How to deal with the 5 most annoying people in the gym
The gym is a great place to exercise for many reasons. For me, it is due to the large amount of free weights and equipment and the hardcore atmosphere that particularly motivates me.
The problem with working out in the gym is that it is a public place after all. This means that the moment you decide to sign up for a gym membership, you will have to coexist with the other gym members and deal with any quirks they may have. This can be very challenging, especially when you’re in the gym working hard on a tummy-shrink exercise and the presence of a few others makes it difficult for you to do so.
I have seen how many people stop going to the gym or stop following their training program because of some bad encounters they have in the gym. Going from one gym to another doesn’t help because some of these annoying people exist everywhere.
In today’s post, I’ll list some of the 5 most annoying people you could see in the gym and how you can deal with them, if need be.
The Chatterbox:
Every gym has at least one of them. This individual (sometimes some of them) goes to the gym primarily to socialize, complain, gossip, and basically do anything but exercise. This person will chat with you between sets and if you get caught up in the conversation, you will lose track of your rest periods. Then your body and muscles cool down and you are no longer in the zone to lift your next set. Your training is ruined.
Sometimes this person would gossip about you (your clothes, your body part, your exercise technique, etc.) and deliberately let you hear it. It makes you self-conscious and you lose focus.
While there is nothing wrong with socializing, we must lose sight of our main reason for going to the gym. Having a long rest period can affect the intensity of your workout and your focus on the next set. This is definitely not what you want to achieve, especially if you are exercising to reduce your tummy. Remember, you can always socialize after your workout.
Solution: If you know the person, try to keep the chat within a minute or no more than your usual rest period. If the talk goes further, gradually assume the position of your next exercise, smile and continue with your exercise. Most people will understand the point.
If they talk about you, look at them and make sure they notice you. Let them know you heard them and continue your training. Who cares what other people think? This is your job!
The Hogger:
The people at my gym are generally very friendly and willing to share their equipment between sets. But occasionally we get one or two of these possessive weirdos that just don’t share and insist on completing their exercise before anyone can use it.
If you only have a few games left, that’s fine. The unforgivable thing is that they are hoarding the team for the wrong exercise. Don’t you know what I mean? Here is an example:
Imagine someone hogging the squat rack to do bicep curls with the Olympic bar. The reason they need the squat rack is because they can rest the bar on the rack to make it easier for them to lift it on the next set … (long pause for effect). And by the way, in case you think these are strong people who need the Olympic bar to curl with huge weights, you couldn’t be more wrong. They’re just curling an empty bar.
Hoggers aren’t just limited to the weight section. The worst Hoggers are the ones on tape. Because it is impossible to share the treadmill, users must be even more considerate and aware of the time they spend on the treadmill. Although it is clearly stated that each user is limited to 30 minutes on the tape, some continue, completely oblivious to the people waiting behind. And look at this, some even have the newspapers neatly placed in front of them as they stroll on the treadmill while holding onto the handles …
As he waits patiently for his turn on tape, homicide inevitably comes to mind at this point.
Solution: If they are using the machine for any exercise other than the one indicated, politely tell them that there is an alternative machine they can use. Usually this works. Otherwise, ask them to share. The change in weight will eventually cause one of the parties to give up. Usually it is them.
The moan:
I bet you can find one of these in every gym, too. Their voices echo throughout the gym. You know exactly when their set will start and when their set will end. They thrill to a rallying cry that puts the New Zealand All Blacks to shame as they lift their massive weights (or weights they think are huge for them), and throughout the set, the grunts, groans, and groans until they finally hit the ground running. climax. on the last rep before dropping your weights to the ground.
Whether these people are really trying to get psyched or seeking attention, their loud moans and war cries are a distraction for everyone in the gym. Imagine if everyone in the gym started doing this? Others may mistake the gymnasium for a Taekwondo dojo or worse yet, an adult venue disguised as a gymnasium.
Solution: You can try telling them to keep it low. But I have tried and it doesn’t work. So, get yourself an iPod or a pair of earplugs. However, I like my friend’s solution, which is to exercise alongside them and moan even louder.
The big bully:
A nightmare for gym instructors and members alike, the Big Bullies are hard to miss. Walking with their arms outstretched like potatoes in their armpits, these oversized muscular heads share many characteristics with Hogger and Moaner. They use their equipment between sets without asking and never return any of the weight they use.
The worst of them even criticize your exercise technique without even giving you real advice.
Many of these muscle heads are pure muscle mass without definition. Some even have a belly. But they walk around thinking that everyone should marvel at his tremendous musculature.
Solution: Handling the Big Bully requires special care. Remember to always be polite because these are the closest things we have to a primate that lives among us. Perhaps the only stations you will never find Big Bullies using are the treadmill and the abs machine. But if a big bully suddenly uses his equipment without asking, wait for him to complete his set, then politely say, “Let’s share between sets,” while lifting the weights. If he stops you or starts glaring at you, that’s fine. Move on to the next heaviest weight. Let him have it. That is not worth it. Did you see Planet of the Apes? Let the primate have his toy.
Army ants:
Usually in a group of at least seven or eight, these folks are like armed ants, devastating every machine, treadmill, and free weight their eyes lay. If you are doing dumbbell presses, you can be sure that almost all the weights on the shelf will disappear. These people usually belong to a specific sports team and have decided to bring half their squad to train at a local gym.
Their disruptive presence in the gym is obvious and even increases enormously when they are there during peak hours. If your gym is quite small like mine, you can wait for the ants to finish their training or be prepared to wait 5 minutes between each set.
Solution: armed ants or not, you are already in the gym. So train! If they are using the equipment you plan to use, find an alternative or exercise another part of the body first. There is no point in sharing equipment with army ants because you end up wasting more time waiting to make your set.
Ok I included this last group of people not because they are really annoying, but the way they are training is a total waste of time and I have seen groups like this in three gyms that I have already been to.
The guys from Bench Press:
There is a group of four or five overzealous teenagers who hit the gym quite often. I’ve only seen them train one part of the body.
Correction.
I’ve only seen them do one exercise: the bench press. Well, you really can’t blame them. The obsession with having a huge chest is not limited only to women. Having a huge chest makes one look as impressive as having huge arms. The good news is, at least they are choosing free weights over machines. But once they start to lift the weight, everything else goes very wrong.
They use a weight that is too heavy for them from the first set. The child doing the exercise has an observer behind him, to his left and to his right. The scene looks almost like a pit crew making a pit stop at a motor racing event. What’s even more fun is that the child doing the exercise continues to add weight to the next set. As his watchers struggle to help him on his last set, it appears that he has conquered Mount Everest and with that look of extreme satisfaction.
These guys don’t really bother anyone except sometimes if you really need to use the bank; you have to wait for their 10 bench press sets to finish, each.
Solution: Well, they don’t actually offend anyone. But if you need to use the bench, politely ask to share the bench. When they see that you are lifting more than them and they say “Wow! Awesome!” See, you can give them some tips and correct their bench press techniques.
When dealing with any of the five annoying people mentioned above, the key to keep in mind is that you always remember to be polite. Never use aggression even if you are bigger and stronger than the other guy. Treat other gym users with respect and you will get respect in return.