why do stupid people work out?

steve2000 · 03-Dec-05, 10:07 AM

sorry if this bothers anyone but i really got to vent. on thursday i was in the gym doing my back excersizes and had to do my hyper extensions. i prefer using the machine to do them since i can do it with alot of weight (traditional form i can hold 45lbs+) and it becomes akward having to hold the weight. well i go to use the machine and theres this ferry lookin' guy doing 3 plates (like 30lbs) for over 10 minutes. im not kidding, i watched the clock. no breaks, no sweating, no panting. just moving back and forth like a total 'tard for 10 minutes straight. i walked around patiently at enough of a distance that he wouldnt know i was waiting (i dont like being rude and standing by the equipment hwile someone is using it, i get pissed when people put that rushed feeling on me so i prefer not to do it to others) but i eventually wnated to smack him in the bakc of the head and tell him to go home. what is wrong with these people? is it a prerequisite that all public gyms must be occupied by 95% idiots? what gain would someone possibly see from moving back and forth (the ****ing guy was relaxed, what is wrong with him?) for 10 minutes wasting a machine. i get the same pissed off feeling when i see fat women on the cycles for 2 hours reading a book and going at 0 resistance at 40 rotations per minute (while everyone who is actually BURNING fat is at resistance 6+ and doing 80+ rotations, and even that isnt impressive). are people so stupid that they think randomly moving their legs will really get them anywhere? it would take 5 hours of that crap to burn off half a chocolate chip cookie... ok, thanks guys, i really had to vent that out.

gcs118 · 03-Dec-05, 10:10 AM

lol you're gonna find stupid people no matter where you go man. Just gotta put up with it. Trying to educate them doesn't help usually. Just keep learning more yourself and you'll be better off

:

**threenorns** · 03-Dec-05, 10:12 AM

you don't know what his goals are - not everyone wants to get built and for all you know, he might be rehabbing a back injury. many rehab programs call for high volume/low weight training.

perhaps investigate alternate exercises so you don't get stuck like that again. good mornings are an excellent alternative to hyperextensions or do the free weight version - lower the weight, slow the rep.

KaiserSose · 03-Dec-05, 01:17 PM

I agree, there are many people like that at the gym, but, there is really nothing you can do. I generally feel bad for them as they probably don't realize that what they are doing isn't really helping them. Then again, my dad is practically one of those people (he doesn't do that many reps) and although I tell him time and time again that he should train differently, he doesn't really care. He is already thin and is more concerned with staying flexible and healthy than getting strong. I mean, he's been married 20 + years, why should he care? I guess my point is, everyone defines fitness differently depending on what their goals are. For example, I'm sure certain people who train for marathons may find people unfit who are extremely strong, but can't run a 5K and vice-versa.

steve2000 · 04-Dec-05, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by threenorns

you don't know what his goals are - not everyone wants to get built and for all you know, he might be rehabbing a back injury. many rehab programs call for high volume/low weight training.

thanks for the alternate excersize idea, I was considering doing that but I had already done my good mornings so I didn't want to suppliment by adding more. as far as his goals, i highly doubt the guy was nursing a back injury. im pretty good at profiling and when you are at the gym with hair gel in your hair and nice clothes on then you are clearly not there to work up a sweat or even do any recooping.

**threenorns** · 04-Dec-05, 09:19 AM

again, unless you flat out ask him, you just don't know. i used to have a lot to say about women who went to the gym in full makeup and fake eyelashes. there's this one woman, a black lady, who really piles the makeup on and just piss-asses around on the treadmill in her designer, colour-coordinated workout gear, does a few lacklustre sets with the baby weights, and that's about it. last week, i was heading into the steam room when i saw her coming out of the shower room - no hair at all anywhere on her face, head, or body and her complexion was just *horrible*. she's undergoing chemo. talk about feeling two inches high.

yes, it's uncommon - but then i started wondering about other women wearing makeup. how do i know they don't have alopecia, or port wine stain, or other health or appearance issues? and then i started wondering about the guys piss-assing around - okay, 99% of them are really just piss-assing around - but i really don't want to be the one to make fun of a guy struggling with a stupid workout and then find out he's got MS or parkinson's or some other neurological condition. once is too often.

oh - except for those pains in the ass who insist on hogging the power cage for bicep curls. they're fair game.

CF-OC_gal · 04-Dec-05, 10:08 AM

Worrying about the others is a waste of energy. Just ask them if you can work in and forget about them.

candyass · 04-Dec-05, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve2000

thanks for the alternate excersize idea, I was considering doing that but I had already done my good mornings so I didn't want to suppliment by adding more. as far as his goals, i highly doubt the guy was nursing a back injury. im pretty good at profiling and when you are at the gym with hair gel in your hair and nice clothes on then you are clearly not there to work up a sweat or even do any recooping.

I'm usually at the gym with nice clothes and hair gell. Sorry if that bothers you.

mustang GT · 05-Dec-05, 04:49 AM

Since people bother you at your gym, you should consider building your own home gym. There are very good deals on gym equipment for home use. I workout at home with my Crossbow, barbell, dumbbells, and weight plates. Nobody is there to bother me, and I don't have to wait to use my own equipment. It's a way to have better workouts without interference from others.

**.V.** · 05-Dec-05, 09:26 AM

Home gym - very useful. That's what I do. I get to go first. No waiting. I'm finally getting the family in it now. We each have our own workout time that way all the equipment is ready for the one person who's turn it is.

**rangers97** · 05-Dec-05, 09:33 AM

Not everyone has the ability to do a home gym, I guess that's why the commercial gyms are still in business right? I doubt they would be able to stay open if only the "hardcore, serious" lifters went to the gym, so they make their money by catering to the "idiots" out there.

I fortunately have the ability to create a home gym, and finally after a year of owning my own home have decided to scrap the gym and work out at home. Of course it helps to have the room and space to have your gym, as if you want any kind of serious home gym, you are gonna need a lot of room. I currently only have a bench press station with a lat attachment bar, and a situp bench, but I ordered a squat rack, and I will probably get some kind of chest supported rowing machine as well.

But my point is, a home gym is the best way to go, IMO, but can be very expensive, and take up a lot of space. The weights and dumbbells themselves are the most expensive part, btw....

**.V.** · 05-Dec-05, 10:18 AM

It doesn't have to be expensive. I got mine a piece at a time. First a cheap bar and a bench that was going to be thrown out. Then some cheap plates to go with it. Then some dumbells. Then a good bench. Then a more expensive bar. as I get stronger, I add more plates.

After the first of the year, I'm going to start collecting an olympic set - first a good bar. Then some good plates - a few at a time...

**rangers97** · 05-Dec-05, 10:58 AM

I guess you're right, but I don't have the luxury of a cheap set. I just bought a 300lb oly set, and I already need to buy more plates. Luckily I have acquired my hex dumbbells over the years, so I didn't have to buy them all at once, since they are damn expensive. I have a nice collection now, 10 lbs up to 50 lbs, but now I need to get some dumbbell handles and assemble some dbs with plates so I can make heavy ones. No way am I buying 100lb hex dbs, lol, thats gotta be probably $75 each.

you are right though, if you do it gradually it isn't so bad, but if you had to do it all at once, it could be expensive, but if you think about the $400 to $500 it costs for a gym membership for a year, you are halfway to a great home gym with that money, so even if you spend double that, after 2 years it will have paid for itself, and no idiots at home to deal with! (at least we would hope so

)

luke.w · 05-Dec-05, 12:17 PM

ironmind sells the "big boy" dumbell bars Rangers they are 24" long (holds standard plates) $190

the bars that hold the bigger hole plates are priced higher,

they also sell 2", and 2.5" dia. handles worth every penny.

you got a powerrack huh?, ironmind sells the uprights and spotter catchers fits anywhere in a small space, ironmind is very pricey, but their equipment does seem to last (maybe a lifetime?)

luke.w · 05-Dec-05, 12:20 PM

the only thing that I didn't go for on "ironmind" was the 2"axle, they sell a "hollow" steel, I got mine made of "solid" steel (can't get tougher than that) I think getting mine made was about the same price as ironminds, maybe a little higher since me and Dan split the cost.