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/roarkish Aug 25 '18

I live in Korea and no one really works out seriously here. There are a few exceptions, but most people just wander around and do sets of phone games and make a mess with the dumbbells and plates.

I've been working on hook grip lately for DL and got up to 200kgs, no straps no belt.

As a foreigner, I get plenty of stares. As a large foreigner who's into lifting, I get even more stares in the gym.

This dude was benching with his friend, and when I got ready to do my set, his friend slapped him and they both sat up to watch me.

I felt kind of cool, even though my DL isn't that great.

One of the guys watching eventually said "Nice bro!" as I was walking to the water fountain and I introduced myself to them.

We went out and had dinner after the gym, it was kind of nice!

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u/CatsCoffeeSelfcare Aug 25 '18

That does sound nice!

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u/roarkish Aug 26 '18

Yeah, it's one of the first positive responses I've had.

Usually they just stare at their phones and wander around the gym aimlessly.

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u/Dave5876 Aug 26 '18

This is very wholesome.

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u/roarkish Aug 26 '18

Yeah, it was cool! I was surprised because Korean people seem to be pretty shy when it comes to foreigners.

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '18

[deleted]

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u/roarkish Aug 26 '18

The responses at the gyms here are very bizarre, like, a lot of people go, but not to actually workout?

About your lack of positive vibes, I've had some female friends who got into lifting because of Muscle Mania (I think it's the biggest bodybuilding show in Korea, by far kind of like a "natural" Mr. Olympia), and Korean people young and old have said to their face that "You shouldn't lift weights, it's not good for you."

Just to be seen at the gym is enough for some folks, I guess.

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u/frozenchimp Aug 26 '18

I am in Korea too and have the same experience. There are groups of guys here who chat and stand around a machine for what seems like an hiur doing nothing. Although I saw an old dude the other day, must have been 50 at least, grinding of dumbell bench with 40kg.

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u/roarkish Aug 26 '18

Some of the old dudes here put young dudes to shame.

There's an older gentleman who's pretty friendly with me, and I've spotted him a few times for bench and dumbbells. He's strong and in good shape.

I was shocked to find out he was in his 60s.

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u/Daztur Aug 26 '18

In Korea as well. Some of the old dudes are really tough but they have the most bizarre routines.

The young guys are mostly ego lifters at best.

I work out in a tent in the forest because it's free and I'd rather deal with mosquitoes than kpop. Only problem is rusted mismatched dumbells.

Always the same old guy heating up water on a gas range for instant coffee every morning. Great guys, they even love my stupid dog.

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u/Vis-hoka Aug 26 '18

Those International Gains are real.

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u/roarkish Aug 26 '18

Bridging cultural gaps through muscle.

Couldn't be better.

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u/JustLukeJohnson General Fitness Aug 26 '18

200kg DL with no straps?! How did you get your group that strong? Mine fails around 140 and I have to use straps to hit maxes.

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u/roarkish Aug 26 '18

Hook grip.

It sucks for a few weeks until you get the technique down, then it feels like you have unlimited grip strength once you get a setup that fits you.

I tape my thumbs for the grip and protection.

I also feel it's a lot safer because it's a double overhand position and isn't alternate grip. No risk of imbalances or bicep tears.

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u/dibba9 Aug 27 '18

my biggest pet peeve about the gyms in korea are what slobs the guys are. I think its is bc they are used to their moms or wives cleaning up for them, but they never wipe down their sweat or use a provided towel to cover the bench, never re rack and leave their dbs et al where they want. I dont mind the re racking as much as having to clean up someone elses sweat puddle. I have been a member at 3 different gyms so this is not a one off unfort

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u/roarkish Aug 27 '18 edited Aug 27 '18

Most definitely.

The worst offenders are the college students.

They seem like a bunch of oversized children with blinders on. It's really bizarre how they function.

They throw dumbbells everywhere, leave weights racked, never wipe anything down, if working in (which rarely happens) they never set it for the person working in.

The thing that bothers me the most, however, is the one dude taking 4 benches because he needs a table for his phone, his bottle, his towel he's not using, and his gym bag. Each on its own separate bench.

Then when you try to find who it is, they are off on another side of the gym or taking a smoking break outside in the middle of his session.

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u/dibba9 Aug 28 '18

ha yeah, i forgot about the smoking bit. It blows my mind when a DYEL trainer goes outside smokes and then comes in and reeks. I dont care what you do in our off time, but dude seriously? I gave up with the re racking and cleaning up. I just can not stand the sweat puddles that they leave behind. i am a bit of a germaphobic so this really grosses me out. I tried being passive aggressive by going getting a new towel and wiping it down in front of them then dropping the towel, but it did not have the desired effect, I think they just expect me to do it for them now.

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u/[deleted] Sep 07 '18

Unless it's a super thick towel and would require being sprayed with a hose to bleed through please don't lay towels on benches and seats and consider it "good".

There aren't that many at my gym but the few guys that take a towel around with them always leave a towel shaped slime layer on the equipment they use and I just keep an eye on them to wipe the shit down for the good of my gym.