Gym Rant

[Doberman]

We've all experienced it. We've all heard these stories a million times. So why am I posting it. Two reasons. 1. To keep my sanity 2. I'm out of duct tape and I don't want my son to see chunks of his Dad's head exploding into the wall.

Round 1 I have three memberships. One has child care, and the other two don't. On this particular day my son was out of school so I went to the one with child care. The trainer that was working had two female trainees in the middle of the gym taking turns punching the crap out of one of those weeble wobble punching things. So every second or so you'd hear a loud thump and a little grunt from the woman. Mind you they have an aerobic room and an outside training area. Luckily I had head phones to put on and a lot of loud heavy metal music. I was, for the most part, able to drown out the noise so I was dealt with it.

Round 2 Now, it was summer. I had to go to this gym again. I went in and noticed the female trainer had a client on the floor in front of the dumbell rack doing abs. Now when I say in front of, I mean her feet were touching the rack. She was doing leg raises right in front of the heavier dumbells. I decided, I would say excuse me and walk over her to get the 100's. I figured that this might be a clue to go to the ab area or maybe just make some room. Wrong. This kept up, but again, I dealt with it and did my thing.

Round 3Again I had to go to that gym. This time I saw the same female trainer working with a client. The trainee was on a bench and the incline bench he was using had his water bottle and towel on it. Of course I needed the incline bench. So I asked do you mind if I use the incline bench? She answered in a rather nasty tone, "We are using both benches." I finished what I was doing and ended up finding someone finishing up on another bench. All the while they never touched the other bench. I walked by and was about to say something, but I know me and if I started I may not be able to stop. So I again sucked it up.

Round 4Yes I found myself in the same gym and my favorite trainer was back at it. This time she had three sets of dumbells in front of her client. Of course I needed one of the dumbells that was just laying in front of them. I said, "Do you mind if I work in with you on one of those dumbells?" She again gave me the tone she gave before, "No we are using all of these." I looked over every now and then while I was doing something else and none of the bells had been used. I was up for the exercise now. I walked up and grabbed one of the dumbells and said, "I'm going to work in I'll hand it right back." She said, "Oh yeah you can borrow it." as if she didn't know before what I had asked. I said, "I would think so since you have so many laying there."

So, was I being a jerk? I don't think so. I wasn't being a "Lunk" as the gym to not be named calls some bodybuilders. I tried to be as polite as I could, but it doesn't seem like this trainer has any gym etiquette. I'm finally at the point where I'm not going to take it. Next time this happens I'm going to say something more direct either to the person or to the manager. I may end up having to find another gym. The only thing that stinks is that this gym is free and extremely close to my house. Convenience counts for a lot, but so does a lack of aggravation.

For now just venting makes me feel better. Any similar stories?

My next post is going to be a post about gym etiquette. I want to see a good comprehensive list. Maybe I'll secretly post it at this gym.

[RageBlanket]

No you're not wrong, and you're a HELL of a lot more patient than I am/would have been.

[SkinnyMike42]

One of my biggest pet peeves is anyone doing anything in front of the DB rack blocking others from receiving or returning their weights.

[Just Observing]

I feel your pain. I workout in a small gym (area/equiptment wise), and you get these people from time to time. When it gets to that point (Round 4), I just sarcastically ask if they are using ANYTHING I am about to use. They usually get the point.

[0001Delta]

My advice is to take it up directly with the manager and not to speak a word to that trainer next time it happens. Just stop whatever you're doing and go straight to the manager. And make sure you have someone else to side with you.

As I've been in this situation before I can quarantee you 99,99999% of the times if you say something to the trainer it's gonna give her an excuse to say you were impolite/aggressive/intimidating/whatever and the situation is gonna turn on you, because "the big guy is aways wrong".

My 2 cents.

[ch3v3ll3]

My turn?

At my gym back home, there is this bimbo of a lady who loves to jump rope in the weight section of the gym. Nevermind that there is an entire upstairs area for that kind of activity, or that she could go the fuck outside and do that shit. Th weight room is fucking tiny. There is no room for that shit.

Last time I was home she was jumping rope right in the middle of the walkway from the water fountain to the weight room. So annoying.


I hate people.

[height_11]

Agreed, head straight for the manager. And im sure there are more users who have noticed/experienced this.
At the end of the day ab work in front of a dumbbell rack is an accident waiting to happen, any half decent gym will ensure that never happens again.

[dice77]

I had to check where you live because it sounds very much like where I workout. I go where I do because of child care and convenience as well. It is fairly well equipped and clean. But more of a health club than a "gym".

The trainers do the same shit. They got grandmama doing lunges in front of the dumbbell rack. Equipment like giant medicine balls and pink dumbbells all over the place where people walk, yet several studio rooms are unused. But the best is how they have some guy that can barely bench 135, doing supersets and tri sets, holding up equipment that they probably shouldn't be using anyway.

I try to give them the benefit of the doubt because they are trying to earn a living and it seems like a tough business to be in. However, none of the trainers (male or female) are really impressive physically. The women aren't all bad but the guys are either fat or skinny muscle bike riding looking dudes. I feel like they treat anyone with any muscle mass whatsoever shitty and would prefer them not to be members there. Yeah, there are a few a-holes that grunt too much and bang the crap out of the equipment but you are going to have that in any gym. Overall most people I know that workout there are respectful. There are a few really BIG guys and they are the nicest people in the place.

I guess treat others they way you want to be treated is something most of those trainers didn't learn.

[vkk]

gotta love the trainers that are fat as fuck, telling their clients to do assisted chins supersetted with knee raises, in the only areas where chins can be done. Never mind that this trainer cant even do a chinup on his own.

the ymca is such a bullshit excuse for a gym, especially when they say "we dont cater to your kind". my kind? WTF MAN. I DONT EVEN LOOK LIKE I LIFT, AND SUPPOSEDLY THERES A KIND FOR ME? CREATINE RAGEEEEEEEEEE

[RageBlanket]

gotta love the trainers that are fat as fuck, telling their clients to do assisted chins supersetted with knee raises, in the only areas where chins can be done. Never mind that this trainer cant even do a chinup on his own.

the ymca is such a bullshit excuse for a gym, especially when they say "we dont cater to your kind". my kind? WTF MAN. I DONT EVEN LOOK LIKE I LIFT, AND SUPPOSEDLY THERES A KIND FOR ME? CREATINE RAGEEEEEEEEEE

Try having a conversation about nutrition with one of those types of "trainers".

I watch their heads damn near explode as I talk to them about PWO nutrition while I'm eating my PopTarts.

[steel1970]

Try having a conversation about nutrition with one of those types of "trainers".

I watch their heads damn near explode as I talk to them about PWO nutrition while I'm eating my PopTarts.

I don't even attempt to talk to anyone about any type of nutrition anymore. I have given people tidbits in the past only to be shrugged off cause their buddies or whoever says that it's bullshit....I look at the trainers in my gym and I gotta laugh. They are a complete joke. There's a girl trainer who needs to lose an obvious 20-25lbs, who knows absolutely nothing about nutrition. I heard her telling an overweight client to mix her protein with milk, and to use real butter instead of margarine....lol. I know margarine is no good for you, but butter? Milk with the protein? For an almost obese client??? No wonder why these people never hit their fitness goals....lol

[vkk]

I just help the broscience to be honest.

Whenever anyone asks about creatine, my default answer is that it will make you shit your organs out.

Also, steel whats wrong with protein powder in milk? Always been drinking protein shakes that way.

[Adam2433]

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Sounds like it is either time to stop going to the gym, do/say something to cause a change in the trainers behavior or not be surprised any longer and accept her stupid ways.

[Doberman]

My advice is to take it up directly with the manager and not to speak a word to that trainer next time it happens. Just stop whatever you're doing and go straight to the manager. And make sure you have someone else to side with you.

As I've been in this situation before I can quarantee you 99,99999% of the times if you say something to the trainer it's gonna give her an excuse to say you were impolite/aggressive/intimidating/whatever and the situation is gonna turn on you, because "the big guy is aways wrong".

My 2 cents.

Good point. This is why it has taken me a while to say anything. This is definitely not what I would call my home gym.

[0001Delta]

Also, steel whats wrong with protein powder in milk? Always been drinking protein shakes that way.

For people trying to gain weight there's nothing wrong, as the milk will add an extra punch to your calloric intake.

For people trying to lose weight it's a shitty move. Industrialized milk packs too much sugar and too much kcals ( that's why GOMAD never fails... in getting people fat), in adittion there's fats. Nothing wrong with the fats, except when you add in the sugars it causes an insulin spike and everything goes to the fat cells, unless you've drank it powo, but some is still gonna become fat since your body just went into "storage mode".

I hate milk even for gaining anyway.