I’ve been going to the gym for about 5 years now and there are a lot of things that bother me while I’m trying to do my workout.  It mostly has to do with meat heads but sometimes it’s those chicks who wear too much makeup and jewelery.

Here is a list of the top 5 things that drive me nuts at the gym

1. Slamming down weights
When a guy (or girl) is finished their set and they just let the weights drop or if they actually slam them down so you know that they’re done of their set and that they’re ripped.

Why do you feel the need to do this gym guy (or girl)?  Why can’t you just set the weight down when you’re done with it?

If you’re not able to set a weight down, don’t pick it up in the first place!

2. Clanging metal weights together
You see/hear this mostly when someone is doing dumbbell shoulder press or dumbbell bench-press.  Again, it’s usually those “gym guys (or girls)” that want you to see how much weight they’re lifting so they clang the weights together loudly at the top of their press so you look at them.

We’re not working on the railroad here folks, so stop making it sound like we are.

3. Excessive Grunting
Whop! … Whop! … Whop! … Whop!

This sound makes me think that you’re constipated and having digestive issues.  Actually, it surprises me when I hear people grunting so loud that they don’t shit their pants while doing so.

Yup, I hear ya dude and I get it; you’re huge, jacked and tanned.  I like your new haircut too!

4. Make-Up, Jewelery, Perfume, Cologne…
For some reason people think that the gym is a bar or dance club and need to be all dolled up and ready to pick-up.

I see women wearing so much makeup and all of their jewelery and guys all greased up with gel and wearing their watches and both reeking of cologne and/or perfume and I don’t get it.  I understand if you’re coming from work you have a little make up on, but those big hoop earrings, are they necessary?  I sometimes wish one would get caught on one of the pieces of equipment.

You’re here to workout, not dance on the stage beside the DJ booth like a groupie.

5. Engaging in naked conversations
Now, I’m not sure about the women’s locker room, but there’s always a lot of nakedness in the men’s locker room because well, it’s a locker room.  I don’t have a huge issue with this as I’ve grown up playing sports and in locker rooms and I understand guys want to shower and get cleaned up after sweating.  Here’s what I’m not OK with, you standing naked right beside me and trying to engage me in a conversation.  This I am not OK with.

Why do you want to be naked, standing beside me and having a conversation? Where am I supposed to look? I don’t want to move in fear of accidentally touching you or ya know…

The most awkward thing I ever witnessed in my life was two older men, both naked, one sitting on the bench in the locker room, the other was standing with one leg up on the bench his junk pointed towards the first and they were a mere foot away from the other, engaging in full conversation.  Take a second to think about that one…

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23 Comments

  1. Jaime 16/02/2011 at 1:39 pm - Reply

    Amen! Right here are a few reasons I work out on the women’s only side of the gym. Much less ridiculousness over there! :)

  2. Ian Cameron 16/02/2011 at 2:30 pm - Reply

    Agreed 100%

  3. FitChickBritt 16/02/2011 at 5:57 pm - Reply

    Hello. Just found your blog :-) Totally get your gym pet peeves. I can’t stand the grunting either. Or the perfume yesterday at my apartment gym some lady came in, wandered around, dug through her purse, and sprayed her perfume on herself and left. It was horrible!

  4. Sarina 16/02/2011 at 9:43 pm - Reply

    Oh no! I’m slightly guilty of #2. When I’m doing dumbbell presses or flyes on the stability ball I touch the weights together! But in my defense, its more a way of making sure my arms stay level, and I only ‘clink quietly’. I promise I dont ‘clang’!!!

    • Your Inner Skinny 17/02/2011 at 12:23 pm - Reply

      It actually takes more effort and muscle to stop yourself an inch before clanging the weights. It’s better form and better for you. Plus it doesn’t annoy the hell out of other people :P

  5. Reinaldo 16/02/2011 at 10:20 pm - Reply

    HAHAHAHA I’m still laughing about number 5. I don’t do that and really I couldn’t care less if someone talks to me in the locker room nekkid, but I do enjoy laughing at the guys who get excessively nervous about it (laugh in the inside. I don’t actually laugh and point at them).

    I guess it’s because of my work, as a physical therapist I had seen A LOT of grandpa’s junks WHILE I HAD TO TOUCH THEIR LEGS for the exercises. Yeah, the joy of working in health care…

    • Your Inner Skinny 17/02/2011 at 12:24 pm - Reply

      I don’t care if they have a towel on, I just don’t know where I’m suppose to look if they’re naked in front of me or beside me.

      • Glenn 29/04/2011 at 9:11 am - Reply

        Dude you look the guy in the face lol. Where else are you going to look lol. At Dalplex there are 2 guys that I have seen so far that will not step on the floor with bare feet. So they stand on the bench and disrobe lol. Best looks ever come from the unsuspecting guy sitting next to them lol. You make sure never to get in the same set of lockers as these cats!!

  6. Wendy 23/02/2011 at 2:23 pm - Reply

    I’ve read a few of these kinds of blog entries in the past – always touch a chord.

    The grunting I don’t mind so much, though when the sound effects begin to sound like a cranking up of chitty chitty bang bang, I sure find the need to refocus.

    Folks sitting around on equipment having big ol’ conversations; folks who don’t rack their plates, folks spitting in garbage cans. These are my trying times.

    I’d say you don’t want to be in a women’s locker room when the seniors aquafitness class lets out. :)

  7. Renée (@lowfatpie) 23/02/2011 at 5:11 pm - Reply

    My number 1 pet peeve is your number 5.

    and I’m here to tell you, gravity hits ladies hard in ALL areas when they get older and by the way it’s not ok to have a full brazilian at age 60.

    Seriously? When you are ready, take your shower, get changed, keep your bits out of my face and move along!

  8. Shannon Lynch 25/03/2011 at 9:31 am - Reply

    What about the skinny guys that wear cut off shirts that hog all the 15 lbs weights and are always checking themselves out in the mirrors! They drive me nuts!!

  9. merrymishaps 25/03/2011 at 9:47 am - Reply

    I don’t belong to a gym, but I swim at a county pool. There is a naked conversation problem in the women’s locker room, too. And some people like to wander around naked, too, which is different from my ‘get dressed as quickly as possible’ policy. Once I entered the locker room to find a naked woman standing on a bench, blowdrying her hair.

    The make-up thing baffles me, too. I see women all done up, including heavy foundation, lined up to run marathons.

  10. Alesia 25/03/2011 at 11:22 am - Reply

    Amen to number 4!

  11. meg 02/04/2011 at 3:18 pm - Reply

    Not only is the perfume/cologne smell bad, but when someone has extremely bad body odour is just as bad! I understand that you will be sweating and people are going to smell but you can put deodorant on, save us all from wanting to hold our breath!

  12. Blain 28/04/2011 at 3:48 pm - Reply

    You must be like the 90% of other gym-goers who give a maximum of 25% while at the gym, else you’d have formulated a list that wasn’t so superficial and completely laughable. Dont believe me? Look at the type of people you attracted to post their comments here in agreement.

    Here’s a hint folks. It’s not about what other people think that counts. Furthermore, if you had even a shred of focus on yourself and not on others none of these would have made the cut.

    I’m glad to see your content with being average. Best of luck with that.

    • Your Inner Skinny 28/04/2011 at 11:31 pm - Reply

      Thanks so much for your comment Blain, but I’m currious where this 90% of people who go to the gym only give 25% stat comes from? Can you please give me some sources? Also, If I only give 25% in the gym, how was I able to go from 265lbs to 180lbs and 8% body fat 5 years ago and maintain it?

      Maybe if you came down off of your high horse you would realize that this post was for nothing more than humour and you could have had a good laugh about it like the rest of us!

      And maybe if you took some time and read some other posts on this website, you would see what I talk about (health and fitness) and how see how I help people every day and how I take my time in the gym very seriously.

      Actually Blain, please don’t read any more posts. I don’t want or need people like you reading my site.

  13. Ste 09/06/2011 at 1:38 am - Reply

    Blain is right.

    • Your Inner Skinny 10/06/2011 at 11:42 am - Reply

      You’re 100% allowed to have your opinion. It’s just too bad you can’t have a sense of humour about your health and fitness goals. I take my training very seriously and losing 100 lbs proves that. It’s great to be able to have a laugh once in a while though, it’s good for your abs!

  14. Julie 04/09/2011 at 10:27 pm - Reply

    I like to see naked people.

  15. Emma 04/10/2011 at 12:40 am - Reply

    Wow, number 5 is hilarious! I would have to add something to that, though… My friend goes to the same gym in Yellowknife, and he regularly sees men (young and old) shaving their “private” parts in the locker room… With the leg up, and foot on the sink… I swear, when he told me that, I couldn’t believe that anyone would do such a thing in a public place! Geez…!

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