I’ve been going to the same gym for years but since lockdown ended I’ve noticed a group of three friends have muscled in on all the classes and and insist on keeping spaces for each other. This is stupid because you have to book all classes in advance so if there wasn’t any room you wouldn’t be allowed in of there wasn’t enough space or equipment for them, but that doesn’t stop these three insist on standing next to each other.
What usually happens is one arrives first, we’ll call her ‘Julie’ arrives first. Marches in to ‘her spot’ leaves a towel to mark the space as hers then ensures that that she places a water bottle and pair of car keys on other spots nearby for her friends who we’ll call Sharon and Cheryl. If anyone dares to stand in these spots they get told that they can’t because they are ‘taken’ bare in mind they’ve not even fucking arrived yet. Then Sharon arrives and Julie manically waves her arms to get her attention and makes sure that goes to her spot, then Cheryl arrives just before the class is about to start.
AIBU to think this is out of order. Julie told me off tonight for standing in one of her mates places so I shuffled only very slightly out to one side and was subjected to dirty looks all night, I couldn’t give a toss really but I’m a seasoned gym goer and that kind of behaviour can really put off newbies. These women are also in every single class, they are in body pump, they are in HIIT they are in fucking spin they are everywhere —and appear to make little progress— so you can hardly avoid them.
Also AIBIU to think that kind of behaviour is pathetic in fifty plus something women? It’s generally a very friendly gym and the classes were great and inclusive before they arrived