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We've all seen them at the gym: some guy at the gym who just irritates the crap out of you! Let's make a list of all the annoying and weird guys who you find at your gym...

At my gym:

1) Superset-ter - When this guy shows up you can barely do any exercises, coz he's constantly running around the gym from one machine to the next. If he catches you on a machine he was using for a superset he'll tell you to get off it!

2) Machine hog - I encountered this guy two days ago. I had to use the lateral press machine for chest presses and this dude was using it for shoulder presses. So I went to do two sets on the chest fly machine as not to waste time. After my sets he was still there, so I waited a bit. 3... 4... 5... 6 sets and counting! So I said f@#* it and did 3 more sets on the chest fly machine. He did about 10 sets! Later on I saw him sitting at the chest fly machine, doing concentration curls! Dammit, it wasn't like there weren't any free benches to sit on!

So, any pricks in your gym?

What's been driving me insane lately is all of the guys that don't put their weights away. At the gym I go to in the afternoon (lately) there's a couple of these huge guys that load up like 5 or 6 45Lb plates per side on something, do their sets and then leave them there. What annoys me is not having to take the weights off, but not knowing they are done with the bar/machine or not.

My strategy has been to never assume that anyone is actually using a machine/bar, and to assume that they will tell me if they are still using it.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....I must not be serious enough....I havent seen any of these. My Golds is a pretty small one, I guess....or it is not full of fanatics...cuz everybody seems to get along.

The only thing I have ever seen that raised my eyebrows were a pair of lesbians engaging in way too much PDA for my comfort. And that was only once.

I am the gym manager's biggest pain in the ass...I have gotten after him about the cleanliness of the place....once was just dustiness, once was dirty fans, but the worst was about the shower knobs...they hadnt been cleaned inside in so long they were growing ALGAE!!! ...beyond mildew to ALGAE ....an effing ecosystem was evolving the shower handles YUCK!

MUTTSKINS!!!

I like the beagle drawing on your profile....



At the Wichita YMCA I frequent, I haven't noticed too many issues.. what I find a little odd are those who
do a set, then walk to the waterfountain and back.

I wouldn't follow that course of action as someone might take your machine or weights by the time you return. I have a water bottle... I've always wondered if they aren't as serious about their workout with all the "walking here and there".

It's a bitch doing barrel rows because everyone is either using one side or the other.

But a few days ago this guy was there and he was doing curls with one of the levers on the right side. So I grab the lever on the right side to unhook it and find a different area to do my barrel rows. Then he goes "No no. I'm using that side for my other arm." When he could have..umm..maybe just turned around and used the same side for his other arm??

GRR!!

The King of A**holes is the guy on a machine and has to phone all his friends when he breaks thur a plateau. Spending 10 mins. then to top it all off he looks at you for listening to him

Oh, I'm the number one guy, the Super-Setter. I was going to complain about the guy who uses the damn machine for a lounge chair to camp out on. If you aint working it, get the F#@% Off! I'm trying to keep up the aerobic pace and I run into a camper. I don't say anything, I just stand close and give them the look, and then only if it's the only machine available for the routine I'm doing. I get an hour and a half for lunch so have to maximize the time I'm in the gym.
Just the other day some guy got me feeling downright homicidal. He and his workout partner, were just conversing, not working, talking! I hear the gyms are pretty good in prison.

Ive been going to the same gym now for five years. Don't really have anything to complain about.

muttskins said
2) Machine hog 3... 4... 5... 6 sets and counting!

I'm so sorry...I've hit a plateau and need like 23 sets on my chest/week to restart the bulking phase. =P

Although whenever I see people standing around, I usually ask them if they want to jump in.

Yeah. Those guys can be annoying but you all should try asking them to use the machine to let them know you're waiting. I've been at the gym on days where I just don't have the ump I usually do and it's taking me what seems like forever inbetween sets. If someone comes and asks about it I either give it up, let them work in, or hustle it along.

Anyone on the phone, period!!!



Why are you at the gym then?????

Geebus, wouldn't increasing the weight do a better job?
Or do you do 4 or 5 reps a set?

I agree with the phones - it really bugs me when someone sits around talking on his/her phone while working out, especially on the cardio machines.

However, I'm sure I've annoyed many people at the gym with my supersets. I didn't realize till halfway through a set today that I was grunting loudly.

A few weeks ago I went to use the triceps rope pressdown and started to change the equipment. This woman got in my face and gave me one of the most evil looks I've ever received. She told me she was using it and I replied, "Well how was I supposed to know? Sorry." She kept glaring at me and I said, "Look, I didn't know you were using it, okay?" She glares at me every time I see her at the gym. She's always hogging the same station the whole time I'm working out. Ugh.

There are two men I see at my gym fairly often; first thing that I find "unsettling" is that they are in their street clothes. These guys are lifting weights or using bikes in slacks, shoes, etc. Why does it bother me? I don't know, but I fucking hate it.

Second, undergraduate girls who hog the cardio machines but don't really use them because they have to keep stopping to find the right song on their iPods or text their friends (who are probably on the machines next to them)

Last, I use the 'xpress line' at my gym, where you use the machines in a certain order, one set each time, move along... next... move along...there's a HUGE poster hanging from the ceiling that says these machines are for the xpress line and tells you how to do it... but these fucking people camp out on the machines, they sit there (not actually working out), cruising the gym or playing with the settings or in many cases, just sitting there looking around or daydreaming... These machines are not set aside to be your little break room!

lissenup saidI agree with the phones - it really bugs me when someone sits around talking on his/her phone while working out, especially on the cardio machines.

However, I'm sure I've annoyed many people at the gym with my supersets. I didn't realize till halfway through a set today that I was grunting loudly.

A few weeks ago I went to use the triceps rope pressdown and started to change the equipment. This woman got in my face and gave me one of the most evil looks I've ever received. She told me she was using it and I replied, "Well how was I supposed to know? Sorry." She kept glaring at me and I said, "Look, I didn't know you were using it, okay?" She glares at me every time I see her at the gym. She's always hogging the same station the whole time I'm working out. Ugh.

I also hate it when people leave their towels all over the place.

I ran into a great pair today.

The "Trainer" yelling at his "Trainee" - counting reps, Feel the Burn, etc., etc.

Then they tok the 20-, 30- and 40-pound barbells and had them all at their workout bench.

While "Trainee" was trying to recover from a pulled delt, I politely asked for the use of the 40- for my French curls. I was begrudgingly allowed to use it, and returned it upon completion of my three sets. The bar sat there for at least another 10 minutes with no one touching it. It was still there when I moved on to another part of the gym.

I guess I really can't complain. I did get to use the bar.

I think it was the loud talk and Know-It-All attitude that really teed me off.

Pattison saidIve been going to the same gym now for five years. Don't really have anything to complain about.

Would you survey your gym about this? I would love to get the aussie perspective on this question.

I need a trainer beause I have no idea what half of this is! I go tomorrow for my first lesson! I'm so excited! I need my abs to be rock hard and chest built up. I ran a 10k this weekend so I'm good on the legs for now!

I have two:

The "Look-at-me-lift Guy." He will pick the most populated area to do his curls, do them extra slow so he can admire himself in the mirror, making special emphasis to grunt loud enough so everyone in the gym can hear him. If he is really in need of an ego boost, he'll drop the weights when he's done, grunt again, and take note of all his admirers.

The "arm-chair personal trainer." He'll approach you in the middle of a workout, perhaps even the middle of a set, and begin coaching you on what lift you should be doing (because he knows not only what you're trying to work, but how to do it better than you)that he read from an AARP magazine. It's fine if someone is correcting potentially dangerous form or helping a newbie, but if the person is obviously doing their own thing and physically more built, leave them alone.

Wow, ok well I'm not really that big of an asshole... just dramatic.

John43620 saidGeebus, wouldn't increasing the weight do a better job?
Or do you do 4 or 5 reps a set?

I've actually tried every possible mix up to my workouts...changing excercises, excercise order, different splits, high reps, low reps...etc. etc.

at the moment, I'm working near my 10RM for like 10reps, 7 sets on the bench press. If I go lower weight, I'm not going hard enough, and if I reduce the set number, I won't trigger new muscle growth.

But my 1RM is like 64kg...which is nothing much compared to what most guys on here can do

Warrior...u such a drama queen...lol...Sorry guys...i'm guilty of having my cell phone on at the gym...but only when i'm on call so that i can rush back when needed...my pet peeves r

1) The guys that's all talk and no lift...i have this guy at my gym that does nothing but create conversation with ppl...he'll do one set the fin someonelse and start talking to him...he did that to me once and he NEVER shut up..talking about the most inane things ever. So in essence...he ends up wasting others times and makes machines unavailable for ppl that actually wanna use them. Other than that he's a nice guy

2) The goys that dont re-rach their wiehgts when they done...that's just plain rude

3)The guys that stare wiht no hint of subtlety (i think that one is specific to pakistan)

My biggest peeve has already been mentioned--guys who don't rerack the weights.

On a side note, I work at my local gym one thing that really ticks me off are the slobs.
People who wear muddy shoes into the gym and leave deposits all around the equipment. And then there's the locker rooms. Usually they are the female members who won't pick up after themselves. Gum on benches, shampoo bottles tossed on the floor when the trash can is 10 feet away...
And don't get me started on period soup--you don't want to know

Hey guys. I just had to post to this when I saw it. I have been around Health/Fitness for over 13 years as a group exercise instructor and a personal trainer. So, I have seen it all and heard it all.

I periodically do supersets myself. But I am moving pretty quickly from one machine to the next. And if someone gets on something I need, I patiently wait. But the other day, I had my workout towel down on a chair that I was using for OH dumbbell tricep presses. Now, before you say anything, at my gym, we are required to keep a workout towel with us at all times to wipe up our sweat. Well....there were two guys who were working out together and running around hitting every machine in there. And it was the middle of the afternoon too, with not many people there. While I was over doing dips after my set of presses, one of them sat down on my chair, ON MY OWN PERSONAL TOWEL. I went back over there and stood behind him and just glared at him without even taking my headphones off. I couldn't believe it. I should have told him, "You just bought yourself a towel, asshole." But I didn't.

Can you believe that sh*t?

thats kinda grotesque.

I'm glad this thread didn't burn down to the ground like the others I posted, hehe!

warrior_poet63 said"Look-at-me-lift Guy."... making special emphasis to grunt loud enough so everyone in the gym can hear him

Yeah, the Superset-ter in my gym also makes extremely LOUD grunts and breaths! It's like he's getting the s@#* beaten out of him!

Hmmm, I noticed a few:

The Stalker: He uses the same exact station you just finished and the same exact routine, and keeps within close range for the next step...creepy, but strangely flattering...

The Tease: One guy always seems to show more than others. He wears those tight cotton/lycra shorts that are normally worn UNDERNEATH regular shorts. His package is RIGHT there for all to see. It's sorta sexy, but not when he wears the light grey ones that show the crotch-sweat patterns...ewww

The Mirror Whore: Need I say more?

My favorite persona is the gym tranny. We have one at my gym who dances and brushes her hair - all in ajuicy couture running pants. There is another one who is a manny tranny and just looks absurd.

The business man - I hate cell phones at the gym. I actually worked out next to a guy who was having a conference call on speaker while he worked out

the reader - There is a time and place for everything. Unless you are on a piece of cardio, leave the reading materials at home - bookworm.

The almighty trainer - Why must you take up so much GD room and act annoyed when i am on the machine you need.

The skunk - I sometimes forget deoderant, but come on...

the douchebag - god i feel sorry for women at the gym

Ok the phones only annoy me when people are being loud on them or they sit there on the machine and talk. I get off any equiment when i'm talking to anyone.

What pisses me off is the guys who scream bloody murder..

I was sat next to this really hot guy doing hammer curls and he was lifting 20 pounds exactly what I was lifting.. he was much bigger than me but after every set he'd graon the word "fuck" or "shit" under his breath but so thous close could hear. Not to mention groaning like he was giving birth inbetween reps.. soo after like 5 times and I noticed this was beyond lame I couldn't help it and started to laugh.

His face went beat red and he left the area. I thank Jesus for that day.

There's also a couple of guys that always work out together and will usually do the same lifts at the same time. They'll both pick up dumbbells and do their sets together, right in front of the weight rack, rendering at least 10 or 15 sets of weight inaccessible. This makes me crazy! How rude could you possibly be?

Bodybuilding.com has a hilarious article at http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par10.htm, in which they describe various types at the gym.

#1. My trainer and I have a pet peeve for a particular person we call the "Roid Dude" for obvious reasons. He typically works one set per machine, grunting very loudly during it, drops the weights and then loudly starts to critique the guy next to him. He does this all over the gym!

#2. We are required to carry a towel and wipe-off the machines when we are done with our sets. Nothing worse than having to wipe-off the seat after some one else as sweated all over it.

The guys who only seem to use the steam room and then sit around in the locker room, sagging away, and staring.

Then there was the lesbian couple I called the Bulgarian House Cleaners---they looked like they should be dragging buckets and mops around a communist office building somewhere---who would come to the gym dressed in lycra that was so cheap and thin (wearing nothing underneath) that you could virtually count their pubes. Geez.

People at my gym are very friendly. Only when there are many people at the gym, people starting to be mean and pushy. I don't blame them, because I will be too.

I'm a facility manager at the rec center at UIC, and I've seen them all, but the worst that I've seen is dangerous to everyone.


A gentleman was working out on a Smith machine and the 45 lb. plates were on the top peg. He took them off the peg and then dropped them onto the floor, a height of about five feet.

THUD

And it rattles on the floor a couple of seconds. Then he takes off another plate and drops that one on the floor too.

KATHUD

Thankfully the attendant that was working asked him to stop, but he didn't, and he was asked to leave. And he wondered what the big deal was....

[i]"I'm all for boxing, I think it's a great way to stay fit and relieve tension. What I don't get is the guy shadowboxing in front of the dumbbells.

My gym has no boxing equipment, not even a place to jump rope, yet Rocky comes here three times a week to get ready for Apollo. Here's a hint: it's not that kind of gym."[/]

This guy pisses me off too.

I agrree with ChicGymGeek. The worst is when they drop the weights on the last rep and the crashing noise reverberates through the gym, like a bomb going off. There's ALWAYS at least one person doing that on every single set.

Hmmmmm......My biggest pet peeve is there is a guy at my gym that shaves his private parts and blow drys his balls.....LOL...Right in the middel of the locker room. He aint even cute!!!
=(

Lately its been the guys and girls who do not bother to wipe off their sweat from the seat and handle bars after a 45 minute spin class. You can literally be sitting in some guy's left over ball soup when you sit on their seat for the next class

The thing that annoys me the most are the guys that don't re-rack their weights. I'm waiting for a machine and I'm not sure if someone is using it or not. Not to mention I not only have to re-rack their weights for them - I then have to re-rack my weights when I'm done as well. It pisses me off when I see them walk away just to jump on another machine and not re-rack their weights there either. There are two guys at my gym that do this on a regular basis.

Ok, I hate it when:

I'm at the drinking fountain just about to drink when my cell phone goes off and I try to talk and drink at the same time and these guys behind me still get irritated.

Or when I'm checking out which exercise to do next on the realjock site and some guys gets pissed because I have my laptop on a bench he wants to use (I mean where am I supposed to put it?)

Some guys are so selfish. I asked this one guy once and if I could borrow his towel to mop off and he got all snippy.

And in the locker room when I'm shaving my pubes at the sink I get these dirty looks. They're just jealous I can lift my leg up so high.

The cluster of guys who hover over one machine, chatting away like a bunch of women in the hair shop really gets my goat. They claim to all be "working in" but do more talking then working.

It doesn't effect me at all but I can't help getting severely annoyed by the guys who wear flips flops in the weight room. WTF? It's not the beach fellas! Maybe it's another one of those LA things. Makes me feel like they don't care or something. Like I said they don't bother me but it's still irritating.

Or the guys who are in the locker room when I change up, see them do a weak ass set or 2 and then spend the rest of the time in the locker room. We don't call it the 24 Hour bathhouse for nothing!

The guy who gets equipment out, weights out and doesn't put them back.

god, i'm so glad i got a refund on my cancelled gym membership... i'm doing p90x at home and i'm just fine with that.

I hope this doesn't come out sounding bitchy (okay...I don't really care if it does), but I hate the guys with big beer bellies (and trust me, at my gym, there are quite a few of them) who only work their arms. "Um, how 'bout hopping on that treadmill for a little while big guy...and laying off the six-pack you're drinking every night?" They walk around with this attitude and their huge bellies hanging out thinking that they. are. really. something. I can't stand it.

That, and as mentioned by others, the "grunters". The need for everyone to look to see just how much they're lifting. "Wow, you're so f'ing strong." Ugh.

The guy who is maybe 5 4 and 230 ripped. Truly a work of art,but he has this weird need. He comes up and tells you what you are doing wrong. usually not in the nicest of ways, best put down of that type happened in Boston, when this guy replied when you are 6 foot tall come back and talk to me.

1) the SWEATer: the guy that sweats all over the place dripping on everything and possibly everyone. He also doesnt wipe off his sweat remains, once he is done using a piece of equipment.

ADVICE: just wipe off the equipment and keep a towel with you to wipe your brow

2) the NON-reracker: the guy that never, ever reracks their weights when done. He may not be around when you're working out, but you definitly see his mess when you are there. (personally i spent a good 20 mintues reracking all the weights that were left out, ridiculous)

ADVICE: This is just proper weight room etiquette; just rerack your weights, why is this sooo hard?

Biggest Gym Annoyance:
When I ask someone how many more sets he has on a piece of equipment and he replies "I just started." That is NOT an answer, fool! I am looking for a number!

Second Biggest Gym Annoyance:
People who refill their water bottles (large ones, mind you) at the drinking fountain while other people (me) patiently wait for a 3 second sip of water. How hard would it be to step aside, let the line get their drink, and THEN fill up your water bottle?

The Starbucks carrying, cell phone chatting one that seems to be @ every machine I walk towards.

Oh and the Personal Trainer so busy texting someone they pay no attention to their Client. I don't know why people put up with that shit.

I just had the obnoxious Trixie in the free weight area yesterday. This bunt (bitch-cunt for those unfamiliar with the term) decided to lay out her water bottle, her ipod, two gym towels and half a dozen assorted dumbbells in a defensive perimeter around a single flat bench. Oh, did I mention she also scooted all the surrounding benches about 10 feet away from her so they were to close to each other for more than one person to use any of them? She then spent half an hour doing pirouettes and shit off the bench with the dumbbells while in a circuit with three different machines.

I had a near orgasmic fantasy of beating her in the face with one of the 5 pound rubberized hex dumbbells she was using. I know a standard round 50 pounder would have been far more efficient, but I think a prolonged bludgeoning would be more satisfying. I find fantasizing about committing extreme violence against the annoying types in the gym actually enhances the intensity of my workout. Maybe I should be thanking these people.

muttskins said

1) Superset-ter - When this guy shows up you can barely do any exercises, coz he's constantly running around the gym from one machine to the next. If he catches you on a machine he was using for a superset he'll tell you to get off it!

that'd be me especially if you are resting your fat arse on the machine for 3 minutes doing sweet FA

If people took the time to understand what others are doing and also learn how they can achieve themselves wouldnt it be a great place!

Anyhow my gripes are these 2:

Lycra belted guy: Too fat to be wearing lycra, save that for the fetish club, and to cap it all he then wears a lifting belt which doesnt do anything except hold his fat gut in and stop his back working properly


Sweaty gym pig

Uses the machines drips all over them and doesnt have the courtesy to clean up afterwards!

YOU GUYS ARE ALL REALLY FUNNY!!! I empathize with most of your catagorical references. Hilariously enough, we are all probably in those catogories.

Mine is the resident Queen that spends more time in the locker room staring at others, then goes out, makes a round around the gym, then right back into the locker. Also, not to mention another Queen that hangs around the locker room for hours naked, powdering his nuts or shaving. All the while strategicly placing himself in walkways so that others must pass him to get to the other side.

f**k that'd be me 8jock8 if you were at my gym!!!!!!!

The "resident queen" example above me made me laugh. We have two of those at my gym - and they are bold enough not only to stare a lot, but to actually ask me what days and hours I am usually working out. One even asked me if I might like to drop by his house sometime when his wife is not at home. Another one asked me to go for coffee. I just politely say no. I don't want to hurt them - and they have not been out of line, really. I feel a bit sorry for them - they must be lonely -- and I guess I am eye candy to them....(not intending to sound conceited here).

As far as other stuff I read about - problems all over the gym with rude or inconsiderate guys doing all kinds of stuff - I am lucky - I just don't have any of that stuff to contend with - maybe becaue I usually go so late at night that most everybody is gone - except for the aforementioned guys. It is kinda weird being stared at so much - but I guess I'll take it as a compliment.

aqualad01 said1) the SWEATer: the guy that sweats all over the place dripping on everything and possibly everyone. He also doesnt wipe off his sweat remains, once he is done using a piece of equipment.

ADVICE: just wipe off the equipment and keep a towel with you to wipe your brow

2) the NON-reracker: the guy that never, ever reracks their weights when done. He may not be around when you're working out, but you definitly see his mess when you are there. (personally i spent a good 20 mintues reracking all the weights that were left out, ridiculous)

ADVICE: This is just proper weight room etiquette; just rerack your weights, why is this sooo hard?

These are the same ones that annoy the heck out of me...

1) If I wanted your sweat on me, we'd go home together and have a threeway with my man. Clean up your sweat!

2) I don't like spending time hunting down weights for a parts of my workout when I don't have to. I put my stuff away, so I know you can too.

Thought of another one when I was @ the gym last week....that guy that always runs/walks the OPPOSITE way on the track even though the appropriate direction is clearly posted AND the fact that he's the only dumbass going that way.

smalltownboy saidThe Starbucks carrying, cell phone chatting one that seems to be @ every machine I walk towards.

Oh and the Personal Trainer so busy texting someone they pay no attention to their Client. I don't know why people put up with that shit.

The idea of even drinking a coffee before a workout grosses me out, never mind durring. I can only imagine how much that would repeat on you durring crunches..

Well first off I would much rather write a list of the mind blowingly hot guys at the gym but in the spirit of cooperation I will offer this one.

Lady wants refund on her gym membership, she is told that in order to get it she must come down and cancel in person...she asks where the gym is located...suppose if you actually knew where the gym was and took your ass there once in awhile you might not need the refund....good grief

Ok, you guys are too funny and I can't help myself so here are a couple more.

1.) The nasty old dude that comes up and pulls the damn shower curtain open while I am still using the shower, and then they mutter an oh sorry. As if the fact that the shower curtain being closed isn't enough indication its in use. What the hell is with this, once I thought it was a random absurdity, and since then its happened a few more times.

2.) Dipsh*ts that clank the weights together. I am here to tell you there is no physiological gain in banging the damn things together, and smack whoever told you to do it that way.

3.) Juveniles that are a mockery to everything under the sun that take up tons of equipment while basically holding social hour. For peat sakes we build multi-million dollar schools so they have a place to both menace and hold social hour, now they have to invade the gym?

4. Most of the ones you guys mentioned above.

Thankfully, my gym does not allow cell phone use anywhere but the front lobby. With camera phones these days its a privacy issue. They enforce this too, if they see you using one you will told to go put it away that its not allowed. Sounds like you guys should suggest a similar policy at your gym. I mean if you can't be without your electronic leash for an hour while you workout you need a life and a psychiatrist.

Last, I just wanted to mention a personal practice that is both useful to myself and courteous to others. I carry two small towels in the gym, one is for wiping off equipment from the inevitable grease ball that leaves the infamous oil slick on the end of the bench. Also, using a separate towel, reduces the chance of me wiping off a bench and then transferring staph bacteria to my body when I wipe myself with it. I carry the second towel for wiping face, head, etc. Its not hard and it shows basic courtesy and hygiene.

i hate the incognito gas passer. he always gets me when i am on the roman chair, and then i look suspect

hotversguynnj saidHmmmmm......My biggest pet peeve is there is a guy at my gym that shaves his private parts and blow drys his balls.....LOL...Right in the middel of the locker room. He aint even cute!!!
=(

WHAT? really? you might have to show me the receipt for that.

trebor965 saidi hate the incognito gas passer. he always gets me when i am on the roman chair, and then i look suspect

I hate those damned crop dusters! That sort of behavior is only warranted when passing the obnoxious spritzer in front of the fragrance counter.

The "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHNGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"-ers.

I never would have guessed that we all work out at the same gym!!?!?

1) the guy who picks up the barbell or dumbells and does his workout right damned in front of the rack, so no one can pick up any dumbells or barbells until he is finished. step back, man, and if you can't handle that weight, use a lighter one and stay at least a foot away from the racks!

2) the guy or gal who at the peak times has their water, magazine, cell phone etc. around either the bench he is on or the treadmill/elliptical she's on and does a zero impact workout for like a complete hour!

3) the guy who carries around a book (a damned book!) and does a set on a machine, reads a chapter, gets a drink while leaving the book on the machine, then does another set, reads a bit more, chats a bit with someone while sitting on said machine/bench, then ... doesn't do a third set, but then leaves to repeat the process on another machine.

I love the written word -- that's how i make my living. But you wouldn't bring a pair of dumbells to the library, so why do people feel a need to bring books to the gym? Urrrgghhhh.

I can't stand the butt hole who is doing incline DB bench press with 65lbs then drops them 3.5 feet to the ground after his last rep. if he's strong enough to do 10 reps he's certainly strong enough to drop the weights to his thighs then lower them to the ground!!! I almost said something to him about it and I promised myself I would say something the next time...

my other HUGE problem are the guys who don't use deoderant. I know many gay men think it's "hot" or a "turn-on" to not use deoderant but in a gym it's downright disgusting. soooo gross. makes me want to puke. I've gone to managment about a few people at the gym because everyone is cringing over it... not just me. I know there are some stinky guys on this site so come on... put something under those pits!!!

shoelessj said1) the guy who picks up the barbell or dumbells and does his workout right damned in front of the rack, so no one can pick up any dumbells or barbells until he is finished. step back, man, and if you can't handle that weight, use a lighter one and stay at least a foot away from the racks!

I HATE those people! I don't care if I'm using 70-80 pounders I can barely keep a grip on for shrugs. I'll waddle a good 5-6 feet back from the rack to make sure I'm not the asshole that disrupts everyone else's' workout. Besides, I'm sure I burn a few more calories waddling those few feet away from the rack and back.

Jockbod48 saidThe "resident queen" example above me made me laugh. -- and I guess I am eye candy to them....(not intending to sound conceited here).
but I guess I'll take it as a compliment.

You are eye candy to me.

do take it as a compliment, otherwise you'll feel harassed in the gym when you go.

HndsmKansan said

I haven't noticed too many issues.. what I find a little odd are those who
do a set, then walk to the waterfountain and back.

I wouldn't follow that course of action as someone might take your machine or weights by the time you return. I have a water bottle... I've always wondered if they aren't as serious about their workout with all the "walking here and there".

I do this all the time. Now I'm conscious of the possibility that someone is judging me for getting a drink. Oh well...

I don't use water bottles due to all the studies that have shown how the plastic has chemicals that can interact with the water and raise estrogen levels and have also even been linked to some forms of cancers. The FDA finds that the levels are too low to be of any concern but since the FDA has screwed up several times in the past I'm not taking my chances.

What I don't like is when people who go to the fountain to refill their bottles become responsible for creating a line of people who are waiting to get a drink. Proper etiquette in this manner is to always make sure you're the last person to take your time filling up your bottle. It's not cool when others are waiting to take a swift drink so that a person can take a few minutes to fill his/her bottle.

lissenup said She glares at me every time I see her at the gym. She's always hogging the same station the whole time I'm working out. Ugh.

She sounds retarded. Screw her. If you genuinely apologized and she still holds a grudge she's just a bit "off."

I can't wait to experience all the hostility of working out in a gym later this year when I go to college!xD

I'm not crazy, just never been to a gym before and I wouldn't care much, It'd be too much fun for me to just be in a gym.

There is this one lady who is a total DICK! She will yell her name out to the front desk as if they are going to take time out to write it up to check her in. And then she dresses like she is the hottest sh*t at the gym, with like a sports bra and daisy duke pants and she's nasty and she talks a lot and loud with EVERYONE. And she is always completely made over, at 5:30 in the morning! I want to shave her head.

I don't hate these people, but they are now on my shit list.

I've been working out for a long time...and I am not a tiny, skinny dude who doesn't know his way aorund the weight room, but the other day something happened to make me think I should start juicing, cause I must be getting smaller.

I was doing abs and this chick, who is in great shape, but not in a hot way, came over and suggested that I try out this oblique exercise and she showed me what she was talking about. First of all, it wasn't a new exercise, and I know how to do obliques on the roman chair.

so, being the polite guy I am, I went over and did the exercise she thinks she taught to me.

when I got over there, there was this skinny anemic looking dude and he said "You know, you can adjust that chair thing so it's more comfortable on your hips."

Like I am totally new or something!

Do I look like this is my first day in the gym?!? The guy I lift with has been giving me shit about it since...he constantly tells me how to do bench press and pull ups and anything else we do...

1. People who like to talk to you non-stop while you try to work out

2. The guy who lifts too much weight and has horrible form

3. The guy who uses the machines, sweats all over it and does not wipe it down

shoelessj said1) the guy who picks up the barbell or dumbells and does his workout right damned in front of the rack, so no one can pick up any dumbells or barbells until he is finished. step back, man, and if you can't handle that weight, use a lighter one and stay at least a foot away from the racks!

Hey sometimes people aren't aware of what they're doing. They don't realize they might be preventing other people from doing their thing.

I find it works to approach the guy in a friendly yet assertive manner and kindly let them know that standing too close to the rack prevents people from accessing the weights.

When I do this, I find that they always step back quickly to let others have access.

Okay, I have 1 more...and this totally grosses me out. There are several guys at my gym who blow their noses into their hands in the shower! We have a "communal" shower, so where does that snot go? Onto the floor, heading for the drain. YUCK!

The first time it happened I almost got sick. Now I've noticed it happening all the time! Should I say something to these idiots? "Excuse me, sir? Could you refrain from spreading your snot around the room?"

Luckily I don't get too pissed off at the gym.

But one time a guy was working out with his girlfriend. He was not very well built but definitely a big guy. He had his gym bag on a bench with him. It was a huge bag and he wouldn't set it down on the floor. He had to set it down on benches.

I wasn't aware of this at first. I wanted to use the bench as it was the only one in the area. He was resting in between sets and I asked him if he was using the bench that he had his bag sitting on. He said, "No but I'll get to it in a minute." He then proceeded to turn around and do his set and make me wait for him. That shit wasn't fly with me. So I grabbed his bag and brought it over to him to set on the floor near him. Damn! He got all huffy and was barking at me. But I wouldn't hear it. I told his ass to get a lock and use the lockers like the rest of us. I told him that the benches aren't for his personal belongings. He got in my face and I didn't back down and his girlfriend wanted to keep the peace and got in the middle of it.

I just thought that was rude. Especially after I asked while he was in between sets and then proceeded to blow me off and make me wait even longer.

Later as I was doing cardio on the recumbent bike I turned my head and saw the two of them leering at me as they were leaving. I think they were out of towners. Which made sense as no one who regularly trains at my gym hogs the equipment like that with personal belongings.

Laddy1962 saidOkay, I have 1 more...and this totally grosses me out. There are several guys at my gym who blow their noses into their hands in the shower! We have a "communal" shower, so where does that snot go? Onto the floor, heading for the drain. YUCK!

The first time it happened I almost got sick. Now I've noticed it happening all the time! Should I say something to these idiots? "Excuse me, sir? Could you refrain from spreading your snot around the room?"

Yeah, I see this one a lot. I also see some dude do it in the steam room but not into his hands.
My other fav guy has a locker a few down from me and he spends the whole morning naked (he is about 68, overweight, grumpy) and usually caps off the morning with a loud stank ass fart. Never mind that I am 2 feet from him.

Laddy1962 said Should I say something to these idiots? "Excuse me, sir? Could you refrain from spreading your snot around the room?"

By all means, speak your mind if it bothers you. The trick is to do so in a dignified way to get your point across. If you look all bent out of shape while you tell these guys they may continue to do it around you, all the while taking pleasure in the fact that they know they are annoying you. Unfortunately some people take pleasure in things like that.

Another thing is to let the manager know and perhaps he/she will post a sign in the communal area to discourage this type of behavior. Just let him know how unsanitary that is.

I used to belong to one gym that had a sign near the drinking fountain that said, "Anyone caught spitting in the water fountain will have his membership IMMEDIATELY revoked without any refund!" I am glad that the management took things like this seriously. Shit like this is nasty and blowing snot in the shower is worse.

1) Screamers. I mean the guys who scream on every rep of every set regardless of the weight they're working with. I understand if you are going heavy and need to for the last couple reps but come on.

2) Women taking up the barbell benches to do exercises with dumbbells when there are 4+ unused flat benches available to them that they have to actually walk past to get to the barbell benches.

3) Guys who do one set every 10 minutes while standing guard over a piece of equipment talking. Often look very annoyed if you have the audacity to ask to use said equipment.

About 10 years ago when I was stationed in Missouri, I went in the locker room to change. There was a small crowd, each doing their own thing. One guy was coming out of the sauna dripping wet, so he heads over to the shower to clean and cool off. Meanwhile, I'm changing and thinking to weigh myself before heading out to workout. The sauna dude comes out of the shower dripping worse than when he comes out of the sauna and heads straight to the scale dripping wet. I couldn't believe that he would do that, but even worse, I had to ask him to wipe it up. And then he gave me lip for asking him. He cleaned it up though. PUNK!

My comment really isn't a 'hate' thing, that's a little strong but....

So, ok, in some of my RPM (spinning) classes, there's this woman who SCREAMS, and I mean LOUD, like at the moment of multiple climaxes at the more stressful parts of the class! It's quite startling.

Colbert_Nation saidMy comment really isn't a 'hate' thing, that's a little strong but....

So, ok, in some of my RPM (spinning) classes, there's this woman who SCREAMS, and I mean LOUD, like at the moment of multiple climaxes at the more stressful parts of the class! It's quite startling.

LMAO...

No real problems at my gym with anybody - maybe because it is so late that most people are gone. It is weird though being stared at - or having guys fabricate some inane question for me - just so they can talk. I try to be patient and answer the questions, but honest to God, I'm not a trainer and I don't have a lot of time!

Annoying questions I hear way too often:

You must work out a lot - do you have a life?

How can I get to be in shape real quick?

Are you married?

I once knew a guy who looked just like you! Do you know ............?

The absolute worst is the fat guy who wants to tell ME how to do certain lifts. Why do the morbidly obese sometimes have so much advice?

The comment - "Dude, you're never gonna' make any gains unless you eat more"

Thanks ass - I already eat 4,600 unprocessed calories a day!

Or better yet - "Are you sure you can handle that?" "Nice chicken legs" "Free weights are way better maaannnn"

Unless I'm screaming for help, about to have a barbell crush me, or incapacitated - DON'T talk to me! I'm not here to have a nice little chit chat. I'm here to focus on ME! ME ME ME! Not you and what you think about my routine - and it's just that - MY routine.


Hmmm, maybe if I was absolutely flaming - or started giving obscene glimpses in the locker room they'll back off

It might be because of the time I go but I dont have any problems getting the machines I need or worry about chitchat while Im there. Most times my cell is off and in the locker unless Im on call.

My biggest pet peeve though are what I classify as the trolls.
i. Older, non attractive, patrons who waste time on the machines and do the exercises completely wrong to the point its just useless to even be there.

its not that they are ugly or hog the machine for 6+sets its the fact they dont do the exercise even remotely correct and receive no benefit. Sometimes Im tempted to tell them they are wrong but I hold back because I have little patience for stupidity. Ignorances I can tolerate to an extent stupidity not so much. I cant even really give an example that would accurately describe how wrong it its but lets just say they dont even come close to full range or even half range of motion. IE chest press arms are fully extend and its more like a 1" bounce. As soon as elbows break he extends again and repeats 20+times for 6+ sets.

The trainers at my gym piss me off as well, because they do nothing about it other then point out the fact the trolls are doing the exercise wrong to their trainee.

From what the front desk has told me the trolls are usually there for 3-4hrs almost daily.

Well enough for me ranting.

In general, I've found most women don't understand gym etiquette. The bench next to the one you are using, is not a shelf for your towel, phone and water bottle. Two reps of 5 lbs, then chatting with her friend, while others wait for the equipement.

Just as bad, is when a guy walks away from his equipement during busy peak time, and chats it up with his friend. "Are you still using that over there?" "Um, yeah, I'm on that. So anyway, I was saying..." I get pretty blunt with guys now days. "Oh, ok. You mind if I work in while you're taking a break over here socializing?"

My peeve though are personal trainers who think they own the equipement. Either stepping in and changing the equipement when you're between sets (without even looking around or asking if it's being used). Or when the trainers don't put away equipement or weights. I guess they don't want to waste their paying client's time. Though, they are teaching the client's bad gym ettiquette.

What do you guys think about people filling up a large water battle for 5 minutes, while a large line waits behind them? Honestly, fill half of it now, and fill the rest later.

muchmorethanmuscle said
I wasn't aware of this at first. I wanted to use the bench as it was the only one in the area. He was resting in between sets and I asked him if he was using the bench that he had his bag sitting on. He said, "No but I'll get to it in a minute." He then proceeded to turn around and do his set and make me wait for him. That shit wasn't fly with me. So I grabbed his bag and brought it over to him to set on the floor near him. Damn! He got all huffy and was barking at me. But I wouldn't hear it. I told his ass to get a lock and use the lockers like the rest of us. I told him that the benches aren't for his personal belongings. He got in my face and I didn't back down and his girlfriend wanted to keep the peace and got in the middle of it.

Agh that sounds incredibly egocentric. Obviously he wouldn't like someone hogging one of the machines he needed, when they're not using it. But of course that thought doesn't even run close to him. I think it's natural that if you're not using a machine, let someone else use it; best time efficiency for everyone, not only you.

Lifetime Fitness of Dublin is HUGE and I have never had any problem getting any piece of equipment, even at peak hours...as to some really annoying habits of some members in the gym.....PHONES on the workout floor....give me a break! If you are SO F-ing "important" to whatever, kindly make the calls from the lobby or the snack bar....noboby really wants to hear the details of your last "conquest" as you yell into your phone over the music and noises of the gym....SLOBS...that never bother to re-rack weights and never wipe off the equipment. Hello!....mom isn't here to clean up after your lazy and sloppy ass! My time is just as valuable as yours in the gym. If you can use it, you can clean it up and reset it for the next guy.

caslon said[quote][cite]Pattison said[/cite]Ive been going to the same gym now for five years. Don't really have anything to complain about.

Would you survey your gym about this? I would love to get the aussie perspective on this question.[/quote]


I guess if I have a problem with someone e.g. someone hogging a piece of equipment, I usually just politely (and with a smile) ask them if they are going to be long. That usually hastens things up.

Unfortunately, the guys who stand around in groups and monopolise a piece of equipment (especially when they are encouraged by a Personal Trainer) can be a bit irritating. I usually ask if I can work in them (again with a smile), and then leave it up to them to say no.

Ok so I go into the locker room and grab my towel and go hit the showers. Now mind you this is a community shower, no stalls. Just one large box with shower heads everywhere. I walk in (naked of couse) and notice there are three other men in there (also naked). I tend to ignore everyone and focus on my shower. Well I notice with my peripheral vision that all three would glance over every so often. Please keep your eyeballs to yourself.

Another time (at a different location) I was showering and this guy walks by, looking of course as he moves along. Then, not three seconds later does he walk by again! And about 10 second after that he PARKS himself in front of my stall and proceeds to dry himself off all the while staring at me. I must have shot him with a dozen dirty looks and to no avail.

Lastly, there is this older gent that works at the location I go to. He is obviously gay cause I caught him staring at me once. I had just gotten out of the shower and walked to my locker to change. He just so happened to walk by and decides to deviate from his original course and makes like he is going to clean the section I am in. I noticed with my peripheral vision that he at one point completely stopped what he was doing and just proceeded to stare. And he wouldn't leave either until I removed my towel! So that nasty old perv got a glance at my junk. Every time I see him I want to ram my head into the lockers. lol

Guys who do not re-rack weights.

Guys who do not carry a towel and leave a trail of sweat on every machine.

Guys who oil up for their workouts -- oh yea we got those.

Guys who do not seem to know where to pee in the restroom.

Guys who do not know where to do #2 in the restroom.

Guys who will stare at you for moments on end.

Guys who lift up their shirts in front of the mirror and compare midsections between each set of a midsection workout with their friends.

Guys who somehow are unable to chart a non-collision pathway while walking towards you and count on you changing your course so that you don't hit them. HINT: don't change your course. Keep your head up and walk -- right into t