Brief Personal Rant

January 8th, 2008 by zen

I’ve just spent a few hours at the gym wading through a herd of obliviously self-absorbed  New Year’s Resolution newbies. I don’t mind that they don’t know anything about training with weights, everyone originally started at the beginning, I mind that they lack basic goddamn manners and seem to believe that exercise equipment is a kind of art deco couch. Please, for the love of humanity, get the hell back into your volvos and take your cell phones and white plastic aquacizer hand resistance devices with you!

To compound my irritation, the management, such was unable to cope with the unseasonably warm weather in the Chicago area and the whole place was as a steambath. Nor were there any clean towels ( due to the influx of anaerobic touristas) for the shower so I had to drive home leaning forward with a giant sweat patch running down my back.

Greatly annoying.

Posted in personal | 9 comments

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  1. strategist:

    January 8th, 2008 at 2:09 am

    I share your pain as I experienced something similar at the swimming pool yesterday. Only four lanes available after work, and a number of people who had no idea of lane etiquette, e.g., if you can only swim slowly, or you want to paddle along on a flutterboard, stick to the slow lane, don’t clog the medium and fast lanes.

  2. Eddie:

    January 8th, 2008 at 3:06 am

    Also noticed similar behavior, though this was in the "Fitness" area of the YMCA (which I just joined).  Several individuals held a council of hushed conversation and laughter on the treadmills, ignoring the fact that their 45 minute period had clearly passed and they were screwing over the people waiting their turn.  Then they took the same behavior to the indoor track and were jogging at snail’s pace in a column of 4 that everyone had to continually push through or stop to get their attention….And aren’t cellphones banned at most gyms?

  3. TDL:

    January 8th, 2008 at 6:44 am

    Great, I’ve been out of the gym for 1 & 1/2 months (stupid, simply stupid professional decision on my part) and this is what has to greet me!?  Just tell me they weren’t doing curls in the squat rack, for all that is holy stopping curling in the squat rack!

    Regards,
    TDL

  4. Jim Keenan:

    January 8th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

    LOL. There is a case to using January as designated recuperation period, stay out of the gym for a couple of weeks, work on bdoyweight exercises and then return to the gym in February when the newbies have either learnt etiquette or gone off to find a new hobby.

  5. Dan from Madison:

    January 8th, 2008 at 2:42 pm

    Glad I am in advanced Muay Thai.  The beginners class was packed with newbies at my gym yesterday.  But you have to earn the advanced classes, so it was the same ‘ol diehards, it was great to be back after the gym was closed for a couple of weeks.

  6. Michael:

    January 8th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

    So you didn’t loudly start saying things like, “hey flabby, you’re supposed to wipe down the bench after you’re done!” and “the machines are over there, this area is for real men.” That should have driven the self-conscious prats out right-quick.

  7. Barnabus:

    January 8th, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    Cut back on the caffeine!  LOL…oh the pain of it all!

  8. Sean Meade:

    January 8th, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    GREAT post and comments. Jim seems wisest. and Dan.

    i work from home and every time i go out in public (eg, driving to Charlotte this weekend), it dusts off my misanthropy 😉

    i asked my wife yesterday while we were walking if my barking back at the neighborhood dogs to rile them up is pusillanimous. she said, basically, ‘yes, and so is your driving’ 😉

  9. zen:

    January 9th, 2008 at 2:03 am

    Damn – this phenomena is far more widespread than I ever expected!!!

    Today was better – evidently even mildly inclement weather puts a dent in exercise-poser ambition

    Gracias guys!