Gym Rules 101: A question about gym etiquette - weigh in with your opinion

[SwitchMan]

Depends on who is asking to work in. If its two 16 year old kids or some middle aged dweeb that does cardio once a month then they can wait until I'm done. If it's some one I see around the gym and is as serious about working out as I am then I'll let him work in. People like that usually help load and de-load weghts which is a big plus.



I can't stand highschool kids going heavy as shit with no clips!!! Just a peeve of mine I wanted to share.

 

[Powerbuilder333]

I only skimmed the posts, but here is my opinion (based on my 19 years of training - 17 in a commercial gym) on what I did absorb.
If two guys (strangers I assume) are actively using the machine then I'd use another, or ask how much time left untill they're finished with it. It's 3 minutes - I'd politely wait for up to 5 minutes, then start being slightly obnoxious in a non threatening way - i.e. spill my water, trip on their gym bag, ect. LOL.
If it's 2 guys joking around with a machine, then I'd ask to work in, and pile on the weights so they'd get tired and they'd leave. If they wouldn't let me work in and I had to wait more than 5 minutes I'd force my way onto the machine and they'd have to complain about me. Being a 300 pound world champion deadlifter has it's perks - I can win a who's the bigger asshole contest - lol. We have a side door to the alley, that I've never had to use, yet.
Under no circumstance's would I be the one complaining to management about member behavoir problems. To me that's snitching, and it's also failing to negotiate a solution of your own.
The solutions I've described are based on real life experiences and are very few, and really far between.
The more serious about your training, and the more serious the people you train with are, the less problems arise. It's about one Iron Warrior respecting another. Black, brown, white, asian, democrat, republican, man, woman, gay, straight - in the power pit we all get along, and help each other to excell.
It's really America at it's finest.

 

[jimmy04]

singl guy sounds like a cock! the only people who ever ask me to jump in are people I know, others will ask how many sets and wait if its a few or if iv just started do somthing els.
thats what id do to but that is just how my gym works. iv had to use other equipment because the squat rack is being used, ther's always alternatives and I would never go running to the owner about another member!

 

[mad_monkey59]

It is every single persons perogitive to turn down a work in for what ever reason...

'No, because I don't want to' is a good enough, any explaination is a curtoisy.
Why ask, 'can I work in' and then be a bitch about the reply, it is ridiculous.

Every situation is different, and we can argue about the rights, wrongs, and priciples infinitely, but at the end of the day, if some one is using something and wont let you work in, then they are using it, wait your fricking turn. If you had a reason not to let someone work in you would expect them to respect your decision.

 

[timtim]

what a ridiculous situation. 19 years training and i have NEVER had an issue in the gym. ever.

some people are real fags.

 

[tropo]

The single-guy should realise that non-available equipment is part of the deal of training in an under-equipped (or very busy) public gym.

As long as the double-guys are keeping the machine active and not sitting on it resting, single-guy should just wait no matter how long it takes...and if he doesn't have the time to wait, then skip the exercise.

If the single-guy really can't handle the odd inconveniece of his gym then he should consider:

1. Moving to a better equipped gym.
2. Changing his workout times.
3. Buying his own equipment.

 

[bushmills]

since when does a gym attendant,manager or owner become a babysitter?
If the single guy was told no, then he waits or does what double guys stated, come in earlier, change workout or gym. I know when I'm on the leg press, the last thing I want to do is keep stripping and loading up the weights. especially at 5:30am Single guy has a leg injury, obviously he can't do the same weight. what did he expect the addendant to do? tell double guys to let puss-wah work in with them!
He needs to stop crying to the gym and find a way to work around it!

 

[Tweakle]

Cliffs plz

Anyone is welcome to work in with me, provided they load and unload all the weights between sets. If they're asking, they can do. Usually I just wait for ppl to finish and expect them to do the same, the whole 'work in' thing is gay unless it's a selectorized machine or dipping bars.

 

[crazyjoe]

Just got back from the gym. Here's a rule> When doing your shitty-form standing dumbbell curls, don't stand so close to the fuckin dumbbell rack that your nuttys are damn near bouncing off the dumbbells on the rack thus blocking anybody from using the dumbbells you are standing in front of, because you need to be so goddamn close to the rack. Oh yeah, one more> if you are a sixty year old creepy looking dude and you insist on staring at me during my whole workout, don't be surprised when out of the blue I walk over and stab you in the eyeballs!! FUCKIN PERVS!

 

[buffut1]

Question #1: How long have you been working out in gyms that cater to the public? 22 years

Question #2: Given the circumstances, do you think a gym should allow two (or maybe more) of their members to block another gym user who has a desire to use the same machine, in this case a leg press machine, for the sole purpose of keeping their heart rate up? Or, is blocking a machine for any reason permissable? If single guy was interupting their routine, then he should wait.

Queston #2 might be a tough question to answer. I'm having a tough time answering it. In arriving at an answer, I have to ask myself: is this issue primarily and solely a blocking issue? If so, then I would have to consider things like common courtesy, civility, manners and etiquette to arrive at an answer. Or is this issue more about personal goals? Specifically stated, a personal goal that involves the need for a person to keep their heart rate up during a specific exercise. If so, the aformentioned traits of common courtesy, civility and etiquette might still come into play. I'm still trying to formulate an answer to question #2. It's a tough one...[/QUOTE]See my answer for #2. Sounds like single guy is a bit of a pansy. Personally, if someone is working on a machine, I wait until they are done or find an alternative exercise. I personally rest 30 - 45 seconds between sets, therefore, someone working interupts my workout. I therefore show everyone else the same courtesy.