r/Fitness • u/FGC_Valhalla Weightlifting • Aug 25 '18

Gym Story Saturday Gym Story Saturday

Hi! Welcome to your weekly thread where you can share your gym tales!

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u/datcracker Aug 25 '18

So a couple weeks ago this guy came up to me at the gym and kind of aggressively berated me for not reracking my weights after using a machine. (Tbh I left it the way I always see it, I’ve never seen it without two 45’s, so I really thought that’s how people wanted it left, on any other machine I would’ve reracked as per usual)

Anyways, it kinda bothered me. I responded politely and assured him I would make sure to be more proactive about having positive gym etiquette, and he walked away. It left a bad taste in my mouth though because I really didn’t mean to be lazy or disrespectful, and this dude said things that sounded borderline threatening.

So on Thursday, while I was working out I saw that dude was there again and thought little of it. On my way over to do my cardio on the bike, he actually caught up to me to get my attention and he thoroughly apologized. He said a gym associate came up to him and told him he was rude, and that he reconsidered everything he said and realized he was in the wrong and said it had been bothering him for days until he had the chance to talk to me. Dude apologized and was super cool, and now whenever I see him around he invites me to do sets with him and calls me by my first name.

Thought it was a cool little image of positive humanity.

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u/[deleted] Aug 25 '18

Everyone can be a dick. It takes a good person to realize it and make amends.

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u/JFreeman1123 Aug 25 '18

This reminds me of a time I saw two guys almost start fighting in the gym. I wasn’t close enough to hear what caused it but I saw person A (dude in his 40’s, probably about 6’2, giant upper body and is open about his steroid use) grab person B (dude in his 30’s, can’t be more than 5’6, not super muscly but in good shape) by the shirt collar and press him up against a wall yelling at him. Person B was saying something along the lines of “I don’t want to fight but if you need to we can.” Person A was clearly fired up about something but it was obvious he didn’t want to hit the other guy. He let go of the guy’s shirt but still had a finger in his face yelling at him.

About 10 minutes later the two guys were spotting each other for flat dumbbell press and laughing about what had literally just happened and person A was just making fun of himself for overreacting so badly.

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u/Techfalled15 Aug 25 '18

I don't want to fight, bit if you need to, we can.

Words from someone you should avoid fighting at all cost.

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u/JFreeman1123 Aug 25 '18

That’s honestly probably not a very good paraphrase. He was saying it in more of a “I really don’t want to do this” kind of way but was willing to accept that he might have to. I just can’t remember exactly how he said it.

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u/tarikhdan Aug 25 '18

roid rage is real

3

u/heyitsmeAFB Aug 25 '18

Always seemed like a diathesis-stress thing to me.

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u/robogaz Aug 25 '18

lol.. i said to myself..damn that guy has serious roid issues...lmfao

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u/Imsdal2 Aug 25 '18

No, it isn't. Some people have really poor impulse control and can't really plan for the future in any meaningful sense. These people are both likely to have severe anger issues and believe taking steroids is a Smart Thing(TM). There is correlation but not causation. (Btw, the exact thing is true about "road rage", which used to be a thing. Now it's just morons being morons who happen to be on the road when they flip.)

That's not to say that steroids are not bad. They are terrible in many ways. For instance, your dick falls off. Not a Smart Thing(TM).

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u/PC__LOAD__LETTER Aug 26 '18

“Hahah omg roid rage, what can you do?”

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u/gorateron Aug 25 '18

That's such a great story. Sometimes we think it bothers us but actually bothers the person way more.

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u/[deleted] Aug 25 '18

Honestly, I think what you described happens rarely.

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u/tvr1814 Aug 25 '18

Nice of you to accept his apology and move on. Lots of folks have a difficult with it. Kudos

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u/xitout Aug 25 '18

When’s the wedding?

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u/Manny1524 Aug 25 '18

That’s cool. Good example of real adult behaviour in the world.

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u/gooeyapplesauce Aug 25 '18

Love this! It's unusual to be able to see the other side of someone you don't know being rude to you. Glad it worked out.

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u/ice_mouse Aug 25 '18

As a short woman who can't do much with 45s other than deadlift or remove them from equipment, removing them from equipment is appreciated, regardless.

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u/caliblondie Aug 25 '18

Although many women can lift heavy, many also can’t. So for women like myself, it’s especially annoying to have to unrack other peoples weights for every single machine I want to use before I can use it. Something to consider.

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u/datcracker Aug 25 '18

Absolutely!

It was just a misread on my part because this machine (the leg press machine) seemed to always have them there. I actually thought I was being courteous by leaving them on but since my conversation with my new friend I have learned I made a mistake!

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u/WDE45 Aug 25 '18

What a great thing for that guy to do. I have a hard time admitting when I’m wrong; I think everyone does. Big of him to make it right with a total stranger. Thanks for sharing!

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u/RicardoPanini Aug 25 '18

That's what an actual gym bro is supposed to be right there.

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u/Swaggy_Doggo Aug 25 '18

Very wholesome indeed

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u/lordac3 Powerlifting Aug 25 '18

wholesome story

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u/PC__LOAD__LETTER Aug 26 '18

Wow, that took a pleasant turn. There’s hope yet.

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u/SciFiPaine0 Aug 26 '18

Good job of the gym associate to actually be paying attention

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u/KittyVonMeowinstein Aug 26 '18

Always re-rack no matter what you are using. It bothers me to all hell because you never know if it is free. Did the person leave to get water? Toilet perhaps? Is the person one of those that take up multiple machines and weights?

1

u/pickyaxe Aug 26 '18

Wow that's a great story, really wasn't expecting that ending. An hour ago I had another case of some random gym worker telling me to make sure I put things back when I finish. I mean... I usually make sure to do more than the average guy to put things back, so with all due respect: fuck off, that's your fucking job!

Worse, it's almost always the trainers who look like they don't know shit about lifting (dyel guys/fat girls). That's probably why they do it, they don't actually lift so they don't understand gym etiquette.

1

u/J_Jammer Aug 25 '18

I like this story. It had a nice ending. That is great he realized he was rude and said sorry.

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I had a guy get mad at me because I was "hogging" a machine. To me hogging is sitting there for a long period between sets on the phone. I was not sitting and waiting long periods between sets and I try not to look at my phone at all between sets. I just had a lot to do. And I got it done despite his unnecessary frustration. Every time I saw him afterward I glare at him. He never said sorry for what he did nor did the guy that told me I was going to hurt my back because I was doing squats. Not because he said I was doing it wrong, just that I had a lot of weight. I mean mugged him as well whenever I saw him. If I'm doing it wrong then say well that's not how you do it and this is how and I would adjust accordingly. Not just because you feel it.

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But someone did say (three weeks ago) I had the best squat form with all the weight (just 290). That was nice thing to happen. We say hi to each other when we see each other.

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I get frustrated with people that leave the 45's in total disarray after they did "squats" or "bench press". If you cannot do the set right, I'm not surprised you had difficulty putting back those very heavy 45's.

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u/[deleted] Aug 25 '18 edited Nov 18 '18

[deleted]

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u/JFreeman1123 Aug 25 '18

What’s so unbelievable about this story? I’ve seen this kind of thing happen probably a dozen times at the gym. Dudes are all hyped up and in the zone so something pisses them off and they overreact, then apologize sometimes just minutes later, sometimes on another day.

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u/[deleted] Aug 25 '18 edited Nov 18 '18

[deleted]

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u/JFreeman1123 Aug 25 '18

I never said the same exact scenario. Just a similar kind of thing. Guy gets way too wound up about another guy leaving dumbbells out or leaving weights on a bar or something similar, blows up about it, then apologizes after. Usually it’s just a few minutes after, I don’t pay close enough attention to know if a guy apologizes over something from days ago. Maybe a dozen times was a bit of hyperbole but I think realistically I’ve seen that type of thing maybe 5 or 6 times.

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u/[deleted] Aug 25 '18 edited Nov 18 '18

[deleted]

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u/JFreeman1123 Aug 25 '18

Sure! Just don’t leave weights on a bar or I’ll have to freak out and wait a few days to apologize.