Old Geezers at Gyms

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my gym, the young men and women spend their time sitting on machines and texting. It is obnoxious. They also leave their towels on the machines for ever as their seat.
Signed: Considerate 50-something-year-old.

Yes, towels and water bottles all over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The young members are looking at their phones as they rest on the machines. It's an addiction.

I ask them if they're using the machine and they get up. I also ask the big slothful guys in the metro who are sitting the handicapped/elderly seats if they're handicapped. They generally jump out of the seats.

[Anonymous]

I’ve heard people say “Do you mind if I work in with you?”

[Anonymous]

OP here. I was at the gym yesterday. Two older ladies got into it before class over spots (despite our reservation system). The fight continued after class and involved the instructor as well, who just wanted everyone to drop it--it was a yoga class where you are supposed to chill out. The one lady actually said to the instructor, who is probably 30-35, that he was "too young" to understand. I am not making this stuff up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I was at the gym yesterday. Two older ladies got into it before class over spots (despite our reservation system). The fight continued after class and involved the instructor as well, who just wanted everyone to drop it--it was a yoga class where you are supposed to chill out. The one lady actually said to the instructor, who is probably 30-35, that he was "too young" to understand. I am not making this stuff up.

.

I could tell many stories like this and worse where there's deliberate bullying in terms of thrown weights and arm hits. We're talking 55+ here.
The basic issue IMHO is that some gyms are overfilled and so people get frustrated. Gyms have to meet high for profit number targets but also to give them credit, the classes are too full because they are trying not to disappoint people who want to attend popular classes.

Mostly people are considerate but there's always someone with entitled behavior. For example, we are so crowded yet that person doesn't register and just strolls in and pretends to have a spot which takes it away from a waitlist person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard people say “Do you mind if I work in with you?”

But you first ask how many sets they have left. If it's 1-2, then you wait. If they just started, you can ask to work it - and it's a d*ck move to say no unless doing so requires more than just moving the pin and seat (and you should always put the pin and seat back to the other person's settings when you finish).

[Anonymous]

I belong to the gym at the university I graduated from. Alumni can join at a good price. The only people monopolizing the machines are students. They sit there and scroll, scroll, scroll on their phones oblivious to everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard people say “Do you mind if I work in with you?”

But you first ask how many sets they have left. If it's 1-2, then you wait. If they just started, you can ask to work it - and it's a d*ck move to say no unless doing so requires more than just moving the pin and seat (and you should always put the pin and seat back to the other person's settings when you finish).

Too complicated and annoying. Thank god I only do pilates and yoga.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve heard people say “Do you mind if I work in with you?”

This is the way! I think a lot of people were never taught this, but it works. I say it politely and have never been rebuffed.

[Anonymous]

What is the average time for someone younger to be on one piece of equipment? I only do PT so it's 3 sets of 10 with 30 sec rests. Maybe I'm on 5-7 minutes max. I'm intrigued by this idea of working in. I would like to understand more about gym etiquette. It feels rude to hover yet while I'm doing standing exercises, someone else will move in. What's the polite thing to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the average time for someone younger to be on one piece of equipment? I only do PT so it's 3 sets of 10 with 30 sec rests. Maybe I'm on 5-7 minutes max. I'm intrigued by this idea of working in. I would like to understand more about gym etiquette. It feels rude to hover yet while I'm doing standing exercises, someone else will move in. What's the polite thing to do?

You tell the person on the equipment to let you know when they're done. Then go do another exercise nearby (but don't hover). If they're cool about it, they will tell anyone trying to cut in that you were waiting for the equipment. If you want to be nice, you can then offer the next person the opportunity to work in. If they don't take you up on your offer, they can wait.