Anyone care to join me in a January gym rant?

[HandbagsnGladrags]

I'd forgotten how much I hate January at my gym (and yes, I am aware than I was once a newbie but I'm going to rant anyway as a was never a newbie dick).

Got there this morning with plenty of time to spare to get to my class. There are cars queueing for spaces and people dicking around with indicators on waiting for people to leave their space, blocking the whole road. 4x4's parked across two spaces in case anyone should park too close to their precious tank. Then I finally get inside to find an entire family with kids blocking the entrance barriers because they can't find their membership cards or whatever. GET OUT THE WAY!!!

Get to class. Newbies who have never done it before turn up at the very last minute so that the instructor starts the class late because he has to explain everything to them. If you're new, turn up early to allow for this FFS.

Then on the way out there are two kids playing catch with a ball in the café where people are eating and drinking. It's not a playground FFS!!

Ahh I feel better now. Roll on February when everyone will have fucked off and normal service is resumed.

Well, these "dicks" keep the cost of your membership down so maybe a little patience would not go amiss. Climbing the ladder and pulling it up behind you and all that.....

Hang in there. They'll all be gone by February 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I doubt that very much, it goes up about 10% year on year and it's not cheap. Also, this isn't AIBU...

This is the reason I hate gyms. The "newbie" label and feeling like a pest.

Maybe have a little more understanding and kindness for people trying to better themselves.

It's not the newbies I have an objection to, it's people behaving like dicks and the general busyness in January. When I was new, I turned up to classes really early so that I didn't disrupt them and had time to have things explained to me. Of course I applaud people bettering themselves, and I was new once myself.

It also makes sense, if you're a newbie, to show up early to a class rather than at the last minute so that the instructor has to delay the start of the class to show you the ropes. It isn't fair to the other participants and has a knock-on effect on the rest of the classes.

YANBU @HandbagsnGladrags!

because he has to explain everything to them. If you're new, turn up early to allow for this FFS.
Is it publicised to turn up ahead of time for it if your new? Every exercise class I've been to, it starts at the time it starts as there's normally a class in before hand, so you can't go in early and the instructor covers any new stuff for new joiners while we're starting or doing it not ahead of time.

Well at least they are using the gym and giving it go, it's not your gym. They are paying the same membership as you and have as much right to be there.

You sound like my MIL who is always complaining that when she goes out walking on a Tuesday afternoon in February there is never anyone there and its so terrible that people are just so sedentary these days and no one ever wants to enjoy the outdoors anymore. And then when we go walking somewhere on a Saturday in May or the summer holidays, she moans that everywhere is just full of 'tourists' and that she hates so many people on the landscape!

This is why I'm waiting for February to join a gym. 🤣

Most of our newbies have got bored already!!

A pity those with SUVs or 4x4s could not have to pay a higher membership fee.

Even if they park properly.

I just couldn’t get angry about this stuff 🤷‍♀️

You need to relax a bit. Maybe a sauna afterwards?

My body pump class was busy on Tuesday. Probably never see half of them again. I agree they need to be there early for some classes as you need to set up equipment.

This is why I walk or get the bus .....

Also it's a 'not fancy' 24hr gym with no kids and friendly/helpful staff. Don't mind newbies, everyone was new at one point! It's the usuals who don't put weights away or judge I don't like.

I hate it too. I think people are being unfair on you for insinuating you are mean for blaming newbies. Most of these issues are the fault of newbies! But only because they are new and don’t yet know the norms and how to behave in a commercial gym where you are sharing space (parking, cafe, equipment, gym floor, class schedules and so on) with others who may have been doing this for a long time.

Yes we can all have more understanding for others, but it’s difficult when you’ve got your routine, you know what is acceptable behaviour somewhere and then that is all uprooted mostly down to unreasonable behaviour!

OP- as an aside, this sounds like DL? I left recently due to the annual 10% rise (again!) and the fact they are prioritising signing up family memberships over and above everything else. I understand they are the lucrative memberships but a disproportionate amount of them in the membership puts a lot of strain on the gym (especially in the carpark, cafes and changing rooms) when they are specifically targeted in the way their Sales teams have been.

@PARunnerGirl yes it's DL, have been a member for many years. Agree with the point about family memberships. And don't get me started on unsupervised kids in changing rooms (when there's a separate family changing room). I once found a shit in the shower which had been done by an unsupervised child.

But there are more good points than bad so I stick with it as it keeps me sane.

Most of them will be gone by Feb.

There were 2 newbies at my spin class on Friday. Great, all welcome.

But. They chatted loudly to each other throughout the warm up and cool down which is just RUDE. Lots of people scowling at them seemed not to register.

'The January Club' is what I call them.

As a PP said, they'll be gone in three weeks' time !

I agree with you but it’s really annoying when people turn up at the last minute and they’ve never been before.

@HandbagsnGladrags Yep, same here for nearly 15 years! I totally get it. It’s a great gym and for most of my membership the pros did outweighs the cons. Just the last couple of years it started to grate on me.

Hang in there as usual! Another 3 weeks max I’d say until quieter times. 🤞🏼

But. They chatted loudly to each other throughout the warm up and cool down which is just RUDE. Lots of people scowling at them seemed not to register.

Yep, hate that as well. While people are talking you can't hear the instructor. Shut up.

Sounds annoying, I’ve not been in a gym for years and don’t miss it at all

I now exercise outside ( running, hiking & cycling) plus do yoga, and have a rowing machine and Zwift (indoor cycling) at home. Fitter now than I ever was in my gym days!

The chatting is rude, and turning up late annoying. Once went to an LBT class where someone was on their phone during rest periods constantly.

January Lane swimmers are the worst... I know there isn't a lot of 'formal' etiquette other than direction & speed (simple enough, surely!) but somehow, it is carnage in the pool at the start of every year and so so busy!

I know it's not my pool etc etc, but goodness - roll on Feb!