Bad Gym Etiquette

[NoChemicals]

Hi everyone, just want to share some of my dislikes of the current gym I am going for my workouts. I'm actually quite tempted to mention the name and the location of the gym but opted to hide this information first. I will probably disclose the name if I can't bear with the members anymore.

I will list down a few things I find them EXTREMELY annoying and irritating. Please see below:

1. Members throwing/chucking heavy dumbells after completing a set. Althought the gym floor is covered with rubber mats, I feel chucking the weights is very dangerous for other people because the weights might crash on their feet or something like that. What a bunch of inconsiderate monkeys, I remember one of the gym instructors politely told this jackass to put down the weights with cautious, and he got offended and told her that he did not need to waste his effort since he has completed his set. What an ass!

2. Not putting weights back to its respective racks!!!!!! This really pisses me off a lot. Whenever I step into the free weight section, I see dumbells lyinig around on the floor and the racks are empty. This is really selfish of them. They want to save their strengths for subsequent sets; hence, choose to neglect the weights they have used and leave them there so the guys around him will trip and fall horribly!!!!! I also hate hyprocrites who claim that they hate people who don't put their weights back and even claim they are responsible members who put weights back after using them. A few days ago, I saw the same MOFOs who left the weights on the squating rack and never came back!!!! Ahhhhhhh I'm so mad while writing this now.

3. Screamers. I just can't avoid/ignore them. Groaning is acceptable but screaming your lungs out??? I think if they really want to show their masculinity by shouting out loud? Please do that at a karaoke joint.

4. Gym instructors who only talk to the pretty ones. I notice this and it personally disgusts me the most!!!! I always see guy instructors chatting up with chicks on the treadmill, while ignoring a poor lady who obviously needed some guidance from "qualified" gym instructors. Some of them even abuse their authority during personal training sessions such as putting their palm on the lady's buttocks "assisting" her in her stretch. Seriously, I was in the States for 5 years and I know they can be sued for sexual harrassment. But then again! The women in my country are so dumb and naive they seem to like the attention they are getting from the instructors

5. TAKING 10 MINUTES REST PERIOD. Sorry for the caps but I'm actually getting quite pissed as I am writing this. :P I am not condemning people who like to socialize at a gym. When you rack up weights on the smith machine and decide to have a quick drink at the cooler I am fine with that. But doing a quick warm up set of 10-12 and then chatting up with some so called buddies for like 10 minutes enrages me!!!!!!! I don't mind if they do that during non-peak hours but doing that during peak hours deserve to soak themselves in acid!

There are still so much more and I should stop here. Must go back to work before my manager finds out I have been doing nothing but writing hate mails.

Please share your views as well. Looking forward to your feedback.

Take care.

[will-work4ANDRO]

heard that man, i totally agree with you.

[SlovakBeast]

Actualy all its true!!!!

But nr. 3 is pissing me of, TOTALY!!!!!!!!!!

[SIM37]

What bout those that gets in between you and the mirror? It gets really annoying sometimes if you're in between reps and mustering up enough energy for the next one and lo and behold, an idiot gets in between you and the mirror and starts texting on his mobile phone.

Idiots that bring a towel like 5x5inches across. (trust me, I've seen more than one).

People that hog machines and rest like 5minutes in between sets. I've actually seen one goon that did like 12 reps on a bench, then starts texting someone on his mobile phone for like 10 minutes, and then carrying on his workout. I'm like *doh*?

Those numbskulls that pull a free bench to the squat area and using the squat rack for bench presses.

[the_destroyer55]

Definite bump on number 3. There is a guy that works out at my gym that screams so loud, that mulitple people have complained that it causes ringing in their ears.

[Trigger]

1) some guy at the gym today was on the calf machine next to me, BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG - I was getting seriously wound up, how hard is it to understand your ment to controll the weight not twat it up and down as hard as you can? arrrrrrkkkk!

2) People who hog the rack / machine / whatever between sets when they are taking like 5-10 min breaks while chatting... common'!

Those are my 2 pet hates! good article

[Darren Keynes]

Yeah. I agree NOCHEMICALS.
I have also had my fair share of all of the above at my gym, and I have only been training just over 1 year!!!

I think gyms these days should have a kind of " the dos and the don'ts" list on the wall of the gym.That way it is clearly stated what is exceptable and what is not.

I think it is also up to the "instructors" to keep an eye on things aswell.Damnit#!#% AHH!
Sorry, now I'm getting angry.
As for throwing dumbbells on the floor.That just shows complete disrespect for the gym and everyone that trains there.
Maybe you could try talking to the boss at the gym and explain the situation.

Well thats all I'm going to say for now on this one.
If people were a bit more conciderate then I think everyone would get on a lot better in life!

Don't let them grind you down.
And most importantly, don't let them stop you having FUN in the gym.

[loozy9]

As I was reading your post, I was getting angry too. I am just a girl trying to lift some weights, but it?s pretty complicated when the big bad monkey of the gym leave two or three 45pound weights on the bar that is too high for me. Even if I consider myself strong for a normal woman, I am not THAT strong.

Why do people do this. It?s so simple to clean out your mess after you are done. It?s just a matter of respect!

This happens everywhere! I am from Guatemala, Central America, and it happens here all the time! I hate it!

[f34r]

When you talk to someone, then start doing your set and he keeps on talking to you, or when you're doing something and they start talking :|

**** STFU I NEED TO CONCENTRATE >:O

[stvn42088]

Wasn't that bad besides the dumbbell throwing? Everyone drops dumbbells, the floors are padded, who cares?!?!? I think dropping dumbbells is fine.

[tuffguy]

i dont agree with your yelling part or the dropping of the heavy dumbells.

personally i lower my dumbells(from doing db bench) as far as i can go without injuring myself and then i drop them.

and with the yelling, if screaming my lungs off will help me lift that last rep, then i'm gonna scream. i dont scream for every exercise, just the ones where i really want that last rep.

i was on my last rep for my military press and i didnt think i was gonna be able to do it until my friend start screaming LIFT LIFT, and then i just emptied my lungs by screaming and i managed to get it up.

train hard or go home.

[reflexsilver86]

I love posts like these, because I think we all get annoyed by the same things. It's always funny when you share stories with people of annoying people or weird happenings in the gym.

This past semester in my weightlifting class at school, which is where I got a good part of my daily workout in, there were this group of kids, they just loved to socialize over on the leg curl/leg extention machine, which was right next to the leg press machine. I love leg day, but I always came into it being annoyed because I knew every week I would go and in the middle of lowering down 700 lbs one of them would either snort, or bump into the machine and give me a nasty look, or I would just have to be subjected to 10 minutes of their horrible jokes.

That brings me to another one, which is why for some reason some people who don't like to workout and feel it's worse than getting a root canal make themselves feel better by just plopping down on the leg press machine or whatever leg machine they can find and using it for social hour. These things, I've found, don't go on at the Y where I'm now working out since school's over for seniors, but it drove me nuts these past two years.

And yes, the screamers and groaners really get to me. I'm trying to lift and you have Mr. Macho over in the corner screaming, not just making like a noise due to the strain but screaming, through his bench press.

What's dangerous to me are what I like to call the "Richard Simmonses of the gym" I had one, a nice kid but it drove me nuts, who went prancing around the gym to those of us working out and thought screaming and shouting words of encouragement or counting out loud for us would be of some great help. I actually thought it was hilarious, and that's why it was so dangerous because once I started laughing while doing skull crushers and I almost caught my spotter off gurard and would have dropped 120 lbs of weight on my forehead. lol

[Ironhorse_m87]

im guilty of commiting a few of those.

[dave2005]

yea the most mad i ever got was when i was doing a HST training program , and the guy saw that i was doin like everything that day , and stopped me and was telling me no man you work out 1 or 2 muscles a day , once a week , i was like well thats not the ****ing program im doing. And he just kept on talking and talking to me WHILE i was doing my sets , i wanted to hurt him.o and theres a guy that breathes like UGHH and screams loudly during when on anything , wrist curls , pushups , anything.

[skinflint]

Has anyone here seen Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO with Larry David?? Reminds me of the situations he gets into.

Personally I have found myself "pointing out" the ignorance of these gym asses, When someone leaves the weights on the bench without returning them to the rack, i make sure to ask them if they planned on putting them back.

When you encounter a screamer..Try to scream louder, "OH YEAH BABY, FEEL THAT BURN", I might throw in a Tarzan "AHAHAHAHAH" if i'm feeling really silly, just so they see how stupid they look

Now keep in mind I'm an *******, but it seems to work.

I think its really just the fact that these morons don't think anyone is watching, and that no one cares. If more people would call these guys out in their selfishness, i think less people would break the unwritten rules of gym ettiquite.

[davebar]

Mostly it's the morons who use 3 machines at once.

Monday I was at 24hr with my partner and we want to use a bench for the smith machine to do military presses. So theres this guy doing bicep curls, arching his back to the point that a disk is going to pop out, supposedly using it somehow....

Then I spot this genuis doing cable tricep extentions that are hitting more his lats than triceps with his horrible form.

This guy absoultely had no clue whatsoever, none.

[Knight360]

I agree with everything

Might I add one more thing. One thing that annoys me is when a older lifter chats to me and trys to tell me how to do something better or tell me some exercises then when you look at the person they look like a beer gut construction worker.

[Knight360]

i agree with everything

one thing that annoys me is when a fellow gym member trys to preach to me about their older days, what form to use, or try to tell me "better exercises". Then when you look at the person you see a beer gut construction worker.

[cowboyathlete]

1. I was in the midst of doing curls once when a f***ing moron actually TAPPED ME ON THE SHOULDER WHILE I WAS LIFTING to ask how many sets I had left. If I had thought if it in time, I could have slammed the bar into him and said OOPS.

2. Last Monday I saw a guy trying to use one of the cable machines to work his triceps - while talking on the cell phone at the exact same time. Somehow he kept the phone between his ear and shoulder. That one was not so much aggravating as it was amazing and funny. Talk about a damn cell phone addiction!

[wideman]

1. Members throwing/chucking heavy dumbells after completing a set. Althought the gym floor is covered with rubber mats, I feel chucking the weights is very dangerous for other people because the weights might crash on their feet or something like that. What a bunch of inconsiderate monkeys, I remember one of the gym instructors politely told this jackass to put down the weights with cautious, and he got offended and told her that he did not need to waste his effort since he has completed his set. What an ass!

I do not agree with you here. When you have 100lbs+ dumbells in your arms, if you try and control those bad boys on the way down you can SERIOUSLY hurt yourself. I say throw them around, people will see that you have some serious weight and will get out of your way anyways................if they don't too bad for them right.

[Jellotree]

Forgive me if these have been said (I tried to read the whole thing, really I did.)

1) People who use the squat rack to do straight bar curls! My gym has two tree racks with straight bars all the way up to 160lbs, you don't need to use up a squat rack.

2) Mr. Stinky. That's what I call one body builder freak at my gym who has never heard of pit stick. This guy seriously reaks EVERY TIME he's there. You're trying to bench and you want to puke because he's doing curls beside you....

3) People who do their dumbbell sets right infront of the racks, thus blocking you from grabing other dumbbells off the rack. "Yes, you're beautiful, now kiss yourself in the mirror and back the f**k up.

4) There's 5 benches that incline, and 5 benches that are straight by the dumbbell racks. Why are people doing flat presses and one arm rows off the flattened inline benches??? HUH?? Answer me this! There's flat benches available.....

[pinfrEak]

the guy whos in front of the dumbbell rack shadow boxing to his "reflection" (not shadow) or the chic that walks up and does a set next to you wearing the cheapest and foulest perfume ever. Grunting is ok, but if youre not having a baby in the gym dont act like it!

Or the ass whos curling the 20's then turns around to you to make sure youre looking and continues his set.

Or the person who comes straight to the flat bench and wips out the newspaper and reads it. That pisses me off a lot!

Or Mr. I got a new cell phone and have to talk louder than the gym music while walking throughout the entire gym.

Or the dad who brings his five kids to the gym and lets them run around taking up machines and space that can be used or lifting weights "their way" instead of being shown how to use them.

[big_baller]

5. TAKING 10 MINUTES REST PERIOD. Sorry for the caps but I'm actually getting quite pissed as I am writing this. :P I am not condemning people who like to socialize at a gym. When you rack up weights on the smith machine and decide to have a quick drink at the cooler I am fine with that. But doing a quick warm up set of 10-12 and then chatting up with some so called buddies for like 10 minutes enrages me!!!!!!! I don't mind if they do that during non-peak hours but doing that during peak hours deserve to soak themselves in acid!


I disagree a little here. I'm a powerlifter and I will sometimes take as much as 10 minutes rest just to stretch and psych up for my next set.

But i guess you just mean the body-socialisers.

I just always have a small problem with these kind of threads, because people have different training strategies. With that said,

1. I hate it when a bodybuilder tells me that I'm doing something wrong, but really he or she has never heard of the particular exercise.

such as, board presses, tates, floor presses, lockouts.....etc.

[NoChemicals]

I disagree a little here. I'm a powerlifter and I will sometimes take as much as 10 minutes rest just to stretch and psych up for my next set.

But i guess you just mean the body-socialisers.

I just always have a small problem with these kind of threads, because people have different training strategies. With that said,

1. I hate it when a bodybuilder tells me that I'm doing something wrong, but really he or she has never heard of the particular exercise.

such as, board presses, tates, floor presses, lockouts.....etc.[/QUOTE]

... taking long rest is ok as long the gym is not very crowded or no one is waiting for the machine/bench you are using... I'm not trying to set a list of dos and donts in the gym ... but using common sense and being considerate would make a better gym environment anywhere ...

[ProBuck]

As I was reading your post, I was getting angry too. I am just a girl trying to lift some weights, but it?s pretty complicated when the big bad monkey of the gym leave two or three 45pound weights on the bar that is too high for me. Even if I consider myself strong for a normal woman, I am not THAT strong.

Why do people do this. It?s so simple to clean out your mess after you are done. It?s just a matter of respect!

This happens everywhere! I am from Guatemala, Central America, and it happens here all the time! I hate it!

Because every guy who doesn't put the weights away wants everyone to know how much weight he was lifting. It's that simple. No mystery. Because I can guarantee that if he were putting up smaller numbers the weights would be taken off and put away but quick.

[dashriprock]

My main bitch is personal trainers. who-

-take your equipment because you went to get a quick drink, log book etc.
because their client is more important.
-Don't actually know what they talk about. nuff said on that one.
-chastize everyone for not training and then can be seen out at the clubs smoking and blind drunk.
- are Sleazy

[mrk_bb]

Definite bump on number 3. There is a guy that works out at my gym that screams so loud, that mulitple people have complained that it causes ringing in their ears.

LMFAO!!

[mrk_bb]

Definite bump on number 3. There is a guy that works out at my gym that screams so loud, that mulitple people have complained that it causes ringing in their ears.

lmafo!!!

[NoChemicals]

never fails to bring a smile on my face hehe

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par10.htm

[NuggzTheNinja]

Dropping a weight from a couple inches from the ground is a LOT DIFFERENT than dropping it from a standing position. I drop **** an inch or two on incline dumbel bench. They're metal...they can take it.

Screaming is one of those things dude...if you're screaming while doing an isolation movement, you're a biddy. If you're doing a squat or leg press, and a little scream on your last rep helps you mentally, then whatever. As long as it's not on every rep, it's cool.

I go to a school full of hippies, ***s, and art students. I'm the only one that uses the gym up here, so it's pretty much my gym to scream in and throw weights around in. 45 Gs a year has to pay for something dude.