Gym Ettiquette......

I try and go to the gym at least 3 times a week....I go right after work, which puts me at the gym around 5:10 or so....Once I change and do my warm ups/stretches...I head to the treadmill. I do my 3 mile run, usually in 30 minutes or less....then I proceed over to the ab machine, sit up benches, etc...I do 20 reps of each ab exercise....a total of 5 different exercises for my core, then I move back to the eleptical for 10 minutes, back to the ab area for 20 more sets, to the Wave machine for 10, then 3 sets of 10 on each of the arm/upper body resistance machines, back to the eleptical for 10 minutes, then 3 sets of 10 on all the leg resistance machines.

Point being...I have a routine!!! I have limited time...the entire time I am working out, I am worrying about what is going on at home, how I need to get through my work out, which takes me 2 hours, so that I can get home, spend time with the boys, give hubby a break, and get my kids taken care of.

I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR EQUIPMENT HOGS!!!! Nothing pisses me off more to see people with a blatant disregard to other people wanting to use the equipment.

~Don't rest on the equipment...the gym is no place to take a nap...if you are that sedentery...then don't come to the gym.

~Don't leave your sweat dripping all over a piece of equipment...

~Don't leave your sweaty towel hanging over a piece of equipment, along with your CD player (I didn't think people actually used those anymore?), and your water bottle....then walk off to use another piece of equipment!

(The above happened to me last night...I went over to the abdominal resistance machine and someone had their towel draped over the back/head rest...no one was around, so I picked up the towel, draped it over the machine next to the one I needed to use...I did my 20 reps...got off the machine to move to the one next to mine, and some steroid popper came over, jerked his towel off the other machine, put it right back on the machine I had just used. I looked over and said "Sorry, didn't know who it belonged to"...he goes, "Next time, Why don't you just ask?" in a real crappy way...dude had major attitude...he probably weighed 230 lbs or more, but he raised my hackles..so my little 112 lb body jumped in his face and said, next time, Don't hog the equipment...don't leave your sweaty towel on it, then walk off...take your crap with you....other people have routines too. Show some respect...I stomped off and got back on the eleptical!)

I don't know what it is has I get older...I just have no tolerance or patience with some people...lately, the gym has been my source of angst...

For instance....our gym has a swimming pool...a lot of members bring their kids in to swim....the womens locker room has signs posted, No children of the opposite sex, under 4 years of age, permitted in the women's locker room. The gym provides Family restrooms for parents to help their kids change.
I came into the gym from working out, and was in the process of changing my clothes and this woman brings her two boys into the gym to change out of their suits...thse boys were maybe 7 and 9....I was half naked, trying to change and these two boys were ripping off there suits, stark naked, staring at me....there are four locker areas, all seperated by tall lockers, to create "individual" changing areas...this womans locker was right next to mine, she proceeded to throw all of their stuff on the bench I was using...knocked my gym bag off in the floor....needless to say, I was very upset. I grabbed my stuff and walked around to the other side, with my pantied butt hanging out, while those two boys stood there stark naked staring at me...

I mean COME ON!!! This woman was hispanic and was speaking to me in Spanish....I don't speak Spanish so I don't know what she was saying, but her attitude suggested that somehow, although I was there first, and she should have used the family restroom, how dare I be there at that time, changing my clothes in front of her boys!

It wasn't that I was uncomfortable changing in front of people...I am proud of my body! But, in front of two little boys..well, not so little....they were too big to be in that locker room!

I finished changing and immediately reported the incident to the gym staff.

~Another problem I have is people invading your personal space...if you are in the locker room, there are four changing areas, each changing area has one bench...no one else is in the locker room, don't choose the changing area I am in, to change yourself...and furthermore, don't strike a conversation up with me while I am staning there topless, trying to wiggle myself into my sports bra...those things are a pain in the ass and I don't like anyone observing me, all the while asking me about the latest turbo kick class...Hello, Do I look like I work here? (This happened to me as well last night)....

~Last are people that stare at you....if you are at a gym, your primary reason is to work out...not be a dirty old man that wants to sit on a piece of equipment, not using it, right behind me, while I am on the eleptical, watching my ass move up and down for ten minutes...GET A LIFE!!!!

This concludes my pet peeves at the gym....what gym horror stories do you have?