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’s because of the large number of free weights and equipment and the intense atmosphere that particularly motivates me.
The problem with working out at the gym is that it is, after all, a public place. This means that the moment you decide to sign up for a gym membership, you will have to co-exist with the other gym members and deal with any quirks they have. This can be very challenging, especially when you’re at the gym working hard to get a tummy tuck workout and the presence of 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 mainly 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 lose track of your rest periods. Then your body and muscle 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. He makes you self-aware and you lose focus.
While there is nothing wrong with socializing, we need to lose sight of our main reason for going to the gym. Having a long rest period can affect the intensity of your training and your focus on the next set. This is definitely not what you want to achieve, especially if you are exercising to reduce your belly. Remember, you can always socialize after your workout.
Solution: If you know the person, try to keep the chat within one minute or no more than your usual break period. If the cat goes further, gradually assume the position of your next exercise, smile and continue with your exercise. Most people will get the point.
If they talk about you, look at them and make sure they notice you. Let them know that you heard them and continue with your training. Who cares what other people think? This is your exercise!
The Hogger:
The people at my gym are generally very friendly and willing to share their equipment between sets. But every now and then we get one or two of these possessive weirdos who just don’t want to share and insist on completing their exercise before anyone can use it.
If they only have a few games left, that’s fine. What is inexcusable is that they are hoarding the wrong exercise equipment. Don’t you know what I mean? Here is an example:
Imagine someone hogging the squat rack to do bicep curls on 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 lift massive weights, you couldn’t be more wrong. They’re just curling an empty bar.
Hoggers is not just limited to the weight section. The worst Hoggers are the ones on the treadmill. Because it is impossible to share the treadmill, users must be even more considerate and aware of the time they spend on the machine. Although it is clearly stated that each user is limited to 30 minutes on the treadmill, some continue on, completely oblivious to the people waiting behind. And check this out, some even have the newspapers neatly placed in front of them as they take a walk on the treadmill while holding on to the handles…
As he patiently waits his turn on the treadmill, homicide inevitably comes to mind.
Solution: If they are using the machine for any exercise other than what it is designed for, politely tell them that there is an alternative machine they can use. Usually this works. Otherwise, ask them to share. The weight shift will eventually cause one party to give up. Usually it is them.
The groan:
I bet you can also find one of these in every gym. Their voices echo throughout the gym. You know exactly when their series will start and when it will end. They psych themselves up with a war cry that puts the New Zealand All Blacks to shame as they lift their huge weights (or weights they think are huge for them), and throughout the set, they groan, groan and groan until they finally climax. . on the last rehearsal before dropping his weights to the ground.
Whether these people are really trying to get psyched up or looking for attention, their loud moans and war cries are a distraction to everyone in the gym. Imagine if everyone in the gym started doing this? Others may mistake the gym for a Taekwondo dojo, or worse, a place for adults disguised as a gym.
Solution: You can try telling them to stay low. But I’ve tried and it doesn’t work. So buy yourself an iPod or a set 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 as if they had potatoes in their armpits, these oversized muscular heads share many characteristics with Hogger and Moaner. They use their gear between games without asking and never give back any of the weight they use.
The worst ones even criticize your exercise technique without even giving you real advice.
Many of these muscular heads are just pure muscle mass with no definition. Some even sport a pot belly. But they are 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 living among us. Perhaps the only stations you’ll never find Big Bullies using are the treadmill and ab machine. But if a big bully suddenly uses your equipment without asking, he waits for him to complete his set, then politely tell him, “Let’s share between sets,” as you lift the weights. If he stops you or starts giving you aggressive looks, that’s fine. Move on to the next heavier weight. Let him have it. That is not worth it. Did you see Planet of the Apes? Just let the primate have the toy of his.
Army Ants:
Usually in a group of at least seven or eight, these people are like army ants, laying waste to every machine, treadmill, and free weight they see. If they’re doing dumbbell presses, you can be sure that almost all the weights in the rack will be gone. These people usually belong to a specific sports team and have decided to bring half of their team to train at a local gym.
Their disruptive presence in the gym is obvious and is even greatly magnified when they are there during peak hours. If your gym is quite small like mine, you can either wait for the ants to finish their workout or be prepared to wait 5 minutes between sets.
Solution: army of ants or not, you are already in the gym. So get your workout on! 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 sharing equipment with the army ants because you end up wasting more time waiting to make your game.
Ok so I included this last group of people not because they’re really annoying but because the way they train is a complete waste of time and I’ve seen groups like this at three gyms I’ve already been to.
The bench press guys:
There is this group of four or five overzealous teenagers who go to the gym quite frequently. 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 just limited to women. Having a huge chest makes one look just as impressive as having huge arms. The good thing is that at least they are choosing free weights instead of machines. But once they start lifting the weight, everything else goes horribly wrong.
They use a weight that is too heavy for them from the first set. The child performing the exercise has an observer behind him, to his left, and to his right. The scene almost resembles a pit crew making a pit stop at a motor racing event. What’s even funnier is that the guy doing the exercise continues to add weight to the next set. As his watchers struggle to help him in his last set, he looks as if 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 them to complete their 10 sets of bench presses, each.
Solution: Well, they’re not really offending anyone. But if you need to use the bench, politely ask to share the bench. When they see you’re lifting more than them and they say “Wow! Awesome!” look, you can give them some tips and correct their bench press techniques.
When dealing with any of the five annoying people above, the key thing to keep in mind is to always be courteous. Never use aggression even if you are bigger and stronger than the other. Treat other gym users with respect and you will get respect in return.