Man at the gym tells me he is "using" the equipment I'm on when he was no where to be found

old guy 72 wrote:

I think it's the same person using different usernames that is responding negatively. Like I said, I've been working out at a number of different gyms over the last 45 years and laying claim to a bench you've walked away from isn't proper gym etiquette. You are correct to be 'miffed,' I would have been also. In fact, I don't think I would have been as pleasant as you were.

I would have just ignored the jerk and kept using the bench.

I’ve only been going to a gym for less than a year and even I know that the right etiquette would have been to say sorry and that you didn’t know he was using it. Then ask him if he could let you know when he was finished because you wanted to bench. I bet he would have even moved it for you.

Generally speaking, if he say's he was using it, take him at his word..He shouldn't be expected to stand next to the equipment the entire resting period. Maybe he got a drink of water. If there is weight stacked on the equipment that means it's occupied.

biteybitebite wrote:

GymEtiquette? wrote:

So a person can't be bothered by something without being at fault?

no. but the fact that you are bothered by something as lame as this tells me that your point of view is probably skewed and you misinterpret most social situations you are in, so your version of the story is partially untrustworthy. Not that you're lying, your view of the world is probably just warped, thats all.

This.

On more than one occasion I’ve walked to get water during a break between sets (can be anywhere from :30 to 2:30) and come back to someone absconding with the equipment. It actually happens all the time. I’ve also tried to take something and had someone else tell me they were using it.

Poop Face Killa wrote:

biteybitebite wrote:

no. but the fact that you are bothered by something as lame as this tells me that your point of view is probably skewed and you misinterpret most social situations you are in, so your version of the story is partially untrustworthy. Not that you're lying, your view of the world is probably just warped, thats all.

This.

On more than one occasion I’ve walked to get water during a break between sets (can be anywhere from :30 to 2:30) and come back to someone absconding with the equipment. It actually happens all the time. I’ve also tried to take something and had someone else tell me they were using it.

Did you start a thread when that happened?

truthseakr wrote:

Generally speaking, if he say's he was using it, take him at his word..He shouldn't be expected to stand next to the equipment the entire resting period. Maybe he got a drink of water. If there is weight stacked on the equipment that means it's occupied.

How do you even have time to leave the equipment during the rest period? Do you also wander away from the track during the 1-3 minute rest between repeats?

Why would a person need to go get water while occupying equipment? Three sets with a long recovery will take you ~8 minutes. You can't wait 8 minutes to get a drink?

would have been obvious wrote:

Why would anyone wander off while "using" a bench. Lifting rest breaks are short. What are you doing in the ~60 seconds between sets that requires you to go somewhere else?

Maybe using the water fountain? It's not unheard of.

It's better form to get off the bench between sets than to sit on it while resting. There's no reason to just sit there when someone else could be using it.

The OPs only fault was in moving the bench before asking if anyone was using it.

"Is anybody using this bench?"

"I think that guy at the water fountain is on it."

"Okay, I'll wait." OR "Hey, can I work in with you?"

Easy peasy.

I feel like you guys are the type of people who cut others in lines and they get upset when someone calls you out on it. Not sure why you "bet he would have even moved it for" me - glad you've already characterized this dude in your head as helpful as considerate just because it suits your narrative.

I think my second issue is, even if he was using it, I don't think people have a right to hog equipment they aren't on. Let's assume he actually was in between sets - so what? Is it really fair to walk away and expect your equipment to remain untouched and also to hog a machine for that long without actually using it?

What? Nothing I said indicated I wanted him to "impress" me. How am I the entitled one here? I grabbed a piece of vacant equipment. If anything he was entitled for thinking he could lay claim to equipment he wasn't even on.

I agree with the Gym woman. If you leave your bench you are no longer using it. An important point is the Gym was busy.

GymEtiquette? wrote:

I feel like you guys are the type of people who cut others in lines and they get upset when someone calls you out on it. Not sure why you "bet he would have even moved it for" me - glad you've already characterized this dude in your head as helpful as considerate just because it suits your narrative.

I think my second issue is, even if he was using it, I don't think people have a right to hog equipment they aren't on. Let's assume he actually was in between sets - so what? Is it really fair to walk away and expect your equipment to remain untouched and also to hog a machine for that long without actually using it?

Yes, have you ever been to a gym before?

Wait at least 5 minutes and see if someone is using it. if not, go up to the equipment, and yell "is anyone using this?"

Then do your thing. One time I was squatting and I went over to the water fountain and when I came back some lady was struggling to pull 45s off of the bar I was using. I asked her what she was doing and she said I had walked away and it was now her bar.

That's you.

I don't like the guys who sit on the benches and check their phones for like 2 mins between reps. I never rest between reps; I just go on to a different lift. Get out of my way.

5 minutes? Dude, that's ridiculous. I superset all of my workouts and my lift is typically 30-45 minutes. I'm not going to stand around for 5 minutes because some jackass decided to saunter away and drink water like a p*ssy and maybe swipe right on a few tinder matches. You asked her what she was doing? Could you be any more condescending? Why don't you put a towel or personal item down on the equipment? This isn't your home.

GymEtiquette? wrote:

I feel like you guys are the type of people who cut others in lines and they get upset when someone calls you out on it. Not sure why you "bet he would have even moved it for" me - glad you've already characterized this dude in your head as helpful as considerate just because it suits your narrative.

I think my second issue is, even if he was using it, I don't think people have a right to hog equipment they aren't on. Let's assume he actually was in between sets - so what? Is it really fair to walk away and expect your equipment to remain untouched and also to hog a machine for that long without actually using it?

That's exactly what you did. The guy wasn't finished with his sets and you decided to cut in line.

he wasn't on the machine!!! this is not what happened at all. what you're describing would be more like if i walked up to the front of a line and cut everyone by telling them, oh i was already in line, i just got off for a few minutes.

GymEtiquette? wrote:

he wasn't on the machine!!! this is not what happened at all. what you're describing would be more like if i walked up to the front of a line and cut everyone by telling them, oh i was already in line, i just got off for a few minutes.

He was in line. He was using the bench.

GymEtiquette? wrote:

5 minutes? Dude, that's ridiculous. I superset all of my workouts and my lift is typically 30-45 minutes. I'm not going to stand around for 5 minutes because some jackass decided to saunter away and drink water like a p*ssy and maybe swipe right on a few tinder matches. You asked her what she was doing? Could you be any more condescending? Why don't you put a towel or personal item down on the equipment? This isn't your home.

Wait, why is the OP pretending to be someone else but forgot to change their handle? This smells fishy. Gotta be a troll, but I'll keep going. Someone could have taken over the handle too.

Anyways, I asked because she doesn't appear to know much about common gym behavior. Not everyone supersets, some people lift harder than others and take 5 minute rests because they have long workouts. The guy next to me always takes 5 minute rests and leaves his bar near one of the lifting platforms. He has to take long rests because he precedes to go get 5 reps at 450 lbs while he turns purple.

The guy who was using the bench could be hurt, so insulting the seriousness of his workout is a little rude. Plus, even if not, he's getting into fitness, which is good, and anyways I'd bet he's stronger than you (so I wouldn't say he drinks water like a p*ssy), as you came to a running message board to complain, and we all know how strong and powerful some scrawny runner lady or guy dragging the bench around at the local gym is. Plus, I'd argue moving the bench was enough to prove it was in use, so there's the answer to your last point.

You, and many others on here, truly lack reading comprehension skills. That was in response to the person who said he asked what the lady removing the 45s was doing.

I guess anything counts as "using the bench" these days. Merely looking at a piece of equipment probably suffices for "using the bench" in your eyes.