Gym rage

[Cotswoldmum70]

Hoping to find anyone who can relate. My local gym has a very popular Zumba class which I’ve recently started to attend. Like all gyms, there’s always that group of women who seem to be very cliquey and unfriendly to newcomers. Last week I got there nice and early, a good 10 minutes before the start of the class, so I could get a place at the front with a clear view of the instructor. About 5 minutes into the class, there was a commotion at the back of the hall, and a woman strode up to the front and was standing in front of me, trying to make a space where there was no space. I politely but assertively asked her to find a space at the back of the class, and pointed out that the class had started 5 minutes ago. She was not happy. She did move, but then came up to me and accused me of being aggressive and was trying to create a scene, which she did, and I was so embarrassed and upset that I walked out. I’ve since found out that she has accused me of being racist (she is a Chinese lady) but she has absolutely no evidence to back that up. Needless to say I won’t be going back to that class. Should I confront her about her accusations of racism? It feels like an attack on my character and is absolutely baseless.
I just upset the Queen Bee.

I’m afraid it’s usually like that. There are people who think it’s their right to be at the front and they overtly or covertly prevent anyone else from being there. It can get quite unpleasant sometimes.

Can you speak to the instructor about it?

I would complain to the gym about it, as it's the job of the person taking the class to prevent this sort of thing happening.

What did the instructor say?
If you enjoy the class and wasn’t racist then you would be stupid to not go back. Not going back makes you look like you were in the wrong.
Speak to the instructor/gym about it. Ask what they are going to do about it.

FFS! I have never been to a zumba class and probably won't bother now either if its full of bitchy women! OP you did nothing wrong and well done for being assertive!

The instructor was very upset and phoned me to check that I was ok. But I can’t help but feel she should have intervened and asked the lady to find a spot at the back. In an ideal world.

@Cotswoldmum70 I would make a point of always being there 10 minutes early and being at the front, hoping for a repeat!! who does she think she is??

God thar sounds awful! IME exercise classes can be cliquey (usually not intentionally, they just know each other) and people can be possessive about their spaces (at ours they "reserve" them with their water bottles, weights etc) but I've never seen scenes like you describe ( the odd dirty look maybe). The instructor needs to have a stern word with that woman. Go back if you can face it but understandable that you wouldn't want to (tell the instructor why)

Where is your class OP? We could all rock up next week and take the spots at the front, and the next week, and the next… 😁

She sounds awful. I probably wouldn't have said anything but refused to move an inch from my spot. Although that probably wouldn't have been any better as she'd have complained I was jostling her from her spot instead. The other people in the class must all know she's in the wrong.

I hate this sort of thing. It’s so hard to exercise if you feel self concious etc and then it just takes something like this to ruin a class…

i had several instances where I basically felt embarrassed in an exercise class /gym and kept pushing through it but then realised I wasn’t enjoying it because I was having to psyche myself up and convince myself no one was looking at me every single time . So i gave up and now I go swimming.

Well the instructor could have handled it better. Usually when someone walks in a little late, they suggest where to stand.

It'll blow over OP and maybe she won't be late next week.

Similar thing happened to me in barr class, I put my stuff down next to the barr and went to get a mat. Came back and another lady was moving my things over to somewhere where the was no barr! When I asked her what she was doing she said that she wanted to stand next to her friend. I did move it back, but she gave me dirty looks for the whole class.

I tried Zumba thought I was doing ok then another attendee leaned over touched my arm and said 'don't worry no one is watching you' 😂😂 not sure if she thought she was being kind or not.

Sounds like a weak instructor to me. It's not all gyms, I've never seen what you've described at mine. It's a completely safe space. The coach should be able to control their minions and latecomers always get put in a spot that doesn't disrupt the class

It's the other way round in many of the classes I do.

The people who get there early usually go for the back row or against one of the side walls. It's the latecomers who generally end up in the front row!