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AIBU?

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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:
Rewis · 23/03/2024 11:36

Missamyp · 23/03/2024 11:24

Why is doing 40 mins excessive?

Show quote history

I just think if there is queue then 40min is a long time. My routine involves 30min on treadmill and if there are people waiting i hop off after 15min and then ginish later. If no queue then stay as long as you want. But obviously there is no need to move at all if you don't want to 🙂

Similarly my (small) work gym has one freeweight area. If nobody else is there I stay there as long as I want/need. If there are others then I prioritise what I need to do and cut the rest. Unfortunately some people just take it for an hour and I don't get to work out that day. But such is life 🤷🏼‍♀️

swayingpalmtree · 23/03/2024 11:26

Someone with genuine gym anxiety would not have stormed out of the gym making a huge fuss/scene about it so thats utter BS for starters.

She's clearly monumentally pissed off that you wouldnt immediately bow to her demands. Well tough shit- entitled twat. Good for you OP!

defendher · 23/03/2024 11:26

40 is not excessive. Its average.

Some people don't exercise enough, and it really shows!

Missamyp · 23/03/2024 11:24

Rewis · 23/03/2024 11:17

If there were two people waiting and two machines available then no need to move. If there is someone waiting and no machines available then doing 40min is exessive. Wether there are written rules or not. Same with all equipment.

In this case no need to move.

Why is doing 40 mins excessive?

defendher · 23/03/2024 11:23

Jesus. They're crazy

Everythinggreen · 23/03/2024 11:17

If they were there to actually train, they wouldn't have the breath, focus or energy to have a conversation as they are on a CT, so they were there for a leisurely exercise and chat and demanding you facilitate that. No way!

Even on the weight machines, if people are having a little break between sets while sitting on the equipment, it's sometimes needed, never mind someone working out on a machine at that very moment.

Entitled CFs I say.

Rewis · 23/03/2024 11:17

If there were two people waiting and two machines available then no need to move. If there is someone waiting and no machines available then doing 40min is exessive. Wether there are written rules or not. Same with all equipment.

In this case no need to move.

KanyeJohnWestTuna · 23/03/2024 11:13

I’m pleased you didn’t make way for this entitled pair OP and stood your ground. First come first served!

I went to a my first and only step class (many years ago!) and new people were told to grab the smaller steps and go to the front so we could see which I did. A gaggle of late-comers, all dressed to the nines in fancy gym wear and make-up, the “in-crowd”, came in and one of them demanded my steps as “I need them” (her friends glared at me when I hesitated) and I gave in and ended up at the back on larger steps and couldn’t see so well.

MysteryDog · 23/03/2024 11:06

YANBU. I would have done exactly the same.

Those women are entitled and rude. Imagine getting so cross about a CT that you storm out of a gym! She's got other issues and you shouldn't worry about it.

ladyofshertonabbas · 23/03/2024 11:06

Yanbu. Good for you

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 23/03/2024 11:05

theduchessofspork · 22/03/2024 21:45

You know you were reasonable

The world is full of nutters

They can jog on

(though I guess they couldn't jog on 🤣 )

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 23/03/2024 11:03

Luluissleeping · 23/03/2024 10:59

A bloke once asked me Can I jump on ahead of you?" when I was on a machine. I said I had only just got on it. He waited by the machinr, staring daggers at me, for the full 10 minutes I was on it
Quite intimidating. These days I would not have put up with it. Those that do little exercise, but scroll on their phones irritate me.

My next words to him would be to “foxtrot Oscar” but those words because then it’s not rude!

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 23/03/2024 11:03

This is why I dislike gyms. I almost always get men trying to “show me” stuff, and no way would I move for some women demanding to use what machine I was on. You did nothing wrong OP.

Luluissleeping · 23/03/2024 10:59

A bloke once asked me Can I jump on ahead of you?" when I was on a machine. I said I had only just got on it. He waited by the machinr, staring daggers at me, for the full 10 minutes I was on it
Quite intimidating. These days I would not have put up with it. Those that do little exercise, but scroll on their phones irritate me.

Crochetablanket · 23/03/2024 10:42

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 words! I assume this is sarcasm no one can be that much of a people pleaser.
Very well done OP!

LakeTiticaca · 23/03/2024 10:39

Good for you. How old were they, 10?
The entitlement of some folk nowadays is off the scale

Gettingonmygoat · 23/03/2024 10:36

They were absolutely in the wrong in fact they are a pair of cheeky bitches to even ask you to move.

kalokagathos · 23/03/2024 10:33

YANBU at all- they were

Iwasafool · 23/03/2024 10:28

SaulHudsonDavidJones · 23/03/2024 10:10

Definitely this too, I'd mention it as it's not on from the number of staff. It's not like you're on a long haul flight and a couple/parents and kid have been seated separately and you're politely being asked if you'll change seats.

Show quote history

The staff member was dealing with a complaint, he didn't ask the OP to move, he obviously upset entitled woman by telling her that. I can't see what he did wrong.

Oblomov24 · 23/03/2024 10:13

Good grief, absolute cheek!

SaulHudsonDavidJones · 23/03/2024 10:10

LuciaSoto · 22/03/2024 20:22

not unreasonable, but I would also been really annoyed with the gym staff member, they shouldn’t have even come up and asked you.

Definitely this too, I'd mention it as it's not on from the number of staff. It's not like you're on a long haul flight and a couple/parents and kid have been seated separately and you're politely being asked if you'll change seats.

ElliottFromScrubs · 23/03/2024 10:09

People are ridiculous in the gym.

Its not ok to be “tapping people on the shoulder”
don’t be touching anyone.

also stop taking selfies on the machines when the gym is busy.

Tattletwat · 23/03/2024 10:05

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.

How about the idiots who wanted her to move only caring about their selfs.

I find people who want others to be kind aren't that kind thier selves and incredibly selfish.

Tattletwat · 23/03/2024 10:02

First come first served.

The woman was fair to ask but that's it you said no so that should be end of it.

They are pathetic if they need to be joined at hip, eithier use a the CT apart or find something different they can do together.

MagentaRocks · 23/03/2024 09:57

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.

40 minutes isn’t a long time on a machine, especially cardio. Lots of people do an hour on the treadmill or bike etc. I don’t think that is unreasonable.

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