Tale of the Scale: Move It or Give It Up

Note to the idiots in the gym:

A gym is a place to work out. That means you should be walking, running, biking, pushing, pulling, squatting, lunging or whichever verb you choose to use that indicated ACTION. Yes, there are rest periods between sets when you are not actually moving something. These rest periods, however, should last for only a minute or two. Most of the time you should be active.

A gym is also a place of finite resources. There are only so many benches, and fewer incline benches. There is only of each machine, and limited spaces on the cable bar machines. There are often only one set of dumb bells for each weight setting.

So the thoughtful and polite person respects that others work in the gym WITH them. The thoughtful person does not hog equipment. They use it or give it up.

I've seen several completely thoughtless people in the last couple weeks. I am wishing them completely frustration (or on a bad day a different punishment) because of their behavior.

Example #1. I wanted the 20# hand weights and I really wanted the incline bench. There are actually 2-3 set of these weights floating around the gym, but this particular day there was only one set back in the weight section. They were on the floor in front of an incline bench where a young woman was sitting resting her feet on the weights. She was using the bench as a chair; she was using the weights as a foot rest. She was using her phone.

I waited a bit on my flat bench, hoping she would either use the equipment or give it up. Finally I gave up, grabbed the 17.5# weights, reclined on the flat bench and got my workout in. When I finished, about 10 minutes later she was STILL sitting on the bench, feet on the weights playing with her phone. May she drop a weight and break her fingers.

Example #2: Occurred last week. This time I wanted the 15# weights and once again there was only 1 set on the entire floor. (how does this happen? Everyone uses the 15# weights! There are 3-4 sets of these yet they regularly seem to vanish). The couple using them as part of a complex set of movements had stopped to chat. And chat. And chat.

This time I asked if I could have while they visited; the woman agreed that they might stop talking and get back to their workout. She'd give me the 15# set when she finished. Instead, I grabbed the 20#ers.. and got my workout in with heavier weights than I'd intended to use. I completing my final set when walked over and placed the lighter weights down next me. Gee, thanks. I did use them later for some bicep curls, so I guess I'm happy I eventually got them!

Isn't it just common courtesy, though, to notice how you fit into a whole and make adjustments so that the everyone gets the most from limited resources?

I also blog at: A Stitch In Time throughout the week and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.