AITH: Gym edition

[okegold]

So today I’m getting in a late morning workout, which I don’t usually get to do. I’m doing supersets of 2 exercises with a 2 minute rest in between. It’s a free weight and a machine. I’m doing tops 8 minutes at the station. I use the strong app to track my weights/sets and rest timer. The gym I go to is pretty small but has 2 stations of most major things. This morning it wasn’t super busy, maybe 4 other people working out.

In those two minutes, I adjust weights then if I have any time left skim a website or whatnot.

So I’m in my last set and this guy is just mad dogging me. Like I’m actively using the station. I’m doing leg curls & lunges. So I pop out my headphone and I’m like “sorry, no autographs at the moment” (with a joking smile). He goes “are you going to be done soon?” I’m like..mid set, just one more.
He goes “maybe if you were playing on your phone so much”.

This is when I lost my patience. TBF I’ve started eating keto with a deficit which seems to have the result of me feeling..aggressive. Add to that we’re having this conversation WHILE I’m lifting.
So I go “look pal, I’ll be done when I’m done” put my headphones back in and get at it. I did an extra set because fuck this guy. Honestly the thought of calling n sick at work and spending the rest of the morning doing leg curls crossed my mind.

So I get off the machine and about across the room “dude I’m done!” As he approaches he goes “about time”..I stare at him for a sec and huff “this fucking guy” and move on.

Personally when I see someone using a station I want to use (this happens a LOT with the squat rack), I just change up my workout, sometimes even just skipping that exercise. I might ask someone, nicely, how much longer they’re using the station or if I can jump in while they are clearly take a rest, but never while lifting.

Thoughts?

 

[dawn16]

@okegold You're both arseholes. You're also insufferable.

 

[chozenwun]

@okegold You’ll get differing opinions on this. My personal gym etiquette is to open my mouth when someone is eyeing up the equipment. Especially when you’re taking a two minute rest on the equipment?? If you would just speak and ask if they’d like to alternate sets with you, like I do, I don’t think anyone could be frustrated with that.

However a lot of people will say it’s perfectly normal etiquette to take as long as they want.. shave their legs, eat a snack, bleach their asshole and take a phone call while sitting on a piece of equipment and they’ll be done when they’re done and everyone else should wait patiently.

IMO there’s no harm in working out a rotation. That’s all.

 

[okegold]

@chozenwun I think what set me off was his timing. I was mid lift when he came at me.

 

[gospelofgracetv]

@okegold In your story you say that you took out your headphones when he was looking at you, not approaching you. You easily could have finished your set and then removed your headphones.

 

[okegold]

@gospelofgracetv True. He was standing right in front of me staring at my face. So it would have been e tra weird to ignore him.

 

[gospelofgracetv]

@okegold There is nothing wrong with ignoring someone while you are mid set.

 

[dinafrancis]

@okegold

“look pal, I’ll be done when I’m done” put my headphones back in and get at it. I did an extra set because fuck this guy.

For this, yes you're the asshole.

The other dude was also being an asshole too.

How this interaction should have gone:

him: waits for you to finish a set and waves for you to take your headphones out "Hey man, how many sets do you have left?"

you: pull out headphone "Hey, I only have one more" (optionally, since machines are easy to reset) "I'm supersetting with lunges, so if you wanna jump on for a set while I go do those, feel free." (If you had more than one set, "Hey, I have x sets left, but you can work in with me"

him: (if one set) "Alright, cool" wonders off for a bit while you finish up (if more than one) "Yeah, that'd be great if I could work in"

While you have every right to be there and use equipment, being aware of your surroundings and acknowledging other people can be helpful. If you see someone hovering, or keep looking towards you... maybe pre-emptively ask "hey, are you waiting on this machine?" And if they say yes, offer to work in or let them know how much longer you may be. Especially when you are supersetting, be aware because this does hog equipment for longer.

There's no reason you can't be on your phone if you actually have a timer set. I have a separate stop watch myself and there are days where my program is calling for a 3 minute break, and it does feel like i'm sitting there forever, but that's just how it goes. I'm usually only using 1 piece of equipment during this time though.

 

[okegold]

@dinafrancis He wasn’t hovering, and i agree that adding an extra set was unnecessarily antagonistic..but it wouldn’t have happened if your scenario had occurred. I’m always open to swapping sets, especially with a machine

 

[dinafrancis]

@okegold You never know what the other dude is going through. Maybe he was having a super shitty day and unintentionally took it out on you. Always try and be the better man and just kill em with kindness

 

[okegold]

@dinafrancis Generally this is how I live my life, which is why I opened with humor.

 

[chozenwun]

@okegold Humor made no sense in this scenario because you knew exactly why he was waiting there.

Stop making excuses for being a little dick. You obviously have no intention of modifying your behavior so why did you even post ??

 

[gospelofgracetv]

@okegold You’re both assholes. He was probably an asshole back because you started with your stupid ass “sorry no autographs at the moment”. You’re more of an asshole. Also stop blaming your caloric deficit for being an asshole. You’re an adult.

 

[mommajulesberry]

@okegold its a fucking leg curl what happened to asking to work in

 

[reasonpri]

@okegold It really just depends on the tone you took when you made the comment about autographs. If you were clearly joking, he's the asshole for how he responded. If your delivery was rude, then yeah, you are. Also, since when is a two-minute rest between sets excessive?

 

[okegold]

@reasonpri Totally joking, I am a jokester for sure

 

[blagadarenia]

@okegold You could just ask him if he wants to work in. Or let him be an asshole and wait. I would have just finished my set and not said shit to him. Fuck that guy.

 

[kmkbta77]

@okegold Why don’t people understand the concept of alternate sets? Everyone goes home happy

 

[dch]

@okegold You got to the equipment first, it is yours to use until done. I have never asked someone how many sets they have left, I just wait or do some other lift