People at the gym waiting next to equipment while you work out-intimidating and rude?!

[Cheeseslice7]

Does anybody else find this extremely off-putting and intimidating? A piece of equipment has finally become free, I start my workout and then hear the dreaded "how long are you going to be?". I've frequently had people literally watching me next to my machine, barely giving me any space, hands on hips waiting for their turn. The worst case was when I've literally had a bloke trying to force me off the equipment! In this instance I was assertive and said no, wait for your turn but I'm not going to lie, I went home after that even though I wasn't at the end of my workout because I felt a bit shaken. I'm certainly not an equipment hogger and I've noticed it done to other people too at my gym! I'm not sure whether to make a complaint or just suck it up?

You do get daydreamers sitting out their between-set rest times holding up equipment needlessly. I remember going over to check someone was OK because she'd been sat motionless on the shoulder press for almost 15 minutes. Got an earful for my trouble because she was 'extended resting' apparently (which isn't a thing but hey ho).

This is the flip side. I absolutely agree that being aggressive and pushy is wrong but there are people who either sit on their phones in between sets and seem to be oblivious to how much time their 'rest' is, or who set out all the equipment that they want to use in their session, and want sole use of it for all of that time. Then get huffy when you ask if they've finished with something.

It's not unreasonable to let someone know you're waiting.

They are not being U to wait close by because otherwise how will they ever get on it?

If someone harassed you - go to the staff, that's what they're there for. It souldscappalling

Bloody hell. What did he do? Try to push you?

When they ask how long you could say "I have just begun. I will use it for ten minutes" if you're feeling brave, add "starting from when you step back and leave me alone" 😁

It depends how close they're standing next to the piece of equipment you're using. If it's too close for comfort, I just say,"would you mind giving me some space" and if they don't move, I complain to management.

A bit annoying but nothing more. For a response to the question "how long are you going to be?". My answer is always 'not sure yet'.

Then my headphones go back on and I do not look at them again.

I came across some new and unwelcome gym behaviour this morning. I use one of the gym’s mats for HIIT classes and put my own on top for extra cushioning on my knees. I put my mat down, turned away to get weights and when I came back, a woman was standing on my mat in her trainers chatting to her mate!

I said ‘excuse me, you’re standing on my mat’ and she gave me an irritated glance before moving as though I was being completely unreasonable.

It’s not OK to stand on other people’s mats, is it? Especially if it’s their own mat and not a gym one?

It's normal at the gym they are just waiting for their turn. If they leave someone else may take the spot. Lots of people take it in turns (one set person A then person B does a set and they rotate like that)

I once remember being in a gym only me and another bloke in gym.

I let him use machine as he was hovering, then proceeded to sit down on mess about on his phone.

I hate this so much

This would never happen at my gym (a David Lloyd). Occasionally I might become aware of someone inadvertently catching my eye as they are probably waiting for me to finish, but people would never stand right next to you.

If someone is just resting their water bottle on a bench I want to use or taking a reaaalllly stupid amount of time between sets while they play on their phone, I will say something like “Are you using this?” Or “Do you mind me asking how many sets you’ve got left?”

If this has become common and acceptable behaviour in your gym, I would definitely ask the gym to add it to one of the “don’t”s they mention during their introductions or inductions.

I cancelled my gym membership because of people training in pairs, hogging two pieces of equipment which they'd use turn and turn about. That and the gym trainers using equipment for private clients, so that nobody else could get on it.

Forcing you off a machine is out of order. But waiting next to the machine you want to use is just taking your place in a queue. It's the same as standing behind someone at a supermarket till. Similarly asking how long you will be on, say a treadmill, lets someone know of it's worth hanging around or going and doing something else. My view here is give me them an honest answer and tell them how long you'll be . If they are being an intimidating dick then it tells them they need to wait. If they just wanted to know then now they have the answer to their question and can plan accordingly.

I'm at a local leisure centre one which is mainly over 70s and everyone is polite and efficient

Maybe tell a member of staff while it's happening instead of it ignoring it or arguing with people? I've had this and if not staff nearby I stop and wave a member of staff over while staying on the equipment and they sorted it. Once I couldn't see any staff so I stopped on my treadmill and called the front desk from my phone and again the staff sorted it! Don't put up with it, you've paid and got every right to use the equipment to 🙄

Some of the gyms I used were busy like this because most people go to the gym early in morning, at lunch or the after work early evening.

What they had was a white board with each piece equipment on it like
“Cycle #3” and if someone was on it, and you wanted it next, you’d write your name on the white board and then go lurk around stretching or sit on phone or drift by the weights and do a few sets until it came free. Then you erased your name and got on the equipment when it was free...usually doing this as the other person was wiping it down for you.

I’ve had a woman ask me how long I was going to be on the treadmill for. I had just got on and was walking for a couple of minutes to warm up. ‘ Half an hour’ I said. She tutted. I pointed out that there were two unoccupied treadmills nearby. But no, she wanted that particular one!!

I will hover nearby if there is nothing else I need to be doing, I don't want anybody else getting in before me when it's the only thing I have left to do.

If there is other stuff I can be doing then I'll do that instead.

There would be no point in me waiting on the other side of the gym until the person had finished because there would be a high chance someone else would get there first. Then I would have to wait for them and the same thing could happen, I would never leave if that were the case!

At busy times I do try and do my free weights in a big circuit kind of fashion, so I'm only using each piece of equipment for one set then coming back to it later. This only works though if everyone is doing that! Also I feel like I can lift more doing this because each muscle gets a really decent break before you use it again.