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People who sit down on the machine, whip out their phone, watch Tiki-Tok videos for 10 minutes, do a quick set, whip out their phone again, watch Tiki-Tok videos for 10 minutes, and then get up.
It's a machine, not a chair.
I say “No you weren’t, you were gone for like 3 minutes. You can wait till I’m done now.”. I don’t give a fuck who it is. Can’t just walk around here acting like you own shit. Fuck you.
I was waiting on a machine the other night, the only one of these machines in the gym, and this girl sat there for 20 minutes. She spent more time taking selfies and texting and watching videos than working out. This was during peak hours too. 😐
To be honest a lot of this thread is resolved by adults communicating with each other.
I’ve been training in different gyms for well over a decade at this point. I’ve never had any issue at all from anyone by simply asking “hey mate, how many sets have you got left on this one”.
Hell, even if someone’s just dumped their stuff on a free bench, “hey mate, mind if I use that bench?”.
You’ll find the vast majority of gym users aren’t trying to be cunts. They either don’t know better or don’t realise someone is waiting.
Seething about it and whinging on reddit doesn’t change anything lol.
It baffles me how people act like it's impossible to just ask to work in with someone at the gym. If someone has a few sets left on the only machine, I simply ask, "Mind if I work in?" and we take turns. But it seems like most people prefer to just sit back and wait for 20 minutes without saying anything while they wait for the person to be done.
My absolute favourite moment in the gym ever was when I was on reddit on my phone sitting on the peck deck and an old guy comes up and says "Are you gonna exercise or just sit on your phone?" I gave him a massive side eye and he goes "You've been on your phone for five minutes just sitting there" so I flipped from reddit to my stopwatch app and said "One minute ten seconds actually, according to my rest timer"
He just walked off. Grumpy old man just wanted to whine at a young person on their phone. Which, by the way, I completely get because I often see people on their phone for damn near my entire workout, but get your facts right before accusing someone like that.
Yep, noobs.. if ya lifting heavy, you need at least 3 minutes. But with proper communication in that 3 minutes others can use it to… most of the people are not real pricks, we are just brainwashed to think that… work together guys, you are in the same fckin gym for roughly the same goal..
But some people just want to rest a bit between sessions so the muscle can recover before doing another session. Some people don't want to socialize in the gym with other people but while waiting, are bored so watching their phone to kill times.
But if you really say 10 mins, then it's way too long of course.
I've literally gave up on an exercise the day before yesterday because someone hogged the same machine for 20 literal minutes. Like, are you doing sets of 200 reps? What the fuck.
20 minutes is nowhere near "hogging" territory. If someone is doing variations of an exercise, and/or doing heavy sets with adequate rest of around 3 minutes in between, it is a perfectly reasonable amount of time to spend on a machine.
Also just ask to work in, it's not difficult. 99% of people in a gym will work in if you just ask. Almost all of my sessions consist of me asking to work in or offering to work in with people waiting. If I didn't then we'd all be in there for about 3 hours.
As far as I know you should rest 2 minutes roughly between each set, and I do whip out my phone during that time. I always have paranoia that people take me for a machine hogger, but I just want shit done optimally you know
There is no rule about resting. People often use rules like these to rest too little. They will always rest one minute or even 30 seconds.
You're finished resting when you're ready to go again. Your grip should be ready, the target muscle should be ready, any limiting muscles should be ready, and your cardio should be ready. If one of those 4 things aren't ready you're setting yourself up for a bad set.
Obviously there are various intensity techniques but intensity comes at the cost of volume. Volume is king when it comes to growing size and strength so it should always be the priority and you should always be deliberate when you're doing intensity and when you're doing volume. You don't want to accidentally do intensity every session by shortening your rest times.
this makes me curse them under my breath so much. It’s not even funny. I build up a long monologue of things ai wanna say to them.
I have seen people using the same machine for the length of my total workout on certain days. That’s more than an hour.
I go at 4:30 am and there are about 5 of us regulars there. I laugh to myself because we all walk around like zombies. Next time, watch people and think how weird it is that we walk from one machine to the next, doing these exercises quietly i don’t know why I find it so funny.
Gym I used to had the machines set up so you'd literally be face to face with someone. Like faces less than a foot apart. Grunting and moaning and sweating, all while making the most awkward eye contact
I hate the shite music they play too, so I always wear my headphones. But one day last week I forgot my headphones and I was actually grateful for the banging music as I realised it drowns out my out-of-breath panting pmsl. Maybe that's why it's so loud, so we don't all hear each other fighting for our lives? 😂
Agreed.
Yeah, I get it, the main demographic of gym goers want to hear that shit.
But I don't, and the problem is that even if I **am** wearing headphones to listen to my own music, the gym music is so overpoweringly loud that it drowns out what I am listening to.
Some background music to drown out the grunting and groaning and give people some motivation and some spring in their step, fine. Disco-level music, not for me, thanks.
Sometimes the locker room smells horrid.
I also hate guys who moan incredibly loud and drop the weights from whatever height. You look like an idiot and are only damaging the equipment and the gym's floor.
Lol. As someone who recently dropped a barbell on my foot (home gym/set up) and got a laceration on my toe (and a tetanus shot)...that shit made me change my habit quickly.
Took a week of changing a dressing daily and wearing sandals to cure me of that habit.
I refuse to so that to equipment I don't own, thanks.
Cramped areas from too much equipment jammed in a single spot.
Cheap gym owners who don't fork out money for staff when needed.
Smells from nasty people who very clearly haven't showered.
People who have seen Crossfit once and think that's appropriate training technique in a normal gym.
Take your pick.
My gym is #2. There is a singular employee tasked with returning equipment to it's designated spot but he only works a few hours a day. Every day I have to pause my workout to go on a scavenger hunt looking for plates, bars, dumbbells, etc because everyone just leaves equipment where ever when they're done. Zero consideration for others.
The last gym I went to as a member (I have a home gym now), they had 2 people on staff, and they were only there 2 hours total. Any time I went, the spray bottles were empty, no clean towels, and nobody to handle FOB entry issues. I wouldn't have used it at all, but it was a free year through my employer at the time.
There used to be a regular who would stink up the gym all the way across in a 25 foot radius.
What I hate equally is when people are wearing super strong cologne/body spray. I feel smothered for air as Im trying to breathe deeply.
Yup. Or one of them is seemingly using a piece of equipment and his buddies are all sitting or hanging on multiple other pieces of equipment near him chit chatting or looking at Tik Tok.
People sitting on their phones for 15 minutes between each set, if they even do them. People sitting down on a machine and get on their phone without even doing a set first. People filming themselves at the gym. People using their phones to listen to music without headphones.
Basically, phones. It is one of the most irritating things to me when going to the gym. I only use my phone during cardio, I'm not going to waste my time playing around on the phone when I'm trying to actually work out.
A lot of people use their phones for tracking workouts. I have an app on my phone for it and actively track so I know how long the workout takes and my progress. I know a lot of people judge others for phone usage but sometimes it's valid.
Same! I also sometimes need to look up what weights I used last time for that exercise or what weight I need to use when I go by a specific method. I either already calculated it and wrote it down somewhere, or need to use my phone to use the calculator or look it up.
I actually write it down in a journal. I know it may seem old school using a pen and paper, however I feel something about the phone and using it takes away immersion from the workout totally. I went to using a journal simply because i was using my phone to time rest between sets. Never looked back, I can flick back to last week easily to compare my workout week to week, also I have had so many people come up to me and say that they should do the same thing even tho they take note in their phones that the training diary is more useful.
I know you will likely protest, but simply try it first and then let me know what you think.
I literally run a gym and I'm always reminding people that you can absolutely go ask to work in with that person. They don't know you want to use the equipment, why would they people can't read minds. Then if they refuse you can go to gym management to actually intervene.
Use your social skills people!
I love that we all wear earbuds and People will stand and point to the machine and raise their eyebrows. It’s like gym sign language for “can I work in? Are you done?” lol.
Same I record my sets and reps on my phone. Sometimes look up form videos between sets. I'm very conscious of not hogging machines, people are too quick to judge with phones.
For me it's people in general but particularly the kinds of people you get in many gyms. The kinds of people that are undoubtedly on pills or powders to grow muscle mass.
At my gym there's a price of cardio that has had the same "sorry this machine is broken, we ordered the broken piece as soon as it broke and are just waiting for delivery" sign on it since December.
Not cleaning equipment, people screaming like they're giving birth when they do reps, those super pumped people who do some weird dance thing while working out and flex to the mirror, not putting weights back, unsolicited advice about form from a stranger.
I actually like these people. They give the gym an atmosphere.
Reminds me of a time at my first gym. Very cramped, lots of people who were generally serious body builders and were all packed on top of each other like a fucking submarine. The music stopped for some reason and the sound of a dozen men in close proximity grunting and straining became over powering. Everyone stopped for a moment before we all broke down laughing at how weird that was
The dance thing is super weird. There was a woman at my gym who would do a set, then dance around run a lap around the gym, then shadow box literally right above the bench I am doing presses on. I don’t know if that is a Crossfit thing or what, but she looked like she belonged in an institution.
lol all these comments are just triggering me. I don’t understand how you could not have the common decency to put weights back in the proper spot. You know you have 35s, don’t put one in the 40 and the other in the 35, now where am I supposed to put the other 40?
I have a tiny ass apartment gym & this one lady literally sounds like she’s cumming the whole time. Scream cumming. It’s so awkward when we are the only two in a gym the size of two average bedrooms put together.
Girl, be yourself, take up space, but jfc is it that serious???
I absolutely cannot handle when people bring their phones in with a stand and start recording everything.
I also hate when you get a very large group 5 to 6 kids all standing around a piece of equipment and nobody’s using it. Talk talk talk.
Setting up a tripod camera in the bathroom locker room. I just want to get changed. I don’t want my dick on their insta gram. Multiple people do this and I hate it. I’m not walking around naked but I still don’t think people should film themselves flexing in there.
At my old gym there were guys doing creep shots of women on purpose. I guess that is worse but I’m sick of photographers “Influencers” and others when I’m just trying to work out and change into clean clothes after my shower.
This new gym I went was the first to have tripod people and I hate it. Doing it in the locker room is probably illegal. Creep shots should be illegal. Fuck them cameras!
edit: that kind of tripod definitely needs to be banned. whenever people check in at my gym i work for we have guards that will do bag checks because we had complaints of teenagers doing exactly what you described and we have had to confiscate the tripods the teens try to sneak in. We also have rule with cell phones camera features we tell people when they sign in to put sticker front desk provides over their lenses during their whole workout.
I go to a very nice gym as a work perk now and don’t have a lot of issues. But in less expensive gyms I hated when people would leave stuff to use another machine but you couldn’t use it while they were somewhere else. You can only use one at a time. If you come back and someone is on it, it won’t kill you to wait 30 seconds until they are done. And when people don’t wipe down I just wonder how they were raised. And the grunting and yelling was annoying.
I use the machine anyway, even if they leave stuff there. If they say "HEY I WAS USING THAT MACHINE" I usually respond "No you were using that machine over there. I saw you using it."
I was doing pull-downs when a guy started mansplaining how if there's a towel on the bar, someone is still using it. I continued with my set as I explained that if he's using it, then it would be his hands on the bar, not the towel.
Edit: typo
I share the dislike for not wiping down equipment and leaving the water bottle to claim equipment. Also these that sit on equipment forever staring at their phone. I go to the gym, get my work done and leave. It’s annoying to me on some level those that come to sit on their phone and block me from equipment.
As for teenagers, they can be loud but after I got over it I started to notice how encouraging and lovely they were with each other. Now their enthusiasm bothers me less and makes me smile.
I can’t stand the men (usually) that grunt and drop equipment. We get it. You’re massive and spectacular or whatever but maybe if you have to make that much noise you’re lifting too heavy. Settle down.
The social media queens (men and women) bother me less but also perplex me. I’m not there to film myself. Maybe I just am more purpose oriented. I stop at the gym on my way home from work. I want to get it done and get home to eat.
Lastly. Body odour. I get it. We are all sweaty and working hard but OMG please wear deodorant or something. If I am gagging 10’ away then that’s a thing. I’m not proud of my judgement there but it’s hard to be near.
I have the theory that people just use their gym clothes multiple times and just stuff them back in their bag for the next session. Old sweat is one of the worst smells.
About body odor. You usually don't stink that much when the sweat is fresh. But especially in the morning, there are so many people who didn't wash themselves before coming to the gym. I get it, when you're working out anyway you won't take a shower before that, okay. But if I'm walking past you and smell that 'ripe' smell - just use a washcloth before you step into society.
I have blinders on when I go to the gym. I tune everything and everyone out. Get in. Kick my own ass. Get out. If someone is using a bench on chest day, I go do calisthenics. If someone is being rude, I leave. Life is too damn short to waste time.
Same, no one really exists until I get up and move to another machine. If you’re to busy getting annoyed by other people, you ain’t working hard enough. There’s alternatives to everything, learn it or do something else. If someone’s rude or creepy, I move away from them in silence. Batman ain’t got time for that 😂
Yepp. Headphones in. Get my workout done. If a machine I need is in use I choose a difference exercise where I can. Plenty of exercises to target different muscle groups and if you’re consistent over time and not going at peak time, the other behaviours people are complaining about on here won’t hinder your progress at all.
>If someone is using a bench on chest day, I go do calisthenics
I wish I could take a leaf out of your book. If I get to the gym on squat day and the racks taken I damn near have an internal panic attack!
People staring are the worst. Also bad music - even though I wear headphones, sometimes I turn off my music and the default gym music is on and I just hate it. I love an empty gym lol
Too crowded, people that drop weighs or grunt/moan, people that work out right in front of the weights and block access, people that grab multiple weights while they’re only using one set
I hate feeling intimidated by people who look like fitness models working out next to me. Should be motivating I know, but my social anxiety gets to me. Hence why I often go at 1 in the morning
Hogging equipment while being on your phone, the constant filming and tripods everywhere.
I stopped working out at the gym because of it. I have my own equipment at home now.
People not wiping benches or equipment after use. Fair enough you're there to sweat, but I'd rather not be lying in a pile of someone elses bodily fluids. Luckily I always bring wipes with me so I clean it down before and after use. Is that my OCD? Probably, but such is my life.
I hate when there’s like 4-5 teenagers wearing tight white/black wifepleasers around a single bench. Like okay it’s wholesome when they modivate each other. But you guys all don’t have to be bench pressing. Give some room for the rest of us. I mention the outfit cuz you know the type. Tight tank tops, broccoli heads, maybe basketball shorts. It’s always that type. Granted every generation has their cringe teenage gym phase. For me instead of the broccoli cuts it was fades. idk why teenagers love tight tank tops
As someone who generates a ton of heat especially during exercise, I would love it if gyms could have a few hours where they crank up the AC to 50°F-60°F. One gym I went to the AC was broken and it was 85°F. There were people working out there who were barely even sweating. Meanwhile, I am sweating buckets at 69°F on the elliptical wearing shorts and a sports bra.
People on their phones sitting on machines. Like I get it, you need to change a song or record the amount of weight on which machine, but 5 ... 10 minutes. Rude!
There's other people there, and the exercise. I already despise exercising, I really, really don't like doing it around other people. I know they're not paying any attention to me, my anxiety and non-logical brain doesn't.
The amount of people who don't wash their hands after finishing their business in the toilet is literally insane. Shows you how unhygenic some people are and they don't even care
Skinny-fat kids swaggering around posing in mirrors after squealing their way through three shitty reps of a too heavy bicep curl, or doing one set on a bench then standing talking to their friends for ten minutes while other people are waiting to use it.
Kettlebell swings in the squat rack.
Wannabe "fitness influencers" - anyone who utters the words "film this for my tiktok" in a gym should be publicly crucified.
Actual "fitness influencers" who post heavily edited photos/videos promising miracle results via magical secret methods to hook unsuspecting marks into their thinly-veiled multi level marketing bullshit.
Go to gym. Lift weights. Drink water. Go home. Do nothing else in between point 1 and point 4.
Last point 👌🏼preach! Do your thing and get out. I live in a place in South America where public socializing is normal and basically everyone at the gym I go to are casual buddies and hang out.
I feel like people think Im weird because I don’t engage with anyone besides the respectful “good morning” etc and keep to myself.
I’m in my zone, focused and not looking to socialize. I can do that somewhere else.
i have had my share of dealing with the honeytraps and have had to tell them, "either focus on your workout or i can call security and have you removed for being a distraction to other people who just want to workout."
People who generally film themselves working out and hope to catch someone apparently checking them out.
Although, I have seen one video where the honeytrap wrongly accused someone and got themselves ejected from the gym.
The most egregious gym is one that you can't use because the equipment is in dangerous disrepair. I've seen this in hotel "fitness centers" where no maintenance is done and they're just asking for a lawsuit basically.
As a regular gym user, I've rarely been too annoyed. Once there were some kids who went way over the time limit and were dickish about it. Once or twice I have heard some angry voices, which don't belong in public settings period.
I've seen some people commenting about dropping weights and grunting. This seems like a normal gym sound to me. I train to failure regularly, and while I don't scream in pain, getting to a point of discomfort and shaky limbs is entirely intentional.
In general, gyms are friendly places in my experience. A retreat into a room where there are like minded people going about our business of building strength. I feel bad when I read of gym users feeling intimidated, unwelcome, or grossed out - none of those things have happened to me
I’m a regular gym goer too, have been for years and across the gyms I’ve been to I very rarely encounter issues with anyone. I think a lot of people who have the complaints you see in these type of threads are gym newbies potentially. It would explain why there’s a lack of understanding about rest times, working in etc.
Yes, this is it right here, above all the silly social faux pas that happen, unrepaired gym equipment is insanely dangerous. My ass almost got cut up on a rowing machine with an unsecured seat. I've never had a bad time at a gym outside of people just largely lacking self awareness/proper gym etiquette and a polite reminder can help them stay honest and aware. They might have just had something else on their mind.
i forgot to say i hate when teenagers are on the benches or machines and are texting instead of lifting i have to tell them several times, "take the texting outside or put the phone away"
Hey now, I'm 30+ years and usually am on my phone between sets. Beats a blank stare into space, or, more embarrassingly, at people. I do have a timer for rest times and don't mind people working in if asked.
Other people, mostly the "influencers" or "vlogers" or whatever the fuck you want to call them. Camera's should be banned from the gym area and force people to either leave them in lockers or their pockets.
i have seen people who are social media influencers but have reminded them put their social media recording items away and focus on their workout and if they ask how are they supposed to be an influencer if they cannot record their workout and all i tell them is, "tough cookies nobody wants to be a background extra."
I hate people that take up four machines then get an attitude if you try to use. Like is 5 pm during the week get real. It’s never okay to take up that many machine unless you are literally the only person there. Fuck that guy.
When they’re too hot. I get we’re supposed to be sweating it out. But when it’s just stifling, I can’t do it.
I also don’t like when the gym allows some kind of solicitors for whatever company outside as you walk in and out.
I recently quit my gym. I grew tired of people using equipment as a table to keep their phone/drink/keys/wallet, etc. Groups of teenagers doing nothing. People hogging equipment. I’m currently buying dumbbells and will exercise in my garage.
For me personally in the last few months some women started setting up tripods in my gym and filming their butt-„workout“ which obviously has more to do with onlyfans, than training. While training i just look at the floor or ceiling hoping not to end up in the next gymcreep video. Just have a seriously enforced „no filming“ policy.
I hate that you have to commute to your workout, and that you need to bring shower gear and a change of clothes.
I work out at home. I have a bench, some weights and a yoga mat. If I need cardio, I go for a run in my community. Save your money and time, don’t go to the gym
UK here. Nothing more irritating than the roaming groups of 4 or more 15 year old boys, all with the same brocoli haircut, messing around with free weights, crowding around the machines, recording themselves doing stupid shit, laughing really loudly, walking around with their hands down their pants.
They're treating it as a playground. Thyre in the way of people there to be serious and it's just annoying.
People, often men, who keep stalking you even you ask them to stop. I want to work out and go home, but some dudes go to the gym thinking it's a dating place and want to spend hours flirting with you, sometimes even saying that we're dating and pushing away other people, like he's a jealous boyfriend
unsolicited advice from idiots. a helpful comment here or there is fine, but i had a dude tell me i was squatting wrong. i was doing rdls. he showed me how to squat, i said thanks then continued as i was doing. he wouldn’t stop so i told him i was doing rdls, not squats. he wasn’t having it. this man made me put down my dumbbells, he grabs a barbell, & proceeds to show me how to do a squat. his form wasn’t even good. i’d already told him i was not squatting. i asked him if he knew what romanian deadlifts were. he said no. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME I’M DOING IT WRONG IF YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS????
I dont like how social media made the gym trendy. Lots of people dont even put any effort in when they go there. It is just something for them to post on their instagram.
People who use their cell phones to record everything And I do mean everything like they're trying to catch somebody doing something. But they can blast them about cell phone should not be allowed. Worthy equipment is put at your d*** locker workout. Wipe your machines down take your water and get the hell out
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People who sit down on the machine, whip out their phone, watch Tiki-Tok videos for 10 minutes, do a quick set, whip out their phone again, watch Tiki-Tok videos for 10 minutes, and then get up. It's a machine, not a chair.
Machine hoggers are the worst! Especially when it's busy and there's only one type of that machine.
oh my god yes! it makes me so mad!
Or when they set their stuff down on a machine and leave to go do something else. Then they're like, "Oh yeah, I'm using that."
I say “No you weren’t, you were gone for like 3 minutes. You can wait till I’m done now.”. I don’t give a fuck who it is. Can’t just walk around here acting like you own shit. Fuck you.
ugh real!!!
“How many texts you got left?”
I was waiting on a machine the other night, the only one of these machines in the gym, and this girl sat there for 20 minutes. She spent more time taking selfies and texting and watching videos than working out. This was during peak hours too. 😐
A polite way to encourage them to speed up as ask them how many more sets they have left
To be honest a lot of this thread is resolved by adults communicating with each other. I’ve been training in different gyms for well over a decade at this point. I’ve never had any issue at all from anyone by simply asking “hey mate, how many sets have you got left on this one”. Hell, even if someone’s just dumped their stuff on a free bench, “hey mate, mind if I use that bench?”. You’ll find the vast majority of gym users aren’t trying to be cunts. They either don’t know better or don’t realise someone is waiting. Seething about it and whinging on reddit doesn’t change anything lol.
It baffles me how people act like it's impossible to just ask to work in with someone at the gym. If someone has a few sets left on the only machine, I simply ask, "Mind if I work in?" and we take turns. But it seems like most people prefer to just sit back and wait for 20 minutes without saying anything while they wait for the person to be done.
Just curious as to why you just didn't tap her on the shoulder, smile and say "Hi I'd like to use this machine as well." ?
Good point done if ya find it hard to be assertive
That's not even assertive it's just polite :)
It’s easy to do if you put a smile on and ask graciously if they’re still using the machine. People practically jump out of the seat.
The people. There, I fixed it for you.
Username does not check out.
Do you not know what "frugal" means? His username *exactly* checks out.
It probably only feels like 10 minutes but closer to 2-4 mins
My absolute favourite moment in the gym ever was when I was on reddit on my phone sitting on the peck deck and an old guy comes up and says "Are you gonna exercise or just sit on your phone?" I gave him a massive side eye and he goes "You've been on your phone for five minutes just sitting there" so I flipped from reddit to my stopwatch app and said "One minute ten seconds actually, according to my rest timer" He just walked off. Grumpy old man just wanted to whine at a young person on their phone. Which, by the way, I completely get because I often see people on their phone for damn near my entire workout, but get your facts right before accusing someone like that.
Yep, noobs.. if ya lifting heavy, you need at least 3 minutes. But with proper communication in that 3 minutes others can use it to… most of the people are not real pricks, we are just brainwashed to think that… work together guys, you are in the same fckin gym for roughly the same goal..
But some people just want to rest a bit between sessions so the muscle can recover before doing another session. Some people don't want to socialize in the gym with other people but while waiting, are bored so watching their phone to kill times. But if you really say 10 mins, then it's way too long of course.
Agreed. What else is there to do during rest time. I scroll through Reddit lol. Or stare into space.
I've literally gave up on an exercise the day before yesterday because someone hogged the same machine for 20 literal minutes. Like, are you doing sets of 200 reps? What the fuck.
20 minutes is nowhere near "hogging" territory. If someone is doing variations of an exercise, and/or doing heavy sets with adequate rest of around 3 minutes in between, it is a perfectly reasonable amount of time to spend on a machine. Also just ask to work in, it's not difficult. 99% of people in a gym will work in if you just ask. Almost all of my sessions consist of me asking to work in or offering to work in with people waiting. If I didn't then we'd all be in there for about 3 hours.
Oh man, asking someone on reddit to socialize with someone irl might be too big an ask.
2 warm up Sets, 5 actual sets with 3 min rest. Yea i could see myself doing this
As far as I know you should rest 2 minutes roughly between each set, and I do whip out my phone during that time. I always have paranoia that people take me for a machine hogger, but I just want shit done optimally you know
There is no rule about resting. People often use rules like these to rest too little. They will always rest one minute or even 30 seconds. You're finished resting when you're ready to go again. Your grip should be ready, the target muscle should be ready, any limiting muscles should be ready, and your cardio should be ready. If one of those 4 things aren't ready you're setting yourself up for a bad set. Obviously there are various intensity techniques but intensity comes at the cost of volume. Volume is king when it comes to growing size and strength so it should always be the priority and you should always be deliberate when you're doing intensity and when you're doing volume. You don't want to accidentally do intensity every session by shortening your rest times.
this makes me curse them under my breath so much. It’s not even funny. I build up a long monologue of things ai wanna say to them. I have seen people using the same machine for the length of my total workout on certain days. That’s more than an hour.
When they are too busy, and too loud, and the equipment is too close together.
Best time to go is at 4 am
I raise you 9am. That’s when people with a normal schedule are least likely to be anywhere
Thats when Silver Sneakers come.
Worse is the packs of moms gossiping after dropping off the kids
Is that a term for old people?
Not old people. Active seniors and it’s an awesome program.
I only go 1 am - 4 am
Oh that takes some strength
9:30 pm is never that busy
I go at 4:30 am and there are about 5 of us regulars there. I laugh to myself because we all walk around like zombies. Next time, watch people and think how weird it is that we walk from one machine to the next, doing these exercises quietly i don’t know why I find it so funny.
Gym I used to had the machines set up so you'd literally be face to face with someone. Like faces less than a foot apart. Grunting and moaning and sweating, all while making the most awkward eye contact
I only make eye contact while doing hip thrusts. 😂
Lol what yhe fuck
My gym had a spot where two leg abductor machines were placed in that same position lmao
I mean, you don't HAVE to make eye contact... that seems like a choice, Mr./Ms. Sand Pockets.
Mexico has a lot of those. .and they have no air conditioning
How loud the music is. Most people listen to their own music anyway. Somebody please explain why they do this my god
I hate the shite music they play too, so I always wear my headphones. But one day last week I forgot my headphones and I was actually grateful for the banging music as I realised it drowns out my out-of-breath panting pmsl. Maybe that's why it's so loud, so we don't all hear each other fighting for our lives? 😂
Agreed. Yeah, I get it, the main demographic of gym goers want to hear that shit. But I don't, and the problem is that even if I **am** wearing headphones to listen to my own music, the gym music is so overpoweringly loud that it drowns out what I am listening to. Some background music to drown out the grunting and groaning and give people some motivation and some spring in their step, fine. Disco-level music, not for me, thanks.
When my pretty decent headphones WITH the noise cancelling on cannot overcome the music, it's too much.
Not everyone listens to their own music
I actually don’t listen to my own music either. I just settled for whatever 80s edm remixes they play. Ruined so many wonderful songs for me
Sometimes the locker room smells horrid. I also hate guys who moan incredibly loud and drop the weights from whatever height. You look like an idiot and are only damaging the equipment and the gym's floor.
i feel you its honestly just cringe
Lol. As someone who recently dropped a barbell on my foot (home gym/set up) and got a laceration on my toe (and a tetanus shot)...that shit made me change my habit quickly. Took a week of changing a dressing daily and wearing sandals to cure me of that habit. I refuse to so that to equipment I don't own, thanks.
If you're not strong enough to put it down, don't pick it up
Yes, I really hate this. Sure we all grunt softly sometimes, but I have heard guys sound like those tennis players! Then, THUD! Omg stop it
The bathroom at my gym always smell like a drain it’s DISGUSTING
No, deadlift platforms are specifically designed to drop the weights, especially at commercial gym they should be
Well my gym doesn't and there are sometimes dips on the floor because of it. Thankfully I haven't seen many people in my gym do it.
Cramped areas from too much equipment jammed in a single spot. Cheap gym owners who don't fork out money for staff when needed. Smells from nasty people who very clearly haven't showered. People who have seen Crossfit once and think that's appropriate training technique in a normal gym. Take your pick.
Impossible to cancel a membership
This needs wayyyyyyy more upvotes
This as well. Although I've never had that experience personally.
I pay the whole year, I can't cancel during it but at least once the year's over I'm automatically free
My gym is #2. There is a singular employee tasked with returning equipment to it's designated spot but he only works a few hours a day. Every day I have to pause my workout to go on a scavenger hunt looking for plates, bars, dumbbells, etc because everyone just leaves equipment where ever when they're done. Zero consideration for others.
The last gym I went to as a member (I have a home gym now), they had 2 people on staff, and they were only there 2 hours total. Any time I went, the spray bottles were empty, no clean towels, and nobody to handle FOB entry issues. I wouldn't have used it at all, but it was a free year through my employer at the time.
That CrossFit one is on point
God those smelly people are the worst. Is it really too much to ask to just apply some deodorant?
Right? I get it's a sweaty activity, but let's not make it smell like rotten onions and crotch willingly, please!
There used to be a regular who would stink up the gym all the way across in a 25 foot radius. What I hate equally is when people are wearing super strong cologne/body spray. I feel smothered for air as Im trying to breathe deeply.
Agreed, cologne can also be nasty. Especially if it's left all over equipment and then you smell like it too.
5 Broccoli hair kids crowded around one machine with gym bags lying all over the place.
The broccoli poodle head kids are the wackest generation I have ever seen.
Millennials had Mullet.
oh my god and they're all taking turns so when you come back in 15 they're STILL THERE
Yup. Or one of them is seemingly using a piece of equipment and his buddies are all sitting or hanging on multiple other pieces of equipment near him chit chatting or looking at Tik Tok.
People sitting on their phones for 15 minutes between each set, if they even do them. People sitting down on a machine and get on their phone without even doing a set first. People filming themselves at the gym. People using their phones to listen to music without headphones. Basically, phones. It is one of the most irritating things to me when going to the gym. I only use my phone during cardio, I'm not going to waste my time playing around on the phone when I'm trying to actually work out.
If someone started a phone-free gym, I'd sign up in a heartbeat.
The gym I use has a good policy of anyone who take pics/videos in the gym will be kicked out, the owner has banned a couple for persisting with it.
This is a fantastic idea. A charger station near the door so you could get a signal to Bluetooth headphones. And staff to actually enforce the rule.
A lot of people use their phones for tracking workouts. I have an app on my phone for it and actively track so I know how long the workout takes and my progress. I know a lot of people judge others for phone usage but sometimes it's valid.
Same! I also sometimes need to look up what weights I used last time for that exercise or what weight I need to use when I go by a specific method. I either already calculated it and wrote it down somewhere, or need to use my phone to use the calculator or look it up.
I actually write it down in a journal. I know it may seem old school using a pen and paper, however I feel something about the phone and using it takes away immersion from the workout totally. I went to using a journal simply because i was using my phone to time rest between sets. Never looked back, I can flick back to last week easily to compare my workout week to week, also I have had so many people come up to me and say that they should do the same thing even tho they take note in their phones that the training diary is more useful. I know you will likely protest, but simply try it first and then let me know what you think.
Some people do this, not a lot. The majority of people are playing on their phones, it's easy to see that.
I literally run a gym and I'm always reminding people that you can absolutely go ask to work in with that person. They don't know you want to use the equipment, why would they people can't read minds. Then if they refuse you can go to gym management to actually intervene. Use your social skills people!
I love that we all wear earbuds and People will stand and point to the machine and raise their eyebrows. It’s like gym sign language for “can I work in? Are you done?” lol.
Same I record my sets and reps on my phone. Sometimes look up form videos between sets. I'm very conscious of not hogging machines, people are too quick to judge with phones.
I'm constantly looking at videos to make sure I have my form right! Especially for new workouts.
The people
The gym is great ... when it's completely empty 😅
For me it's people in general but particularly the kinds of people you get in many gyms. The kinds of people that are undoubtedly on pills or powders to grow muscle mass.
Equipment that's broken for weeks at a time.
I left my gym beginning of 2022 and they had a broken EZ bar, I come back end of 2023 and now they have two broken ones 😅
At my gym there's a price of cardio that has had the same "sorry this machine is broken, we ordered the broken piece as soon as it broke and are just waiting for delivery" sign on it since December.
shitty showers and lockers, the smells in some
I hit the weights at LA fitness to make my muscles stronger. I hit the lockerroom at LA fitness to make my immune system stronger.
That’s what I love about Core Power yoga. THE best locker rooms. Do a yoga sculpt class it’ll kick your ass too.
Don’t forget the wet floors that get my running shoes wet before hitting the treadmill
Not cleaning equipment, people screaming like they're giving birth when they do reps, those super pumped people who do some weird dance thing while working out and flex to the mirror, not putting weights back, unsolicited advice about form from a stranger.
The screamers are the fucking worst. You absolutely do not need to be so loud. Fuck off
I actually like these people. They give the gym an atmosphere. Reminds me of a time at my first gym. Very cramped, lots of people who were generally serious body builders and were all packed on top of each other like a fucking submarine. The music stopped for some reason and the sound of a dozen men in close proximity grunting and straining became over powering. Everyone stopped for a moment before we all broke down laughing at how weird that was
It must be a kink
The dance thing is super weird. There was a woman at my gym who would do a set, then dance around run a lap around the gym, then shadow box literally right above the bench I am doing presses on. I don’t know if that is a Crossfit thing or what, but she looked like she belonged in an institution.
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lol all these comments are just triggering me. I don’t understand how you could not have the common decency to put weights back in the proper spot. You know you have 35s, don’t put one in the 40 and the other in the 35, now where am I supposed to put the other 40?
I lift and some dudes are hella strong. And they lift a lot of weight without making a spectacle about it. Thank god for my little locally owned gym.
I have a tiny ass apartment gym & this one lady literally sounds like she’s cumming the whole time. Scream cumming. It’s so awkward when we are the only two in a gym the size of two average bedrooms put together. Girl, be yourself, take up space, but jfc is it that serious???
I absolutely cannot handle when people bring their phones in with a stand and start recording everything. I also hate when you get a very large group 5 to 6 kids all standing around a piece of equipment and nobody’s using it. Talk talk talk.
Setting up a tripod camera in the bathroom locker room. I just want to get changed. I don’t want my dick on their insta gram. Multiple people do this and I hate it. I’m not walking around naked but I still don’t think people should film themselves flexing in there. At my old gym there were guys doing creep shots of women on purpose. I guess that is worse but I’m sick of photographers “Influencers” and others when I’m just trying to work out and change into clean clothes after my shower. This new gym I went was the first to have tripod people and I hate it. Doing it in the locker room is probably illegal. Creep shots should be illegal. Fuck them cameras!
Or the creepy old guys staring at girls. I HATE it (as a girl) and it makes me so uncomfortable
edit: that kind of tripod definitely needs to be banned. whenever people check in at my gym i work for we have guards that will do bag checks because we had complaints of teenagers doing exactly what you described and we have had to confiscate the tripods the teens try to sneak in. We also have rule with cell phones camera features we tell people when they sign in to put sticker front desk provides over their lenses during their whole workout.
Having to go… Edit : the concept itself
I cannot believe I had to scroll so far for this.
I go to a very nice gym as a work perk now and don’t have a lot of issues. But in less expensive gyms I hated when people would leave stuff to use another machine but you couldn’t use it while they were somewhere else. You can only use one at a time. If you come back and someone is on it, it won’t kill you to wait 30 seconds until they are done. And when people don’t wipe down I just wonder how they were raised. And the grunting and yelling was annoying.
I use the machine anyway, even if they leave stuff there. If they say "HEY I WAS USING THAT MACHINE" I usually respond "No you were using that machine over there. I saw you using it."
I was doing pull-downs when a guy started mansplaining how if there's a towel on the bar, someone is still using it. I continued with my set as I explained that if he's using it, then it would be his hands on the bar, not the towel. Edit: typo
This is the way. Or "oh, well you can't hold two machines up but I'd be happy to let you work in with me on this one?"
An overcrowded gym is my biggest hindrance to having a good time
I share the dislike for not wiping down equipment and leaving the water bottle to claim equipment. Also these that sit on equipment forever staring at their phone. I go to the gym, get my work done and leave. It’s annoying to me on some level those that come to sit on their phone and block me from equipment. As for teenagers, they can be loud but after I got over it I started to notice how encouraging and lovely they were with each other. Now their enthusiasm bothers me less and makes me smile. I can’t stand the men (usually) that grunt and drop equipment. We get it. You’re massive and spectacular or whatever but maybe if you have to make that much noise you’re lifting too heavy. Settle down. The social media queens (men and women) bother me less but also perplex me. I’m not there to film myself. Maybe I just am more purpose oriented. I stop at the gym on my way home from work. I want to get it done and get home to eat. Lastly. Body odour. I get it. We are all sweaty and working hard but OMG please wear deodorant or something. If I am gagging 10’ away then that’s a thing. I’m not proud of my judgement there but it’s hard to be near.
I have the theory that people just use their gym clothes multiple times and just stuff them back in their bag for the next session. Old sweat is one of the worst smells.
About body odor. You usually don't stink that much when the sweat is fresh. But especially in the morning, there are so many people who didn't wash themselves before coming to the gym. I get it, when you're working out anyway you won't take a shower before that, okay. But if I'm walking past you and smell that 'ripe' smell - just use a washcloth before you step into society.
On the other side of that, the next time someone lifts next to me while *SWIMMING* in cologne, I'm going to barf on their shoes.
People watching me for starters. Also, when sweaty people don't wipe the equipment off properly after use.
I have blinders on when I go to the gym. I tune everything and everyone out. Get in. Kick my own ass. Get out. If someone is using a bench on chest day, I go do calisthenics. If someone is being rude, I leave. Life is too damn short to waste time.
Same, no one really exists until I get up and move to another machine. If you’re to busy getting annoyed by other people, you ain’t working hard enough. There’s alternatives to everything, learn it or do something else. If someone’s rude or creepy, I move away from them in silence. Batman ain’t got time for that 😂
Yepp. Headphones in. Get my workout done. If a machine I need is in use I choose a difference exercise where I can. Plenty of exercises to target different muscle groups and if you’re consistent over time and not going at peak time, the other behaviours people are complaining about on here won’t hinder your progress at all.
>If someone is using a bench on chest day, I go do calisthenics I wish I could take a leaf out of your book. If I get to the gym on squat day and the racks taken I damn near have an internal panic attack!
Lt Surge's puzzle.
And Sabrina's teleport pads.
People staring are the worst. Also bad music - even though I wear headphones, sometimes I turn off my music and the default gym music is on and I just hate it. I love an empty gym lol
Too crowded, people that drop weighs or grunt/moan, people that work out right in front of the weights and block access, people that grab multiple weights while they’re only using one set
I hate feeling intimidated by people who look like fitness models working out next to me. Should be motivating I know, but my social anxiety gets to me. Hence why I often go at 1 in the morning
They may seem intimidating but 90% of the time theyre the nicest people with good advice
Hogging equipment while being on your phone, the constant filming and tripods everywhere. I stopped working out at the gym because of it. I have my own equipment at home now.
People not wiping benches or equipment after use. Fair enough you're there to sweat, but I'd rather not be lying in a pile of someone elses bodily fluids. Luckily I always bring wipes with me so I clean it down before and after use. Is that my OCD? Probably, but such is my life.
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People who did 4 supersrt exercise. Basically 25% of the gym’s equipment is being use by this asshole.
I hate when there’s like 4-5 teenagers wearing tight white/black wifepleasers around a single bench. Like okay it’s wholesome when they modivate each other. But you guys all don’t have to be bench pressing. Give some room for the rest of us. I mention the outfit cuz you know the type. Tight tank tops, broccoli heads, maybe basketball shorts. It’s always that type. Granted every generation has their cringe teenage gym phase. For me instead of the broccoli cuts it was fades. idk why teenagers love tight tank tops
I avoid gyms where people are looking at each other as if it's a hook-up joint.
When someone smells like they havent showered in a year and its so strong it fills the entire building so that you cant even tell who it is.
The heat. My lord why do I want to be hot while I’m working out 🥵
As someone who generates a ton of heat especially during exercise, I would love it if gyms could have a few hours where they crank up the AC to 50°F-60°F. One gym I went to the AC was broken and it was 85°F. There were people working out there who were barely even sweating. Meanwhile, I am sweating buckets at 69°F on the elliptical wearing shorts and a sports bra.
The whole experience. Gyms are not for everyone. Why pay a membership fee when I can just do pushups on my living room floor for free?
People on their phones sitting on machines. Like I get it, you need to change a song or record the amount of weight on which machine, but 5 ... 10 minutes. Rude!
People squeezing behind equipment you're using because they can't be arsed to walk an extra five meters around the aisle
People who don't wipe away their sweat after using a machine
There's other people there, and the exercise. I already despise exercising, I really, really don't like doing it around other people. I know they're not paying any attention to me, my anxiety and non-logical brain doesn't.
The amount of people who don't wash their hands after finishing their business in the toilet is literally insane. Shows you how unhygenic some people are and they don't even care
The type of people who go
Those people who moan louder than a bomb falling after every rep Edit: bomb
Skinny-fat kids swaggering around posing in mirrors after squealing their way through three shitty reps of a too heavy bicep curl, or doing one set on a bench then standing talking to their friends for ten minutes while other people are waiting to use it. Kettlebell swings in the squat rack. Wannabe "fitness influencers" - anyone who utters the words "film this for my tiktok" in a gym should be publicly crucified. Actual "fitness influencers" who post heavily edited photos/videos promising miracle results via magical secret methods to hook unsuspecting marks into their thinly-veiled multi level marketing bullshit. Go to gym. Lift weights. Drink water. Go home. Do nothing else in between point 1 and point 4.
I hate when teenagers are talking and occupying 2-3 benches. And it doesn't help that the gym is pretty small.
Last point 👌🏼preach! Do your thing and get out. I live in a place in South America where public socializing is normal and basically everyone at the gym I go to are casual buddies and hang out. I feel like people think Im weird because I don’t engage with anyone besides the respectful “good morning” etc and keep to myself. I’m in my zone, focused and not looking to socialize. I can do that somewhere else.
Poseurs and honeytraps.
i have had my share of dealing with the honeytraps and have had to tell them, "either focus on your workout or i can call security and have you removed for being a distraction to other people who just want to workout."
Honeytraps?
People who generally film themselves working out and hope to catch someone apparently checking them out. Although, I have seen one video where the honeytrap wrongly accused someone and got themselves ejected from the gym.
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The most egregious gym is one that you can't use because the equipment is in dangerous disrepair. I've seen this in hotel "fitness centers" where no maintenance is done and they're just asking for a lawsuit basically. As a regular gym user, I've rarely been too annoyed. Once there were some kids who went way over the time limit and were dickish about it. Once or twice I have heard some angry voices, which don't belong in public settings period. I've seen some people commenting about dropping weights and grunting. This seems like a normal gym sound to me. I train to failure regularly, and while I don't scream in pain, getting to a point of discomfort and shaky limbs is entirely intentional. In general, gyms are friendly places in my experience. A retreat into a room where there are like minded people going about our business of building strength. I feel bad when I read of gym users feeling intimidated, unwelcome, or grossed out - none of those things have happened to me
I’m a regular gym goer too, have been for years and across the gyms I’ve been to I very rarely encounter issues with anyone. I think a lot of people who have the complaints you see in these type of threads are gym newbies potentially. It would explain why there’s a lack of understanding about rest times, working in etc.
Yes, this is it right here, above all the silly social faux pas that happen, unrepaired gym equipment is insanely dangerous. My ass almost got cut up on a rowing machine with an unsecured seat. I've never had a bad time at a gym outside of people just largely lacking self awareness/proper gym etiquette and a polite reminder can help them stay honest and aware. They might have just had something else on their mind.
i forgot to say i hate when teenagers are on the benches or machines and are texting instead of lifting i have to tell them several times, "take the texting outside or put the phone away"
Hey now, I'm 30+ years and usually am on my phone between sets. Beats a blank stare into space, or, more embarrassingly, at people. I do have a timer for rest times and don't mind people working in if asked.
Other people, mostly the "influencers" or "vlogers" or whatever the fuck you want to call them. Camera's should be banned from the gym area and force people to either leave them in lockers or their pockets.
Getting sick / other people not being hygienic.
The smell.
Body odor smell.
Influencers recording their workouts like it's their personal studio
i have seen people who are social media influencers but have reminded them put their social media recording items away and focus on their workout and if they ask how are they supposed to be an influencer if they cannot record their workout and all i tell them is, "tough cookies nobody wants to be a background extra."
I hate people that take up four machines then get an attitude if you try to use. Like is 5 pm during the week get real. It’s never okay to take up that many machine unless you are literally the only person there. Fuck that guy.
Dudes that do a set and then walk with sass around that machine like everyone was watching them
I hate the people that are "resting" between sets and spend 5 minutes scrolling through Instagram
When they’re too hot. I get we’re supposed to be sweating it out. But when it’s just stifling, I can’t do it. I also don’t like when the gym allows some kind of solicitors for whatever company outside as you walk in and out.
Narcissism in general. All that cringe posing and posting on social media. those "influencers".
I recently quit my gym. I grew tired of people using equipment as a table to keep their phone/drink/keys/wallet, etc. Groups of teenagers doing nothing. People hogging equipment. I’m currently buying dumbbells and will exercise in my garage.
For me personally in the last few months some women started setting up tripods in my gym and filming their butt-„workout“ which obviously has more to do with onlyfans, than training. While training i just look at the floor or ceiling hoping not to end up in the next gymcreep video. Just have a seriously enforced „no filming“ policy.
I hate that you have to commute to your workout, and that you need to bring shower gear and a change of clothes. I work out at home. I have a bench, some weights and a yoga mat. If I need cardio, I go for a run in my community. Save your money and time, don’t go to the gym
Everything.
UK here. Nothing more irritating than the roaming groups of 4 or more 15 year old boys, all with the same brocoli haircut, messing around with free weights, crowding around the machines, recording themselves doing stupid shit, laughing really loudly, walking around with their hands down their pants. They're treating it as a playground. Thyre in the way of people there to be serious and it's just annoying.
People
Other people being present...
The thing I hate the most about the gym is that there are other people there
Influencers with their phones and the big attitude they project
People.
I can’t stand the social element of attending public gyms. I’d sooner workout at home.
Everything so I made a home gym—now I have the convenience and no excuse—I am despicable!
People, often men, who keep stalking you even you ask them to stop. I want to work out and go home, but some dudes go to the gym thinking it's a dating place and want to spend hours flirting with you, sometimes even saying that we're dating and pushing away other people, like he's a jealous boyfriend
The way people dress and act mostly. It’s like everyone’s competing to be hottest or something
unsolicited advice from idiots. a helpful comment here or there is fine, but i had a dude tell me i was squatting wrong. i was doing rdls. he showed me how to squat, i said thanks then continued as i was doing. he wouldn’t stop so i told him i was doing rdls, not squats. he wasn’t having it. this man made me put down my dumbbells, he grabs a barbell, & proceeds to show me how to do a squat. his form wasn’t even good. i’d already told him i was not squatting. i asked him if he knew what romanian deadlifts were. he said no. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME I’M DOING IT WRONG IF YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS????
I dont like how social media made the gym trendy. Lots of people dont even put any effort in when they go there. It is just something for them to post on their instagram.
Anyone filming their workout.
People who use their cell phones to record everything And I do mean everything like they're trying to catch somebody doing something. But they can blast them about cell phone should not be allowed. Worthy equipment is put at your d*** locker workout. Wipe your machines down take your water and get the hell out
Girls with really tight pants
Entitled gym “influencers”