Overheard in the gym - Share!

[maegs]

I've only recently stopped catching power cleans with my collarbone (left side. always. bruise looks like a hickey.). Now I'm only doing it about once per workout, rather than on almost every rep :/

[andygates]

My problem is that I took the "a clean is a jump with the barbell" too far, and sproing all over the platform like a bear dodging traps.

[wildross]

One of the worse things I've ever done to myself happened when I visited my brother in college (I was 17). His room mate had this exercise bar with a spring in the middle. You bent it to work on your chest. Well I did...but my palms were sweaty. One end got away from me and clobbered me on the point of my chin (I've got the scar to prove it). Glad I didn't have my tongue between my teeth. And I feel sorry for anyone who ever punches me in the jaw, cause I apparently have a steel one...

[vintageenvy]

I suppose this wasn't an "overheard" as much as a "seen" at the gym story... but I watched a woman carrying around lotion for about half a hour everywhere she went. As someone with dry skin, I get it, but this woman was carrying an industrial size bottle with the pump on the top from the core area, to the machines, and down to the cardio area.

I never saw her use said lotion so I can only imagine its function in her workout. Kinda made me go

[weirdquark]

I keep meaning to post this and then forget again -- a while back I saw a post-it note in one of the stalls in the women's locker room which said "Whatever it is, you can do it!"

[BeckyBuckeye]

A couple of days ago I found my new gym pet peeve: someone was doing dumbbell bicep curls directly in front of the only dumbbell rack.

[boxerrebel]

Overheard in the elevator of my apartment building last week: "I'm not fit enough to go to the gym!"

...right. Because it would make NO sense to go to a gym to try to increase your fitness.

[vintageenvy]

Overheard in the elevator of my apartment building last week: "I'm not fit enough to go to the gym!"

...right. Because it would make NO sense to go to a gym to try to increase your fitness.

Ugh, I hate that we've created a culture that breeds that kind of mindset. I lucked in to finding a fantastic gym where I've been encouraged by total strangers when my trainer tells me it's time for a lap of walking lunges.

[Zorch]

Overheard in the elevator of my apartment building last week: "I'm not fit enough to go to the gym!"

...right. Because it would make NO sense to go to a gym to try to increase your fitness.

Ugh. That mentality was how I sabotaged myself for a couple years before I started going to the gym. I think it's mostly about being seen as unfit by others - people think it's better to not be seen at the gym and have other peoples' perception of their fitness be an afterthought, than to go to the gym and have their physical strengths and weakness laid bare for anyone in the room to see. Unfortunately this fear of judgment is a great obstacle to progress for many people.

[m.brandt]

The other day I saw a couple of guys moving more or less randomly from station to station in the weight room. I can understand a little help at the end of true maximum effort set, but these guys were spotting each other and taking half the weight! On everything, including some kind of shoulder press machine, don't ask me how or why.... Maybe it's so they can both use the machine at once....

[Flex Luthor]

The other day I saw a couple of guys moving more or less randomly from station to station in the weight room. I can understand a little help at the end of true maximum effort set, but these guys were spotting each other and taking half the weight! On everything, including some kind of shoulder press machine, don't ask me how or why.... Maybe it's so they can both use the machine at once....

This is a phenomen known to be done by many males, called lifting with the ego, whose path only leads to one place, injury...

[Cruella T'Kill]

The gym I'm trying out has only one rack to use for squats, benches, incline bench, etc or else you need to use plate loaded machines or the smith machine (ew!) Two dudes were using it for seated shoulder presses though there were clearly others waiting. Not only that, they were doing an awful lot of grunting while only lowering the bar 4 inches...... I was the only girl with about 15 guys around me in the weight area. It was like being in the gorilla cage with all the grunting and weird noises going on.

The next guy to take over the rack was doing bent over rows, but he was nice enough to let me in to do some squats while he was having his rest. He would finish his rows, then we would move the bar up the rack and change the weight for my squats, and when I would finish we would move it back down and change the weight. It was a workout within a workout. And gives me hope that there are good gym bros out there.

[Lachy]

If this is the gym your trying out, try to find another one! At least that second guy was cool. When there's a shortage of equipment like that, it's important to work in with others. But really, one rack? No bench specific racks? That sucks!

[Cruella T'Kill]

If this is the gym your trying out, try to find another one! At least that second guy was cool. When there's a shortage of equipment like that, it's important to work in with others. But really, one rack? No bench specific racks? That sucks!

I don't mind sharing, but one rack between 10-15 lifters just doesn't work.

I am so unimpressed with the gyms in Brisbane CBD. I find it so much easier to get my workouts in right after work, but I've tried 4 gyms and none of them have given me what I need. It might be time to suck it up and head out into the suburbs.....

[Lachy]

Might I suggest the best gym in Brisbane, PTC, in Northgate. 3 power cages, 2 squat stands, plus a mono-lift (specialized squat stand), 3 benches, 2 oly platforms, a ton of iron and bumper plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, a prowler, not to mention an assortment of strongman stuff! And the strongest, friendliest group of gym goers you'll find!

[shiggles]

Yeah. Lachy makes a pretty good gym bro too.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I'm lucky, I work out in the substation where I am a chaplain, it's not the prettiest equipment, but its there, and its what I need for the time being (Until I squat more than the weight of the biggest dumbells, no squat rack, only a smith machine ). When I do have to share it, its with officers, who are always cool about sharing. Having said that, sometimes all I see others doing are curls. The nice thing is I have learned from NF never to criticize another's workout, and they all seem to follow the same rule. Courtesy and respect for the win!

[Cruella T'Kill]

Might I suggest the best gym in Brisbane, PTC, in Northgate. 3 power cages, 2 squat stands, plus a mono-lift (specialized squat stand), 3 benches, 2 oly platforms, a ton of iron and bumper plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, a prowler, not to mention an assortment of strongman stuff! And the strongest, friendliest group of gym goers you'll find!

Way ahead of you Planning to attend the girls only lifting meet (as a spectator) in a couple of weeks to scope everything out then probably start in the new year when I get back from a visit home. I have to move before then, perhaps I should be considering places closer to the gym.....

[Kyrian]

One of my female friends posted a picture on Facebook and explained that she was trying to get in shape. The picture detailed a workout that involved doing 15 crunches and 30 jumping jacks a day. The end.

So I explained to her that that workout wouldn't be helpful, and listed some other things she should try, and got blasted by all her friends because 'everyone has to start somewhere!' Yes, until you do 15 crunches a day, three times a week, and then wonder why nothing happened after three months.

Also, apparently at my gym the other day, a really short girl jumped on the pull up bar and did six pullups(yeah!)... but she also almost kicked some poor guy in the face while he was doing tricep pulldowns.

I use a box to get to the pull-up bar now.

[Timmy M]

Also, apparently at my gym the other day, a really short girl jumped on the pull up bar and did six pullups(yeah!)... but she also almost kicked some poor guy in the face while he was doing tricep pulldowns.

I use a box to get to the pull-up bar now.

he was doing pushdowns... he deserved it

[nerddanika]

Yesterday I got to the gym and discovered that someone was cool enough to leave their plates AND COLLARS on the smith machine.

[shortstuff]

Yesterday I got to the gym and discovered that someone was cool enough to leave their plates AND COLLARS on the smith machine.

I had a similar thing happen to me. I went to use the only squat rack in my gym (unless you count the smith machine than two) and someone left the barbell up really high and left the 20kg plates they had on each side on. I had to get someone to take them off for me.

[wildross]

I saw a smith machine yesterday that had 2 dimensions of movement. The uprights were mounted on horizontal rails so the bar could move forward and back (4' worth) as it went up and down. course all the exercise descriptions (squat, etc) included a warning that they should only be done by "highly trained individuals".... Still a good place to hang a towel.

[EmCee]

Also, apparently at my gym the other day, a really short girl jumped on the pull up bar and did six pullups(yeah!)... but she also almost kicked some poor guy in the face while he was doing tricep pulldowns.

I use a box to get to the pull-up bar now.

I have to use one of those dumb step class steps with like 12 risers to reach the pull up bars at my regular gym. I can jump to reach the ones at CF.

[artorn]

Yesterday I got to the gym and discovered that someone was cool enough to leave their plates AND COLLARS on the smith machine.

I used to hate it when people do not put their stuff away. Now I see it as a bit of extra excersise putting the plates away. People in my gym (mostly students) always look a bit strange at me when I tidy up afterwards. Should I be concerned?