How NOT To Look Like an Idiot at the Gym

[snoack]

not trying to be disrespectful to anybody, but going through all of the different threads where the word "idiot" is used in reference to people at the gym and looking at those who defend cell phones on the gym floor...

...I would be willing to bet that, if I were to actually check it, about 98% of those who defend it are under the age of 30. Again, no offense, you guys just grew up in a different world then the rest of us and are what one of the IS reps at my company refers to as "digital natives" (meaning you grew up in a world where things like computers, cell phones, and other technology are common as opposed to rarities). But, keep in mind, when trying to defend cell phones on the gym floor using the concept of the emergency doesn't get you anywhere. We had emergencies before cell phones became widespread, and we somehow managed to deal with them. Pay phones were a lot more common then, and landline phones have always exsited and still do to this day.

[seabass08]

not trying to be disrespectful to anybody, but going through all of the different threads where the word "idiot" is used in reference to people at the gym and looking at those who defend cell phones on the gym floor...

...I would be willing to bet that, if I were to actually check it, about 98% of those who defend it are under the age of 30. Again, no offense, you guys just grew up in a different world then the rest of us and are what one of the IS reps at my company refers to as "digital natives" (meaning you grew up in a world where things like computers, cell phones, and other technology are common as opposed to rarities). But, keep in mind, when trying to defend cell phones on the gym floor using the concept of the emergency doesn't get you anywhere. We had emergencies before cell phones became widespread, and we somehow managed to deal with them. Pay phones were a lot more common then, and landline phones have always exsited and still do to this day.

100% right. I'm in my 30's. Basically went to high school and college in the 90's. This will shock the under 30 crowd, but in college we didn't use laptops, didn't use email, the internet was as new and bizarre as Hubble Telescope sightings, and we did not have cell phones.

I recall fondly carrying 2 quarters in my pocket as a high school senior when I was out with friends so I could use a "Pay Phone" to check in with my parents. Under 25 guys- "Pay Phones" were stationary, corded phones where you put money in to make a call.

Anyway, my current boss has basically had to threaten me to check my emails. I hate emails, and I HATE text messsages. Why would someone "text" me on a perfectly good phone? And for email, why must I check emails constantly, coming from someone who works just down the hall, when that person could just walk down and TELL me, or even just write a note and leave it on my desk.

I hate the new era of digital paper trail which is so impersonal.

[fireisland]

lol #5 u keep on doin that..more buns for me

[mistercollie]

#1, 4, 8, 9 and 10? Really? God awful pet peeves. Sounds like you could use a gym membership at Planet Fitness... the kind of gym where everyone takes a shower at home before they workout to smell nice, and where there is an infinite supply of free tootsie rolls.

I'm there to work-out, and most importantly - for me. Granted, I usually go during odd hours when no one is around, but when lots of people are around they seem to be upset by my presence alone. I don't care about etiquette or how aware I should be about your compulsive, unnecessary gym rules. It's usually the casual gym goers that get pissed about that 'idiot' **** on your list.

I'm jacked up on NOX, blasting death metal, and there to get intense. When other serious lifters are around we seem to have an unspoken respect and give each other heads up on equipment turns and stuff, but only bishes make it a point to get upset b/c I didn't wipe my ass sweat off from the flat-bench, or because I take serious breaths and grunt on that last, fascial grinding rep.

Edit: My qualm is with the numbers I cited on your list, not all of them. But the ones I listed are that lame "extra mile" that should be neither upsetting nor compulsory.

[r2473]

Reading this thread only reinforces my view. If you are in a public facility, don't try to force your ideas of "good etiquette" on others. If anyone is going to set rules for the facility, it has to be management. If management doesn't set (or enforce) rules, all you are going to do is frustrate yourself trying to "educate" everyone else.

Despite what my profile reads, I am just about 40 years old. I am often surprised at what some of the (especially younger) people do......and apparently don't see any problem with. Most of it is simply selfish behavior. Doing what is convenient for them at the moment without any thought to anybody else. It is usually best to simply let these guys "do their thing". Most guys are very "confident" at this age and don't like to be told what to do. In a few years, they might decide that just maybe they don't "have it all figured out".

[mrsmuscle21]

I HATE CELL PHONES!! Ok, yes, I have one, but all day it's on silence. I hate getting calls, and I especially hate seeing people EVERYWHERE act like they are so damn important that they need to be reached 24-7. If you can't take an hour a day to seriously train without the distraction of having your "homie" call you, you should workout at home!

Sorry, guys but cell phones drive me nuts...In the car at a restuarant, in the gym... Come on, stop the madness!!

[soupermayn]

The cell phone issue winds me up too, i leave my phone in my locker along with everything else other than my ipod.

[Konsept]

For the anti-cell phone people, I'm not entirely against it, on the conditions that:

1 - It's on vibrate / silent.
2 - You're NOT talking on the phone.

A quick text / bbm message between sets is okay, as long as it isn't distracting you and others from getting a solid workout in. If you're having conversations of sorts, go to the fkn lounge area and make the call.

I see some people sometimes bench 2 reps, stop, pull out their phone and start typing away on their iPhones and Blackberries for minutes! And even worse, is when they have a ring tone of some sort for every message they send/receive... its like they NEED to have everyone notice they're being mega social. *facepalm*

[YoMoMsB]

For the anti-cell phone people, I'm not entirely against it, on the conditions that:

1 - It's on vibrate / silent.
2 - You're NOT talking on the phone.

A quick text / bbm message between sets is okay, as long as it isn't distracting you and others from getting a solid workout in. If you're having conversations of sorts, go to the fkn lounge area and make the call.

I see some people sometimes bench 2 reps, stop, pull out their phone and start typing away on their iPhones and Blackberries for minutes! And even worse, is when they have a ring tone of some sort for every message they send/receive... its like they NEED to have everyone notice they're being mega social. *facepalm*

maybe they log their workouts in their phone's notes section/app. Thats what I do...

[Konsept]

maybe they log their workouts in their phone's notes section/app. Thats what I do...

If you're punching away a novel after every set you do... you've got issues man lol

What app are you using though? Kinda curious.

[crosswalkryan]

not trying to be disrespectful to anybody, but going through all of the different threads where the word "idiot" is used in reference to people at the gym and looking at those who defend cell phones on the gym floor...

...I would be willing to bet that, if I were to actually check it, about 98% of those who defend it are under the age of 30. Again, no offense, you guys just grew up in a different world then the rest of us and are what one of the IS reps at my company refers to as "digital natives" (meaning you grew up in a world where things like computers, cell phones, and other technology are common as opposed to rarities). But, keep in mind, when trying to defend cell phones on the gym floor using the concept of the emergency doesn't get you anywhere. We had emergencies before cell phones became widespread, and we somehow managed to deal with them. Pay phones were a lot more common then, and landline phones have always exsited and still do to this day.

I agree with you, although I bring my cell phone with me into the gym.
I use it to log workouts, and listen to music. Maybe send a text or two if I'm bored in between a set. But if i ever take a call I leave the floor...i just think its pretty annoying to be yacking away on the phone while other people are lifting

[crosswalkryan]

If you're punching away a novel after every set you do... you've got issues man lol

What app are you using though? Kinda curious.

I'm not him, but iFitness is great. You can pre-make a workout and then just click in the # of reps, sets, weight in like 10 seconds after a set, or takes like 5 seconds to check last week and see what you put on the bar before

[agentsmith2]

Well i will partly disagre with number 5..How is that possible not to look at a woman...(just look at her) when she is perfect.I mean.... is this possible?I mean today in the gym there was a really nice girl and if u see what she was doing u will say omg.Cmon girls..why are u doing this to us?How not to look at u when you are doing hot things and you are hot? I know that this might be stupid of me but think about it guys.

[Muratovic]

i use my phone for keeping workouts in my note pads

and i play my music on it with headphones duh

as far as looking at other people why not thats why i got eye's
Dont stair but glanch and sometimes you have to ask "wtf are they doing?"

[That_Guy_85]

agreed on all accounts

[jimmypop13]

Here's one that bugs me. Don't bring your girlfriend with you if she'll be a distraction.
It annoys me when the girl basically follows the guy around, constantly talking between sets so the guy ends up hogging the machine forever. Also, I've seen couples come in quite a few times, start arguing after loading up a barbell, and then leave to go argue outsid, then all that weight is just sitting there & who knows if they are coming right back or not. When its happened to me, its always 30+ min or not at all

[Empressoni2]

I grunt and I'm a woman. I don't do it intentionally but it comes out and it can sound a little sexual but again, totally not on purpose. With that said I don't mind a little grunt here and there, just don't be obnoxious and gross with it.

As for being hit on, I NEVER GET THAT. SO those girls who are complaining.....stop it.

[cdeff1985]

I agree with most all except for the "Breathe under control and lower weights slowly." sometimes thats not an option when you workout is so intense pushing to failure, 80% of the time yes I can do that but not when Im going balls to the wall.

[cdeff1985]

I agree with this 100% respect is possibly the main unwritten rule when it comes to the gym. I am from hawaii and i don't know if its just a hawaii thing but when some one is finished lifting he pays his respect to everyone in the room by shaking each persons hand.

lol so are you all buddies there or do you have to do it to total strangers, imo kind of weird nice way to spread sickness too.

[mtsalmela80]

i agree with everything but i have to admit i do grunt a bit. it's not obnoxious. its just a sign that im pushing really hard. if i need to grunt for a last rep, im going to do it haha

Yeah I used to give guys who grunted loud looks but after I got a little more serious, started to get a good pump on maybe working out on a pre-workout drink, I realized you gotta let yourself get a little loose. If you are concentrating on someone grunting in the gym, then you are just not that into your workout. Granted stuff still pisses me off (like standing in front of a dumbell rack, two different guys doing bis in the only two squat racks in the gym, etc...), but I dont worry about my own workout antics as long as Im not getting in anyone elses way.

[bbrock293]

Something that is my number one pet peeve that has not been mentioned: People taking 5 sets of dumbbells with them 1/2 across the gym so they can do all of their sets privately. Keep in mind, they are not drop setting them! I usually just go up and ask if they are using a weight and they are usually caught off guard but give it up once they realize they are being a d-bag.

[TonyMuscoli]

grunts aren't bad i find, but well there starting to get loud like when trying to focus and all you here is gruh gruh gruh, you lose your focus.... i went to the gym the other day and this "power lifter" lady was doing squats she was SCREAMING through all her sets and reps, everyone in the gym just looked at her, i was in the change room and i can clearly hear her screaming....

If you don't grunt and drop your weights, how will people know when to look at you and see how much you are lifting? Sounds like this "power lifter" knew how to get down, had the entire gym looking at her... isn't that the goal?

[Muratovic]

Something that is my number one pet peeve that has not been mentioned: People taking 5 sets of dumbbells with them 1/2 across the gym so they can do all of their sets privately. Keep in mind, they are not drop setting them! I usually just go up and ask if they are using a weight and they are usually caught off guard but give it up once they realize they are being a d-bag.

I hate this i find weights in the aerobics area and the private class rooms
I have to do a treasure hunt to find some decent size weights for some reason people love to take freeweights to the most unusual place and do there excercises there (idk maybe there shy or embarrassed but seriously no one cares what your doing at the gym)

or when they put the weights in the wrong place call me old school put the weights should go where they belong


but i feel like a dbag taking one weight from a set to do isolation(i could take both but then id look even more like a dbag only using one while the other just sites there)

[ParaMud]

I use my cell phone at the gym to listen to music and I look at it sometimes between my sets to check my workout routine and the weight I did previously. I used to use a pen and small notepad, but with the droid I just got, it is really useful.

Use to have ipod, pen, paper. Now just phone!

For the past 2 weeks, a 15lb dumbell has been missing. Only 1 is on the rack. I noticed it when I wanted to do side rasies, and I have been checking for it everytime I go. Not really mad just interested to see where it went.

[titomuheedo]

Brb not knowing any of this existed because as soon as i finish my warmup I play my workout playlist and connect my mind with the iron.

[Joe_Rangel]

Reading this thread only reinforces my view. If you are in a public facility, don't try to force your ideas of "good etiquette" on others. If anyone is going to set rules for the facility, it has to be management. If management doesn't set (or enforce) rules, all you are going to do is frustrate yourself trying to "educate" everyone else.

Despite what my profile reads, I am just about 40 years old. I am often surprised at what some of the (especially younger) people do......and apparently don't see any problem with. Most of it is simply selfish behavior. Doing what is convenient for them at the moment without any thought to anybody else. It is usually best to simply let these guys "do their thing". Most guys are very "confident" at this age and don't like to be told what to do. In a few years, they might decide that just maybe they don't "have it all figured out".

I gotta say...My ironhead buddies and I love to laugh at "idiots" in the gym, but, to be honest, I couldn't give a flying horse turd if the guy next to me grunts or yells, hits a double biceps, or even uses a cell phone (my gym logs, mp3s, and timer are actually ON my Android..jefit.com...AWESOME)...I'm there to train, not gawk at others. But i will say this...it pisses me the f*ck off when people leave their friggin dumbells all over the floor, or throw the friggin wieghts when I'm next to them. If Jay, Phil, and even Arnold could rack their wieghts, than we can too...and nobody wants to catch a flying 55lb'r cause you decided to drop it from max extension on a dumbell press.

[Metallicles]

I swear, about half the teens in my gym will do like 5 reps of something and then text on their phones for like 3 minutes before doing more reps. I can hardly believe it.

[JontheAtheist]

For the past 2 weeks, a 15lb dumbell has been missing. Only 1 is on the rack. I noticed it when I wanted to do side rasies, and I have been checking for it everytime I go. Not really mad just interested to see where it went.

Thats why gyms discourage people taking their gym bags to the weight racks. Probably got snaked by somebody that lost theirs at home or something. Who knows.

So the Droid does it all, huh? I have an iphone but have yet to really use it to its potential. I have a little ipod shuffle that I clip to my shirt for music, but I might check out the Droid, or see what my iphone can really do.

I dont take my phone into the gym though. And like others have posted, It does bother me a little bit to see a crowd of people around a bench all texting or w/e. But I try to ignore it, and work around it if I can.

[JontheAtheist]

I swear, about half the teens in my gym will do like 5 reps of something and then text on their phones for like 3 minutes before doing more reps. I can hardly believe it.

3 minutes is decent rest time though. I guess. I rest for like 1-2 minutes. To each their own. I feel your pain though, man.

Texters are all up in my gym too.

[Rocketball]

I grunt quite a bit when I'm trying to squat close to my 1rm, or leg press heavy. But yeah, if you're grunting on wrist curls, you need help bro.

Oh yeah, another thing: I see guys try to bench press 225 with 2 buddies helping them. They fail, ofc, and their buddies help rack the bar. But what happens next astounds me. They RAISE the weight, and repeat the process. I just don't understand why.

If you're doing this, 2 questions for you. 1) If it takes 2 of your friends to help you lift 300 pounds, do you really bench press 300? 2) What if your buddies are eyeing some hot bombshell, and not spotting you so the bar crushes your neck?