Irritating people/things that annoy you in the gym

[ThePezDispenser]

Firstly I absolutely can't stand the grunters!!

Especially those grunters who make noise just to be sure people are looking at them doing their half squats!

The other day a self proclaimed power lifter was in the gym and he felt it necessary to make inhumane noises just to get a 20KG DB (that he had been using for one arm dumbbell snatches) back on the rack.

I also can't stand the noobs whose rest time consists of staying seated on the bench or machine instead of getting up for someone else to use it in the busy periods.

Please begin your rant...

 

[.Shotties.]

Confession: As I've posted before, doing Rippetoe at the moment was was doing teh squats/ powerclean / military / chin ups deal. Gym was pretty empty when I started and so I just utilized the squat cage I was in and didn't move from there as I went about my business. Halfway through the military presses, I drop the bar triumphantly onto the rack having just topped 20kg I felt a tap on my shoulder and a bloke said "Uh, sorry to bother you mate, just wondering how long you had? Wanna do some squats".

 

[Mofra]

I also can't stand the noobs whose rest time consists of staying seated on the bench or machine instead of getting up for someone else to use it in the busy periods.

^ This. There is one chin station high enough for me to use, sick of people resting in the middle of it, especially when they've seen me use it for two sets already.

 

[wattclassbyjack]

I hog what I am using. Why wouldnt I? I use my rest time effectively, not having to wait for a person to finish their set before I begin. You wouldnt cut you workout a set short, or a few reps short or cheat with your form. So why is rest any different?

 

[ThePezDispenser]

huh? So your rest time is less than the 30 sec. it would take for someone to bust out their rep?

Reeks of selfishness and immaturity.

 

[mcuzzy]

I hog what I am using. Why wouldnt I? I use my rest time effectively, not having to wait for a person to finish their set before I begin. You wouldnt cut you workout a set short, or a few reps short or cheat with your form. So why is rest any different?

lol sounds like what i do, but if someone stands around looking awkward i always ask if they wanna share the bench, rack or machine or whatever it is

the thing that annoys me is people staring, especially the mexican looking wide stocky guy that walks around doing a lad spread and death stares me flexing his arms

 

[Chops_a_must]

Yeah, the gym grunts.

It's like having a noisy hotel neighbour.

Don't want to think about it, but I reckon that's how they would sound in bed.

 

[Docker Clint]

People with shitty form and technique who offer advice.

Management.

Membership consultants.

Screaming spin/pump/step instructors. WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

People with shitty form and technique who offer advice.

Management.

Membership consultants.

Screaming spin/pump/step instructors. WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO.

Haha, so true

 

[Redemptionin09]

I don't see what the problem with utilising the machine/weights you're using.

I won't be on something for more than 10 minutes, apart from the Squat rack, anyway.

Like others said, if somebody asks to jump in, I never say no, but I got there first, so I'm not going to be worried about hurting other people's feeling by not offering it up. I honestly wouldn't notice, because I'm focused on training.

But I do hate the people that take over 20 minutes on equipment, especially when they're taking so long because they're standing around talking shit with their n00b friends.

Exactly...I am focused on doing what I have to do and putting all my effort into it..but if someone asks I'll be polite.

While the gym is a good place to meet new and perhaps like-minded people and it's good to share success stories, goals, routines, give advice and to encourage...I don't see the gym as a place to socialise as in talking shit or irrelevant rubbish...I see it as a place for hard work. That's why I will remain virtually silent for my entire workout...sole focus is to get the best out of my time there.

 

[kaydub]

I definitely feel like a squat-rack hog sometimes but there is only 1 in my gym and hardly anyone uses it, very rarely do I have to wait but when I do I dont pester the person I just wait. Recently a PT was having her trainee do lunges in the rack where there was room obviously elsewhere and I decided not to ask her to move I just waited until shes done and try to stay warm til I can get in there.

But yea I pretty much stay in the rack once Im there, unless im doing bench all my lifts are in the rack and Im not there to make friends like others said, im doing Warmup + 3x5 and getting outta there.

 

[mcuzzy]

who cares if you hog the squat rack, 70% won't use it anyway, then there are the 20% who use it (not only for squatting, but for other exercises( and the 10% who only use it because the personal trainer forces them to

 

[ThePezDispenser]

"Aw, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. 14 percent of all people know that."

 

[Shaxx Attaxx]

We have a rack at work with dumbells right in front of a mirror. People do their exercise right in front of the mirror so no one can walk in front of them to get weights or put them away. Pisses me off so much.

Bad spotters - People who as soon as they see the slight bit of discomfort in a bench press they put their hands on there start helping and say you got this. no no mate, now both of us have this.

 

[Brad Goodman]

I don't see what the problem with utilising the machine/weights you're using.

I won't be on something for more than 10 minutes, apart from the Squat rack, anyway.

Like others said, if somebody asks to jump in, I never say no, but I got there first, so I'm not going to be worried about hurting other people's feeling by not offering it up. I honestly wouldn't notice, because I'm focused on training.

But I do hate the people that take over 20 minutes on equipment, especially when they're taking so long because they're standing around talking shit with their n00b friends.

This. It usually takes me about 6 minutes to do whatever I'm doing. Chin-up rack I'll let someone jump in between sets, a bench or whatever I'll give up when I'm done with it.

 

[showdownhero]

-Another hater of the grunters (STFU)
-People who generally piss fart around or talk/socialise loudly, I'm trying to concentrate ffs
-There's a guy at my gym who does the massive circuit of the gym using like 15 different pieces of equipment but if you're utilising some of 'his' equipment when he comes around he can get a pretty shity

 

[Syphoncom]

See I don't care much about the grunters at all. The way I figure it, if it helps you get the weight up (and to some extent you may let out some noise during exhaling), then whatever.

I personally do it very rarely if ever (maybe on heavy lifts or an incline db bench ) but yeah, not really phased by that. I guess it depends on the atmosphere of where you work out and the people around you.

I guess if most are listening to their ipods or talking to their friends between sets anyway, it shouldn't be too much of a difference. Female-tennis-grunting however is a different story.

 

[ThePezDispenser]

The irritating staff deserve a mention - those who are bored out of their brain so they come talk to you for ages whilst you're trying to work out.

Just leave me alone. I'm kinda in the middle of something people!

 

[mcuzzy]

the guys who insist on grabbing your wrists when they are spotting for you and you end up dropping the weight on your chest

 

[richy4]

Sooks

 

[mcuzzy]

Sooks

lol fair call

 

[Syphoncom]

That's why it's good if you've got a mate around who you go with every day I guess (well, for me). You get to know the weight the other person can carry, how they act I guess when they're really struggling and how much they generally need to be spotted.

I find it does help getting spotted when I struggle to get the weight up (sometimes a shoulder press or an incline db press) yet can still do the exercise.

But yeah, I've done it once or twice by accident (your mate goes "help") and not thinking you instantly pick it up. Better choice of words fixed that

 

[ThePezDispenser]

Ahhh the old spotter.

I hate it when one of my mates asks me to spot. When I am spotting him he'll deliberately pick up more weight and try and lift it only to see me having to do half the work. I continually tell him it would be more beneficial for you to pick up a lighter weight and be able to lift them yourself, however he is adamant that if i help him one week he will have the confidence to lift that same weight by himself in a few weeks time.

Very frustrating.

For me I've never really used a spot, I prefer to lift it myself, I mostly use dumbells for all chest and shoulder presses so generally go to 10-15% less than my 1RM - get 3-4 out and then drop down to 60ish% of 1RM.

 

[r dub 19]

spots are essential imo, only to get the last few reps out.

 

[mcuzzy]

for me a spot is someone who pushes your elbows up so you can get momentum to do the exercise and the last rep if you really want to bust out one more. they don't have to do 50% of the weight for you, i get my mate to just gently put his hands under my elbows, mainly for stability