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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that new gym members have as much right to use facilities as older members?

80 replies

LunaGracie · 22/05/2016 16:58

I have just joined a gym. It's my local branch of a national chain

I went to a spinning class yesterday and turned up early for the class, and went into the spinning studio.

The instructor came in and told me that regulars had bikes that they always "like to use" and to wait until the rest of the class were there and then once all the regulars were there I could choose a bike out of the remainder!

I told him that I had paid as much as the regular members and therefore could choose any bike I liked, and chose one.

AIBU to think this is ridiculous? Do new members get turfed off treadmills if a longstanding member wants to use them? Or do they chuck people out of the showers naked if they've only been a member for a month and someone who's been a member for 6 months wants a shower? Weird!

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 22/05/2016 17:00

That's bloody odd!! Surely all the bikes are the same. You pay the same. I get that certain positions may make it easier to see but unless they pay for a particular place. Weird!

DoingTheBestICan · 22/05/2016 17:00

You did the right thing, I am a member of a gym and I would never dream of asking someone to move from my 'favourite' spot.

Very weird of the instructor.

megletthesecond · 22/05/2016 17:01

Yanbu. I've never heard anything so ridiculous. It has never happened at our gym, first come first served.

HooplaLoopla1 · 22/05/2016 17:02

YANBU. Tbh I'd say the instructor was pretty unprofessional saying that to you. I'd speak to another member of staff and ask what their 'rules' are regarding this kind of stuff. It wouldn't faze me personally, I'd use what equipment I wanted but it's that kind of talk that puts some people off going back.

At my gym, you can use what equipment you like, that said 'regulars' do tend to give you a dodgy look and whisper to each other should a 'noob' come in a take a spot they'd usually use.

OurBlanche · 22/05/2016 17:02

You'll be popular!

In an open session you use what you will.

In a class many people do get used to 'their spot'. Many do so because of a variety of reasons, weak hearing, sight, muscular strength, they go with a friend, just like that spot.

Many instructors will ask newbies to wait and see which bike is available, it then becomes 'their' bike. Sadly, whilst you are absolutely right, you can use any bit of machinery you want to, you have made it plain that you are 'that customer' and will probably be treated with perfectly pleasant, professional civility, and no more.

Never mind, you got to make your point!

bigbluebus · 22/05/2016 17:03

How ridiculous. All members should have equal rights. I have been a member of my local (privately owned) gym since it opened 8 years ago. I have my favourite treadmill and crosstrainer but if I get there and someone else i using them then I just use a different one.

I used to do spin classes and I know some members have favourite bikes - they come in and go straight to put their towels/water bottles on them before they go to the changing rooms but if someone else had got there first I can't imagine them being told to 'move cos that's my bike'.

Well done for standing up to the instructor - lets hope he gets the message for the future,

Original poster
LunaGracie · 22/05/2016 17:04

Ourblanche, I don't go to the gym to be popular! How absurd!

OP posts:
Original poster
LunaGracie · 22/05/2016 17:05

Also ourblanche how do you know that I don't have an eyesight problem, or a hearing problem, or would 'like' a particular spot??

OP posts:
ProudAS · 22/05/2016 17:06

You have as much right to use the facilities as everyone else. However, it may be that certain people don't get on with certain bikes.

napmeistergeneral · 22/05/2016 17:07

YANBU. No bagsies in the gym.

indecisionindecision · 22/05/2016 17:08

I have a favourite spot in a class i go to. I make sure that i am the first person in the room so that i get it. If I'm late and someone else has 'my spot', i wouldn't dream of asking them to move and i'm certainly not offended.

DoItTooJulia · 22/05/2016 17:09

This shit is why I can't stand the gym.

HooplaLoopla1 · 22/05/2016 17:09

OurBlanche I don't think the OP was treated with professional civility do you? 2 people are paying the same membership/class price and they've got to stand around and wait like a 2nd class citizen until everyone else turns up? They could knob right off tbh! If that makes me 'that customer' then so be it-although at my gym, I'm treated fine and none of the instructors have been shitty with me.

DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease · 22/05/2016 17:10

Yanbu, use whichever bike you want.

Tanaqui · 22/05/2016 17:12

I used to go to a spin class where the instructor encourages us to always use the same bike (they were numbered, and moved when the floor was cleaned so you had to hunt!), as over time the resistance varies between the bikes and if you keep using the same one you know which settings are right for you. Otherwise you sometimes waste time with it too easy or too hard! But if that is the case he should have explained it nicely to you.

OurBlanche · 22/05/2016 17:16

I don't know if you do, I don't know you, I was not that trainer. When I was a trainer I had a lot of clients with definite issues and preferences in some classes. In those classes I would:

a) ask any new customer if they had any health issues, filled out a PAR Q and got to know them a bit

b) asked them to be respectful of some of the longstanding members preferences - had that been necessary

c) have done so civilly and anticipated an equally civil response.

It has absolutely nothing to do with 2nd class citizens etc. Sometimes it has to do with the make up of a specific class. I could not have explained those preferences, that would have broken confidentiality and been utterly unprofessional.

Maybe that was the situation you walked into. I don't know. I was offering my opinion based on my experience. There are times when an instructor has to do something uncomfortable/unpopular for the benefit of some clients.

Of course you could just have joined a gym full of precious snowflakes.. if so, good luck! You'll need it.

DailyMailFodder · 22/05/2016 17:22

YANBU, it's true test there can be differences between bikes but I can't see how that's an issue. You just adjust it to suit?

HooplaLoopla1 · 22/05/2016 17:23

I can honestly say, I'm glad you don't work at my gym OurBlanche ! Extenuating circumstances, fair enough, briefly explaining to a new member that some people who already attend the class regularly need to use particular equipment for personal reasons would be understandable and in no way breaching confidentiality. They could also point out 'that bike, that bike and that bike' (for example) and there wouldn't be a problem. But to ask-actually, no, TELL the OP to wait until the regulars turned up and took their place and then pick from the remainder and the OP is paying her membership? Not cool, not cool at all. Yes, IMO, that is being treated like a 2nd class citizen.

CakeNinja · 22/05/2016 17:30

If anyone asked me to hang around until every other 'regular' had chosen and I could pick from the dregs I'd tell them to pull the other one and ignore.
Some people may have preferences. They are preferences. They don't own the equipment, they borrow it the same as everyone else does.
I have a spin bike that I prefer due to its location. In order to get it, I know how early I need to be for the class. Sometimes I can't make it early enough and the bike is taken. Thats life.

GabsAlot · 22/05/2016 17:30

what nonsense another reason i dont want to use a gym bloody cliques and arseholes telling u where u can and cant go

OurBlanche · 22/05/2016 17:33

Fair enough. But as you don't know me and obviously didn't read/understand my last post, hey ho!

You also have no idea what, if any, reasons the OPs instructor had. You have simply chosen to believe he is an unprofessional knob. Again, hey ho!

I'd probably have been equally delighted not to have had to train you Smile

Originalfoogirl · 22/05/2016 17:35

If the regulars want "their bikes" the regulars should be there early.

Ask the instructor where in the terms and conditions it says you have to leave bikes for long standing members. Maybe ask at which point you become a regular? What if you miss a few weeks, do you slip back to newbie status?

What a load of ridiculous twaddle. Maybe ask for your money back and choose a less cliquey, stuck up gym.

Andrewofgg · 22/05/2016 17:38

Bugger that. Choose a free bike and if they don't like it, well, what goes with Gomorrah?

paxillin · 22/05/2016 17:38

Well, YANBU if I switch on my brain of course. In reality, if you sit on MY bike I shall sit on the wrong one quietly hating you. I'll never let you know of course, I'd look a bit loopy.

Moonlightceleste · 22/05/2016 17:38

some people don't get on with certain bikes

Probably because there's something wrong with them, in which case given everyone is paying the same price, they need to take turns.

When I was at school I was involved with an activity that involved gym type equipment for training. The school had some new machines which were brilliant, and some old ones that were difficult to use and awful. so we took it in turns. You can't just decide that's your machine and no one else touches it unless you personally own it Hmm