joelcool

I've had very few bad experiences at the gym (actually I can't think of any), and I go to a cheap neighborhood one 4-5 days per week. Obviously there are many people who don't use the equipment the same way I would. I don't let that bother me, they aren't hurting the equipment and they have no impact on my workout. One day I may learn to be a personal trainer so I can help people achieve their fitness goals. I think that would be rewarding.


I've always said if you don't like going to the gym, then don't join.

OBoile

A woman I used to train with (who is a fair bit older than me and was a powerlifter back in the 80s) was told in high school not to lift weights or "her uterus would fall out". The person saying that was serious. Times have definitely changed.

rumrunn6

FWIW - nowadays a woman can get a bladder sling surgically installed. basically helps w incontinence as they age. no hindrance for any physical activities

Seattle Forrest

Feels like about 2/3 the climbers in the Icicle (Leavenworth) are young women.

OBoile

I find this extremely hard to believe.

Carbonfiberboy 

Whatever. There are people who don't do stuff perfectly and who do stuff that one wonders why they're doing it, but not scary or stupid. Heck, I just learned to snap my benches today. Hard to be perfect.

OBoile

I still can't believe you haven't seen any stupid stuff. I see it pretty much every day at the public gym. Why, just yesterday there was a guy doing incline db benches. He did two sets of 8 but then that fool couldn't do a single rep on his third set. I guess he couldn't get the dumbbells in the right spot to get started. He tired and failed. Tried again and failed. Tried one last time and failed again. Then he put the weights back hoping no one noticed.

I was a little annoyed. Normally I do 3 sets on that exercise but just 2 yesterday.

noglider 

Maybe carbonfiberboy's tolerance for stupidity is different than other people's.

Carbonfiberboy 

By far the hardest part of DB benches is getting the frigging weights aloft the first time without injuring oneself or anyone in the area. I'm so weak that starting inclines is pretty easy.

rumrunn6

got into a tif w a brute one time many years ago. we were both wearing ear buds so when he asked if I was done on the incline bench & I gave him a snide remark as an answer, he thought I gave him a vulgar answer & so began an insane toe-to-toe, peck-to-peck stand off. found a way to diffuse it cuz he coulda killed me & he realized he was escalating it. was tuff tho cuz neither of us are the type to back down. I was literally on the bench between sets getting ready for my next set & he asked if I was done. I told him "does it look like I'm done?" ... anyway I'm a bit more polite these days & haven't had anymore run ins w brutes

rseeker

I'd join that gym because that would totally work for me. There are people who need other people to exercise, and then there are the solitary performers, and that's me. I do my best when my mind is focused on myself and my workout. Distractions like (political!) TV and conversations only take away from the workout.

I know not everyone's that way, which is why it's good to have choices.

Seattle Forrest

There was a skinny guy deadlifting like 450 pounds. He would lift the weight, then drop it onto the floor. Then lift it, then drop it. Had headphones on. The rest of the gym basically lined up to tell the guy to stop being a jerk.

I don't know that I'd call it dangerous, it's only going to hurt the floor, but it's stupid and obnoxious for sure.

But most of the annoyance is people using limited equipment like the power racks to waste time on their phones.

OBoile

I once went to a gym near my parents' house (a Goodlife for any Canadians reading) where a guy claimed a power rack (the only power rack, although there were several squat racks) for over an hour to do calisthenics. At no point did he actually use the rack other than to hang his towel, but I guess he felt cooler having his mat located inside the rack than on one of the many open spaces of floor where he wouldn't be in the way.

Seattle Forrest

Holy crap.

I try to be aware of my surroundings. It's just a good thing in life. If somebody looks like they're waiting for a rack when I'm using it, or the specific dumbells I'm using or whatever, I offer to share. "I have two sets left, but you can use this while I rest up for the next one, then we'll trade off."

wolfchild

Personally I would never drop my deadlifts because I prefer to get as much TUT as possible...But if the guy was dropping it on top of a proper lifting platform then it shouldn't be an issue, if he was dropping it without a lifting platform then he was just being a dikhead...As an example: dropping heavy barbells is standard practice when doing Olympic style lifts, that's why bumper plates were invented, but it should always be done on top of a proper platform or some special floor covering


That's not an annoyance, that's a very serious thing.



Planet Fitness has a lunk alarm, if you make a slightest bit of noise you can get kicked out of that gym, that place is one big joke.

Carbonfiberboy 

In a real weight lifting gym, yeah, everyone drops the weight. But in a mixed use gym, it's a no-no, like using chalk.

Powerlifters go about 5 minutes between sets or even single reps. So it may seem like their being pigs, but that's what they have to do. We try to go when they won't be using the racks or else we skip those lifts.

Daniel4

There are people who do their dumbbell bicep curls while standing right in front of the dumbbell racks. Have they ever considered they are blocking people from looking for weights they are not using?

KraneXL

Really? If I left for those reasons I'd never have permanent gym. At the moment at PF and they have continuous repetitive canned music. Just get headphones. Then again, it's your money.