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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Male aggression in the gym?

3 replies

ikphillips · 14/08/2025 21:03

ugh, had a horrible experience today in a gym abroad and need some perspective on AIBU. I am living in another European country for the summer and am trying to work, keep the kids entertained (summer camp) and keep fit as I try to back in UK. The gym is NOT my style , lots of pretentious people, men and women. It doesn’t feel like a safe space but I’m determined to try to keep up with my fitness as I would at home.
today i was carrying two heavy weights back to the rack and there was a small gap to walk through to return them. A man was walking towards me; usually if there’s someone carrying weights I would give way. He pushed on through, so I signalled ‘hey, give me a break I’m carrying weights!’ Style thing. Then, after I’d put them back we met again in the small gap. He walked towards me and refused to move - as did I - so effectively we rammed shoulders. Honestly, it felt a complete act of aggression on his behalf. He was going to demonstrate to this woman that he was in charge and I should make myself small and move to the side.
I spoke to the duty staff member who appeared horrified and asked me to point him out, which I did very obviously.
I wonder if I was as bad as him in some ways as I also refused to move, so maybe I was BU to dob him in. However, I’m also not very happy about random aggressive blokes in gyms who ram into women just trying to train. AIBU?

OP posts:
Springadorable · 14/08/2025 21:05

I think the standard would be for both parties to do an awkward side step shuffle, not for both to keep powering ahead.

racierach · 14/08/2025 21:07

But you refused to move and he refused to move. You both acted in exactly the same way.

ikphillips · 14/08/2025 21:08

Completely agree! I suppose I was a bit inflamed as he’d already bulldozed through the first time!

OP posts:
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