An Open Letter to ‘That Guy’ at the Gym
Listen, we need to have a chat. There are plenty of people at the gym, its not all about you.
Now normally, I'm a pretty easygoing guy. Usually, I don't really care what people are doing.
I love going to the gym, and maybe this is just me not 100 percent minding my own business, but there are some sins of working out that you are guilty of-- things that are likely not just bugging one person.
A couple big things to note before getting all up in arms.:
- I am not saying at all that it is bad to be strong and have lots of muscles, far from it. I have loads of respect for anyone who spends lots of time on a craft, especially something as physically taxing at weightlifting and fitness.
- You don't have to be a big meathead to act like this. Some of my favorite people I know at my gym are huge dudes. I've seen just as many smaller guys do these things.
- Women are just as capable of these things as men. It's just that if you take a look around, it's usually men who are the culprits.
Still, there are just some sins that cannot go unmentioned.
- 1
The Grunting
Oh my god, the grunting.
I get that when you're putting in lots of effort moving a heavy object from point A to point B there is going to be lots of effort involved, and a little grunting is fine here and there, don't get me wrong.
But seriously, sometimes it seems like there is some kind of animal giving birth in the gym.
If I can hear you over the music going through my earbuds, you might be a little too loud.
- 2
The Camping
I call these people campers, because they are there for the long haul.
It's not so much that someone is using some equipment that I want. The problem arises when they do a set, get up, walk around, chat with someone on the other side of the gym, get on a phone call, write a freakin' novel, etc.
And yes, some people are completely fine if you ask them if you can do your exercises in between their sets, but others act as if you are dishonoring their entire bloodine if you have the audacity to ask.
- 3
The Hoarding
Extreme Hoarders: Gym Edition
A little explanation on this if you aren't someone who goes to the gym.
These people are likely doing supersets, which basically means that they do a certain amount of repetitions on one, heavier weight, then immediately switch to a lighter weight of the same exercise to create as much burn as possible. It's a great way to really exhaust the muscle.
The problem however is that I have seen people do this with about five different levels of dumbbells at a time. This means that there are literally ten dumbbells strewn around the bench they are using, and then act appalled if you ask them if you can borrow a set from a specific weight they are using.
Like come on, that's just rude.
- 4
The Flirting
I've seen people that I'm fully convinced only go the gym to try to pick up women. As in I really think they do their workout at one gym, then later in the day go to an entirely different gym to find someone.
That may be exaggerating a bit, but it feels like that sometime.
I've been near many a situation where nearby a woman is doing her thing, earbuds in and all, and some guy that she does not know at all just keeps trying to chat her up non-stop, and you can just tell she does not want to talk to him.
It's one of the most uncomfortable things to be around. Just let her be man.
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