Is this normal exercise class behaviour these days? days?

[Jobs4kids]

I've recently started a new exercise class after a few years away.

I've noticed that people seem to arrive early and mark their place on the floor with their weights, water bottle etc meaning that, despite arriving in good time, I can struggle to find a decent spot. This morning, I turned up more than 5 minutes before the start of class and was greeted by rows of well spaced markers despite it not looking overly busy people-wise. After scanning the room a couple of times, I found a spot but it was a bit stressful! Another woman walked in just after me, who is also quite new, and had similar trouble. We exchanged comments about "towels on sunbeds" and agreed it was ridiculous. Class starts and a couple of minutes later one of the regulars rushes in late. One of the others said "OMG Susie, I thought you weren't coming so didn't save your space!" proving that people are clearly saving spots for others as well as themselves and explaining why quite a few regulars were missing when I arrived yet miraculously had spaces once the class started.

As I said, it's been a few years since I last did exercise classes so wonder if it's the norm now or if these people are just twats?

Don't they limit the numbers that can book onto a class? So there should be room what ever time you arrive.
Sounds pretty standard to me and not a new thing. I used to hate being the last to arrive and ending up right at the front!

Ha, I do an early morning class, and the instructor had to warn people recently not to turn up more than 15 min early because reception were complaining about the queue when they open.

I am usually 2 min before it starts, so I'm often stuck right down the front, when I would prefer to hide at the back. Still - YABU. People can do what they like. It's a ridiculous thing to be annoyed about.

I assume there are limited numbers, so you will find space somewhere. If you want first pick, get there earlier.

I remember the same thing happening about twenty five years ago, so not a new problem.

Yeah I’ve noticed this too. There’s never a good space left if you arrive less than 5 mins early, and people hate moving over

Why does it matter where you stand

It matters in my Pilates as the only spot left is behind a wall usually 🤣 poor design in that studio. Maybe that’s why they get there early.

in the big studios for say, Zumba it doesn’t matter at all.

I haven't noticed this at my gym at all

I don't get the issue - they have arrived there before you so are able to choose their preferred space. Are you saying it would be fine if you got there after them and they were physically sitting in the place that they had reserved, it's just the fact they've arrived, put something down and then left (I assume to warm up or whatever, it's not as though they arrived at 9am to reserve a space for a class that doesn't start until 6pm), that you don't like?

Because that doesn't make sense, presumably if they weren't allowed to reserve a space and then leave, they'd still show up at the same time and just stay sitting in the space instead until the class started, so you still wouldn't be any better off if you arrived after them.

There should be enough spaces for everyone, if you want a good space you could do exactly as the others do and arrive there early or ask someone to save you a spot - the gym hasn't allowed them any unfair or special privileges, they aren't doing anything that you also couldn't do yourself if it means that much to you to get a good space.

I don't do exercise classes by the way so don't have any skin in the game.

If there's not enough room full stop in the class for everyone to have a space, then that's the gym's issue, and would be a problem regardless if you arrived first or last.

Cliquey regulars at exercise classes is as old as the hills unfortunately. As PP have said, the only way round it is to get there even earlier than them. But this is one of the reasons I do home workouts.

YABU lots of people like to warm up or do extra exercises / cardio before classes. Arriving 5 mins early isn’t exactly early anyway

I dont Really see the issue, you want them to turn up. Find their spot and then stand there waiting and not move. I mean other than susie, they were all there before you so entitled to whatever spot they wish. It’s not like they marked it then fucked off for the day

I dont do exercise classes very often but I expect that the problem is people reserving spots for other people and spacing out mats in such a way that those outside of the clique have to squeeze around the edges.

I expect most classes have a capacity limit applied but that doesn't stop some people wanting extra space for themselves at the expense of others.

In a perfect world the gym would lay out mats/equipment first so that everyone has sufficient space but I appreciate this is not going to happen.

I go to yoga but no-one reserves spaces. We have our preferred positions - some like the back, I like the front because I can hear our teacher better. (an echoey room) But we never fuss over it. All very amicable.

Ah, sounds normal then. I'm sure in the past we used to hang around the edges chatting/whatever then moved into an available space once the teacher signalled it was time to start. I always arrive in good time and was definitely there before some of the others, yet they had spaces so clearly people are saving for friends, which is more of the issue. Just feels a bit cliquey sadly.

Must be the only thing where everyone turns up on time then. I wonder if this could be used to avoid latecomers at other things.

So when you arrive at a class and you need equipment are you not meant to put it out until the instructor is going to start the class??

At the classes I attend when everyone comes in gets their matts/equipment and puts it in a spot ready for the class to start.

It's always been thus.
You need get.there early otherwise you'll be at the front and everyone will see you going the opposite way to everyone else

Those who get there first get to pick their spot if they need to put mats out or set up weights. As always; if you're not fast, you're last!

I do body pump and will set up for another woman that goes if I'm in before her and she'll do the same for me. We're close to the front anyway so it isn't the spot most people want

And in body balance I'll put a mat out for another woman that goes as she travels further than me and often gets stuck in traffic.

i arrive early sometimes as come straight from work I’ll get my stuff out then go to gym for 10 minutes then already warmed up

For me I don't want to be right at the front, I don't want to be in full view of the mirror, I do want to be able to see the instructor and I don't want to be next to a manspreader.

Id guess most people have some form of preference, easy for you if you don't care at all, no need to get there early 😀

This doesn’t surprise me. Peoples selfish behaviour & them being creatures of habit wanting the same place everytime

happens in most situations like people wanting the same table a lunch everyday at work

I can see how it seems cliquey but if you have been attending a class for a long time you do get to know the regulars and people do tend to gravitate to the same spots.

It’s not something I do or have done for me but I would never have thought of it’s being clique.

YANBU it does sound like towels on a sunbed. I'm amazed they even let them into the room if the instructor isn't there. Sounds like an insurance nightmare waiting to happen if someone has an accident and sues.