what makes someone Not Serious...post your irrational prejudices here

[dreahere]

(inspired partially by Artemis' and shesprints' comments in the eye rape thread)

I do a lot of the things that make some people around here (and elsewhere) declare a person's Not Serious in the gym. I absolutely watch all the people around me when I'm resting in between sets. It's like Jane fukcing Goodell observing the chimpanzees, man. A source of wonder and entertainment. I also ::gasp:: wear makeup to the gym and sometimes expensive cute exercise clothes. I very rarely am drenched in sweat when I'm done with my workout. Yet I maintain that when it comes to lifting, I am as serious as poison ivy on your genitals.

Be that as it may, I have irrational prejudices that make *me* judge my fellow gym-goers as Not Serious. Woman with long hair that's not up in a ponytail, bun, or braid when you're working out? Not Serious. Use the pussy pad? Not Serious. Wear gloves to lift? Not Serious. Perhaps the most unfair...if you're a woman who *only* lifts with your SO or a gaggle of your friends, I will judge you hard. Nothing wrong with a workout buddy, but if you are too scared to ever come into the free weights by yourself, I will (unfairly) think you're chickensh*t.

Please post your irrational prejudices here so we can all alternately be offended by the ones we do and feel soothed that we're all judgmental douchebags in this together.

[Cass40]

My prejudice is that I'm better than all the other girls at the gym. I never see any females doing real pull ups or dips, for instance. They all are working out with their SO, and I'm always solo.
I don't have prejudices when it comes to appearance. Some girls wear full make up with eye lashes and all. I always have my long hair loose. I'm gonna enjoy my Barbie hair before it's all gray. I wear tight and cute clothes, usually not make up, cause I just hardly use it any ways.
There was this tiny girl that comes to the weight room, and the other day she was wearing a weight lifting belt! I was rolling my eyes thinking how did she even find a belt that tiny. And no, she doesn't squat with free weights, at least I've never seen it.
Oh yeah, no pads or gloves. I have my traps for padding. Pad only for hip thrusts. So yeah, you gonna get judged for the pad. I assume that's what pussy pad means cause i really was wondering about that.

[kimm4]

My prejudice is cell phones. When you're on your cell phone more than you're hitting the weights...GTFO!

My other prejudice is the long time gym members who look exactly the same (and not in a good way) as they did 10-20 yrs ago. You're doing it wrong and you need a new plan.

[shesprints]

Because I've been anorexic, I can spot them from a mile away. It makes me wince, feel sympathetic pain, and also feel deep anger when I see women with fragile, visible tendons, jutting bones, sallow skin, and a clenched grimace of pain as they pound themselves with hours on whatever cardio machine or lifting weights that clearly won't contribute to strength because it's obvious they aren't eating.

So yeah. Not so much 'makes me think not serious' but 'makes me feel horrible pain.'

I also judge people who have ridiculous form and do half reps of stuff, especially pushups. If you're going up and down through a 2" range of motion and your butt is sagging, just stop. It's like you're playing pretend-gym, not actually working out. Same with butt sag during interminable planks. Great, you can hold a 5-minute "plank." Except not.

I also totally judge people who have cr@p running form. It's a SPORT. There IS a proper way to do it. You aren't serious about it if you think lumbering side-to-side on the treadmill at 5 mph dragging your feet is 'running.'

I'm a judgmental person, I just try to filter my judgments and not say things out loud. Except on the internet,, I guess.

The main thing that truly makes me believe people aren't 'serious' is if they don't have any true intellectual curiosity or willingness to work methodically at anything, or learn more, or even just ask themselves honestly 'is what I'm doing working?' A lot of people seem to show up at the gym to put in a token effort and say "I went to the gym," but as with anyone else... it doesn't work that way. You can audit a class on German and say you're studying German, but if you don't actually learn to speak German, you have officially wasted your time.

[Artemis00]

I'll play


I spend a lot of my rest time looking around the gym. Especially guys. Sometimes it is nice to get ideas based on the exercises they are going but most of the time it is to appreciate the hard work they do at the gym. Okay, unless I'm at the Power lifting gym, in which then usually I'm petting the pit bulls (shout out to Max, Niki, Kane and Rutger). I wear makeup when I go to the gym and I feel really bad when I see it transfer on my partner's shirt when I'm doing Jiu Jitsu (poor guy was wearing white last week). I normally don't sweat when I lift weights but with Jiu Jitsu, I come out of class looking like a drowned rat. I wear a sports bra and compression bike shorts when I go to the gym...hoping to graduate soon to yoga shorts. I also occasionally have my hair down when I do certain exercises, makes it easier to have my head flat against the bench but other times I will stash the tail of my pony tail in my sports bra cause it hurts sometimes when it catches in your armpit in the middle of dead lifts.

As for judgments I have made at the gym. I don't really care regarding whether the person does cardio or not. I don't know what they are trying to accomplish so I don't care. Honestly I prefer women stick to the cardio equipment cause normally when they go into the free weights section, they seem to get in the way. Can't hate on the gloves or pussy pad since I used to use those in the past so I assume they are new to lifting and in the process of learning like I was when I used them. Plus my pussy pad is now a permanent fixture (love my traps). What I am guilty of is wondering what is up with the guys that will wear a lifting belt all the time for every single exercises. I mean if the back is that weak, why not exercise it? The other one is guys that drag their GF into the free weight section. I always wonder who motivated that and what was the rationale. I typically assume the guy wants them to lift weights and the girlrriend wants to keep an eye on their boyfriend. But it seems like a huge waste of time, the guy doesn't get in a good workout cause he has to spend most of his time holding his GF's hand and she doesn't care about lifting weights (you never see them back - maybe once every 3 months). Plus a bit irritating cause most of the time she ends up getting in other people's way cause she doesn't even understand gym etiquette (dumbbell rack is not a place to lean against while your BF workouts).

[sy2502]

I rage inwardly really badly when I get to the gym and see some walking skeleton going like a maniac on a cardio machine, and when I leave the gym they are still there, with all them bones sticking out, sunken cheeks, geez I feel like slapping them silly then cram a sandwich down their throat.
I also have an irrational reaction when I see really buff guys who do fukk all at the gym, maybe like 20 minutes of crossfit-like stuff, and they have biceps up to there and striated triceps and chit. I feel they break more sweat injecting crap in their asses than they do lifting.

Yes, it's all irrational and I immediately catch myself and say it's none of my business.

[Pinskers]

Shesprints named my number one. I find it mildly triggering and uncomfortable still, so I try to work my lifting schedule around the time this one specific girl comes in, but she's a twice-daily goer, and it makes me so sad and depressed. It's not something you can approach someone about, and she has the right to be there as anyone else. I feel angry, too, because I know the pain of being so hungry and pounding out hours of cardio and I just want to be like, "You're killing yourself, please stop. :'("

The other thing is...well, lifeguards, actually, when there's a pool, that can't swim. I used to prep people to pass the lifeguard test, and they weren't even able to swim 25m. I just wanted to be like, "How can you expect to carry a flailing person who may weigh more than you if you can't swim? If they pull you under, and you can't survive in the water, you're gonna drown as well." Either learn to swim before applying, or get out.

Also, loud, LOUD grunters in the gym or people who wear cut off tanks so cut off you see nipples. What are you trying to prove? If I can't do that as a woman, you can't do that as a guy. No one finds your man boobs attractive. Sorry.

[nicholina]

Its a shame that so many women (especially at the gym) have so much rage, judgement, negativity and hatred for other women. When I see this happening, I realize its more about the women judging (either usually due to self esteem or feeling inadequate) than it is about the person being judged. I realize everyone is prone to judgement at iimes... but the sentiments of rage, disgust, and belittling posted here really indicate that maybe its more about you than it is about them.
I think this thread is counterproductive. Id hate to spend my favorite time of the day (at the gym) worrying about how much I hate everyone around me and being filled with rage. I bet they really dont care what you think

[Artemis00]

Also, loud, LOUD grunters in the gym or people who wear cut off tanks so cut off you see nipples. What are you trying to prove? If I can't do that as a woman, you can't do that as a guy. No one finds your man boobs attractive. Sorry.

Awe c'mon. Don't take that away from me. If the guy has a good body, I like to see that .

BRB. Changing my user name to "No One"

[Artemis00]

Its a shame that so many women (especially at the gym) have so much rage, judgement, negativity and hatred for other women. When I see this happening, I realize its more about the women judging (either usually due to self esteem or feeling inadequate) than it is about the person being judged. I realize everyone is prone to judgement at iimes... but the sentiments of rage, disgust, and belittling posted here really indicate that maybe its more about you than it is about them.
I think this thread is counterproductive.

Thank you for judging us. So what does that say about YOU?


Edit...I actually think this thread is very productive. Gives people a chance to air what judgements they have and let others rebut it. Gives people an opportunity to learn that their judgements are unfounded. Plus was really interesting to see how those that have had EDs in the past react to seeing others with the same issue at the gym. I never would have thought in the same contexts, but can understand why you are so sensitive to it.

[sy2502]

Thank you for judging us. So what does that say about YOU?

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Artemis00 again.

[vanillabn]

I would agree with dreahere, in that the girls who come in with all their friends, or their boyfriend every single time, I feel like they're not serious, whether that's true or not... lol. I just know I certainly CAN'T get a good workout in dragging my friends along.

Not fellow gym goers, but some of the trainers who I feel are 'not serious' irritate the crap out of me. I witnessed a situation the other day where a giggling personal trainer spent 10 minutes pathetically flirting with the guy she was supposedly 'training' at the pullup station (and yes I was waiting). He was teasing her asking if she can even do pullups, and next thing I know he's giving HER a boost up to see if she can do it. She then falls off the bar, hugging him and giggling. I'm like WTF is this real life?! It's hard to have respect for some of the trainers when they're carrying on like that, which IMO is unprofessional.

Girls who wear makeup, etc. I do sometimes notice if it's piled on, but I really can't judge because when I go straight after work, I certainly don't take my makeup off - I just go as I am.

Being on a cell phone is SOOOO annoying... I just want them to get out of the way and leave!! I know there may be cases where it's an emergency or whatever, but I'd be shocked if that's the case. However, I could be getting judged because I use my iphone for music, and often change songs between sets or whatever... so they might think I'm one of those awful people too... haha.

[shesprints]

Thank you for judging us. So what does that say about YOU?

LOL yeah really.

I mean, some of the comments, like the ones you made about women with their boyfriends, that are highly woman-specific are a little troublesome to me. Judging women for lifting weights with their SOs seems silly since of course more men than women were introduced to lifting earlier in life... I'm judgmental, but I hope not misogynistic.

I see no problem with us sharing our thoughts, though. After all, if you do have a problematic belief or prejudice, stating it might help you reconsider it!

[Pinskers]

Awe c'mon. Don't take that away from me. If the guy has a good body, I like to see that .

BRB. Changing my user name to "No One"

Damn it! Spread too much reputation today!

Oh, one more I judge HARD: Shoving your iPad in the back of your pants to listen to music. I mean, what?

[Artemis00]

I mean, some of the comments, like the ones you made about women with their boyfriends, that are highly woman-specific are a little troublesome to me. Judging women for lifting weights with their SOs seems silly since of course more men than women were introduced to lifting earlier in life... I'm judgmental, but I hope not misogynistic.

Oh, I have no problem with a woman lifting with their SO or lifting in general (as long as they don't get in the way...same goes for guys as well). There is actually a couple that goes to the gym and will sometimes lift together and I find it absolutely adorable. But it is the ones where you can tell the GF doesn't want to lift weights and they guy is losing his patients trying to help her. It is the leading a horse to water and then trying to force it to drink...it isn't gonna happen. Most of the time when I do see a woman lifting in the gym (regardless of what weights she is using), I think that is nice and move on to lifting or checking out guys.

Sorry if my wording is sounding misogynistic...not really my intentions...need to watch how I word things. I would say the same about guys if I ever saw a girl that lifts dragging her BF to the gym when he clearly doesn't want to learn to lift. Thanks for letting me know...I'm all about self improvement.

[Paintballchick]

Damn it! Spread too much reputation today!

Oh, one more I judge HARD: Shoving your iPad in the back of your pants to listen to music. I mean, what?

I am guilty of this one! I have my phone tucked into the waistband of my shorts (I stream spotify on it) :P I tried it on my arm in one of the straps but it just felt so damned uncomfortable! So for now I will be that person!! Lol

The only thing I really get judgmental about is when someone is hogging 3 benches all to themselves. But I guess that is more a pet peeve than just being Judgey.

[sy2502]

Oh, I have no problem with a woman lifting with their SO or lifting in general (as long as they don't get in the way...same goes for guys as well). There is actually a couple that goes to the gym and will sometimes lift together and I find it absolutely adorable. But it is the ones where you can tell the GF doesn't want to lift weights and they guy is losing his patients trying to help her. It is the leading a horse to water and then trying to force it to drink...it isn't gonna happen. Most of the time when I do see a woman lifting in the gym (regardless of what weights she is using), I think that is nice and move on to lifting or checking out guys.

Sorry if my wording is sounding misogynistic...not really my intentions...need to watch how I word things. I would say the same about guys if I ever saw a girl that lifts dragging her BF to the gym when he clearly doesn't want to learn to lift. Thanks for letting me know...I'm all about self improvement.

Besides, most of these BFs treat the girl like a frigging china vase, handing her the pink dumbbells and chit. If anything THEY are being the misogynist ones by treating her like some special need, physically challenged, disabled individual.

[Pinskers]

I am guilty of this one! I have my phone tucked into the waistband of my shorts (I stream spotify on it) :P I tried it on my arm in one of the straps but it just felt so damned uncomfortable! So for now I will be that person!! Lol

Yeah, but that's your phone, a small object. iPads are much larger and looks like you're shoving a laptop down your underwear.

[sy2502]

The only thing I really get judgmental about is when someone is hogging 3 benches all to themselves. But I guess that is more a pet peeve than just being Judgey.

That's not being judgmental, the people who hog several pieces of equipment at the same time, even in a busy gym are plain rude and selfish.

[Artemis00]

Besides, most of these BFs treat the girl like a frigging china vase, handing her the pink dumbbells and chit. If anything THEY are being the misogynist ones by treating her like some special need, physically challenged, disabled individual.

I've seen that as well. The BF will show his GF exercises that I've never once seen him do without her. Not saying the exercises aren't valid, but just seemed odd to be showing her something other than what he would normally do. On more than a few occasions the GF gets bored to the point of sitting on the floor waiting for the BF to get done...or they go over to the cardio equipment. There was actually one time I almost interfered cause the BF was trying to show his GF Arnold presses and she just wasn't getting it cause he wasn't explaining them well, and he was really losing his patience with her to the point of being a dick.

[vanillabn]

Its a shame that so many women (especially at the gym) have so much rage, judgement, negativity and hatred for other women. When I see this happening, I realize its more about the women judging (either usually due to self esteem or feeling inadequate) than it is about the person being judged. I realize everyone is prone to judgement at iimes... but the sentiments of rage, disgust, and belittling posted here really indicate that maybe its more about you than it is about them.
I think this thread is counterproductive. Id hate to spend my favorite time of the day (at the gym) worrying about how much I hate everyone around me and being filled with rage. I bet they really dont care what you think

Well I think hate is a pretty strong word... I don't think anyone's 'filled with rage,' it's more of just observing something we personally think is weird, annoying or funny. I dunno, I took this thread in a more lighthearted way in that we ALL do things that others judge us for and it's just life... and it's interesting to see people's point of view.

Plus we're talking about 'irrational prejudices' in that we may not have a good reason and/or justification for it...

[Cass40]

One other thing I've noticed after hanging out here for some time. This goes beyond the gym though, but I notice people that have tooth pick arms!
I mean, my arms are tooth picks too, but if someone has zero definition, I can't help but notice and think "go lift something".

[vanillabn]

Yeah, but that's your phone, a small object. iPads are much larger and looks like you're shoving a laptop down your underwear.

You've really seen someone with an iPad tucked in their pants?! lol I can't even imagine...

[Cass40]

Its a shame that so many women (especially at the gym) have so much rage, judgement, negativity and hatred for other women. When I see this happening, I realize its more about the women judging (either usually due to self esteem or feeling inadequate) than it is about the person being judged. I realize everyone is prone to judgement at iimes... but the sentiments of rage, disgust, and belittling posted here really indicate that maybe its more about you than it is about them.
I think this thread is counterproductive. Id hate to spend my favorite time of the day (at the gym) worrying about how much I hate everyone around me and being filled with rage. I bet they really dont care what you think

Lol @ assuming I don't realize my prejudices are about me the judge not the judgee. Of course my thoughts are about me. Also lol @ the though I'm in rage or hating other women, because I share IRRATIONAL prejudices that was asked by the OP. (Tongue in cheek I assume). But congratulations on your perfect and pure mind that never has any prejudices

[Cass40]

You've really seen someone with an iPad tucked in their pants?! lol I can't even imagine...

I can't have anything with me at the gym cause I would lose everything.

Long time ago, my razor fell off my pocket, and someone stole it in a second.

[Artemis00]

I can't have anything with me at the gym cause I would lose everything.

Long time ago, my razor fell off my pocket, and someone stole it in a second.

Damn, the first time I read thru your comment, I thought you were carrying around one of these at your gym...



You really must go to a hardcore gym

[Cass40]

Artie, I can't see the picture. Now I wanna know

Razor was a phone back in the day. You're probably too young to remember

[Artemis00]

Artie, I can't see the picture. Now I wanna know

Razor was a phone back in the day. You're probably too young to remember

It is a pic of a razor used in a barbershop for shaving.


Awe, thanks that is so sweet of you to say...but yeah,I remember the old Razor flip phones...I actually wanted one of those when they came out.


And don't tell anyone, I'm not that much younger than you

[Cass40]

It is a pic of a razor used in a barbershop for shaving.


Awe, thanks that is so sweet of you to say...but yeah,I remember the old Razor flip phones...I actually wanted one of those when they came out.


And don't tell anyone, I'm not that much younger than you

Oh, I don't need a razor for shaving. I've never even shaven my legs in my life!

Dem blonde baby hair genetics have saved me tons of money!

And now I wanna know how old you are. I swear the whole time I've been thinking you're like twenty.

[sy2502]

I can't have anything with me at the gym cause I would lose everything.

Long time ago, my razor fell off my pocket, and someone stole it in a second.

I have left my Kindle at the gym twice already. Thank god people are honest and don't take it home.