Before we get into my Gym Pet Peeve for this week, let me just say that some of these suggestions you guys are giving me via e-mail, Twitter, etc. are awesome! I think I have enough material for the next year, so keep them coming!
I actually had one ready to go! I was going to write it up last night, look over it this morning and post. It’s a good thing I didn’t though, since I ran into one of my BIGGEST pet peeves this morning while doing my 5:00 AM workout…
The Mayor of The Machines
“One down, four more machines to go!”
You can spot this guy from miles away! There is absolutely nothing more annoying than the jerk who takes over five or six different stations at once, ESPECIALLY when one of those is what is standing between you and getting ready for work.
Now, I’m all about circuit training. In fact, that’s part of how I was able to lose weight in the first place. Conceptually, the combination of strength training with the cardio benefits of the exercises being in succession is fantastic. What makes THIS guy so freakin’ special is that:
- He has his “territory” spread out all over the gym floor like it’s a game of “Monopoly”
- Take ages to get through the circuit because he…
- Puts enough weight on each station where “working in” isn’t an option, and most importantly…
- At the end of the circuit, he takes time to chat with other people instead of taking the minute or two rest and starting over again.
Aside from simply calling this meathead out (which, at 5 in the morning, is a totally reasonable thing to do), all you can do is adapt your workout. Today, for example, the last part of my routine was four sets of seated calf raises. Since this week in Jim Stoppani’s “Shortcut To Size” prescribed high rep/low weight sets (and this idiot had every 45 lbs. wheel in the joint on the machine), I wasn’t about to ask the guy to work in. Instead, I was forced to do a variation using some cables, steps and creativity.
If you’re “that guy,” I do have some suggestions to make you look less like a douche and blend in with your surrounding gym patrons:
- If you’re going to superset or do circuits, try to make sure the exercises are all in the same general area (i.e. keep it to the power rack for squats, calf raises, shoulder press).
- More power to you if you can lift a ton of weight. I can’t fault you for that, so go read rule #1 again.
- The idea of the superset is to be efficient with your time. Talking to someone about whether or not FSU is going to the Big 12 is not efficient. Neither is watching the same Sportscenter that’s been on since 3:00 in the morning.
I hope this has been as educational for you as it has been calming for me. Keep the suggestions coming, GymGeeks! Hopefully next week, I won’t have a last second moment of inspiration at the gym…
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I’ll leave you with a quote from one of the finest movie trilogies of all time…
