she goes and grabs a 40lb curl bar and starts doing front squats , steps right in front of the rack stopping anyone from using the bars
great .. I was kind annoyed so I walked up to her first I complimented her for actually doing front squats with pretty decent form
then I pretty much told her to gtfo lol

I wasn't rude I just told her she was good at it and that she should use the squat cage with a barbell which is only 5lb more I obviously embarrassed her she apologized a few times i told her not to worry i had to rest too so I'd work between her sets .....

now I feel kinda bad I hope I see her again so I can clarify all I wanted to say is to not be intimidated to lift in the cage

Way to go BW! jk! But really, if you are able/want to, offer her some assistance with using the rack if you see her again. I know for a fact that it would have taken me forever to work up enough guts to use one if it weren't for the man pushing me to do squats. That thing is friggin' scary if you're new to lifting!

[tara19]

I was shaking the first time I used the rack!
Scared someone would tell me not too lol.

[Keltron]

I'm not sure if this one makes me laugh more or rustles my jimmies more but I'll post it here ....

So my gym has 1 women's olympic bar and about 10 mens bars. I've gotten it into my head that I want to learn olympic lifting so have been working through the progressions and the women's bar is just much better for doing that - the smaller diameter really does help my grip on cleans. Anyway, more often than not I go to grab the one women's olympic bar and there is some random guy using it. This last time, some dude was actually squating with it. I'm pretty sure he's probably got no clue that he's using the women's bar. I fantasize about walking up to these guys and saying "Hey, when you are done using the women's bar could let me know." I like to envision the look of horror on their faces. I haven't gotten up the nerve to actually say anything yet. But it makes me laugh to think about it.

There's nothing wrong w/a woman using women's oly bar for oly lifting. In fact, all women should use it. Using the hook grip is hard enough but when the bar is bigger than it has to be it just makes it more complicated.

I use a women's bar (33lbs) and sometimes a kid's bar (22lbs) for certain warm up drills. I was going to buy two nice oly bars for my clients who are doing olympic lifts and opted to get one women's bar and one junior bar. The men don't mind because you can load to the barbell to whatever "manly weight" you wish. Well, except for one guy I have lol.

If you really want to learn the lifts w/o an actual coach, the next best thing is Greg Everett's book that also comes w/a DVD. Before I picked it up I was fairly proficient in doing the lifts myself but not that good at teaching them to my clients. Once I studied the book and dvd it was like night and day.

http://www.amazon.com/Olympic-Weight.../dp/0980011116

[BrotherWolf]

Way to go BW! jk! But really, if you are able/want to, offer her some assistance with using the rack if you see her again. I know for a fact that it would have taken me forever to work up enough guts to use one if it weren't for the man pushing me to do squats. That thing is friggin' scary if you're new to lifting!

I am always wary about offering any advice at the gym especially with females .. I see so many that need help and if they did get help they'd be pretty damn good
guys can go **** themselves because they act like they know **** and they don't listen lol
but unfortunately some (most) females are intimidated.. also I know this for a fact apparently I am intimidating

[BrotherWolf]

I was shaking the first time I used the rack!
Scared someone would tell me not too lol.

that's exactly what I am saying lol

I hope you got over your fears

[flyfreefit]

Some guy was using the calf-raise machine the other day to do shoulder presses... LOL! Creative!

My girlfriend got up from her bench to grab a different set of weights and this little guy came in and stole her seat. She didn't find it funny, but I was laughing hysterically.

I am always wary about offering any advice at the gym especially with females .. I see so many that need help and if they did get help they'd be pretty damn good
guys can go **** themselves because they act like they know **** and they don't listen lol
but unfortunately some (most) females are intimidated.. also I know this for a fact apparently I am intimidating

I genuinely appreciate any time anyone offers me tips on my form or use of machines/weights etc.
I've had some people give me what I thought was solid advice, and others that I thought sounded like complete idiots. Either way, I think about it, apply it (or not), smile politely, and say thank you. It's nice to get feedback, as long as it's done respectfully.

[dsm246]

There's nothing wrong w/a woman using women's oly bar for oly lifting. In fact, all women should use it. Using the hook grip is hard enough but when the bar is bigger than it has to be it just makes it more complicated.

I use a women's bar (33lbs) and sometimes a kid's bar (22lbs) for certain warm up drills. I was going to buy two nice oly bars for my clients who are doing olympic lifts and opted to get one women's bar and one junior bar. The men don't mind because you can load to the barbell to whatever "manly weight" you wish. Well, except for one guy I have lol.

If you really want to learn the lifts w/o an actual coach, the next best thing is Greg Everett's book that also comes w/a DVD. Before I picked it up I was fairly proficient in doing the lifts myself but not that good at teaching them to my clients. Once I studied the book and dvd it was like night and day.

http://www.amazon.com/Olympic-Weight.../dp/0980011116

Thank you for the recommendations - I'm going to check them out. I do have a coach I've started working with for these specific lifts. They are so technical that I felt I needed a little more guidance on them. But having a few references would also be really useful to me.

[Celigirl88]

Alright, not to sure if this aggravates me or makes me laugh more.

There is this lady who has been going to my gym probably just as long as I've been there. She is OBSESSED with having the fan on at all times. She will turn the fan on and then walk literally across the gym to the ellyptical machine, even though you can't feel the fan over there. Anyways, she goes so slow on the machine, it doesn't even register she's on it. The other day a lady came in and was getting ready to work out and she was covered in layers. This lady looks at her and goes "I don't know why you're wearing all those clothes, you don't have to sweat to lose weight. This is all I do everyday and I've lost 80 pounds". She also will turn the fan on, get on the machine. Work out for a minute, get off, get a drink, get back on the machine. Work out for a minute, get off, go to the shake counter, get a shake, get back on the machine and work out. She will also stop every 10 minutes or so to switch ellypticals.

So the other day I'm on the treadmill and this guy is next to me doing his thing. I'm just in my own little world and she comes in. Now, the fan is more so by the treadmills so when it's on and blasting it's FREEZING since it's right on us. She comes in, turns the fans on and walks across the gym to the other side!!! This guy LOST IT. Freaking out "I don't want to be working out with this fan on me and if I wanted it on, it would of been on when I started working out and she's not even over here what's the point of having it on?!" - Last night I get to the gym and I walk to the treadmills, everybody looks at me and goes "can you please turn the fan off before you get on" I'd say about 5 people asked me. I turned off the fan and low and behold here comes "fan lady". She walks all the way back over to where we were, turns on the fan, and walks BACK across the gym where the fan wasn't even pointed! Then proceeds to freak out on me!!!! The gym attendants have told her numerous times if more than 2 members don't want the fan on, she needs to respect that and if she needs a fan on her at all times, she is to bring her own in and carry it around with her.

Like W.T.F?!

[dsm246]

I am always wary about offering any advice at the gym especially with females .. I see so many that need help and if they did get help they'd be pretty damn good
guys can go **** themselves because they act like they know **** and they don't listen lol
but unfortunately some (most) females are intimidated.. also I know this for a fact apparently I am intimidating

You?? Intimidating? I cannot imagine it. :-) I hear what you are saying. I do recall how nervous I was in the early days and if someone approached me in the wrong way it might have scared me off completely. I think your approach of offering the encouraging complement and then layering on the advice is a good one. Also phrasing the advice so that it sounds more like a tip than a critique can make it sound less intimidating and more encouraging too.

[BrotherWolf]

I genuinely appreciate any time anyone offers me tips on my form or use of machines/weights etc.
I've had some people give me what I thought was solid advice, and others that I thought sounded like complete idiots. Either way, I think about it, apply it (or not), smile politely, and say thank you. It's nice to get feedback, as long as it's done respectfully.

I would never stop someone's workout to give advice but if it comes up in a conversation then i might
there's one of the trainers at my gym that always asks me things, the other day he came up just to tell me was nice to seeing me training in there again (I was going to a different location)
and that he has been showing me off me as an example to some of his clients.. that is kinda cool

You?? Intimidating? I cannot imagine it. :-)

I am 5'7" 180 not 6'4" 300lbs
I don't get it

I hear what you are saying. I do recall how nervous I was in the early days and if someone approached me in the wrong way it might have scared me off completely. I think your approach of offering the encouraging complement and then layering on the advice is a good one. Also phrasing the advice so that it sounds more like a tip than a critique can make it sound less intimidating and more encouraging too.

It's a fine line

[tara19]

that's exactly what I am saying lol

I hope you got over your fears

I'm pretty sure my booty can vouche for me

[Big_Sky_Guy]

I am always wary about offering any advice at the gym especially with females .. I see so many that need help and if they did get help they'd be pretty damn good
guys can go **** themselves because they act like they know **** and they don't listen lol
but unfortunately some (most) females are intimidated.. also I know this for a fact apparently I am intimidating

You don't want to talk about her rack in the gym. Am disappointed.

[BrotherWolf]

You don't want to talk about her rack in the gym. Am disappointed.

If you put it that way .. I don't want to disappoint you

[BrotherWolf]

I'm pretty sure my booty can vouche for me

Oh yeah .. big mouth, nothing to show

I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3705531

[tara19]

Oh yeah .. big mouth, nothing to show

I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3705531

Check my gallery. Just for proof

[BrotherWolf]

Check my gallery. Just for proof

Ahh you cheeky.....

[tara19]

Ahh you cheeky.....

Haha, I always back up whatever I say ;D

[BrotherWolf]

Haha, I always back up whatever I say ;D

you kept your word..... admirable

[Fitboss68]

guys can go **** themselves because they act like they know **** and they don't listen lol

Tell me about it. They have a lot of attitude when I offer to help. Excuse the hell out of my for not having a penis, but do you think I got this job because I do jazzercise?

[Fitboss68]

Saw the weirdest thing the other day. Dude lying on the floor of the power rack statically holding a loaded barbell (135) as if at the top of a bench press while simultaneously doing double leg lifts. Is this a thing?

Meanwhile one of the regulars had two benches next to each other, a medicine ball on each one, and was doing pushups with his hands on the medicine balls and his feet on the slightly inclined bottoms of the bench. Couldn't you, like, just put the medicine balls on the floor and your feet on a step instead? I don't see what the point of being on top of the benches was other than to add hilarity to someone's covert youtube video if you lost your balance and fell off.

Floor sweeps. He should be going from one side to the other though. oe of of my favorite ab exercises

[JulieC26]

There's this lady with bright purple headband around her head, wearing rainbow colored tights, and a colorful sports bra with matching socks! and believe me, she has MANY colorful tights! I swear everytime I see her at the gym, it's always a new color. haha I'll give props to her for always being so friendly and waves hi to everyone she sees~

[omegabus]

I always worry that I'm someone people laugh at at the gym. Sometimes I am trying new things and look dumb and wish the knowledgeable people would help!

Most of the people at my gym are fairly competent. I'll preface what I'm about to say by saying this: my legs are a huge problem area for me that I'm working on. Without losing a pound I lost an inch in my hips (which have a lot of fat on the sides) and half an inch in my thighs from doing squats alone. Anyway, about once a week I'll run into this girl who has a relatively fit/lean upper body and not the best legs. She's on those adductor and abductor machines working her inner and outter thighs saying it's going to get rid of the fat there. It's been months and I swear her legs have just gotten bigger. Meanwhile I'm squatting with the big scary barbell that according to her will give me bulky gross legs and getting leaner.

There's also one guy in particular who grunts LOUD AS HELL whenever doing any sort of lifting. He's very flabby and you can't even tell his arms have muscle. He'll do things like go on the assisted pullup machine at the same weight I use and grunt extremely loudly (I can hear him across the gym and my gym is NOT small) while doing the exercises. I guess maybe it helps him, but he hasn't improved in two months... He's grunting louder than the heavy lifters who look like they are fitness models!

[Sporklift]

today went to the gym and saw an old man lifting. Just an average looking old dude and with each rep instead of making loud grunting noises he was going, "Owww!... Owww!!" After he finished his set he would rub on his shoulder and continue. I don't know if he was actually in pain or if that was how he worked out.

[Swtbttrfly23]

I always do the elliptical at my gym because I'm not a fan of running, but I really hit it with a lot of intensity- I do at least 45 minutes per day, 8 or 9 on the resistance, and I swing my arms with it to spike my heart rate even higher (sort of like I'm running on the elliptical). It's super intense and burns a ton of fat. I always get a really good chuckle at the people who jump on the machines next to me and try to do the same thing. There are some super skinny chicks (I'm a big girl) that used to get on when I was on and they always look over at my screen and at me to see what I'm doing and then they try to copy it, maybe to show me up, IDK. I have to smile when I see them losing their balance or only able to do 15 minutes of what I'm doing before they just get tired and leave. Now there are some older guys that get on the machines right next to me and I can always see them trying not to hold on for dear life. I just keep doing my thing but it makes me giggle that people assume my workout is so easy just because I'm a big girl.

That and the old guy that tries to show off by stretching on the weight machines.