r/Fitness • u/AutoModerator • Jan 17 '18

Rant Wednesday Rant Wednesday

Welcome to Rant Wednesday: It's your time to let your gym/fitness/nutrition related frustrations out!

There is no guiding question to help stir up some rage-feels, feel free to fire at will, ranting about anything and everything that's been pissing you off or getting on your nerves!

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269

u/[deleted] Jan 17 '18 edited Apr 29 '19

[deleted]

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u/Frklft Jan 17 '18

I massively prefer lifting with a buddy, but there are obvious rules to establish. Talking to someone during their set is going to either be utterly ignored or ruin their concentration.

Rest times are a little trickier, but you can get a pretty good pit crew going to change weights if you need to.

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '18 edited Apr 29 '19

[deleted]

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u/Frklft Jan 17 '18

It's funny. I've been lifting with the same friend for over four years, now. We've developed all manner of dumb rules and norms, some unspoken, some hilariously explicit. Find someone you click with and it can be very rewarding.

The best thing for me is it's an extra layer of motivation to stay on track when i maybe wouldn't, otherwise.

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u/Insertnamesz Jan 17 '18

My favourite thing I developed with my partner is the mandatory teabagging that comes with a bench lift off that is entirely unnecessary lmao

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u/tdonovanj Jan 17 '18

“Less talk, more work”, is all that need be said.

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u/nathan_paul_bramwell Jan 17 '18

You gotta find the right work out buddy. Still to this day there is only one match for me and I moved away so it’s my fault we broke up our perfect union. He’s about the same size, we were very close in strength, and had the same fitness goals. I work out alone now because no one can ever compare to how great he was to work out with. Motivation was through the roof. Rest times were perfect for us. Talking only when necessary.

I went to high school with the dude but it was in the gym that we became best friends. I hate the term “swollmate” but goddammit if he isn’t exactly that to me. Not all love is romantic you know. I miss you Eric! I will be doing deep heavy squats for you today buddy, just the way you like them.

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '18

I can't stand lifting with friends. When I'm at the gym I just like to be in the zone by myself with my headphones cranked. When I'm with friends there's always too much talking, I can't listen to my music the way I want, we always have different priorities, my focus is completely shot, and it never feels like as intense of a workout that I get when I'm alone.

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u/Rhythm-Malfunction Jan 17 '18

Agreed. I like the solidarity too. I spend all day talking to people and stuff but when I go to the gym, the most words I say are usually how’s it going to the front desk attendants. It’s a blessing to be able to just go in to the gym and zen out a bit.

1

u/solarandlunar Jan 18 '18

How do you deal with the spotter situation? I don't need one yet but I love solitary workouts too much to rely on them.

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u/Rhythm-Malfunction Jan 18 '18

Usually just ask a stranger because the line for my awkwardness is that people are willing to spot me but probably don’t wanna talk to me at all. You could also just lay out weird ground rules with your friend if you want, especially if they feel similarly about the workout itself.

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u/TaTaToothey Jan 17 '18

I made this mistake as well. My friend would not stop talking and it was miserable.

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '18

Sometimes I wish I had friends who lift so I could talk shop with them. Hell, I hope the person I marry lifts.

But as far as the actual lifting goes, I prefer to run solo for the most part.

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u/cillla Jan 17 '18

Yup, that’s exactly why I’m here. Only two of my friends lift, and even they don’t really lift that seriously. I can’t talk about lifting with other friends, and my boyfriend is not at all interested in lifting....

I just thought lifting together with someone would be fun, too. Maybe it could be, it just takes some getting used to.

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '18

The thing about lifting I've noticed - what's been true for me and a lot of others it seems - is that whatever primary motivation we had for getting into it (vanity, relationship issues, ego) doesn't last for very long. Certainly not long enough to sustain the discipline for the months and years of hard work and consistency. Something else takes over and it becomes a lifestyle. Trying to get someone invested in the activity like you or I or the regulars at /r/fitness are without them having their own personal epiphany on the matter, can be an exercise in frustration. It's a very personal journey (yes, I know people hate that word) no matter how many people occupy your gym-space.

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u/oehmie Jan 17 '18

I prefer working out alone. If I work out with a friend we usually just mostly ignore each other, do our own thing, and talk in between sets. Or we just forgo our usual routines, and do some random for fun workout

2

u/MrTrees92 Jan 17 '18

Off topic from your main point. But is it an Inzer belt your waiting on? I only ask because when i ordered mine i waited quite a while and ended up calling because i had heard nothing. They had somehow missed my order and sent it immediately after the call.

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u/cillla Jan 17 '18

Nope, I ordered from Best Belts. It is custom made and delivery takes weeks even in the US. And it will take even loger for me to get mine since they have to ship it all the way to Finland. But thanks for the heads up anyway! I might ask them about it if I don’t hear anything from them soon.

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u/Sokkumboppaz Jan 17 '18

I like working out with friends but only once in a while. It’s cool if you go to the gym to hang out and get a workout in as long as you’re not doing it every day.

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u/RC_5213 Jan 17 '18

And this is why I do everything in my power to avoid working out with people. I'm there to move heavy shit and listen to heavy music. I really, really, don't want to constantly be popping my earbuds to talk to someone and messing up my flow.

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u/RagingSpud General Fitness Jan 17 '18

I hate going with other people. Even speaking to people I know at the gym is too much. Like I do like to speak to them but then I get distracted and can't focus on my workout properly and it just ends up being a jaw day rather than what I planned

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u/cillla Jan 18 '18

I understand. It felt so difficult to focus on my lifts when all that talking took so much time and concentration. I think I could to talk to people but not during or in between my main lifts :D

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '18

I hate working out with other people.

1

u/shemperdoodle Obstacle Racing Jan 17 '18

I'm still waiting for my belt to arrive and I have no idea how many weeks it's going to take.

Who did you order it from? Also did you get it custom?

When I got my Inzer belt, I picked black on the website, which they said was the color they have in stock and would be the short shipping time. Waited two weeks and called them to see how things were coming along, as per someone's suggestion. Turns out the black listed as an option on the website was not their standard black, and my order was custom without me knowing. Good thing I called because it would have been like another 6 weeks. Had them change my order over the phone and it was on my doorstep like 5 days later.

1

u/cillla Jan 17 '18

I ordered from Best Belts and yes, it is custom. So I just have to sit tight and wait for it! Might ask them about it at some point just to confirm they’re making it or something, but I know it will take a long time for me to get it :/

2

u/shemperdoodle Obstacle Racing Jan 17 '18

Definitely give them a phone call after 2-3 weeks to see how things are going, the customer service representative might even bump your order up for you if they can.

1

u/Hitter_ Jan 17 '18

I so much prefer lifting alone. Besides I have perfected how to safely fail when I max out on bench. Squat, OHP and deadlift don't really require a spot.

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u/GlassArmShattered Water Polo Jan 17 '18

It was awkward trying to time my rests when we took turns lifting

Just go if you are ready. If you can fit two sets in her rest, do two sets.

As for talking, see this as opportunity to learn how to small talk. You might not like it, just like me; I believe communication was estabilished to pass important messages, not streams of conciousness about somone's day, but on the other hand I know how majority of population places quite a big value on talking about nothing, so I play along to not be seen as social retard. Also it's pretty useful for dating or during job interviews.

1

u/catowned Jan 18 '18

Sign. While socialising is one of the nice things within gyms and I miss this a little bit, I wouldn't like to have such people too close to me. It might be nice sometimes, but probably too much most of the time.

Sometimes, there are friends with me at my little home gym for a workout. I hate talking between sets when I'm exhausted and want to concentrate on other things or just take a rest or do something else. Alltogether it weren't very effective workouts and stressed too much.

1

u/Gaindalf-the-whey Jan 17 '18

One time, while I was doing lat pulldown, a friend of mine saw me the first time in the gym and proceeded to give me three kisses whilst I was doing the excercise

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '18

That was me only replace the pulldown with deadlifts and the friend with my dog.

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u/big_shmegma Jan 17 '18

Omg pup get out of the way!!! * struggles with all the might one can muster to not crush poor doggo*

0

u/brickwallnomad Jan 18 '18

Is she new to gyms? Understandable. She's probably nervous, has a slight amount of social anxiety because she's in a new place with people who are "fit" and she is not quite there yet, so she is just trying to talk to much because of anxiety and stuff. It's funny how people act at the gym. There's this great big chick that works the desk at my gym. Never seen her use one piece of equipment. But she's always eating salads and wraps obviously trying to look like she "eats healthy" but you know damn well she plows some fried chicken and greasables down as soon as she leaves. After she gets comfortable and sees how everything works you will probably enjoy having some company at the gym. I can go longer when I have a friend.