A little confrontation with someone in the gym tonight...

[Fishman15]

Well, more of a disagreement with another dude about his lack of gym etiquette in my opinion. Normally I don't say anything when someone comes and grabs weights off the rack on a machine or squat rack. It's usually by a newbie and it's real obvious they just don't know any better so I just let it go...every time. Tonight was different, the culprit was obviously an experienced lifter. He was probably 20 years younger than me, stronger, and leaner from head to toe.

I had just gotten done doing a warm up set on one of the hammer strength high pull machines. I got up and noticed there was no quarters on the machine's racks so I went for a stroll to find a pair off a rack that wasn't be used by someone. As I'm coming back with the quarters I see this dude who was in front me doing bench now grabbing full plates off my racks. I mean he knew full well I was using the machine and didn't even try to use that excuse. I yell out hey, don't take those...I need them. He says well, they weren't on the lifting arm so technically you weren't using them. I said yea...but my next set I will be and he tries to do the technically you weren't using them line again. I looked at him with a bit of a Bert stare I'm sure and said well..."technically" I could have grabbed these 2 quarters in my hands from your rack then and you wouldn't have had an issue with it?

He then gives me the best Bert stare I think I've ever seen and I just proceeded to start doing my next set. Like I said...I typically never let this bother me because it always seems to be newbies pulling that stunt. For some reason having an experienced lifter pull this just rubbed me the wrong way tonight. I hope he learned something about respect tonight...

[Bando]

Like a 2.2 of rudeness out of 10. I would have let it go "I was about to use those" is always trumped by "I'm needing heavier weights right now" IMO

[Fishman15]

Like a 2.2 of rudeness out of 10. I would have let it go "I was about to use those" is always trumped by "I'm needing heavier weights right now" IMO

Nope...I just got done with a stroll to find weights...he needs to do the same. If I wasn't clear...the weights he was grabbing were on my machine...not a separate weight rack.

[deadwoodgregg]

Sorry Fish, I think the dude was alright as long as he wasn't stripping them off of the weight horns. Maybe he should have waited until you returned and asked if you were going to use those particular plates. Not his fault if your gym doesn't have enough plates to fully stock the equipment. Even my home gym has over 8000lbs of plates. There will be no Bert stares here.

[Fishman15]

Sorry Fish, I think the dude was alright as long as he wasn't stripping them off of the weight horns. Maybe he should have waited until you returned and asked if you were going to use those particular plates. Not his fault if your gym doesn't have enough plates to fully stock the equipment. Even my home gym has over 8000lbs of plates. There will be no Bert stares here.

The thing is there were plenty of weights to be found on machines not being used or on designated weight trees. Maybe it's just me but I have never walked up to a machine that was being used and taken weights off without asking first. Even if it was a smaller gal who I knew would never need 45's...I would not grab them without asking first if she needed them.

[RK42]

Yes, this doesn't seem horribly bad. Not something I would do, though. Most of the time, I only take plates from machines/stations when they have extras of the same kind, even if nobody is currently working out there. Unless I get tired of searching, and it's something that hardly anybody ever uses.

People taking currently unused plates is reasonably common. I don't particularly like it, but I don't normally say anything, unless it's a plate I was just about to use. Most people are kind enough to ask, but not everybody.

But the other day... I went to refill my water bottle between two sets of benching. My towel and a couple of other items were still there, so it was fairly obvious that I was going to come back. When I got back a minute later, somebody was in the process of stripping a plate off my bar! I'm mostly nice, but in this case, I may have asked him WTF he was doing. Ironically, he and a buddy had been benching on the other of two benches, and did not rerack their weights. So I suggested that instead of taking plates from other people, they could rerack their own weights. They just looked at me funny, apparently unfamiliar with the concept of racking weights...

[Karl_Hungus]

I had it worse...lol. Years ago, I was using a plate-loaded hamstring curl machine. I load up the plates, lie down on the machine, and just as I am about to do my first rep, some dumbass pulls one of the plates off. I immediately jumped off and asked him WTF he was doing. Turned out the guy wasn't a dick, it was his first time in the gym and he was just completely clueless.

[massivebackk]

that's nothing, in my gym there's people who use dumbells, and then leave them right there on the floor, or some idiots who do some kind of circuit training where they use many pieces of equipment or areas, and you wanna use it and he's like ''no, i'm using that, i got 5 more sets'', wtf? inconsiderate a..holes!

[OldFartTom]

I think the guy did nothing too much wrong, it's an easy misunderstanding to make *except* that he should have apologised (not saying "technically") and given them back, that'd be a whole different situation. I think his fault is not apologising, not taking the plates that technically you weren't using (OK that last bit was just to annoy you)

[Junsuiakai]

Sharing is caring.

Why do people act like 10-20 extra seconds will impede gains?

Were you about to do your set or was it in 5-10 minutes? If not then let him use the weight and get him to put it back afterwards.

So many strange situations I've only read about.

[x-trainer ben]

"Sharing is caring."

We used to do that ^^^^ but our society is rapidly in decline.

[Brackneyc]

Okay, look, uh, when you're in Florida, can my cigar guy drop off
some Cubans for me at your parents' house?

[Mark1T]

Fishy, did you ever consider that he might have been confused about his identity in society? Maybe he was crying inside.

Did that ever cross your mind?

Oh - I might share this with all 3 of my FB friends.

[induced_drag]

Like a 2.2 of rudeness out of 10. I would have let it go "I was about to use those" is always trumped by "I'm needing heavier weights right now" IMO

Agree. If plates are not on the arms they are fair game. If someone is on the machine, I will ask them out of politeness. If they are in the middle of a set, I will wait till they are not moving to grab stuff.

As far as I am concerned, they are just like any other weight tree in the gym....they just happed to be attached to a machine, but by no means does that mean they only go on that machine.....

[Postmort3m]

Currently using > will be using

[ajdahlheimer]

BH would have twisted the guy into a circle and used him as a plate for what it's worth........

[Brackneyc]

Agree. If plates are not on the arms they are fair game. If someone is on the machine, I will ask them out of politeness. If they are in the middle of a set, I will wait till they are not moving to grab stuff.

As far as I am concerned, they are just like any other weight tree in the gym....they just happed to be attached to a machine, but by no means does that mean they only go on that machine.....

That certainly seems like a well thought out, and fairly adult approach. We both know however that in public gyms, those specific qualities often get left in gym lockers.

The last place I ever pull plates from is machines, unless the gym is empty, and I am 100% sure no one is using it. There are exceptions however. If the machine has tons of weights on it, and the current user appears to be no where near using many of them, I will ask if it’s ok.

I have had guys snag weights from machines while I was using them. It’s a BS move, but I’m not going to dwell on it. Maybe they have a sht life. Or maybe they just suck. Idk.

[sy2502]

Came in expecting the thread author to be BH. Left disappointed.

[Fishman15]

It appears that some people's workouts are more important than others. Got it....

[Brackneyc]

It appears that some people's workouts are more important than others. Got it....

Keep in mind, lots of these folks would fight someone for cutting them in line, but that’s how it goes.

[Fishman15]

Keep in mind, lots of these folks would fight someone for cutting them in line, but that’s how it goes.

Oh I don't doubt it. After I told the guy that technically I could have grabbed my 25s from his rack, he glazed over like I wasn't allowed to even think like that. Yet, he felt the need to do it to me..

[Brackneyc]

Oh I don't doubt it. After I told the guy that technically I could have grabbed my 25s from his rack, he glazed over like I wasn't allowed to even think like that. Yet, he felt the need to do it to me..

People are dcks.

[Brackneyc]

you should report him to the proper authorities and if that doesn't work, I'd try vandalizing his car...


that way they learn !

Are you talking about the old banana in the tailpipe trick.

[mtpockets]

Was expecting there to be a hot Asian chick in the story..

You let me down fish, leaving disappointed

[Mark1T]

Was expecting there to be a hot Asian chick in the story..

You let me down fish, leaving disappointed

Whatever happened to her, anyway? It's like reading a book 3/4 through and then the next day when you're ready to finish the thriller, you can't find it

Did he come up mt?

[Corbi]

Sorry Fish but I agree with the others, if you aren't currently using them then they are fair game. Is someone supposed to be a mind reader and just know you are going to use those plates?

[ImBunky]

Glad I workout at home, never have to worry about the girlfriend steeling my plates.

[fishnbrah]

Well, more of a disagreement with another dude about his lack of gym etiquette in my opinion. Normally I don't say anything when someone comes and grabs weights off the rack on a machine or squat rack. It's usually by a newbie and it's real obvious they just don't know any better so I just let it go...every time. Tonight was different, the culprit was obviously an experienced lifter. He was probably 20 years younger than me, stronger, and leaner from head to toe.

I had just gotten done doing a warm up set on one of the hammer strength high pull machines. I got up and noticed there was no quarters on the machine's racks so I went for a stroll to find a pair off a rack that wasn't be used by someone. As I'm coming back with the quarters I see this dude who was in front me doing bench now grabbing full plates off my racks. I mean he knew full well I was using the machine and didn't even try to use that excuse. I yell out hey, don't take those...I need them. He says well, they weren't on the lifting arm so technically you weren't using them. I said yea...but my next set I will be and he tries to do the technically you weren't using them line again. I looked at him with a bit of a Bert stare I'm sure and said well..."technically" I could have grabbed these 2 quarters in my hands from your rack then and you wouldn't have had an issue with it?

He then gives me the best Bert stare I think I've ever seen and I just proceeded to start doing my next set. Like I said...I typically never let this bother me because it always seems to be newbies pulling that stunt. For some reason having an experienced lifter pull this just rubbed me the wrong way tonight. I hope he learned something about respect tonight...

was this at a planet fitness in AZ by chance?

[Mark1T]

fish needs to go back and apologize to the guy.

That's the way it has to be, Mr. Ocean.

It's what being a great American is all about. It's what this very nation was built on. It is for humanty's soul.

[Brackneyc]

That's the way it has to be, Mr. Ocean.

It's what being a great American is all about. It's what this very nation was built on. It is for humanty's soul.

I know I owe an apology to the guy who negged me and said “fuk u azzhole.” I should not have made him feel as though he needed to neg me.

That ones on me.