Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Asked to move at the gym

336 replies

CatamaranViper · 22/03/2024 20:16

Firstly, the way our gym is laid out, you walk in and all the cardio equipment is either side of you, facing the walls. The equipment is all in pairs so it goes two treadmills, two rowing machines, two cross trainers, two bikes, two treadmills etc on each side.
When I came in, all CTs were free so I hopped on one. I usually do a 40 min program which is customised on my profile. All the cardio equipment has a big screen and you can watch netflix etc if you want. I usually do watch something.

So I was on the CT with my headphones in, facing the wall and about 10 mins into my workout. A lady taps me on the shoulder which made me jump and asks me to move machine. I gestured to the one next to me (I was a bit out of breath) and told her that it was free. She then told me that her and her friend like to do it side by side so I'd need to move for them. I was only 10 mins into my workout and I was quite settled where I was and she was rude. I said no, I'll be 30 mins or so, you can use it then.

One of the other pairs of CTs had a bloke on one so there weren't any two free together, but plenty other equipment was available and in pairs.

She demanded I move again and I just put my headphones back in. A few mins later a staff member comes over and asks how long I'll be. The screens shows I have about 25 mins left now, he sees this and off he goes. Next thing I hear a bang and one of the ladies has stormed out the gym. The other one is glaring at me and saying something I can't hear.

I mean, I could have moved to another CT but i always find it difficult if I stop and start again on those machines and there were other free CTs, just not two together. I don't think I did anything wrong but thought I'd ask on here. So WIBU to stay on my machine?

OP posts:
Original poster
CatamaranViper · 22/03/2024 22:42

Anonymouslyposting · 22/03/2024 22:35

I’m clearly in the minority here - I would totally have moved so friends could be together and I’d have asked you if you minded moving not thinking it was a big deal.

However, if you’d said no I would not have got in a strip, complained to staff and stormed out. Massive overreaction.

If they hadn't startled me, demanded I move and then complained about me, I may have considered moving. But the machines take a couple of minutes to reprogram (you've got to log in and Auth on your phone) so it's not simply a case of jumping off one machine and onto another. Plus it would have started the program over from the start (I think). I did not have a 50 min CT session in me!

OP posts:
Penguinmouse · 22/03/2024 22:40

You did nothing wrong, they are ridiculously entitled! I can’t believe the gym staff member even entertained their entitlement.

Anonymouslyposting · 22/03/2024 22:35

I’m clearly in the minority here - I would totally have moved so friends could be together and I’d have asked you if you minded moving not thinking it was a big deal.

However, if you’d said no I would not have got in a strip, complained to staff and stormed out. Massive overreaction.

AngelQuartz · 22/03/2024 22:35

ThursdayTomorrow · 22/03/2024 22:02

You could have moved OP - it would have been the kind thing to do.
I find it sad how people only care about themselves now a days.

Oh leave it out 🤣

It is totally unreasonable to expect a complete stranger to interrupt their workout and lose their flow over 2 immature grown babies who are incapable to be more than 2 meters apart.

TheSnakeCharmer · 22/03/2024 22:25

You not only did nothing wrong, but you actually did something positively right...and that is to teach a pair of CFs that the world doesn't evolve around them. Not only did they distract you when exercising, but then tried to get their own way by complaining to management, before getting angry. People like this need to be told.

Original poster
CatamaranViper · 22/03/2024 22:22

EmmaGrundyForPM · 22/03/2024 22:19

My gym has a rule that, if someone else wants the machine, you can only have it for 20.minutes.

If there's no similar rule at your gym, then you can stay on for however long you want.

Definitely no rule unless it's an unwritten one, but does that also apply when the same type of machine is free a few feet away?

There were 2 women wanting the CT and at least 2 free machines. At your gym would i still be expected to move?

OP posts:
SD1978 · 22/03/2024 22:20

Nope, wouldn't have loved either. They didn't harass the man to move off his machine- they assumed you'd roll over and do it to 'be nice, be kind' and you didn't- you were in a workout, stopping and starting would have changed the momentum, whilst it's nice if they get a machine together, and can understand if it's more a social gym visit, the staff memeber never should have interrupted you the second time. You did nothing wrong and I would have done the same.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 22/03/2024 22:19

My gym has a rule that, if someone else wants the machine, you can only have it for 20.minutes.

If there's no similar rule at your gym, then you can stay on for however long you want.

Auburngal · 22/03/2024 22:18

sandrapinchedmysandwich · 22/03/2024 22:15

Are you fucking bonkers? I am so sick of this Be Kind shit to excuse shit behaviour

Show quote history

The Be Kind thing lasted a month before people attacked each other for loo rolls.

Auburngal · 22/03/2024 22:17

CatamaranViper · 22/03/2024 22:07

Ah I do sometimes go with a friend. We will work the whole session together but have never ever demanded other people move to accommodate us. Also doesn't stop either of us going on our own. Sometimes it's nice to have a friendly face

Show quote history

Good for you to be able to pluck the courage to go alone sometimes. Its those who are sheep that if one bucks out for reasons I mentioned, the other(s) don't attend.

sandrapinchedmysandwich · 22/03/2024 22:15

ThursdayTomorrow · 22/03/2024 22:02

You could have moved OP - it would have been the kind thing to do.
I find it sad how people only care about themselves now a days.

Are you fucking bonkers? I am so sick of this Be Kind shit to excuse shit behaviour

Sneezingdust · 22/03/2024 22:14

ThursdayTomorrow · 22/03/2024 22:02

You could have moved OP - it would have been the kind thing to do.
I find it sad how people only care about themselves now a days.

No, the two women were being unkind. It was completely unnecessary for anyone to move and once they’d been told no it was quite bullying to try and get a staff member involved.

They may want to socialise too, but it’s a gym and they should really be focused more on exercising. And if they’re not fine that’s up to them, but they shouldn’t be disrupting others who are focused on their exercise routine

Not saying this applies to OP but generally speaking many people at the gym are very depressed or anxious, and it’s taken a big effort for them to come to the gym and get on a machine. Exercise is medicine for them.

Disrupting someone’s routine in that manner for no good reason, could’ve led to a more vulnerable person just feeling so discouraged they just cut their workout short and leave altogether after you’ve make them feel like they need to move out the way.

HaddawayAndShite · 22/03/2024 22:07

ThursdayTomorrow · 22/03/2024 22:02

You could have moved OP - it would have been the kind thing to do.
I find it sad how people only care about themselves now a days.

Yes, thinking about themselves is exactly what those 2 women were doing. It's a gym not a social club and there were 2 other CT machines free 🙄

Original poster
CatamaranViper · 22/03/2024 22:07

Auburngal · 22/03/2024 21:59

People should not go to gyms together as what is the likelihood if A is ill/injured/on hols/CBA going that B attends alone?

The same goes to weight management/loss groups like WW SW etc. Been a member of both and seen this loads of times where friends come in together but I have never seen these friendship pairs etc go alone.

Ah I do sometimes go with a friend. We will work the whole session together but have never ever demanded other people move to accommodate us. Also doesn't stop either of us going on our own. Sometimes it's nice to have a friendly face

OP posts:
Original poster
CatamaranViper · 22/03/2024 22:05

ThursdayTomorrow · 22/03/2024 22:02

You could have moved OP - it would have been the kind thing to do.
I find it sad how people only care about themselves now a days.

But was it not unkind of them to demand I move and show they only cared about themselves?

OP posts:
XenoBitch · 22/03/2024 22:05

ThursdayTomorrow · 22/03/2024 22:02

You could have moved OP - it would have been the kind thing to do.
I find it sad how people only care about themselves now a days.

Are you being sarcastic?

The women OP mentioned wanted her to move so they could work out on machines next to each other. They were not being prevented from working out.

ThursdayTomorrow · 22/03/2024 22:02

You could have moved OP - it would have been the kind thing to do.
I find it sad how people only care about themselves now a days.

Auburngal · 22/03/2024 22:01

You did right staying put. Those women need to GAFL and GU

Auburngal · 22/03/2024 21:59

People should not go to gyms together as what is the likelihood if A is ill/injured/on hols/CBA going that B attends alone?

The same goes to weight management/loss groups like WW SW etc. Been a member of both and seen this loads of times where friends come in together but I have never seen these friendship pairs etc go alone.

SwedishEdith · 22/03/2024 21:56

Next thing I hear a bang and one of the ladies has stormed out the gym.

Ha ha ha.

cherish123 · 22/03/2024 21:55

YANBU

XenoBitch · 22/03/2024 21:54

NameChangedAgainn · 22/03/2024 21:41

I've never been to a gym with a rule like that, 40 minutes to over an hour is perfectly normal imo, especially if training for a half marathon/marathon.

Show quote history

Yep, something like a CT or treadmill seems reasonable to be on it for an hour. And most gyms have multiples of those machines anyway.

I used to go a gym where a lady there would spend hours on a stepper. She would spend ages on the machine, and write stuff on a tablet. Turns out she was was a published poet, and did her best works in the gym.
Still would not class her as hogging, as she was still working out.

Irridescantshimmmer · 22/03/2024 21:52

Those 2 women were not joined at the hip so therefore they had no right to ask you to move machines, first come, first served........it's life and they had better get used to it.

If she had a brain, she'd be dangerous.

The staff member should have used better judgement and told them "no".

If you had moved machines, your workout would have been ruined so you were right to stand your ground with them.

theduchessofspork · 22/03/2024 21:45

You know you were reasonable

The world is full of nutters

They can jog on

NameChangedAgainn · 22/03/2024 21:41

DutchCowgirl · 22/03/2024 20:51

yanbu, but … my gym has a rule you shouldn’t use one machine longer than half an hour, because otherwise some people occupy machines like poolbeds at a resort. So maybe check if there is such a rule at your place because 40 mins sounds like a long time to me. So last week at my gym i tapped a guy on the shoulder who was already running for 40 minutes and i was waiting for a treadmill. He was annoyed by it , but i believe i was in my right to do so.

I've never been to a gym with a rule like that, 40 minutes to over an hour is perfectly normal imo, especially if training for a half marathon/marathon.

Swipe left for the next trending thread