Overheard in the gym - Share!

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

What's the point of doing weights if they are not (reasonably) heavy?

Getting toned of course...

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[Maledictus]

Getting toned of course...

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"but not too bulky"

[Basement Cat]

And if you follow that rainbow to the end, you'll find a pot of gold!

[Vella]

This thread never fails to make me feel better about the College gym.  Though I do wish there were more women in the heavy weights section.  The guys don't really seem to care that I'm there; I'm just another person using the equipment, but still, it might feel a little less awkward.

[Timmy M]

dafuq is this shit?

[Basement Cat]

Oh dear, it's the shake weight's big brother!

[Vella]

Welp, I had a doozy today. Not so much 'overheard' because the gentleman in question was on the other side of a pane of glass, but still.

 

So, I usually train in the 'beginner's weights' section for most of my workout, given I work bodyweight.  I only leave to use the Smith Machine in the big kids' weights area.

I'm not the only one who does this - there's a fair amount of migration between big-weights and beginners'-weights, with people using the beginners area for core exercises, the exercise balls, push-ups, and such fare.

Therefore, the area is fairly busy.  About half of it is in front of the wall and a mirrror (fills up first), and the other half is in front of a window.  I habitually take the window position, because fewer people walk past you, you get less crowded, and also I use the wall to stretch between sets sometimes.  However, it does mean that people walking past can see you working out.  This has never been a problem till now.  You get glances, some people watch on their way past, but it's never been intrusive or creepy.

 

Today, I happened to be working out next to a pretty buff guy.  You know.  Works all the muscles, not just glamour ones.  Never skips leg day, so legs and glutes look lean and tight.  Someone who actually cares.  Someone who wears a hot pink shirt to the gym and couldn't care less.

And he, with his back to the window, was doing plank-leg-tucks (unsure of proper name).

And then, a guy walked past the window.  Probably a student at the College, by the looks of him.  He proceeded to stop and stare at the guy next to me's butt for a good minute while he did his leg tucks.  I wasn't even the one being stared at, and I was uncomfortable.  I tried to just continue with my squats, and not pay attention.

Suddenly, about halfway through my set, the voyeur turns, looks at me, does something with his lips that might have been a kissy face or could have been him mouthing a word; honestly I was trying my hardest not to give him the validation of looking at him, and turned away.

 

Just ... eeeeurgh.

[I-Jo]

herrrrm well that's interesting.  Good for big dude for working ALL the muscles- and wearing his pink shirt!!!

 

I'm unsure of this use of "beginners weights vs big weights"?

 

I'm unfamilar with what this means - can you elaborate?

[Vella]

Sure - my gym has two sections, one with some basic weights (dumbbells, bars with some 5-10kg weights), plus some exercise balls, kettlebells and such.  It's called 'beginners', but it usually gets used for bodyweight exercises, core exercises, and, admittedly, some girls who want to "tone, not bulk".  And yeah, good place to start if you *are* just starting and aren't quite up to the weights in the other section, whether that's strength-wise or confidence-wise.

The actual weights section (which I like to call the 'big kids' section'), is where the serious lifting goes on - squat racks, benches, places for pull-ups plus weight belts for them.  Plenty of adjustable benches that can be raised, lowered, reclined or rearranged for whatever bench-involving weightlifting exercise you happen to be doing.  Hangout for curlbros, as well as sensible folks who have dedicated a lot of their time (or plan to) to lifting heavy things.

[MariahSnow]

Sure - my gym has two sections, one with some basic weights (dumbbells, bars with some 5-10kg weights), plus some exercise balls, kettlebells and such.  It's called 'beginners', but it usually gets used for bodyweight exercises, core exercises, and, admittedly, some girls who want to "tone, not bulk".  And yeah, good place to start if you *are* just starting and aren't quite up to the weights in the other section, whether that's strength-wise or confidence-wise.

The actual weights section (which I like to call the 'big kids' section'), is where the serious lifting goes on - squat racks, benches, places for pull-ups plus weight belts for them.  Plenty of adjustable benches that can be raised, lowered, reclined or rearranged for whatever bench-involving weightlifting exercise you happen to be doing.  Hangout for curlbros, as well as sensible folks who have dedicated a lot of their time (or plan to) to lifting heavy things.

 

I used to work out at a gym that had one weight room where the legit bodybuilders used to hang out. And then a weight room for women (complete with pink weights!!!) and then ANOTHER weight room upstairs that was mostly normal people of both genders. I never went inside but I assume the bodybuilder weight room had the squat rack, smith machine, etc.

[I-Jo]

hmm mmk- we have two areas as well- actually 3- but I never labelled them like that- 2 are areas where a lot of the trainers hang out (At one point one was a dedicated training area till someone complained- hysterically EVERY OTHER LA FITENSS HAS A TRAINING ONLY area Shrug whatever)...

 

either way- they both have padded mats for stretching/abs and small free weights up to about 15 lbs (although selection is seriously hit or miss)... the full free weight area is heavy rubber mats and the full selection of weights. I guess its "big vs little" but I just view it as  people wanting to do other things more plyo/stretchy/ab/ or where they need room- jump squats/jumping jacks/buprees etc etc- easier to do those things there than you know- over where all the DB's are!

 

Just curious LOL

 

 

And the Tsunami bar... holy crap- I could see how that would be challenging as hell- but no thanks!!!

[Irish Oisin]

There I was doing squats and calf raises and this guy stops and starts watching me. After I finished both exercises he asks

 

"What muscles do THOSE exercises do?!"

"They work your legs mostly"

"Man, I never do legs"

*lifts up tracksuit pants to reveal the skinniest legs*

Me: "Start doing legs man."

[Timmy M]

"Man, I never do legs"

*lifts up tracksuit pants to reveal the skinniest legs*

Me: "Start doing legs man."

BEST. CONVERSATION. EVER.

[Mahina]

When we go to the Gym together, D'Wife is kinda like an old drunk who won't leave the Bar, no matter how late it's getting. However, instead of saying "One more drink, then we can go;" she'll say "Okay, I'm just gonna do two more machines, then we can go" which becomes "Y'know, I should probably do such and so, then we can go" which THEN becomes "I just gotta hit the Stretching Room, then we can go"

 

I can get like that at the gym. Which is one of the reason's I don't really go to the gym anymore. There are just so many things I want to try and oh can I lift that heavy weight and oh see what that person is doing, can I do that and what does this machine do and look the floor in here is so bouncy and hey they have a pool I better bring a swimsuit next time and look a racquetball court, I haven't played that in forever. Yeah it takes a while.

[MissMormie]

That's exactly why I only went to the gym with the bf once. I'd been working out for 45 minutes which is my limit then I get bored/annoyed with it. He was just going to finish off his set and do some stretches. Ended up with me waiting for an hour and a half. The excuse? I forgot you were here.. Auwtsj. He just saw this new machine he wanted to try out, and do the abs ten minutes and ow it'd be good to just run for a bit because that always feels so great but after he needed to do some cooling down exercises because how else can you prepare for the sauna?

Yeah.

I love people with passion and that includes passion for your workouts which is one of the best things for me at the gym. I mean most people are just there because they feel they have to, but there's also most of the time one person there that does it because they get a kick of getting a new pr, running longer faster, lifting heavier or getting that dance move perfect.

That's the type of people I look at in the gym.

[Mahina]

Please don't race me on the treadmill. I will try too hard and go flying off the back end like an idiot.

[Guest Dirty Deads]

I like to get on the treadmill behind the best looking girl on the front row of treadmills and pretend I'm chasing her. I'mmore motivated to catch her, she's more motivated to get off her cell and keep away from me. It's a win win.

[Dr. Kate]

I like to get on the treadmill behind the best looking girl on the front row of treadmills and pretend I'm chasing her. I'mmore motivated to catch her, she's more motivated to get off her cell and keep away from me. It's a win win.

 

Creepy.....

[WeldingMommy]

Guys, look up Synthol. It's ridiculous.

O_O' is that what photoshop looks like in real life?!?

[Killyourfeet]

So alright. Other day, had just loaded up my bar for overhead press.

Guy at an adjacent rack quickly comes up.

 

Dude: Hey, excuse me, do you mind if I squat your bar real quick?

Me: Sure

Dude: Is that tight?

Me: Yep

Dude: Really?

Me: Yep

Dude: Just one set

Me: That's fine

*Dude proceeds to do 3 squats with my bar*

Dude: K, tight, thanks

Me: Yep

*Dude goes back to his rack, continues his workout*

 

Me: 

[FalseAesop]

Must have been the extent of his leg day.

[MetalNinja]

This week I saw a guy benching who was only going down to about six inches over his chest.  And the whole bar was tilted so the left side was drooping, probably because his left was weaker.

 

Like at first it was just maybe 65 pounds and he was going pretty fast so I thought maybe it was some kind of bizarre warmup or shake-weight imitation, but then later I saw him doing the same thing with a couple 25's on each side, so I think he just had terrible form.

[The Mouse]

I have a few from my last week at the gym.

At the U, a girl who had been with her buddy on the elliptical going a nice and easy pace (I was killing myself on the bike behind them) came down to the weight area while I was doing my Deadlifts. She loaded up the leg press machine with, like, at least 6 45# plates and a few 25#-ers.

Now, I've never used that thing, so I don't know if it comes with a certain amount of plates on it, but I don't think it does.

At first, I'm looking at her and in awe. But then she starts her set and literally bends her knees about 10°. And that's it. Goes back up, moving the plates about maybe four inches total.

She does this for the length of time I'm DLing.

To her credit, she racked the weights back. I figure she did most of her work reracking rather than leg pressing.

And this gem was at a community gym the other day:

Older man, larger, potbellied and sitting at the leg press machine with posture that suggested he was at home on a couch watching TV, doing dainty little 2" knee bends with 65+ lbs on the machine.

Does this while slumped over for about 15 mins. Could've been more. I started and finished my stretching routine while he was there.

[Guest Dirty Deads]

I see that so much it hurts. They always claim it's "because I have bad knees". I'm like, " Then why are you putting all  the stress on them with that weak ass ROM?"  Putting up big #'s on the leg press isn't a feat itself, my gf rarely lifts and puts up 700 for full reps. They way to get full benefit is all the way down,slowly, back up slowly, pause half way, then continue to make sure you're not just powering it up.

[andygates]

I saw my first leg press cheat repper too! He had loaded ALL the plates - I'd guess about 350kg - but didn't look especially hench, certainly not like the only people I've seen move that weight legitimately (all veteran trainers and obviously huge).  I broke from calf presses with my best "dis gon b gud" face and he did about four inches - barely took his knees off lock.  

 

For my own contribution, I dropped a nice big greedy dumbbell right on my stupid face the other day.  New exercise, overestimated my strength quite badly.