Gym Etiquette - what do people do that annoys you?

[WalkingThePlank]

I'm wondering what people do in gyms or pools that annoys you.

I managed to seriously annoy a man yesterday because I was unwilling to stop my use of a resistance machine so he could just 'pop on'. I was off a minute later and in the remaining 10 minutes that I was around, he didn't go near said machine so I have no idea what that was about.

On the flip side, I get annoyed when groups of men hover around resistance machines for half an hour at a time but don't actually use them and I'm too much of a coward to ask them to hey off

What annoys you?

When people stand too close to me in classes or take my favourite spot.

What Jam said. Also, sweaty men (as it's usually men) who don't wipe down the mats after ab exercises.

When people use the hairdryer on their more intimate regions...obviously this is in the gym changing room not the gym itself! It's a bizarrely common occurrence.

People leaving their weights on the squat rack when they have finished. I don't want to spend time tidying up after others I do enough of that at home!

In the pool (length swimming session, when pool is in roped off lanes)

I hate in when groups of people stop to chat at the end of the pool leaving no space to turn round & push off

I also hate it when people (usually tends to be men) keep touching your toes so you let them past and then they proceed to swim really slowly ....Grrrr!

In the gym:

• women (OK, one particular woman at my gym) who talk at (not "with" but "at", as the other woman can't get a word in edgeways) their gym buddy , really loudly for the entire time they are there

• people who drip sweat on machines and don't clean it up

• people who sit on the machines for ages and do nothing other than fanny about with their phones.

In the pool I also hate it when people go in a totally wrong speed lane (during lane sessions half our pool is not lanes, then theres slow, medium, fast). And people who go in the medium or fast lanes and stand at the end every couple of lengths - either swim consistently or go in the open area.

Thankfully, otherwise I'm running or cycling outside so I don't have other people!

People who get peeved off with you when you 'take their spot' in a class....cause you know their spot has got their name on it!

not turn up the resistance in spin but think they are working really hard.
one day I will hop off and do it

people who HAVE favourites spots/bikes and save them

ffs this isnt primary school

why do gyms even LET people take phones in? I would ban them

People who know others have a regular space but stand in it regardless. Usually those that rock up once a week or less.

Hordes around the machine.

Texting in the abs area instead of working.

My gym is in a basement, no signal so no phones. Perfect.

People not racking their weights when they've finished.

why do gyms even LET people take phones in? I would ban them

My gym is quite hi-tec which means the machines either need a ' personal fitness key' or a smart phone app that records your work out details, programmes etc.

People who show up 5 minutes late for a class they've never done before! The instructor then has to spend a further 5 minutes explaining it to them and the class usually overruns.

Blokes who ostentatiously work out, loud groans and moans and dramatically dropping the bars so the weights clang down when they're finished!! Gives me the rage.

not putting the weights back in order does my nut in. One day I'll flip and tidy them up myself.

Spreading their stuff all over the bench in the changing room, there are approx 30 lockers in that area, where is everyone else supposed to get changed?

Asking me to get off a machine while they just pop on. NO, just wait like I always do.

Soaking the floor in the changing rooms after swimming, there is a drying area, why don't you use it?

When your child is shouting at the top of their voice in the changing room why don't you tell them to be quiet? Saying "Oh darling you are noisy aren't you" just makes them shout even more.

ooh er norby
I once read of a spin studio where there was a big display with the speed and resistance EVERY SINGLE BIKE was using..
this is the stuff of my dreams

Ooh, where to start?

Women who use spray deodorant in the changing room.

Anyone that pins their locker key to their clothes and then gets on the treadmill/cross trainer next to me. Jingle jingle aargh.

People that chat once a class has started or during the cool down. SO rude.

ooooh Data you'd love it!

The treadmills/bikes/cross trainers have screens where you have the option of TV/radio/facebook/internet/footage of various cites (eg. you can 'cycle' round the streets of LA).

Oh, and of course you get the boring screens of various data to do with your work-out (but I don't bother with those)

i only do spin and the odd bit of body pump but i LIKE THE CUT OF THAT GIB

FUCKING HELL ANNIE

the jingling key
there is a teeny Asian woman who spins sometimes and i am ready to throttle her by the end

It drives me MAD, data.

I have even completed a feedback form about it in the hope they'd put it on their wanky comments noticeboard.

I give the offenders my worst, pointed, dirty look which usually makes people in the outside world cry at least, but to no avail.

I have thought of another, there is a woman who whoops and shouts in spinning. On her own. I hate her.