Gym Rules 101: A question about gym etiquette - weigh in with your opinion

[Area5150]

I have 2 questions for the reader. Both questions will appear at the end of this post. This matter deals with gym etiquette. For reference, here's how the dictionary defines etiquette:

a) the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life

b) conventional requirements as to social behavior; proprieties of conduct as established in any class or community or for any occasion

c) the practices and forms prescribed by social convention or by authority

This incident that took place in a local gym and was at times heated and dramatic. At first the conversation was civil and proper, and then later it devolved into a full blown confrontation. I was a witness to it. After the two parties went their seperate ways, after the incident was diffused, I questioned a gym employee at length as to the details involving the matter. This incident involved 3 people, a party of two and one isolated individual. For reference, I'll be referring to the party of two as "double-guys". I'll be referring to the single individual as "single-guy". I'll first give a general synopsis as to what took place. And then I'll give a detailed account of what I saw and heard and what a club employee, the desk attendant on duty that morning, later related to me.

Synopsis:

It's 5:30 am on a weekday morning. Both double-guys are working out on a leg press machine. There is only one leg press machine of this type in the entire gym. Single-guy walks up and politely asks if they would allow him to work in on the machine. Both double-guys tell single-guy "No", that he'll have to wait and come back later when they're finished using the leg press.

Details:

After both double-guys tell single-guy that he can't work in on the unit, double-guys add that they need to keep their heart rate up and that is why single-guy should wait until they're done. Single-guy tells them that time is crucial, he points out that it's 5:30am, and that he has to be at work soon. Double-guys instruct single-guy to go use another machine elsewhere in the gym. Double-guys tell single-guy that "we're only gonna be on this machine for just 3 minutes and only 3 minutes."

Single-guy states that he can't use any other machine for his legs. Single-guy states that "This is the only leg press in the gym, and I need to use it, too. I can't use any other machine in the gym. This is my last excercise for the day". Both double-guys are adamant, they refuse to let single-guy work in on the leg press. And then double-guy #1 points to the clock and says, "You need to get to the gym earlier. And you need to go use another machine."

Single-guy then states, "Alright, so let me get this straight, you're blocking me from using the leg-press, right?" Double-guy #1 says, "That's right, we're blocking you." Single-guy states, "Well you know that's rude." Single-guy then turns around and walks away. Minutes later, single-guy returns accompanied by the gyms early morning desk attendant. Double-guys are still at the same machine exercising their quads, the same machine single-guy has a desire to use. Single-guy asks the gym attendant if he would instruct both double-guys to share the machine with him. The gym employee proceeds to question both parties as to the circumstances of the argument.

Follow up:

Much later, when both parties had gone their seperate ways, I had a conversation with the desk attendant. Single-guy stated to the eary morning desk attendant that he was under the care of a physical therapist for a recent knee injury. He had not had surgery, but was instead addressing the injury with physical therapy. Single-guy stated that he had seen a physical therapist 3 or 4 weeks prior to this incident. At the clinic, his p.t. gave him 4 or 5 excercises to perform. The bulk of those excercises were exercises that he could perform at home, without equipment. Two of those exercises involved gym equipment.

Of those two exercises, on the morning of the confrontation, single-guy had already performed one of them before he confronted double-guys. Of those two exercises, the second exercise required the use of the machine he asked the double-guys to share with him. Single-guy stated to the desk attendant that he had observed double-guys performing mulitiple sets of 10-12 repetitions on the machine that he was attempting to use.

At no time during the actual incident did I hear single-guy tell either double-guy #1 or double-guy #2 that he was rehabilitating a knee injury. Single-guy was not in a wheelchair, nor was he seen using crutches or a cane. Single-guy was not limping nor did his gait appear to be in any way affected by anything negative or out of the ordinary.

The desk attendant instructed single-guy to file a complaint to the gym manager during regular business hours. Single-guy stated that he wasn't sure if he would follow through with a formal complaint, but if he did, single-guy stated that, if asked, he would provide proof that he was under the care of a state board certified physical therapist, that he was in the early stages of a knee rehabilitation program, and that at this point in his rehabilitation program he was instructed to use only two types of gym equipment for his leg work. Single-guy stated that he was considering freezing his gym contract, which would have required him to provide the gym with documentation of an existing injury as certified by his doctor.

Single-guy told the desk attendant that if someone was blocking an upper body exercise machine, he would have used any one of the many other upper body machines in the facility, willingly and without hesitation. Single-guy stated that today was his leg day, and using an upper body machine was out of the question.

Single-guy asked the early morning desk attendant if blocking a leg machine for any reason whatsoever was tolerated, including that for the reason of keeping your heart rate up. The desk attendant informed single-guy that he wasn't sure what the gym policy was on blocking a piece of equipment and that is why he instructed single-guy to file a complaint with the gym manager when the g.m. shows up for work at 9am.

Question #1: How long have you been working out in gyms that cater to the public?

Question #2: Given the circumstances, do you think a gym should allow two (or maybe more) of their members to block another gym user who has a desire to use the same machine, in this case a leg press machine, for the sole purpose of keeping their heart rate up? Or, is blocking a machine for any reason permissable?

Queston #2 might be a tough question to answer. I'm having a tough time answering it. In arriving at an answer, I have to ask myself: is this issue primarily and solely a blocking issue? If so, then I would have to consider things like common courtesy, civility, manners and etiquette to arrive at an answer. Or is this issue more about personal goals? Specifically stated, a personal goal that involves the need for a person to keep their heart rate up during a specific exercise. If so, the aformentioned traits of common courtesy, civility and etiquette might still come into play. I'm still trying to formulate an answer to question #2. It's a tough one...

 

[GUARDIAN]

Question #1: How long have you been working out in gyms that cater to the public? 17 years

Question #2: Given the circumstances, do you think a gym should allow two (or maybe more) of their members to block another gym user who has a desire to use the same machine, in this case a leg press machine, for the sole purpose of keeping their heart rate up? Or, is blocking a machine for any reason permissable? as long as there is a break inbetween the guys sets that would allow someone else to use the machine then he should be allowed to use it. however if these two guys had it loaded up with 800+ lbs and the other guy only needed 200 lbs. that becomes very time consuming to switch that weight out. i think then the other guy should wait. if this is an ongoing problem for this piece of equipment among many members then the gym should cater to the needs of its members and purchase another one.

Queston #2 might be a tough question to answer. I'm having a tough time answering it. In arriving at an answer, I have to ask myself: is this issue primarily and solely a blocking issue? If so, then I would have to consider things like common courtesy, civility, manners and etiquette to arrive at an answer. Or is this issue more about personal goals? Specifically stated, a personal goal that involves the need for a person to keep their heart rate up during a specific exercise. If so, the aformentioned traits of common courtesy, civility and etiquette might still come into play. I'm still trying to formulate an answer to question #2. It's a tough one... i think is a combination of several things: blocking, common courtesy/manners, & goals. perhaps if the guy explained the physical therapy and time issue perhaps they would of lightened up. i still think the 2 guys were being jerks at best (at least from the description).

^^^^^

 

[Endo MD]

I like all threads that involve stupid activities at the gym. I may end up writing a novel one day about the ridiculous things I see when I work out. I'll weigh in on this topic and give some opinion

Q1 - I've worked out in public gyms for about 10 years
Q2 - Yes, I think Double guys were in their right to block the machine for HR reasons. Also, they were going to be off in 3 minutes, thats not much time even if they guy did have to get to work etc. I don't think it would have been fair to double guys to have to change the weights mid workout

In my personal opinion, Single Guy sounds like a real baby. He didn't tell double guys anything about his knee injury (not that it would matter in my opinion) and to go and complain like that is just ridiculous. If he had just waited the 3 minutes he would have been on the machine before he even got back with the desk employee.

I personally think we should have a sub forum just about stupid gym situations that we all see while training.

 

[FriendlyCanadian]

Seriously whenever I workout with a buddy, it's generally you go, I go, you go I go, there is no time for someone else, that RUINS my workout if I'm working out with someone else. so basically anyone can suck on my cock if they think they are going to ruin my workout because they can't wait three minutes. I think the double-guys where in the right. henc why when you ARENT on a piece of a equipment and need to work in with someone, you walk up to them and ASK them if it's alright if you work in. sometimes it's not alright for various reasons, sometimes it is ok.

 

[skyflyer231]

I've declined people that have asked me to work in more than once. If you are using a peice of equipment and don't want to share, then they either have to respect your decision and wait, or go on to another movement.

I usually say no when I am doing heavy lifts and they want to share the rack. I say no because I don't want to be taking off and putting on weights every set while I'm supposed to be resting. Nor do they know what I want on and it is a hassle directing them.

 

[skyflyer231]

Just sounds to me like single guy was being a dick about it, because it should just have gone something like this.

Single guy: Hey do you guys mind if I work in with you?

Double guys: Well, yea actually we are trying to keep our heart rates up, and limit our rest between sets. We'll be done soon though.

Single guy: Ok then I'll just wait.

(Single guy waits quietly in the corner, or skips this workout for today so double guys can finish up their sets. As opposed to arguing and wasting everyone's time and energy.)

 

[Area5150]

Yes, I think Double guys were in their right to block the machine for HR reasons. Also, they were going to be off in 3 minutes, thats not much time even if they guy did have to get to work etc.

My thoughts exactly! Nail on the head!

On the flip side/what if this had happened on a weekday at 6pm? No matter where you turn every piece of equipment is being used at 6pm, especially in a fairly big city like Dallas or San Diego.

Figuratively speaking, every gym in America is packed wall-to-wall with people at that time of the day. It's inevitable, there will come a time when you want to use a machine that is being used by someone else. You can bank on it. It's bound to happen, especially on a weekday at 6pm in the U.S.

I get the fact that double-guys said they were only going to be 3 minutes with the machine. But a statement like that always sounds a little dubious to me. Dubious because I know pizza. Domino's says they'll have your pizza delivered to you in 15 or 20 minutes. Can you believe them? Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. Best not to and if you do prepare to be disappointed.

What about the guy who parks in your parking spot either at home or at work. You know those situations when you pull into your spot some strangers car is sittin' in it? So you're sitting there trying to kill time waiting for them to move their car. You know what's coming. Call it "the one minute card." You've seen that card played out a few times before. So the driver comes out and when you confront them they say, "Hey I was just gonna be a minute, one lousy minute, that's all." One minute? Yeah, right.

Unless there's a timekeeper standing around somewhere keeping track of time with a stopwatch, sometimes 1 minute has a way of turning into 20 minutes is what I'm saying.

As for the double-guys, I didn't watch the clock. But it appeared as if they were on the machine for longer than 3 minutes. Single-guy conversed with one of the two double-guys that was not using the machine at the moment. Both double-guys were hopping on and off of the machine while single-guy stood standing. Their conversation alone must have lasted several minutes. Eventually, single-guy got tired of waiting and turned to go get a gym employee. It's a big gym. While single-guy went off to find a gym employee, the double-guys cranked away on the leg press. By the time single-guy and the desk attendant arrived back at the leg machine to talk to the double-guys, several more minutes had already passed.

 

[brad34]

I have been working out at a Y for only 2 months now, but I had a recent irritating experience..I walked over to a bench, which was empty, removed weights on the bar, put the weights I needed on (5 minutes or so have past) I am getting ready to lift when some guy come up to me and says he wasn't done using the bench (he came from somewhere outside the workout area). I was completely caught off guard and suprised so I just let him have the bench back. I was extremely irritated the rest of the night. My attitude towards anyone at the gym has now changed due to this jacka$$. I this typical behavior?

 

[SpyWizard]

simple to fix.. throw up on said equipment and leave. you know leg day can be like that..

 

[Area5150]

I have been working out at a Y for only 2 months now, but I had a recent irritating experience..I walked over to a bench, which was empty, removed weights on the bar, put the weights I needed on (5 minutes or so have past) I am getting ready to lift when some guy come up to me and says he wasn't done using the bench (he came from somewhere outside the workout area). I was completely caught off guard and suprised so I just let him have the bench back. I was extremely irritated the rest of the night. My attitude towards anyone at the gym has now changed due to this jacka$$. I this typical behavior?

Well, yes and no. No in that I don't see it that often. In fact I hardly ever see it.

Yes in that the desk attendant I spoke with at length said "conflicts" between gym members happens alot. Keep in mind he works there 6 to 8 hours a day, 4 to 6 days a week. This paticular desk attendant has been there for several years. He went on to say that many gym members are rude to him on a regular basis. He's not a personal trainer, he's a desk attendant. But he does have the body of a personal trainer, not that that should make any difference. I was sorry to hear that he is disrespected by the public o9n a regular basis as he appears to be a good guy. I was a little fascinated by all of his opinions as I don't work in the field of customer service.

Later that week I spoke with a personal trainer and when I asked him the same question he too said the same thing. Boy, that too was a surprise. I specifically asked him about "conflicts between gym members" and he said that there are many personality conflicts at the gym.

Again, that's all news to me, but they spend a lot more time at the gym than I do. Put another way, based on all my years of experience, I would say that conflicts at the gym are "extremely rare" or like looking for a needle in a haystack. Based on the two gym employees I spoke with, they described it as "a common occurence."

BTW, the gym I work out at is 24hr Fitness in San Diego and the number of guys who appear to be on gear is very, very small compared to other San Diego gyms I've worked out at.