The venting about gym creeps thread

[erratic]

Dang. Have you tried working out in a neighborhood with a large gay population?

I love that we can provide spaces in which women can feel a bit more comfortable.

Honestly, if I were a woman I'd stick to women-only gyms. Though, I've found some university gyms are significantly less icky than the chain gyms, and there seem to be more women and less of that gross bro-y atmosphere.

 

[AlteredEgo]

I love that we can provide spaces in which women can feel a bit more comfortable.

Honestly, if I were a woman I'd stick to women-only gyms. Though, I've found some university gyms are significantly less icky than the chain gyms, and there seem to be more women and less of that gross bro-y atmosphere.

I hate women only gyms. I'm a weirdo though. I've always been less comfortable surrounded by only women. The few I've checked out were adorable, but not appropriate for me. Too many machines. Not enough free weights, no Olympic barbells.

The best chain gym experience I had was when I was in automotive repair school in New York. The school was in one of the traditionally gay neighborhoods, and my gym had a location down the street. You might be able to imagine what it is like to be female in that kind of school, and worse, female, and one of the best students. Between blatant sexism, objectification, and drug abuse on premises, I spent my days terrified, comfortable only when with the friends I made in my class (gentlemanly guys from my class who saw me as theirs to protect from the disturbing actions of men in other classes) or safely inside my gym. Though I knew I felt safe there right away, it took me a few weeks to realize everyone else was gay, or a straight woman hiding out in the security only gay men and our own kin can give to women at a gym. Though, full disclosure, discomfort is not really a giant deterrent for me.

Anyway, yes, thank Glob for gyms dominated by big, strong, gay dudes.

 

[ColoradoGuy]

Sorry, but there is nothing inappropriate in the least bit about what I said. Just as other members have the right to post their own thoughts and opinions, so do I. And just because you may not like it does not make it inappropriate. And just because we are a community does not mean I have to agree with, support, or like everything that everyone says or posts here.

No, I want you to understand what I'm saying... please, have your opinions... and share them. But this:

I am pretty sure that most of the people replying in that thread are the exact same people we are discussing in this very thread here. Or I get the feeling most of those people replying are the type people who go the gym to do little more than leer and stare at members in the showers and locker rooms.

is NOT acceptable. You are judging LPSG members and calling them "gross" and "wrong". You don't know a single one of them and yet, that doesn't stop you from painting all of them with the same brush. I don't know how you were raised or what trauma you've been exposed to, but it is not appropriate to make gross generalizations like that. Save judgmental comments like that for racist, sexist, xenophobic, or homophobic communities but know this: we are not ANY of those communities and I am not willing to let you pretend that expressing it here is fair to the members who have posted in that original Thread or appropriate for LPSG.

 

[Big4Asia]

Gyms, like University faculty staff rooms and sci-fi / comic book conventions tend to draw in the obsessive. Those who have so many issues with life that they want to retreat to an 'alternate world' where the rules are very set, but feel as though they apply.

At the gym you're either 'hard core' or a browser taking up too much time on the machines and space in general. So yeah it's full of weirdos, the flex-er, the ab checker, the grunt-er, the invert-er, the 'roid-er... but for some that feels like family.

Again - to each their own

 

[Snarky_succubus]

advice from smartasses (my favorite is when someone comes up to me while I'm doing 1.5x bodyweight barbell squats and starts explaining to me that as a "girl" I should be lifting light 2-3kg weights for a zillion reps to get "toned" )

Omg I wish a mothafucka would. Nobody has ever had the balls to say some dumb shit like that to me but boy oh boy would I have fun making them regret it if they did!

 

[someperson]

Honestly I can't remember any kind of attention at the gym that was welcome or positive
It all ranged from advice from smartasses (my favorite is when someone comes up to me while I'm doing 1.5x bodyweight barbell squats and starts explaining to me that as a "girl" I should be lifting light 2-3kg weights for a zillion reps to get "toned" ), solicitations from personal trainers that won't take a polite no thank you for an answer, unwelcome comments about my body (fyi guys there is absolutely no way you can approach a woman you don't know and comment about her ass without it coming off as lewd/creepy/gross), to guys hitting on me or shamelessly eye-fucking me.

too much muscle on a female can be off putting on the same scale of being very fat..eatting too much McDonald's?
or being very skinny did you just come from north Korea? (bag of bones)..

 

[AlteredEgo]

too much muscle on a female can be off putting on the same scale of being very fat..eatting too much McDonald's?
or being very skinny did you just come from north Korea? (bag of bones)..

Yeah. Because we are at the gym to make sure we satisfy YOUR aesthetic.

And anyway, have you seen @nailz ? She's a fucking goddess and you wish you were worthy of mopping the sweat from the small of her back to prevent it from getting into her crack and giving her mudbutt.

 

[someperson]

Yeah. Because we are at the gym to make sure we satisfy YOUR aesthetic.

And anyway, have you seen @nailz ? She's a fucking goddess and you wish you were worthy of mopping the sweat from the small of her back to prevent it from getting into her crack and giving her mudbutt.

meh..

 

[sangheili90]

too much muscle on a female can be off putting on the same scale of being very fat..eatting too much McDonald's?
or being very skinny did you just come from north Korea? (bag of bones)..

LOL, such a dumbass. You realize that unless a woman is on steroids she will NEVER have the capacity to a build a degree of muscle mass that would ever be considered unattractive, due to the relatively non existent testosterone levels they have compared to men. The only way a woman would look bad is if she dieted down to be on a contest stage, and very few ever do that.

 

[sangheili90]

I've never been creeped on while in the gym, that I'm aware of anyway, but I have encountered a lot of weirdos there. I've only had this happen to me a few times over the years but I've had people give me unsolicited advice or make comments about how much weight I was using etc. The ironic thing is that they were all out of shape, though they could actually bench press a good amount of weight.....which does not at all correlate with actual fitness.

 

[sangheili90]

Today just confirmed why I totally hate co-ed gyms.

I had a guest pass to a new gym and a few hours to kill so I tried it out. It was a big mistake

A group of younger guys were eye-fucking me and sniggering to themselves the whole time, and I'm pretty sure one of them was taking pics with his phone
Another guy kept working out right beside me and was really creeping me out with comments about my body.

I have friends that can shut down this type of behavior with just a look, but I really suck at confrontations. So I just ignore things and then try to avoid putting myself in the same situation again, which is why I'd rather just work out at home.

I'm assuming you weren't wearing a very tight/revealing outfit that would encourage this type of attention. I've noticed a hot chick working out and checked out her ass but I've never done it to a degree that would be deemed excessive. However, there are several women that go to the gym I am currently at and they wear these insanely revealing outfits that grab a lot of attention, and it is clearly an intentional thing.

 

[socalfreak]

I'm assuming you weren't wearing a very tight/revealing outfit that would encourage this type of attention. I've noticed a hot chick working out and checked out her ass but I've never done it to a degree that would be deemed excessive. However, there are several women that go to the gym I am currently at and they wear these insanely revealing outfits that grab a lot of attention, and it is clearly an intentional thing.

Wow.
Are you seriously suggesting "she was asking for it", you ass hat??

 

[sangheili90]

Wow.
Are you seriously suggesting "she was asking for it", you ass hat??

You and your significant other seriously need to take some reading comprehension courses at your local community college. Just for future reference, how you should have responded would be something like this "Are you implying that she was asking for this type of behavior by being dressed a certain way?" The reasonable response from me would have been "No, because I think she is aware that dressing inappropriately for the gym may attract unwanted attention from male gym goers there and because of this dresses in comfortable but appropriate attire. However, as I stated in my previous post, I have seen many women at my gym who dress in extremely revealing outfits and it appears they do so intentionally, which I do not think is the case with Nailz."

However, I will say this....I'm sure if a guy who looked like you was creep'n on Nailz at the gym she would probably puke in her mouth.

 

[socalfreak]

You and your significant other seriously need to take some reading comprehension courses at your local community college. Just for future reference, how you should have responded would be something like this "Are you implying that she was asking for this type of behavior by being dressed a certain way?" The reasonable response from me would have been "No, because I think she is aware that dressing inappropriately for the gym may attract unwanted attention from male gym goers there and because of this dresses in comfortable but appropriate attire. However, as I stated in my previous post, I have seen many women at my gym who dress in extremely revealing outfits and it appears they do so intentionally, which I do not think is the case with Nailz."

However, I will say this....I'm sure if a guy who looked like you was creep'n on Nailz at the gym she would probably puke in her mouth.

Nice attempt (and fail) at backpedaling, douche.
We all know what you meant. Just because somebody dresses in a way YOU find "inappropriate" doesn't make it so....AND it damn sure doesn't make shitty behavior like that ok.

The more of your posts I see, the more I understand why you've never been on a date and live with your sister.
But, I'm not without sympathy for your types....living with aspergers must be difficult.

 

[Jeff Powers]

Every gym's got em: the weirdos who barely (or flat-out don't use) the equipment and spend the whole time creepin on the floor or loitering in the locker rooms. What are some of your cringe-worthy or just plain uncomfortable experiences that you've gotta get off your chest?

At my 24 Hour, there's two floors: the lifting equipment's on the bottom floor and the cardio's up on a second story that overlooks the first. There's this guy who'll barely elliptical and every time i look up there, I always catch him staring at me while I lift. He'll sometimes follow me into the lockerroom, which is hella obnoxious too. I'll hightail it outta there if he's around, and I try to workout at weirder hours if I'm using that location.

ALSO: burning question: are there women's lockerroom creeps? like, weird chicks that creep in the lockerroom? you always hear about the guys' lockerroom stories but i've never heard something like that from a girl. i just didn't wanna have two super threads posted in two different places on LPSG at the same time, so i'll just roll that q into this one

Some of the things you mention here are exactly why I workout at home with my own weights, bench, squat rack, etc....I loathe the whole gym scene.

 

[someperson]

LOL, such a dumbass. You realize that unless a woman is on steroids she will NEVER have the capacity to a build a degree of muscle mass that would ever be considered unattractive, due to the relatively non existent testosterone levels they have compared to men. The only way a woman would look bad is if she dieted down to be on a contest stage, and very few ever do that.

yeah just dont take those over the counter protein shake. some of them contain steroids. since they are unregulated by the fda anything could be in them.

 

[nailz]

guys, play nice

I'm assuming you weren't wearing a very tight/revealing outfit that would encourage this type of attention.

No. I wear leggings, a baggy shirt and a baseball cap, always in dull colors. It's about as conservative as I can get while still being practical.
Like this, but my shirt is even longer so it covers my ass:

I also just quietly do my own thing and don't make eye contact with anyone. I'd wear earphones but I can't stand the in-ear ones. Maybe I need to buy some big headphones, but I don't see having wires dangling off me while lifting weights as a good idea

I'd stand up for anyone's right to wear whatever they like to the gym, but if you dress like this in public and go to the gym primarily to take selfies then you've lost the right to ever complain about the type of attention you are getting:

 

[nailz]

ALSO: burning question: are there women's lockerroom creeps? like, weird chicks that creep in the lockerroom? you always hear about the guys' lockerroom stories but i've never heard something like that from a girl. i just didn't wanna have two super threads posted in two different places on LPSG at the same time, so i'll just roll that q into this one

I forgot to answer this.
I'm sure they exist but I've never had any bad experiences aside from having my stuff stolen, and even those were mostly my fault for not locking them up or leaving them out. Like once I left my perfume on the counter, I ran back just two minutes later and it was gone, and no-one there had seen it Not much traumatizing about that except for the realization that I'm a ditz

I get checked out often but never in a lewd/creepy way, more like "how do I get ______ like that" from women who have been doing only stuff like zumba and wondering why they're not making progress

 

[AlteredEgo]

I forgot to answer this.
I'm sure they exist but I've never had any bad experiences aside from having my stuff stolen, and even those were mostly my fault for not locking them up or leaving them out. Like once I left my perfume on the counter, I ran back just two minutes later and it was gone, and no-one there had seen it Not much traumatizing about that except for the realization that I'm a ditz

I get checked out often but never in a lewd/creepy way, more like "how do I get ______ like that" from women who have been doing only stuff like zumba and wondering why they're not making progress

Ditto. Only, being from NY and having the paranoia with which all NYers are raised, I've never had anything stolen. I hope it's never come across as creepy, but instead of just looking and wondering how to get XYZ bodypart to look like someone's, I'll straight up ask her. "Holy shit, I've NEVER had XYZs like yours! Is that good genes or is there something you'd be willing to divulge that I could emulate?" I'm not comfortable just looking at people and saying nothing.

 

[Jake1973]

I go to a military gym so there are guys and girls that seem to go just to watch other people. I know someone confronted me while I was on a spin bike against the back wall and I was looking in his direction. He didn't like a guy watching him but I told him I was on the bike first, I sit on the same bike put my headphones in and have one point I fix my eyes on and he happened to walk up and use the machine right under the spot. So I am not watching him he was being a douche and trying to cause a scene but all it did was make him look like an ass cause he looked right at me when he went to the machine.

So keep in mind some people fixate on one spot to get rid of any distractions and you may have walked in that area. If it was just staring at you just speak up, but make sure you are right and not just acting like an asshole

WTF are you supposed to bike holding your head sideways? He should get over himself.