Gym Rant

Off Topic
41

[quote]qsar wrote:
I was at the gym doing squats at the squat rack and this guy comes and in the middle of my set asks me how long will I take. I waited to finish my set before answering since I was putting a good amount of effort. The guy sits right in front of me and stares at me as I’m doing my set. When I was done with the set, I said I had one more set to go.

As I’m resting the guy looks exasperated and anxious - still sitting right in front of me staring at me. I didn’t let him rush me though. After finishing the last set, I said “I’m done”, and he looked like he was thinking “finally!”. I let him unload the bar since he had been such a dick to this point. I sat down nearby to rest and I saw him do bicep curls??? Yes, he frustratingly awaited a squat rack to open so he could do bicep curls, being a dick in the mean time, trying to rush the guy doing squats…what an idiot!
[/quote]

Right on! I’m glad you let him unload the weights. You just don’t interrupt someone doing squats.

42

This happens all the time at my gym. Boils my piss.

If someone is doing anything other than squatting in the rack, I just politely ask them to move, referring to the equipment as “the squat rack”. The only exception would be for heavy shrugs. If you can do a barbell row with a given weight, you should be able to deadlift it, so put the bar on the damn floor.

With regard to people re-racking weights, we even have signs that say “If you’re strong enough to lift the weights, you’re strong enough to put them away.”. I guess most gym users can’t read. 'Tis the only explanation.

On the subject of 14-18 years olds, I’m going to side with them and say the more arrogant gym goers seem to be in their late 20’s and/or foreigners. There’s one particular guy who takes the prize in my gym. He has no appreciable muscle, although he is lean (and orange). If you’re both walking (or in his case strutting) through the same door he’ll either barge past or usher you through impatiently. He also wears t-shirts that have reverse lettering that can only be read by looking in a mirror… how convenient as that’s what he spends most of his time doing. Also tries to claim he’s using a piece of equipment when he’s been out of the room for five minutes doing something else. I won’t even liken him to a Jersey Shore guido as some of those guys actually have a decent physique.

43

Haha I guess like you guys said, assholes come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I didn’t mean to restrict it to that age range, just for the most part from exposure and word of others, its the highest percentage for me. When it comes to re-racking weights, I totally agree with James Brown, that shit gets annoying.

44

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]GreatAjax wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]StateOfPsychosis wrote:
The 14-18yr old guys don’t really care about anybody but themselves.
[/quote]
I disagree. I’m always polite and approachable in the gym. D-bags and asshats come in all ages.

All of this persona crap is a little overdoing it. Just lift with purpose and GTFO. You don’t HAVE to deal with anyone. The drone mentality of “putting on my blinders” when in the gym just doesn’t seem that necessary. I talk, text, look at girls, and listen to my iPod and I still get shit done. No excuses.[/quote]

same here. theres actually very few teenagers who go my gym but most of us are pretty serious. most of the dbags are Cuban guys in their 20s,( hell, even old ass cuban guys. almost all of them are vain as fuck. and usually quite effeminate) or just random, assorted assholes. i have to admit that even tho i make a conscious effort not to, im often pretty judgemental and contemptuous about people at the gym. some days i see so many people doing stupid ass shit that it distracts me from my workout and it pisses me off.

a couple weeks ago i was squatting. i warmed up and did 5 hard ass sets of 10. when i was warming up i noticed a guy sitting at the incline bench, texting, but he had weight on the bar so i figured hed do something. couple of sets in. he was still sitting there, texting. mind you this guy was in like his thirties. by my last set i looked over, and he just stood up, left his weight unracked, and walked away.[/quote]
LOL wtf. Wazzup with you and Cubans lol? Seriously.[/quote]

Fucking Cubans and their vanity bro. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Or maybe just random, unnecessary racial bias?

45

[quote]bigmac73nh wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]GreatAjax wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]StateOfPsychosis wrote:
The 14-18yr old guys don’t really care about anybody but themselves.
[/quote]
I disagree. I’m always polite and approachable in the gym. D-bags and asshats come in all ages.

All of this persona crap is a little overdoing it. Just lift with purpose and GTFO. You don’t HAVE to deal with anyone. The drone mentality of “putting on my blinders” when in the gym just doesn’t seem that necessary. I talk, text, look at girls, and listen to my iPod and I still get shit done. No excuses.[/quote]

same here. theres actually very few teenagers who go my gym but most of us are pretty serious. most of the dbags are Cuban guys in their 20s,( hell, even old ass cuban guys. almost all of them are vain as fuck. and usually quite effeminate) or just random, assorted assholes. i have to admit that even tho i make a conscious effort not to, im often pretty judgemental and contemptuous about people at the gym. some days i see so many people doing stupid ass shit that it distracts me from my workout and it pisses me off.

a couple weeks ago i was squatting. i warmed up and did 5 hard ass sets of 10. when i was warming up i noticed a guy sitting at the incline bench, texting, but he had weight on the bar so i figured hed do something. couple of sets in. he was still sitting there, texting. mind you this guy was in like his thirties. by my last set i looked over, and he just stood up, left his weight unracked, and walked away.[/quote]
LOL wtf. Wazzup with you and Cubans lol? Seriously.[/quote]

Fucking Cubans and their vanity bro. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Or maybe just random, unnecessary racial bias?[/quote]

You think cubans are bad? You haven’t dealt with many argentinians. Those MOFOS take the prize where vanity is concerned.

46

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
While the curling thing is one issue, what gets me is the STARING. I get that a lot at the crap hole I’m training at. Some guy who looks like he’s never put forth any effort at all, but comes to the gym religiously, waiting magic to happen (in between socializing and making phone calls), will just position himself a few feet from where I’m training, and stare.

I always continue doing my best to not even gaze in his direction, usually doing my best to prolong how much time I actually need (checking my phone between sets, do a little stretching, look over my training notebook’s last few entries). If he has balls enough to come over and ask in an irritated tone how many sets I’ve got left, I just say “I’m gonna be a while”.

I would normally never go out of my way to be an ass, I’ve just had my fill at this NYSC of the severely limited equipment, combined with 99% of the members who have no common courtesy at all.

S[/quote]

I don’t get it. You complain about someone else’s effort (and phone calls), but you have your phone with you and check it between sets?

47

Come back when you guys get groups of guys stripping in front of you and others and oogling themselves in the mirrors.

This isn’t a commercial gym either.

Some of them have pink/purple boxers as well. YAY!

48

[quote]harrypotter wrote:
Come back when you guys get groups of guys stripping in front of you and others and oogling themselves in the mirrors.

This isn’t a commercial gym either.

Some of them have pink/purple boxers as well. YAY![/quote]

Hogwarts has a gym?

49

[quote]StateOfPsychosis wrote:
Haha I guess like you guys said, assholes come in all shapes, sizes and ages. I didn’t mean to restrict it to that age range, just for the most part from exposure and word of others, its the highest percentage for me. When it comes to re-racking weights, I totally agree with James Brown, that shit gets annoying.[/quote]

LOL I always put the plates no matter how tired I am.

50

Sucks, no fun!

51

[quote]Freaky_Frankie wrote:

[quote]bigmac73nh wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]GreatAjax wrote:

[quote]spar4tee wrote:

[quote]StateOfPsychosis wrote:
The 14-18yr old guys don’t really care about anybody but themselves.
[/quote]
I disagree. I’m always polite and approachable in the gym. D-bags and asshats come in all ages.

All of this persona crap is a little overdoing it. Just lift with purpose and GTFO. You don’t HAVE to deal with anyone. The drone mentality of “putting on my blinders” when in the gym just doesn’t seem that necessary. I talk, text, look at girls, and listen to my iPod and I still get shit done. No excuses.[/quote]

same here. theres actually very few teenagers who go my gym but most of us are pretty serious. most of the dbags are Cuban guys in their 20s,( hell, even old ass cuban guys. almost all of them are vain as fuck. and usually quite effeminate) or just random, assorted assholes. i have to admit that even tho i make a conscious effort not to, im often pretty judgemental and contemptuous about people at the gym. some days i see so many people doing stupid ass shit that it distracts me from my workout and it pisses me off.

a couple weeks ago i was squatting. i warmed up and did 5 hard ass sets of 10. when i was warming up i noticed a guy sitting at the incline bench, texting, but he had weight on the bar so i figured hed do something. couple of sets in. he was still sitting there, texting. mind you this guy was in like his thirties. by my last set i looked over, and he just stood up, left his weight unracked, and walked away.[/quote]
LOL wtf. Wazzup with you and Cubans lol? Seriously.[/quote]

Fucking Cubans and their vanity bro. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Or maybe just random, unnecessary racial bias?[/quote]

You think cubans are bad? You haven’t dealt with many argentinians. Those MOFOS take the prize where vanity is concerned.[/quote]

well my family is actually cuban. my dad was born there. but the latest generation of cubans to come over is fuucked up thanks to fidel. of course some of them are cool, but most of them are stupid as fuck, annoying, loud, obnoxious, and think that a sequined, knockoff ed hardy tshirt with a studded belt, a belt buckle the size of a frisby, ripped up tight jeans and weird, pointed leather shoes are the right kind of clothes to wear to the gym. they also have kinda weird facial features. i think that might come from generations of living on a pretty small island. eventually, id imagine, youd be related to pretty much everyone and then…you know…

but yeah come to think of it i havent met more than a couple of argentinians so i dont know about them lol

52

[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]StateOfPsychosis wrote:
The friendliest dudes in the gym I find are the big mother fuckers.[/quote]

Yep - because they have nothing to prove - the physique speaks for itself.

Unlike wannabe douchebags with shitty, pseudo-tough guy attitudes…

Thank God I have a home gym - that shit is irritating as hell. [/quote]

Maybe that’s directed at myself, not sure, either way I think to some extent if you’re in a commercial gym and constantly being interrupted to the point that it is affecting your training negatively; then having an attitude that may say “leave me the hell alone” isn’t just too terrible. I’m not even saying don’t help out when someone is genuinely interested - but at times you’ve got to simply exude a bit of an attitude to get your own stuff done.[/quote]

Not at all dude - was not directed at you or anyone in particular.

53

The “hardcore” people crack me up just as much as the douchebags. As in, the kind of people that watch too many Westside videos, wear hoodies and cargo shorts with work boots and IPOD cranked to 11. I’m sure that works for some people, but it doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s funny, and I’m certainly not impressed with how “intense” you are. I’m relaxed most of the time I’m in the gym, and when I’m ready to lift, I simply detach. I don’t need to slap myself in the face and scream to prepare for every set.

54

[quote]HeavyTriple wrote:
The “hardcore” people crack me up just as much as the douchebags. As in, the kind of people that watch too many Westside videos, wear hoodies and cargo shorts with work boots and IPOD cranked to 11. I’m sure that works for some people, but it doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s funny, and I’m certainly not impressed with how “intense” you are. I’m relaxed most of the time I’m in the gym, and when I’m ready to lift, I simply detach. I don’t need to slap myself in the face and scream to prepare for every set.[/quote]

Well, I think there’s a happy medium. The “bros” and the cargo boots crowd are both kinda ridiculous in their own ways if you ask me. Both of them are guilty of taking themselves too seriously, but in different ways.

The bros make it about appearance, the Westside-types make it about appearing “tough” and “hardcore” even though most of them, taken out of the tiny environment in which they feel secure (the cage and/or monolift) are grossly insecure and uncomfortable, even to the point of being shy and easy to manipulate.

Life’s a balancing act and one of the things you have to balance is your hobbies. Unless making money to train is your job, your gym is a hobby. Which means it can’t consume your identity, whether you’re a “bro” who’s comin’ in for bicep curls and the tannnig bed, or the guy listening to deathmetal with a braided beard coming in to perform rounded-back 700 pound deadlifts before you head back out into the world and act like a mouse.

I got tired of both types, I bought my own rack last week. Trained at home twice, didn’t need to put up with some bad ass doing 15 sets of squats (all slightly above parallel with 10 spotters) or a bro holding up the rack to do bicep curl-wrist curl-iPhone message supersets.

55

Today at the gym someone actually brought dumbbells to the squat rack to do bicep curls. There seems to be something mystical about those squat racks that lures people into working their biceps there.

I know it shouldn’t, but I am also bothered by people doing exercises wrong. Please correct me if I’m mistaken, but I think the benefit of doing a leg press with heavy weights is small if you’re only moving about 3 inches back and forth. I see it a lot on chest press machines as well.

56

[quote]qsar wrote:
Today at the gym someone actually brought dumbbells to the squat rack to do bicep curls. There seems to be something mystical about those squat racks that lures people into working their biceps there.

[/quote]
… Crucify him plz

57

[quote]OBoile wrote:

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
While the curling thing is one issue, what gets me is the STARING. I get that a lot at the crap hole I’m training at. Some guy who looks like he’s never put forth any effort at all, but comes to the gym religiously, waiting magic to happen (in between socializing and making phone calls), will just position himself a few feet from where I’m training, and stare.

I always continue doing my best to not even gaze in his direction, usually doing my best to prolong how much time I actually need (checking my phone between sets, do a little stretching, look over my training notebook’s last few entries). If he has balls enough to come over and ask in an irritated tone how many sets I’ve got left, I just say “I’m gonna be a while”.

I would normally never go out of my way to be an ass, I’ve just had my fill at this NYSC of the severely limited equipment, combined with 99% of the members who have no common courtesy at all.

S[/quote]

I don’t get it. You complain about someone else’s effort (and phone calls), but you have your phone with you and check it between sets?[/quote]

Like I said above, I was doing it to INTENTIONALLY take more time (“doing my best to prolong how much time I actually need”). Glad you focused on that one aspect of my post and not the fact that this nut job sat and stared me down, with the occasional huff and puff for about 20 minutes.

S

58

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]StateOfPsychosis wrote:
The friendliest dudes in the gym I find are the big mother fuckers.[/quote]

Yep - because they have nothing to prove - the physique speaks for itself.

Unlike wannabe douchebags with shitty, pseudo-tough guy attitudes…

Thank God I have a home gym - that shit is irritating as hell. [/quote]

Maybe that’s directed at myself, not sure, either way I think to some extent if you’re in a commercial gym and constantly being interrupted to the point that it is affecting your training negatively; then having an attitude that may say “leave me the hell alone” isn’t just too terrible. I’m not even saying don’t help out when someone is genuinely interested - but at times you’ve got to simply exude a bit of an attitude to get your own stuff done.[/quote]

Not at all dude - was not directed at you or anyone in particular. [/quote]

It was early when I read that and I had been seeing too many of Dixies “Come at me Bro” meme’s and of course thus read far too much into something.

59

[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]LiquidMercury wrote:

[quote]SkyNett wrote:

[quote]StateOfPsychosis wrote:
The friendliest dudes in the gym I find are the big mother fuckers.[/quote]

Yep - because they have nothing to prove - the physique speaks for itself.

Unlike wannabe douchebags with shitty, pseudo-tough guy attitudes…

Thank God I have a home gym - that shit is irritating as hell. [/quote]

Maybe that’s directed at myself, not sure, either way I think to some extent if you’re in a commercial gym and constantly being interrupted to the point that it is affecting your training negatively; then having an attitude that may say “leave me the hell alone” isn’t just too terrible. I’m not even saying don’t help out when someone is genuinely interested - but at times you’ve got to simply exude a bit of an attitude to get your own stuff done.[/quote]

Not at all dude - was not directed at you or anyone in particular. [/quote]

It was early when I read that and I had been seeing too many of Dixies “Come at me Bro” meme’s and of course thus read far too much into something.[/quote]
LOL

60

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:

[quote]OBoile wrote:

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
While the curling thing is one issue, what gets me is the STARING. I get that a lot at the crap hole I’m training at. Some guy who looks like he’s never put forth any effort at all, but comes to the gym religiously, waiting magic to happen (in between socializing and making phone calls), will just position himself a few feet from where I’m training, and stare.

I always continue doing my best to not even gaze in his direction, usually doing my best to prolong how much time I actually need (checking my phone between sets, do a little stretching, look over my training notebook’s last few entries). If he has balls enough to come over and ask in an irritated tone how many sets I’ve got left, I just say “I’m gonna be a while”.

I would normally never go out of my way to be an ass, I’ve just had my fill at this NYSC of the severely limited equipment, combined with 99% of the members who have no common courtesy at all.

S[/quote]

I don’t get it. You complain about someone else’s effort (and phone calls), but you have your phone with you and check it between sets?[/quote]

Like I said above, I was doing it to INTENTIONALLY take more time (“doing my best to prolong how much time I actually need”). Glad you focused on that one aspect of my post and not the fact that this nut job sat and stared me down, with the occasional huff and puff for about 20 minutes.

S [/quote]

If that happened to me, Id question myself. Why is this dude daring to sit down near me and try and stare me down. Would this guy do that to ronnie coleman. I doubt it. It gives you even more motivation to get big enough so nobody would dare sit by you and dare try and rush you.