Asked to move at the gym

[CatamaranViper]

Firstly, the way our gym is laid out, you walk in and all the cardio equipment is either side of you, facing the walls. The equipment is all in pairs so it goes two treadmills, two rowing machines, two cross trainers, two bikes, two treadmills etc on each side.
When I came in, all CTs were free so I hopped on one. I usually do a 40 min program which is customised on my profile. All the cardio equipment has a big screen and you can watch netflix etc if you want. I usually do watch something.

So I was on the CT with my headphones in, facing the wall and about 10 mins into my workout. A lady taps me on the shoulder which made me jump and asks me to move machine. I gestured to the one next to me (I was a bit out of breath) and told her that it was free. She then told me that her and her friend like to do it side by side so I'd need to move for them. I was only 10 mins into my workout and I was quite settled where I was and she was rude. I said no, I'll be 30 mins or so, you can use it then.

One of the other pairs of CTs had a bloke on one so there weren't any two free together, but plenty other equipment was available and in pairs.

She demanded I move again and I just put my headphones back in. A few mins later a staff member comes over and asks how long I'll be. The screens shows I have about 25 mins left now, he sees this and off he goes. Next thing I hear a bang and one of the ladies has stormed out the gym. The other one is glaring at me and saying something I can't hear.

I mean, I could have moved to another CT but i always find it difficult if I stop and start again on those machines and there were other free CTs, just not two together. I don't think I did anything wrong but thought I'd ask on here. So WIBU to stay on my machine?

Ah I'm pleased that it's not just me thinking I was in the right then!

I do have a time im trying to beat too but tbh that wasn't all that important

Someone asked if they could have my weights the other day and I said no. I was resting (for 1 min) between sets. Which is recommended. And I knew he’d be longer than a minute. Plus there’s spare weights about twenty steps away he could go and use.

Really annoys me when people try and take your stuff or hurry you up. I’ve been sat on the leg press before and I literally only rest 1 min between sets and someone came and asked me if I was still using it ……I never use any bit of equipment (apart from a bench) for more than 5 mins. I said I was still using it and she stood there huffing for the next few mins as I was actually using it and then flounced off.

someone snuck a hand through the back of the cable machine once and took the rope attachment while I’d bent down to pick my water bottle up. I marched over to the other cable machine and took it back off him. It was obvious I was using it.

No you weren’t unreasonable! I’m leaving my gym because lots of entitled parents bring small children and let them play on the machines and the management won’t do anything about it. It’s a Nuffield health club and not worth the extortionate fees to have to dodge 5 year olds hanging upside down off the machines

But what constitutes “hogging”. People pay their money and have as much right as anyone else to use it. What if you were training for an ultramarathon?

we have one squat rack at the gym and there used to be a girl who would use it for over an hour every single evening. People used to grumble about her but she was never asked or told to move. Thankfully she’s left now. 😁

I had minor smug triumph at the gym a few years back. Group of women standing around the cardio equipment in the women's gym - only two of everything. One on a stationary treadmill, another half-heartedly biking and a third hovering near a CT. The other CT occupied.

Women talking loudly for the entirety of my 10m warm up and stretch. Fine if you want to, but a bit annoying in a tiny room.

I finish my warm up and climb on the free cross trainer.

Woman hovering nearby: "Oh, I'm using that."
Me: "Not very well, shall I demonstrate how?"

Headphones in, and enjoyed the heat from their looks of burning resentment as I did my routine.

If they'd asked really nicely then I would have moved. But if she was rude and really did expect you to move then I think you did the right thing.

So like if someone is 'using' two machines (hopping between the two) they'll tell them they can't do that if someone is waiting. Or if someone takes 5 different size weights and won't let others use them

That's brilliant!

OMG you are defo NOT being unreasonable, what a cheek!

This is very true.

YADNBU, and the pair of women sound like entitled twats. And I am glad you stood your ground and didn't move.

Good for you OP, I would have done the exact same as your! I can’t believe the entitlement of some people nowadays. Some adults are worse than children when it comes to “being next to a friend”.

I can't believe people actually behave like this. WTF?

DH reckons I've now got a pair of enemies at the gym.

Stuff em. You are at the gym for you, not anyone else.

Ha, I've worked in hospitality for years and honestly, it doesn't shock me anymore. I vividly remember a group taking chairs from a decorated reserved table because "only the table is reserved".

I feel like these people are those people.

yanbu, but … my gym has a rule you shouldn’t use one machine longer than half an hour, because otherwise some people occupy machines like poolbeds at a resort. So maybe check if there is such a rule at your place because 40 mins sounds like a long time to me. So last week at my gym i tapped a guy on the shoulder who was already running for 40 minutes and i was waiting for a treadmill. He was annoyed by it , but i believe i was in my right to do so.

But these women interrupted OP at just 10 minutes in!

Definitely not a rule at my gym. The staff actually set my custom program on my account as part of my fitness goal after my most recent consultation.

The ladies in the OP wanted machines next to each other. There were free ones they could have used albeit apart from one another.

Why didn't they 'make' the man on the other bank of machines move?
I used to go to a small gym with only 2 CTs and if it wasn't free I'd just do weight machines or other stuff until it was. If anyone tried to make me move I'd have been mortified. Maybe at a push politely ask how long they'll be.
I reckon they just wanted to socialise else why not just hop on any free machine. It's sounds so childish.."I need to sit next to my friend' and if not they storm off.
Their loss. It's a gym not a social club/cafe.

Why should you move ? Absolutely not ! And please complain about the gym member. I absolutely hate my workout being disrupted it totally puts me off and they should NOT be asking you how long you’ll be. You’ll be how long you’ll be

Also, if you ever do need to interrupt anyone on those sorts of machines, don't tap them on the shoulder. Especially if they have headphones in. It really made me jump!

They possibly did approach him. As the machines face the wall, he was behind me facing the other way and I was very absorbed in an episode of Schitts Creek so I have no idea if he was approached first.

My DD was bullied off a machine at her gym recently. She’s only young and needs to find her balls.