OT: Annoying gym members and / or their habits

Submitted by NFG on
If you're like me, the days of trying to impress have sailed away, and now you're trying to maintain what little physical dignity you have left. That also means you are subjected to different generations and their annoying mannerism while working out. For me, it's the guys who wear hats or boat shoes while lifting, man-buns(!), and/or sitting on a machine texting and not using it at all. Also, wipe down your benches after you've sweated all over them and put your damn weights away. Thoughts?

Michifornia

August 25th, 2017 at 8:47 PM ^

Who are there for other reasons than to actually get a good workout.

Bigger point.  It seems like there's a trend lately to OT things that bother you.  The blog is turning into a vent fest.

We need some football!!  Can't wait until we destory Florida and start focusing on the boys in Maize n Blue and not on everything that annoys us!!

GO BLUE!!

fksljj

August 25th, 2017 at 8:49 PM ^

When some meathead is lifting on 3 different machines at the same time. I had to help break up a fight over that one time. "yo yo yo yo! I'm using that!"

 

"nah son you on that machine!"

"yo yo I'm on all of em!"

One thing leads to another.

I Love Lamp

August 25th, 2017 at 9:20 PM ^

This one dickhead at my gym burns a path to 3 different areas; curl bar, smith machine, and a multi-use cable machine. This young employee once saw the smith machine unoccupied with weights on it, no one in sight. So he unloads the machine. As the employee puts the last weight away, the guy comes back and just tears the kid up.

How about you just stick to one thing at a time tough guy....

DrMantisToboggan

August 25th, 2017 at 8:52 PM ^

Taking mirror selfies at the gym

Asking other people about their routines/diets/theories

The guy that does a lap or two around the room before every set to garner attention and psych himself up

The guy that comes in to do one single lift for an hour

People (men) who wear tank tops and get their nasty back sweat over everything. Everything's already getting sweated on, we don't need your skin contact on everything and you're gonna get worms.

 

Pretty much anyone that can't go to the gym in normal fucking clothing, put their head down, do their workout, not talk to anyone, and not make a scene or a mess.

1989 UM GRAD

August 25th, 2017 at 8:58 PM ^

I used to work out late in the evening at the Beverly Hills Club in MI. There was a small core group of us who were there almost every day and we inevitably got to know one another.



One evening, one of the guys asked a second guy if he would shave his back for him. The second guy was so flummoxed by the request that he agreed to do it. It made for quite the scene. A guy with a linebacker build shaving the back of a guy with an offensive lineman build.



Yes, it was done with a razor and shaving cream.

B1G_Fan

August 25th, 2017 at 9:02 PM ^

Hats? WTF are you one of those hat shouldn't be worn inside types? Or have you never worked out till a full on flop sweat, were sweat is pouring down your face? The older I get unfortunately the easier that is to achieve. I don't even mind man buns really, Samurai topnots are awesome lol even if they guys sporting them are far from your historical samurais. Wiping down equipment is a must lol but, I always wipe mine down before I flop on it just in case.

 I got in an arguement with this catholic guy when  popped into his church to check out the arcitecture. He says we don't wear hats in church.... Oh so what are those thing the pope and all the bisops wear.

BlueWolverine02

August 25th, 2017 at 11:02 PM ^

because there are only so many places you can do a squat. the squat rack and that's it. You can do bicep curls literally anywhere. So if you are doing bicep curls in the squat rack, you are being an inconsiderate ass if people are waiting for you so they can do their squats. if you are the only one in the gym, then who cares.

UMProud

August 25th, 2017 at 9:08 PM ^

People who use the squat rack for fuckin ever...between sets they surf on their phones, wander around and socialize while Im waiting with 3 other people wondering if I need to do my leg day tomorrow.

Also hate the loud grunters who are throwing up a pair of 45s like they are power lifters.

And the guys who walk around with invisible mile wide lats and think the gorilla walk look is cool.

Fat guys with wife beaters are creepy.

nowicki2005

August 25th, 2017 at 10:25 PM ^

I stay on the squat rack for almost two hours. I take long rests in between sets, ill talk to other people at the gym, and I'll surf my phone. Sometimes I'll rest up to 7 minutes, plus by the time I am actually ready to squat it's probably more like 8 and a half. Am I being a dick? No. I need that much time. I'll squat the bar 20 times, then 10 times. 135 for ten, then for 5. 185 for ten and then 5. 225 for ten and then 5. 275 for 7. 315 for 5, 5 again, and those are just my warmups. My 7 sets of 5 today took an hour without my warmup sets. I expend so much energy getting tight, staying tight, and doing the reps that I need long rests between sets.

I'll also do super sets or giant sets with 2 to 4 machines. Do I yell at someone if they start using something, no, but I'll say I was using that can I keep working in between their sets.

I literally need the volume and the intensity because I've worked out so long. If I were stuck doing one exercise and never doing any super sets, it would take me all day at the gym to get enough volume in.

People generally use water jugs for a reason. It's convenient. I know exactly how much water I'm drinking a day. I actually am never thirsty and without it, I'd never get my gallon of water in if I were just filling glasses or bottles all day. I don't want to be filing up bottles all the time and I don't want to keep track of how much I've drank. It's nice for it to be 3 pm and I can tell I haven't drank much that day and will start drinking more.

Why do people care if someone is talking on the phone next to them. I put my headphones in, I'm there to workout, get bigger, get stronger. I zone in during my sets, really focusing the mind muscle connection that I don't even hear my own music. I could care less what other people are doing.

I also even film my lifts which some people would say is stupid. But I use it to make sure all my leverages are lined up, my bar party is how it needs to be, see if I'm rounding, lack of tightness in a part of a lift, etc. When I'm pushing large weight I need my form to be mentally dialed in as much as possible so that it's a habit and that my form won't breakdown or won't breakdown too much on loads of 90-95 of my 1rm

Hanniballs

August 26th, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^

But if you work out at a place where squat racks are a rare commodity like I do, you're a dick if you're  taking 2 hours in there. Even if you would allow others to work in with you, if you actually squat with the weights you do you're in the 90+ percentile of people who squat, meaning that A). exchanging weights with the average joe every set is a hassle and B). many people are probably intimidated by you moving that much weight and don't want to interrupt that. But hey if there are plenty of squat racks to go around, take 20 hours in there.

I film my lifts too, film don't lie.

 

Also yeah 7-8 minutes between sets is pretty pointless. There isn't much of difference in recovery after 3-4 minutes, so you're actually just wasting your time.

 

Also I don't understand your warm up routine? Why would you warm up at a weight for X reps then do that same weight for X/2 reps?

 

 

SD Larry

August 25th, 2017 at 9:13 PM ^

while walking on treadmills or eliptical trainers next to you, speaking 3x louder than anyone else in the gym to carry on long calls.  Short calls no problem.  Thankfully does not happen that often, but astonishing when it does.