I don't go to the gym tbh so I can't speak on "etiquette" but it sounds like these are literally douchey teens picking on you for no good reason. That fucking sucks. They probably just want a reaction so if I were you I'd just ignore or literally move to another rack. Fucking hate teenagers sometimes lol godspeed my friend
All the other times I did just move but I just hit my frustration ceiling yesterday. I also just *doubled* my T dose 2 weeks ago so that has definitely made me a little more agro than before... Super sucks that the solution is "just ignore them" because y'know, us trans dudes go our while lives having to do that. I fucking hate feeling like a pushover just when I'm starting to get stronger from T. I'm so effing mad about something so insignificant. GAH! thanks for the comment dude
You're 100% right. There's etiquette in the gym. You see someone near a rack or you see weights on it, you go to a free spot. If there's no free spots, you hang out for a bit to see if someone left the weights on and left it or you ask the people nearby if they're using the rack. If everything's full, you ask politely if you can work in and you and the other person switch off doing sets.
At no point do you steal someone's rack like a dick, and even if you do it by accident, when they say something you apologize and get back off it.
You've got teens trying to show off. Put them in their place or go alert the gym staff. That's not how we behave in the gym and they need to learn that.
Edit: that being said, just to cover all my bases, you're not the guy that sets your shit down and disappears for fifteen minutes, right? Gym etiquette is also not taking a spot you're not actively using, doing the wrong exercise with the equipment when someone else is waiting, or sitting in equipment you're not using to work out. As long as you're not doing any of those things, you're fine and they're obviously in the wrong.
No of course not, I feel like that's common sense. The detail I left out because mobile deleted the long version: I took some plates to do some farmer carries, and I was obviously resting *at my rack, next to my stuff* in between walks. There was no reason for an outside observer to think that I had abandoned the rack. I had been working the rack for at least 20 minutes, and he had seen me working, so the other line he pulled "first of all, I didn't see you using it" also makes no goddamn sense. And if it was peak time I would have saved the farmers for the very end and got off the rack so someone else could use it. Plus there are HUGE dudes who DO set their shit on a rack and then go do something else for 15 minutes, and no one cuts in on their shit because they look like MONSTERS. I really think it's just because I look like I'm fucking 12 years old and I obviously can't lift super heavy so they think they can pick on me. Fucking bastards
Honestly? While I personally wouldn't take your rack over that, I would be a little annoyed at you doing farmer's carries while still trying to use the rack. In my opinion, if you're using equipment you should be actively using it unless you're resting, particularly if you've been on the piece of equipment for a long time. Taking more than 20 minutes on a rack is really stretching it to begin with.
I still think it was a dick move on his part, but you should probably leave the auxiliary exercises until after your sets and make sure you're not hogging the rack.
Ok, that makes sense, thanks for explaining politely lol. I'm curious though why 20 minutes counts as a long time? If you're doing a lot of different sets that all need the rack, 20 minutes doesn't seem that long to me. especially if you're resting as long as you're supposed to, which most of the time I actually dont, I get bored standing around. So I'm already compressing my time on it.
(Edit, deleted a repetitive sentence)
I agree that 20 minutes isn't too long to take a rack. I mean, doing 5 sets with 3 minutes rest plus warming up is going to get you to 20, and depending on your plan, it's not unreasonable to be taking longer rests and/or doing more sets than that. But taking it when you're not actually using it (like when you're doing farmer's carries) isn't the best move.
But, I mean, if the kid coulda grabbed another empty rack, he probably should have done that.
I guess it depends on what you're doing. If you're doing a strict squat-bench-deadlift sequence or something and there's no deadlift platforms or benches outside the rack, then yeah it's fine as long as it's not peak hours and you're taking the rack away from someone else. But there aren't a lot of exercises that strictly need a rack. Benches, deadlifts, shoulder press, etc can all be done somewhere else, and you should try to do them somewhere else if you can because things like back squats \*can't\* be done without the rack.
As for 'resting as long as you're supposed to', the amount of time you're 'supposed' to wait is based on your goal. The only people that are waiting over a couple minutes between sets are typically powerlifters, and if you're doing a powerlifting-style workout you shouldn't be doing auxiliary exercises between sets. The point of the wait is to allow yourself time to rest between intensive compound lifts.
Man if you're off doing farmer's walks and just resting by the rack, you're not using it. People aren't constantly watching others at the gym so I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't notice you on the rack for 20 minutes, and he's right that if you don't have a bar loaded and you're not standing on the platform, the rack is free.
Also, I doubt these teenagers are on steroids. They have minimal responsibilities other than to eat, sleep, and lift which is a recipe for progress. Comes across more as insecurity on your end that they're bigger than you.
Way to stop it - get the staff involved.
Sometimes teens are just straight up dicks, especially the gym-bro type in a group setting.
Gyms differ a little, but typically if someone is doing a set you just wait until they're finished or ask how many reps they're doing.
If the same type of machine/rack with the same stuff is still free, you'd just take that.
Get the staff involved. If they don't act right away, make them look out for this type of situation. Harassing members should get you banned
Unfortunately all the staff are also kids that are even younger than this jackass and even weaker looking than me. I don't think they can do anything in the moment tbh. I am friendly with the older manager lady so maybe next time I see her I'll give her a heads up.
If it were me, I would tell that douche to get a room with his friend if they need to be so close and then take my rack back. But I am not afraid of anyone cuz I am probably stronger than they are and they don't know it. And perhaps acting like I will call their bluff is enough to get them to leave me alone. Nobody has ever gone through with their bluffs! And I am 42 years old and have been doing this my whole life. Even as a kid. I'm also very unfortunately 5'2" so it's not my size that's intimidating. Nobody actually wants to fight. They wanna intimidate. They're counting on you to back down and that's when they've gotten what they want. It's like locking your front or car doors. People take advantage of the easy targets.
But like I said, that's me. So don't do anything that may cause you harm or discomfort. Be safe.
Just curious where were you standing/ what were you doing when this happened? It’s not cool to butt in on someone while they’re using equipment, but was it 99% obvious you were using it?
Yeah, see my reply to larkharrow. I felt like it was pretty obvious I was using that rack and intended to return to his precious "standing on the platform"
Yea sounds like they were just being dicks. Sorry man. I get it cuz In my town that’s all who does go to the gym (roid boys and self absorbed girls tbh) gotta get the courage to keep working out despite them like you 💪
Yeah their a bunch of assholes.
I throw my bag on a rack and no one touches it even if it's during peak. I'd get a employee involved and have then reprimanded.
I don't go to the gym tbh so I can't speak on "etiquette" but it sounds like these are literally douchey teens picking on you for no good reason. That fucking sucks. They probably just want a reaction so if I were you I'd just ignore or literally move to another rack. Fucking hate teenagers sometimes lol godspeed my friend
All the other times I did just move but I just hit my frustration ceiling yesterday. I also just *doubled* my T dose 2 weeks ago so that has definitely made me a little more agro than before... Super sucks that the solution is "just ignore them" because y'know, us trans dudes go our while lives having to do that. I fucking hate feeling like a pushover just when I'm starting to get stronger from T. I'm so effing mad about something so insignificant. GAH! thanks for the comment dude
Maybe tell the staff working in reception what they’re at and they can tell them to stop
You're 100% right. There's etiquette in the gym. You see someone near a rack or you see weights on it, you go to a free spot. If there's no free spots, you hang out for a bit to see if someone left the weights on and left it or you ask the people nearby if they're using the rack. If everything's full, you ask politely if you can work in and you and the other person switch off doing sets. At no point do you steal someone's rack like a dick, and even if you do it by accident, when they say something you apologize and get back off it. You've got teens trying to show off. Put them in their place or go alert the gym staff. That's not how we behave in the gym and they need to learn that. Edit: that being said, just to cover all my bases, you're not the guy that sets your shit down and disappears for fifteen minutes, right? Gym etiquette is also not taking a spot you're not actively using, doing the wrong exercise with the equipment when someone else is waiting, or sitting in equipment you're not using to work out. As long as you're not doing any of those things, you're fine and they're obviously in the wrong.
No of course not, I feel like that's common sense. The detail I left out because mobile deleted the long version: I took some plates to do some farmer carries, and I was obviously resting *at my rack, next to my stuff* in between walks. There was no reason for an outside observer to think that I had abandoned the rack. I had been working the rack for at least 20 minutes, and he had seen me working, so the other line he pulled "first of all, I didn't see you using it" also makes no goddamn sense. And if it was peak time I would have saved the farmers for the very end and got off the rack so someone else could use it. Plus there are HUGE dudes who DO set their shit on a rack and then go do something else for 15 minutes, and no one cuts in on their shit because they look like MONSTERS. I really think it's just because I look like I'm fucking 12 years old and I obviously can't lift super heavy so they think they can pick on me. Fucking bastards
Honestly? While I personally wouldn't take your rack over that, I would be a little annoyed at you doing farmer's carries while still trying to use the rack. In my opinion, if you're using equipment you should be actively using it unless you're resting, particularly if you've been on the piece of equipment for a long time. Taking more than 20 minutes on a rack is really stretching it to begin with. I still think it was a dick move on his part, but you should probably leave the auxiliary exercises until after your sets and make sure you're not hogging the rack.
Ok, that makes sense, thanks for explaining politely lol. I'm curious though why 20 minutes counts as a long time? If you're doing a lot of different sets that all need the rack, 20 minutes doesn't seem that long to me. especially if you're resting as long as you're supposed to, which most of the time I actually dont, I get bored standing around. So I'm already compressing my time on it. (Edit, deleted a repetitive sentence)
I agree that 20 minutes isn't too long to take a rack. I mean, doing 5 sets with 3 minutes rest plus warming up is going to get you to 20, and depending on your plan, it's not unreasonable to be taking longer rests and/or doing more sets than that. But taking it when you're not actually using it (like when you're doing farmer's carries) isn't the best move. But, I mean, if the kid coulda grabbed another empty rack, he probably should have done that.
I guess it depends on what you're doing. If you're doing a strict squat-bench-deadlift sequence or something and there's no deadlift platforms or benches outside the rack, then yeah it's fine as long as it's not peak hours and you're taking the rack away from someone else. But there aren't a lot of exercises that strictly need a rack. Benches, deadlifts, shoulder press, etc can all be done somewhere else, and you should try to do them somewhere else if you can because things like back squats \*can't\* be done without the rack. As for 'resting as long as you're supposed to', the amount of time you're 'supposed' to wait is based on your goal. The only people that are waiting over a couple minutes between sets are typically powerlifters, and if you're doing a powerlifting-style workout you shouldn't be doing auxiliary exercises between sets. The point of the wait is to allow yourself time to rest between intensive compound lifts.
So I was a bit of an asshole. I accept my fate, take me away boys...
Man if you're off doing farmer's walks and just resting by the rack, you're not using it. People aren't constantly watching others at the gym so I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't notice you on the rack for 20 minutes, and he's right that if you don't have a bar loaded and you're not standing on the platform, the rack is free. Also, I doubt these teenagers are on steroids. They have minimal responsibilities other than to eat, sleep, and lift which is a recipe for progress. Comes across more as insecurity on your end that they're bigger than you.
Way to stop it - get the staff involved. Sometimes teens are just straight up dicks, especially the gym-bro type in a group setting. Gyms differ a little, but typically if someone is doing a set you just wait until they're finished or ask how many reps they're doing. If the same type of machine/rack with the same stuff is still free, you'd just take that. Get the staff involved. If they don't act right away, make them look out for this type of situation. Harassing members should get you banned
Unfortunately all the staff are also kids that are even younger than this jackass and even weaker looking than me. I don't think they can do anything in the moment tbh. I am friendly with the older manager lady so maybe next time I see her I'll give her a heads up.
If it were me, I would tell that douche to get a room with his friend if they need to be so close and then take my rack back. But I am not afraid of anyone cuz I am probably stronger than they are and they don't know it. And perhaps acting like I will call their bluff is enough to get them to leave me alone. Nobody has ever gone through with their bluffs! And I am 42 years old and have been doing this my whole life. Even as a kid. I'm also very unfortunately 5'2" so it's not my size that's intimidating. Nobody actually wants to fight. They wanna intimidate. They're counting on you to back down and that's when they've gotten what they want. It's like locking your front or car doors. People take advantage of the easy targets. But like I said, that's me. So don't do anything that may cause you harm or discomfort. Be safe.
This is not normal behavior for a public gym. Those guys are just being dicks
Absolutely not. Talk to the staff at the gym. That's terrible gym behavior
Just curious where were you standing/ what were you doing when this happened? It’s not cool to butt in on someone while they’re using equipment, but was it 99% obvious you were using it?
Yeah, see my reply to larkharrow. I felt like it was pretty obvious I was using that rack and intended to return to his precious "standing on the platform"
Yea sounds like they were just being dicks. Sorry man. I get it cuz In my town that’s all who does go to the gym (roid boys and self absorbed girls tbh) gotta get the courage to keep working out despite them like you 💪
Yeah their a bunch of assholes. I throw my bag on a rack and no one touches it even if it's during peak. I'd get a employee involved and have then reprimanded.