To be fed up with machine hoggers at the gym?

[Glindaa]

Every time I go to the gym there are people who sit around on machines for ages between sets , scrolling on their phone or whatever, as if no one else in the gym needs to use that machine. I always get up between sets in case someone else wants to use it or go between machines. I sometimes politely ask if I can do a set while they’re not using it , people usually say something like “ I’ve got two more sets to left to do” occasionally someone will begrudgingly get up looking miffed. On rare occasion someone has been aggressive towards me. My gym aren’t interested in fixing the problem with signage about gym etiquette. WWYD?

Yeah it's annoying. It's also the gyms fault as they have a bad system.

There really should be reservation time slots for machines. So that way, everyone would rotate between machines better.

I agree Op, a bloke the other day hogged 2 separate machines with his towel, I watched him do it once then realised what he was doing. I politely asked him if he was done, then he did apologise and move his stuff, but the audacity! One machine at a time is fairly standard etiquette.

Hmm I get it's annoying but often the rest between sets is quite short for people (mine varies from 20 seconds to 50 seconds), you'd have no hope of getting back onto the machine to finish them off if it's busy. I think that's the only acceptable reason though and not just sitting there for no reason.

i have seen this same behaviour too! Once a guy left a machine and I went on it and he came running back to tell me he was using that machine ! I told him I would finish my set and he could go back on . He was weirdly angry about it !

A minute rest between a set is no problem , although in my gym people literally sit there for ages like they’ve got all the time in the world. I saw one woman hog a machine while she had a work call one day. It’s so selfish of people

What's even worse is when I'm asked to get out of the way when I'm not even using the same equipment as them.

Twice recently I've been asked to move by women at the gym.

I was doing sit ups on a mat on the floor. The woman behind me was doing something on a piece of equipment and asked me to move as I was too near her, and she wanted to see herself in the mirror! She was very aggressive

Have you not thought that people who are on their phones need a little rest in between sets, that’s what I do and don’t have an issue or judge anyone else doing it neither, maybe go when it’s quieter if you don’t like to wait.

Funny how those that take the longest between sets inevitably have a phone. They must believe that excercising their thumbs will give them bigger muscles!

YABU

If you're lifting heavy, it is essential to rest between sets. Otherwise, you don't get the muscle strength development, and you could injure yourself.

I rest up to 4 minutes between heavy sets of deadlifts (say 90 to 105 kilo lifts) and heavy squats (anything over 560 kilos). Between warm up sets - anything up to 70 kilo deads, I rest at least 2 minutes.

Maybe you're not lifting heavy enough, or you don't understand how it works?

You can ask to "work in" with someone. But they can say no.

In my medium sized gym, any time I wanted to use the running machine, they were all taken.

I've found it better to go to a less popular gym. Where not a lot of people go

Then get off the machine for your rests so someone else can use it. If you do 3 sets you'll be hogging it for 15 mins!

if someone asks me, politely, if they can work in, I'm usually happy to do so.

But I also understand that if I go at a busy time at my gym (anytime from 5pm to 8pm) all the squat racks may be in use, and I'll have to wait my turn. Ditto with the deadlifting platforms.

In my gym I genuinely don't think people realise how long they're resting for. I usually intend to rest for around 2 minutes between sets, but I know that if I get my phone out it will be longer because I'll lose track of time. The people I see taking ages between sets generally have their phones out. And don't get me started on the people hogging two or three machines to do super sets but then taking massive rests (on their phones) between each machine. I get it, we all have to multitask at times, but if I need to take a work call at the gym I at least go into the cafe.

Sitting for a very short time between sets isn’t a problem. It’s the sitting for ages, phone scrolling, chatting to their mate who has walked past etc. I’ve cancelled gym memberships because of this.

I was watching a group of gym goers this morning on the weight benches, 5 reps then 10 minutes sat chatting with each other before the next set. Multiple people walked over stood a little awkwardly near them then walked off while they were doing it. They did 4 sets in the 40 minutes that I was there on the treadmill and looked like they were settled in for a long session.

So true ! I don’t have time to waste waiting for these people who think gym is sitting around scrolling on phone !

That is so unbelievably selfish, it’s not their own personal gym! Others paying membership while their little group hogs the machine.
I saw a father & son hogging machines this way today, yes, kids are allowed to go to my gym , this kid was probably about 13 . Both he and his dad resting for ages between sets, chatting , scrolling.

100% agree, I don’t want to have to cancel but if I can’t get my work out done then I may have to

I think you’re right people lose track of time on their phones between sets!

In any decent gym where people actually go to train not just faff about it’s entirely normal to stay on the equipment during the rest periods. In the case of a bar and rack, it’d take a couple of minutes to take off the weights, re-adjust the bar and put on the weights, and that’s before the next person does a warm up. There’s no way that the original user could continue their set in 3 minutes, which is a normal rest time for a heavy weight. 3 sets does take around 15 minutes; watch any PT and they’ll have their clients rest at the equipment. So I think I’ll go with the approach of a qualified instructor than in impatient gym goer. If you want free access to equipment at a time to suit you, you need a gym at home.

if your are just using machines, then generally the rest periods will be lower, as weights are less, but not necessarily. But again, no point someone ‘jumping in’ as their warm up sets will take more than the 3 minutes anyway.

I am a PT!

But why not just stand aside between sets so someone else can do a set ? Why should they ask politely to be granted access by you ? It’s not your machine is it?

I hate going to the gym lately.

People are so aggressive.

Either I can't use the equipment I want to use as they're taken.

Or i get asked to move off the equipment, just after I've started.

Because if they stand aside to let someone else do a set, how do they know how long that second person will be on the equipment?

People are territorial. They won't give something up if they got there first.

It's the gyms that need to fix this. They need to set time limits on machines. Or booking slots.

But the gyms don't care , as long as they are making money.

Yeah that is annoying i agree, if it's not a timed rest people should move.