Stupid Things You See In The Gym

[Motion-of-the-Ocean]

What are some of the stupid things you witness people doing in the gym? It could be anything from improperly performing an exercise, not using equipment right or just being a general douchbag.

Something I see far more often than what should be an isolated thing is how guys use the Triceps extension machine. The one in my gym looks pretty much like this:

Rather than sit on it and extend their arms, for some reason these guys will stand in front of the machine and with the handles horizontal towards them push down like they are inflating a tire with a bike pump.
Maybe there is a purpose to doing it this way I'm not aware of, but I think it's more than likely they are just making themselves look like gym noobs. It makes me think there is either a lot of misinformation on YouTube or these guys see others do it and think that's accomplishing something to give them gains. Like I said, it's not just one person I've seen.

So what are some stupid things you've seen?

 

[deleted5883101]

Hats off for people going to the gym, lifetime health is important and exercise is the best way to ward of diseases of aging.

However, walking up to the free weights or a machine, choosing a light weight and doing one set of bouncy uncontrolled reps and then walking on to a new exercise is not going to do anything and they are wasting their time.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the case in mostly the 50+ Crowd but have seen it on plenty of occasions in younger folks.

 

[DSF140]

Actually, what you describe is stupid only if you don't realize that you're hitting your triceps differently when doing so. When standing, your arms are closer to being aligned with your torso, thus resulting in a different movement, hitting your triceps differently, similar to a standing tricep push-down. Perhaps the guy doing that wishes to do that. While machines are often a lot safer than free weights or even cables, the drawback is that they limit what you can do, unless you become creative. What's important is if he is putting himself or others nearby in danger. Unless I'm his bodybuilding or strength coach, or he's asking me for advice, then it's really none of my business what he's hitting or trying to hit.

 

[nailz]

Just about anything Crossfit related
I'll give them credit for finally helping popularize "strong is sexy" for women, and helping dispel the silly common myth that weightlifting will instantly make us manly and unattractive.. but just about anything done in a Crossfit box is utterly stupid and dangerous

Kipping pullups are a personal pet peeve and I used to see people doing them all the time:

If you're lifting weights you should be doing proven safe lifts and close attention to proper form to avoid injury, with planned progressive overload. If you're totally inexperienced then under the close supervision of someone who is experienced and can spot you.
It shouldn't be in a hangar with 40 people and one "trainer" all screaming at the top of their lungs to DOOOO IIIIIIT while you try to clumsily jerk the maximum possible weight you can move in some stupid trending exercise that a member of an Instagram cult made up on a whim

There are people doing Crossfit with very impressive physiques, but it's simply an inevitable byproduct of shifting heavy weights around and not something magical that's happening in a Crossfit box. They're getting fit despite all the stupid stuff in Crossfit, for the short while they miraculously manage to avoid injury. They could get the exact same physiques safely with traditional weightlifting. But then they wouldn't have pics like this to put up on IG to impress their friends

 

[nailz]

Since almost everyone in the second vid is doing it, I forgot to add that a Clean & Jerk is an advanced Olympic lift with several potential points of injury. Professionals train years to perfect their technique. But somehow Crossfit promotes that newbies should be jumping right into it with the heaviest weight they can budge without any training or a spotter, all while being yelled at by morons

There is no reason the average person looking to build muscle or get fit needs to ever do a Clean & Jerk. It can be broken down into separate exercises that can be done in a totally safe, controlled way.

 

[3HandsfulofDick]

Most stupid thing are guys waking around the locker rooms showing off their dicks... Can’t tell you how we laugh at people who do that ....This isn’t directed at people who walk out the shower without a towel... it’s directed towards people who walk around looking for comments...

 

[Motion-of-the-Ocean]

Just about anything Crossfit related
I'll give them credit for finally helping popularize "strong is sexy" for women, and helping dispel the silly common myth that weightlifting will instantly make us manly and unattractive.. but just about anything done in a Crossfit box is utterly stupid and dangerous

Kipping pullups are a personal pet peeve and I used to see people doing them all the time:

If you're lifting weights you should be doing proven safe lifts and close attention to proper form to avoid injury, with planned progressive overload. If you're totally inexperienced then under the close supervision of someone who is experienced and can spot you.
It shouldn't be in a hangar with 40 people and one "trainer" all screaming at the top of their lungs to DOOOO IIIIIIT while you try to clumsily jerk the maximum possible weight you can move in some stupid trending exercise that a member of an Instagram cult made up on a whim

There are people doing Crossfit with very impressive physiques, but it's simply an inevitable byproduct of shifting heavy weights around and not something magical that's happening in a Crossfit box. They're getting fit despite all the stupid stuff in Crossfit, for the short while they miraculously manage to avoid injury. They could get the exact same physiques safely with traditional weightlifting. But then they wouldn't have pics like this to put up on IG to impress their friends
View attachment 26762381

Those into Crossfit always reminded me of egotistical Yuppies with a glutton for punishment. Having someone yell at you to push yourself reminds me too much of a Drill Sergeant and likely why I also find the fad of imitation "Boot Camp" training too overbearing as well.

I'm too damn old for such tests of personal endurance and prefer to work out at my own pace and within my limits.

 

[Motion-of-the-Ocean]

Most stupid thing are guys waking around the locker rooms showing off their dicks... Can’t tell you how we laugh at people who do that ....This isn’t directed at people who walk out the shower without a towel... it’s directed towards people who walk around looking for comments...

I wonder what website gave them the idea to do that .

 

[lookn4horsehung]

SoCal gyms are closed, wish I could go do anything.....stupid or not!

 

[Scarletbegonia]

I know I’ve used this:
How do you know if someone is vegan, keto, or in CrossFit?
Don’t worry, they will tell you. And tell you.

Those into Crossfit always reminded me of egotistical Yuppies with a glutton for punishment. Having someone yell at you to push yourself reminds me too much of a Drill Sergeant and likely why I also find the fad of imitation "Boot Camp" training too overbearing as well.

I'm too damn old for such tests of personal endurance and prefer to work out at my own pace and within my limits.

 

[Scarletbegonia]

Since almost everyone in the second vid is doing it, I forgot to add that a Clean & Jerk is an advanced Olympic lift with several potential points of injury. Professionals train years to perfect their technique. But somehow Crossfit promotes that newbies should be jumping right into it with the heaviest weight they can budge without any training or a spotter, all while being yelled at by morons

There is no reason the average person looking to build muscle or get fit needs to ever do a Clean & Jerk. It can be broken down into separate exercises that can be done in a totally safe, controlled way.

Clean & Jerk is to a gym as Smoke on the Water is to music stores.

 

[Motion-of-the-Ocean]

I know I’ve used this:
How do you know if someone is vegan, keto, or in CrossFit?
Don’t worry, they will tell you. And tell you.

I used to know someone who would lecture anyone who would listen on the "miracle" of low carb, ketones, Paleo ,Atkins and all that rest of that horseshit. But considering he also always mentioned he was tired, his breath and sweat (boy did he sweat!) smelled like the grease pit behind a KFC and he still was at least 50-60 lbs overweight, I seriously questioned the effectiveness. I also couldn't help wonder of his cholesterol with all the tons of meat he claimed to only eat.

 

[Scarletbegonia]

I used to know someone who would lecture anyone who would listen on the "miracle" of low carb, ketones, Paleo ,Atkins and all that rest of that horseshit. But considering he also always mentioned he was tired, his breath and sweat (boy did he sweat!) smelled like the grease pit behind a KFC and he still was at least 50-60 lbs overweight, I seriously questioned the effectiveness. I also couldn't help wonder of his cholesterol with all the tons of meat he claimed to only eat.

smelling like the KFC grease trap is better than acetone and butyrate.

I’m about 90 percent plant based. Still some dairy, mainly as treats. of that, I’d say I’m 80 percent whole food/unprocessed or minimally processed, and it’s fairly easy.
Energy is weirdly consistent across a day. However I feel around 10 am is pretty much what the day will be. Steady. It’s cool.

 

[DerrickRigg]

Had a guy at the gym pass out while running the track inside the gym. The guy passed out. It was due to him not eating since the night before at 6:30 pm. It was 9:30 am when he passed out. I know the guy from the neighborhood and he wanted to lose some bf percentages.

 

[halcyondays]

Heavy weights with no lifting belt to protect lower back. Poor form or posture. Anything too manic--especially newbies who push too hard for their level of fitness.

Haven't been a gym regular in years. It's more convenient to work out at home.

 

[nailz]

I used to know someone who would lecture anyone who would listen on the "miracle" of low carb, ketones, Paleo ,Atkins and all that rest of that horseshit. But considering he also always mentioned he was tired, his breath and sweat (boy did he sweat!) smelled like the grease pit behind a KFC and he still was at least 50-60 lbs overweight, I seriously questioned the effectiveness. I also couldn't help wonder of his cholesterol with all the tons of meat he claimed to only eat.

Not everyone who eats a special diet is like this, few people even know if I'm on one unless they have to.. which usually results in the reverse: me being badgered into "just tasting" something that I don't want to eat, or eating during a fast, or else the inevitable drama of hurt feelings. I've probably been lectured 50x as often about how keto, IF, low carb, paleo, etc are "unnatural" and "unhealthy".

There's nothing more futile than discussing nutrition with most people. Even when I was working full-time as a PT and nutritionist and was a lot fitter than I am now I was still getting lectured daily by 50+lbs overweight heart attack-bound people with the latest self-serving logic that was trending on FB, or old favorites like how not giving in to all cravings was unhealthy because it was "your body letting you know what it needs"

Keto, IF, etc work exactly as intended, but they are simply minor ways to manipulate how your body metabolizes food and the bottom line is always going to come down to calories in: out, willpower and effort.
Many people fail at Keto because they go into it thinking that it means they can lay on the couch and eat bacon dipped in ranch dressing all day and get six pack abs. There are no miracle diets that let you binge on garbage all day while looking like a fitness model

Heavy weights with no lifting belt to protect lower back.

Unless you are lifting Olympic level weight, over reliance on aids like lifting belts and straps is actually detrimental to strength and technique

 

[MisterVIP]

People who check out a towel from the front desk and use that same towel to wipe sweat off themselves AND to wipe down the gym equipment when they're finished.

 

[Adomfg]

My pet peeves is seeing people curling in the squat rack.

THE SQUAT RACK IS NOT FOR CURLING!!!! -.-

 

[deleted471226]

Seeing men walk around barefoot on the locker room floor. I've even seen a dude sitting on the toilet barefoot..WTF?!

I can never look at a dude the same way after seeing him do that in public no matter how buff or attractive he is. PLEASE wear some flip flops!!

 

[osid]

I usually go in the early mornings, when it's only the regulars and we all kinda know each other and know the common gym courtesies. However, I made the mistake of going on Christmas eve around midday, and it was packed with guys who were so incredibly discourteous and too self-involved to even notice how rude they were being. For example:

(1) There were four adjustable benches available for use, and three were in constant use. The fourth was taken up by the towel of this middle-aged guy who was clearly trying to do a circuit that was taking him all over the gym... and far away from the bench that he was using maybe once every ten minutes.
(2) There was another middle-aged guy who plopped his crap down in front of one of the two adjustable cable machines and used it once every 8 minutes or so. The rest of his time was spent hanging out on the only dip bars in the entire gym, browsing on his phone.
(3) There was one guy who was taking up two of the three squat racks. One of the racks he was using for deadlifts, which obviously do not require a squat rack at all. He was doing all this while also doing a circuit with other equipment.

Moral of the story: if they gym's crowded, I don't give a fuck what kind of circuit you want to do. Let others use the equipment and don't be a fucking hog. I just about lost it on all of them.