Gym Nuances. in The Napkin.
- June 22, 2016, 1:42 p.m.
- |
- Public
I tend to feel bad when someone asks me if they can have the squat rack after me, or asks how many sets I have left. I got to the gym around 7:30, entirely so I could hog the squat rack for half an hour. (No really, it was 30 minutes on the mark.) Takes a bit for me to warm-up, and after my top sets I tend to do multiple back-off sets. Kind of like a reverse pyramid, except I’m not looking to burn myself on each back-off set. I’m looking for form, not grinding.
So, I finish, and I put the bar with one plates aside on the floor to deadlift. I figure he could just grab one of the bars off the three benches. At exactly that moment, all three benches were in use. I think he got frustrated and left. I’d feel worse, except dude was hovering most of the time. Back-off, man. When I’m waiting on the squat rack, I either wait patiently on a treadmill, or I do deadlifts and/or bulgarian split squats.
Punch line is not ten minutes later, all three benches were free. Homie’s gotta learn to adapt to equipment availability. The entire time I was doing farmer’s walks, all four bars were free. Funny how things time up like that. Strong guys and girls know to ask to work in. With my rest periods, I would totally have been fine switching out the plates for someone.
Speaking of farmer’s walks, people people. Boys and girls. Don’t do your shit right in front of the dumbbell rack. You never know when someone is finishing their fifth set of farmer’s walks and literally can NOT hold their dumbbells while you do whatever the fuck you’re doing. For the uninitiated, farmer’s walks are when you pick up two dumbbells and walk with them. Fantastic exercise for grip strength; as a side effect, farmer’s walks teach you to walk with good posture under load. And they make your forearms feel like you’re Popeye.
That’s all for now. Carry on.
Comfortably Numb ⋅ June 22, 2016
Since you seem to be the Gym Master (!)- what is the proper etiquette when you're waiting for a machine and someone is sitting on it texting for minutes at a time, and then doing three or four reps, and then texting again? Frequently I have time to do my whole machine run-through while one person sits on a machine and texts. If they were just sitting, I'd ask them if they were done, but interspersing the texts with a few half hearted reps makes it "look" like they're still working out. Like "Look, I'm waiting for this machine so I can finish, shower, and go home, and here you sit watching YouTube videos". Very frustrating.
Timmy™ Comfortably Numb ⋅ June 22, 2016
(Oh my god, I see people doing that, and I'm so glad they're not in my way. Personally speaking, I can't sit still at the gym. I'm always pacing in between sets. Just how I am - plus it aids venous return.)
Since asking "how many sets you have left" leaves people the option to camp, try asking to work in. It's generally good etiquette to allow people to work in; I've never had a situation where I blindly hogged equipment. Machines are especially easy to work in, seat adjustments aside, since most gyms just have a selector on the side for the weight. If they say no, well. You get the high road and get to bitch here about THAT FOO' WHO WOULDN'T LET YOU WORK IN WHEN THEY WERE TEXTING and stuff.
Comfortably Numb Timmy™ ⋅ June 22, 2016
Oh, as a novice, I didn't know that "can I work in" is a thing! I usually just give them resentful side-eye while I seethe and stew. On the plus side, I get in more AngryReps while I wait, but I don't walk out of there as relaxed as if I'd actually done something about the problem. Will try that next time. Thanks.
Timmy™ Comfortably Numb ⋅ June 22, 2016
Good luck. Go move inanimate objects!
Gilraent ⋅ June 22, 2016
Gads you make me feel so lazy!
That being said, the doctor told me to get off my ass and start walking every day lol
Timmy™ Gilraent ⋅ June 22, 2016
Lemme guess, you're going to walk on your ass.
Gilraent Timmy™ ⋅ June 22, 2016
Hmm I wonder if that would work on the dreadmill.