Random thoughts from a gym member.....

[DisneyPhD]

Oh man, I had that at the Ballys I used to go to. She was naked when I walked in, naked when I came back (after 45 minutes on a treadmill followed by an hour on the weights) I go in the steamroom for 20 minutes or so, then shower, come out....she's still naked. I wanted to ask if she forgot her locker combination or something. I changed into my regular clothes, walked passed the naked lady and left.

I have to say that I have no problem with nakedness in the locker room. I can go in the steam room or sauna and shower and I don't need a private changing room or anything, but I don't stand around naked for the heck of it. I find that most women don't really make eye contact with others so there is not much to feel self conscience about.

I go to a community center now where it seems the average age of the women there are 80+. I was in the sauna where they posted rules that you had to wear a bathing suit. I thought that was insane, saunas are so HOT and the thought of going in there with a suit seems like torture to me. But I wore one in there and I walked in and there had to be three other 80 year old bare naked women in there. One woman came in, dropped her towell and started rubbing (lotion I guess...I didn't watch) all over as she chatted with us! OK! So I guess the bathing suit sign is a suggestion, not the rule. So go in there now with just a towell and keep it around me and not worry so much anymore.

And the only cardio machine I can do is the treadmill or that reclining bike. I HATE everything else. I see women twice my age on the stair climbers or elipticle (sp??) machines all morning and I try it and last maybe 2 minutes. I think I push myself to make 2 minutes because I don't want to humiliate myself. But, when I think about it, 2 minutes is pretty pathetic. So if anyone is taking notes on me I must be "women who thinks she's getting a full workout after two minutes"

LOL, that is what my friend said. I don't walk around my own house naked that much! Why would I spend an hour that way in the lockeroom?

women who thinks she's getting a full workout after two minutes, I love it! I used to be like that when I was pregnant. I thought I am here, do you know what a work out it is just getting my pregnant self and 2 year old here? At least she is in day care playing!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Ok the wife wanted me to post one.

How about the guy that wears shorts and sits with his legs open so you can see his boys.

But she says that is me, which I think is an unfair label since it only happened once.

LOL, I am laughing so hard right now, who needs a work out?????

Poohnatic, never had a powder lady, I guess I have to look for that one. (or the poof of powder.

SandraVB79, we had always there people too. Do you ever go home? Sweaty smelly hairy guy is one of those.

I am not a competitive person, except when it comes to getting on an elliptical machine I like. I have never scratched a person to get to it, but I have been known to do some fast walking, especially if it means not getting the one near sweaty smelly guy.

I got to go, trying to add 10 extra min to my work out and add weights too. Off to the gym I go!

 

[NewJersey]

Ok the wife wanted me to post one.

How about the guy that wears shorts and sits with his legs open so you can see his boys.

But she says that is me, which I think is an unfair label since it only happened once.

 

[Cantw8]

I have names for people I see at the gym all the time "crazy lady", "fat boy", "lesbians in love", "shy girl" , "cheif" and "winston Churchill" I dont even want to know what some name me

I'm guessing Sexy, Sleeveless Stud Muffin

 

[apirateslifeforme]

At the one I used to go to, there was a woman whose chest had to be at least a DD, and she never wore a bra. She liked to jump around while she worked out; my mother and I swore that one day she was going to knock herself out with those things, they bounced so much. And we know she didn't wear a bra because her shirt would bounce up with them, but come down after they did...

 

[Crankyshank]

I belong to Bally's, which is the only gym option in my area, and haven't been in a while because it's so overcrowded at all times and the facilties are out of date to the point of nastiness.

The issues I face every time I am at the gym are:
- the person who doesn't wipe the machines after sweating all over them
- the people blocking the machines while they have an in depth conversation in another language and act like they can't speak English when I ask them to please move so I can use the machine
- the people who take so long between reps on a machine that I think they are actually napping.
- the people using the pool and hot tub as a social gathering or speed dating location.

 

[clarabelle]

I teach at a gym-so I see all kinds. People who answer their cell phone during spinning. People who walk in if you are subbing and loudly say "I thought it would be so and so". Once when I was explaining a technique -One lady told me to quit talking and turn up the music!

 

[DawnCt1]

Confession; I haven't been for a while. Having said that I have to go back for a multitude of reasons. When I went I used nautilus, the treadmill and the stair master. It seemed whenever I went the Anorexic Woman was there. In fact, no matter when I went, she was there. I think that she felt that frequent and loyal attendance gave her the right to "run things". She would dress in layers of tee shirts, leggings and leg warmers. On top of all of that would go an oversized sweatshirt. She spent hours on the treadmill and she would sweat, just like the rest of us. She was painfully thin and her obvious goal was to lose more weight through sweating. The thing she would do however would be to turn off all of the circulating fans. When I work out, I NEED A FAN. It isn't a nicety, it is a necessity. I would go and turn them back on. Apparently there were people there that she would actual yell and intimidate. Not knowing her, I wasn't aware of her history. I found out however. When I turned the fans back on, she went and turned them off. I turned them back on. Everyone was sweating. She came up to me and starting yelling, on the verge of tears. "I have a thyroid condition, I am freezing, you are making me get a chill", blah blah, blah. I said, " You can't be freezing, you are sweating and if you are freezing you need to go home and get in bed, you are sick. I don't have a thyroid condition and I am not going to pass out from heat exhaustion because you think you are cold. If you don't like it, complain to the front desk. She did and I did and the results were, the fans were posted with signs, "Fans to remain On". Apparently a lot of people complained to the desk but never pushed the issue. They just allowed themselves to be bullied. I demanded a refund if I had to work out without ventilation. I didn't see "pain and suffering" required in the contract.

 

[Tinkerboy00]

To the OP...I'd changed gyms. The sweaty guy sounds so gross.

I always get stuck next to a guy who talks on his cell phone. I'll be riding the bike, and he'll get on the bike next to me, and he pedals really slowly and just talks really really loud the whole time. I crank my ipod waaaaay up just to blare him out.

We also have this lady who leaves stuff everywhere. She'll ride a bike, and leave a bag of stuff, and then go over to the treadmills and walk with weights (which she occasionally drops, scaring the hell out of everyone), and then leave to do weights, and still her stuff is everywhere. She must not read or understand English, since there are signs posted eveywhere that say "No bags allowed on floor"

 

[ckay87]

Oh my, I was even going to start a thread about gym grunters. This is a major peeve of mine. At my old gym, I used to take this very difficult class. So there I'd be, working hard, feeling like I couldn't lift one more thing and the guy behind me is grunting and...it just exaggerates that feeling, you know?

I also have a real problem with sweat. Not mine...other people's. I even have this great Queen DVD and Freddie is sweating like crazy and it's just hard for me to watch. Anyway...at the gym, some people just need to use that towel a little more than others, KWIM?

Stinky....oh that is bad. Especially when you're on a cardio machine and the guy (usually) next to you stinks and you're huffing and puffing VERY deeply. Yuck.

The only specific person who stands out is the "Always There Guy." I have a very, very irregular schedule with respect to hitting the gym. I show up anytime between 5 and 9 on any different night of the week or weekend and there is a guy who is always there. Not an employee, either. I admire him, but...then again....no I don't.

 

[KirstenB]

Anyone else exercise at a gym regularly? We belong to a life time gym and it is a great place, but you go at the same time every day and see the same people. Some are very nice, some I don't know if they are nice or not but they stand out.

Any of these guys at your place?????


Of course there is naked lady. She is naked when I walk into the locker room, and often still is when I come back from working out........ All I need to say about her. Of course I haven't seen her lately, so either she isn't at the gym as much, or put her clothes on and she isn't standing out in the crowd anymore.

DH and I belong to different gyms, and he always complains about "Naked Guy"!!! It freaks dh out because this guy is naked before dh works out and after! I laughed and told him it would freak me out too! I had no idea women did this too. After 2 pregnancies and a wicked Frito addiction, I try to spare others from the sight of me in the locker room

 

[stevenpensacola]

this thread would be so much better with pictures....

 

[Caleb's Mom]

Smelly Man
I must be off of the eliptical machines before 2:50 when smelly man comes to the YMCA. The very first time I encountered him I gagged. I even made eye contact with the other person on the machine next to me and we both gave each other the ewwwww look.

Towel flinger man
Who wipes his sweat off of himself with the towel and then flings it over the handle bar of the machine. Sir, if I'm on the machine next to you I really don't want to make contact with your dank work out towel as you swing it around.

Talker woman
Lady, I don't even know you. I'm not so sure I need to hear about your personal life.

Middle aged woman who can't seem to get rid of those 20 # and the baby tummy but comes every day anyway -- doesn't she realize her efforts are futile!
That must be what the other gym goers call me!

 

[I Heart Disney Too]

We have:

grunting guy (ick) (we call him Dr. Phil, because that's who he resembles)

mole lady (I know, we aren't very nice, but she has an extreme case so it's just a method of identification)

mullet lady (we call her Joe Dirt)- she works out in rummage sale clothes, like 70s mom jean shorts and woven cotton ruffly tops and colored socks and loafers

80+ yr old woman who puts her towel on the floor near the lockers while she's in the sauna, prob so her feet never touch the floor but still...hmmm

people who take up the entire locker room bench with their paraphernalia

flexing and lifting while admiring themselves in the mirror guys (they aren't checking form, they are admiring)

people who leave their collection of free weights by the bench after they leave

Whew, now I know why I work out at home most of the time, I could go on and on.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Back in the day, I was at the gym 5+ days a week. Ours was a recreation center with pools and the whole magillah. My dad would work out for 2 hours every day, so we girls would take advantage of the pool.

We also had naked lady. I think every gym has one.

There was powder lady, who seemed to powder herself with about half a container of Johnson's baby powder EVERY day. As a person with Sahara dry skin, I just can't imagine needing that much powder.

We also had the signs indicating you needed suits in the steam and sauna. It seemed like it was a guideline.

Not in the locker room, but in the pool. There were three lanes designated in the indoor pool for lap swimmers. Slow, Average and Fast. I typically spent my time in the Average lane, due to my asthma, it was a rare day when I could be in that fast lane. Well, there was one lady who should have really been in the slow lane and had an interesting swimming style. Pool rules were that if someone was slower than you, you could pass them in your lane.

I would dread when I saw that red bathing cap upon walking into the pool, because I knew I was in trouble. She had a habit of SCRATCHING anyone who passed her. She hated being passed! Never mind that I was a solid mid speed swimmer doing about a mile a day, the fact that I would pass her just meant that my leg would get a gouge. It wasn't just me, either. Anyone who passed her got this treatment.


Suzanne

OMG! I have one of those!!! She swims in the medium lane and NEVER lets anyone pass-if you try she kicks you!!! Now when she's in there I'll turn at the flags and get ahead just so I don't end up bruised!

We also have Mr Clean-he's bald and wears a speedo. Probably the same Speedo he wore in HS 30 years ago when he was on the swim team. He's definately gained some pounds since then. Use your imagination....

There used to be an older lady there that did water exercise in the fitness lane, but if anyone from the next lane splashed her she got mad and yelled at them! She finally stopped coming.

In the cardo room we have one guy that gets on the treadmill and does about 2 miles at 9.0. He's a really good runner, but he's also really good at sweating. If you're on the treadmill next to him, you'll be getting a shower.

We also have one guy that blows his nose and coughs into the same towel that he wipes the machine off with. Charming.....

Having said all that-we also have the nicest group of folks there every AM. Last year when I was out having surgery they sent me cards and my first day back I got applauded!! Cool people like that make me get out of bed in the morning!

 

[Jpgirl]

I'm a personal trainer but don't train at the gym where I work out. The grunters are my favorite. And the "hulks" that learned their exercises from gym rats and are trying to teach other hulks weight lifting and 99% of what they're doing is so passe and just plain wrong. Also the cell phone people-either in classes or hogging the machines while chatting. One day this young girl spent an hour on the treadmill at a very leisurely pace of 2mph all the while yacking away. Then she hangs up and whines about how doing the treadmill isn't helping her lose weight-well duh shut up and turn up the power.
And the sweaters-please wipe up after yourself-that's why the paper towels are there!!

 

[Along4theRide]

There's a woman that comes in every time I'm on the treadmill and puts her stuff on an elipitcal machine in front of me-that's fine, she's small and my row is elevated (gotta see the tv)! However, she digs out her lotion, takes off and lotions herself right there. She even lotions her backside and always reveals way more than I want to see!!

 

[starrzone]

I LOVE this thread! I thought I was the only one who noticed stuff like this! I'm not a freak, really, but I consider myself to be quite observant and I have a really good long-term memory. I belong to a chain gym, and have worked out at 4 of their gyms in 3 different cities. I've noticed the following people:

-Old biddies who complain loudly to each other about various things (dust on the machines, not enough XYZs available, music too loud, etc.), hoping that others will hear them

-People who spend more time standing around yakking than working out (really...if you want to chat, go to a park with your friend or something so I can use the machine)

-People who "hold their place" outside the exercise room with mats/towels...I just ignore them

-The woman in my cardio kickboxing class who felt the need to yell "YEAH!" after a kick or punch...it sounded like she was having a VERY good time, if you know what I mean...

-The woman who was ALWAYS there at the same time every weekday and would do the EXACT same thing: walk at a huge incline for about an hour (ignoring the 20 minute time limit on treadmills)...I never noticed a change, and I was there a lot

-The grumpy- looking women (I never seem to see grumpy guys!). They always look like they are not enjoying themselves in the least and that they'd bite your head off at the slightest provocation

Of course, there are the inspirational people too. There's this guy at one of the gyms I go to who was a big guy. I started seeing him walking on the treadmill really slowly, and now I see him going faster and faster. He's still big, but I'd guess he's lost about 30 pounds or so.

Here's to working hard! Since January 2004, I've lost 30 pounds and hope to lose 15 more. Going to the gym always cheers me up, and I love observing all the different people.

starrzone

 

[mariolatry]

We also have naked lady at my gym!!!

My two least favorites:
1. Mr. I'msobuff. He's doing the most incredibly weight workout, grunting and sweating very dramatically to show how tough he is. The problem is, his form is terrible (despite constantly looking at himself in the mirror) and he's probably doing more harm than good.

2. This might just be particular to Bally's but it seems like there are never enough of the "women's" handweights: the 3/5/8/10/12 lbs. dumbbells. They have 9 sets of 100 lb. dumbbells and only one set of 5 lbs. At any rate, there's always some obnoxious little cookie wearing spandex who comes in and grabs all of the "women's" handweights and hogs them. If you ask to borrow them in between her sets, you get a dramatic sigh and an "I really need those for my workout". Ack, that irritates me.

 

[ckay87]

We also have naked lady at my gym!!!

2. This might just be particular to Bally's but it seems like there are never enough of the "women's" handweights: the 3/5/8/10/12 lbs. dumbbells. They have 9 sets of 100 lb. dumbbells and only one set of 5 lbs. At any rate, there's always some obnoxious little cookie wearing spandex who comes in and grabs all of the "women's" handweights and hogs them. If you ask to borrow them in between her sets, you get a dramatic sigh and an "I really need those for my workout". Ack, that irritates me.

No, we have that problem too. I'm fairly new to this gym. There is a whole wall of heavy weights and maybe one pair each of the lighter ones. I don't get that.

Seriously if I lift any heavier than 10 lbs I start to look like Mr. Universe (and I'm a chick.)

My overall peeve with this gym....and I never thought about it til I actually started there.....is that the cardio equipment is in the loft. This high loft on the second floor of this huge building. Good Lord...heat rises!!!!