Joined a new gym last night. Hilarious

[Bill Anders]

Good on ya, Gerald! Sometimes it's just best for everyone if someone does step in.

I'm 2 years removed from having to go to a gym (the first six months were COVID closures), so I can't contribute to this thread anymore, short of telling on myself.

[CommanderFun]

Been in and out of gyms for going on probably 3 years now, and one thing that always bothers me, I call it the "jerkoff row". It's supposed to be like a t-bar row, but they just take a barbell, load one side, and use a set of handles from one of the cable pulldown or row machines to lift the bar up between their legs. Because of this motion, and their hands being so close together, I call it the jerkoff row. I also call it that because without fail, EVERY time I have seen someone doing this lift, they do it for a few quick sets that don't even look like work, and then just fucking leave their half loaded bar lying on the floor and walk away. Not once have I seen one of these people strip the plates off and put the bar back wherever they found it. And I've been seeing people do this exercise for years at this point, in multiple different gyms.

[gallon_of_cheese_a_day]

Had to explain to a guy today that it was poor etiquette to do (dumbbell) curls in the squat rack I needed, even though there was "no room anywhere else."

[TheChubbyViking]

Any chance we can revive this thread? It’s by far one of my favorites.

[J. Killmond]

My policy is to attempt not to look at what people are doing, especially if they are dropping weights and making unnecessary noise. I also would feel bad writing here about ill-informed gym-goers who have not had the opportunity to learn at the font of Starting Strength wisdom.

. . . Nevertheless, yesterday, a guy puts the hooks on the front the rack, loads approximately 205 in bumpers and puts it on his back. He then jumps and raises it overhead off his back and attempts to land in a squat snatch position before dropping the weight in front of him. Didn't seem prudent to me, but he seemed intent on doing this repeatedly. How he managed to avoid calamity I don't know, because I couldn't bring myself to watch, but he eventually walked away under his power.

[Lost and Found]

My policy is to attempt not to look at what people are doing, especially if they are dropping weights and making unnecessary noise. I also would feel bad writing here about ill-informed gym-goers who have not had the opportunity to learn at the font of Starting Strength wisdom.

. . . Nevertheless, yesterday, a guy puts the hooks on the front the rack, loads approximately 205 in bumpers and puts it on his back. He then jumps and raises it overhead off his back and attempts to land in a squat snatch position before dropping the weight in front of him. Didn't seem prudent to me, but he seemed intent on doing this repeatedly. How he managed to avoid calamity I don't know, because I couldn't bring myself to watch, but he eventually walked away under his power.

And I would assume he walked off leaving the loaded bar on the rack.

[Mr. Bingley]

This was an awesome thread, but covid closed all the gyms around me, and I sure ain't going to tell the dumb stuff I have done in my garage since...

[J. Killmond]

This was an awesome thread, but covid closed all the gyms around me, and I sure ain't going to tell the dumb stuff I have done in my garage since...

That made me laugh!

[TheChubbyViking]

Some absolute dip-dip (me, obviously) completed his 3 sets of 5 squats, felt exceptionally proud of himself, and then realized that he had misloaded one side of the bar by 5 pounds. His Labor Day weekend is irrevocably ruined.

[Steven Kalin]

So I lost my space, and now have to work out in a globo type gym. Seen a lot of stupid crap, but this one I actually had to stop myself from laughing out loud. This kid, early 20s and obviously trying to be a bodybuilder, is doing pull-ups. He’s got the chains draped around his neck to add weight. They are nowhere near the floor. This gym has multiple weight suspension belts.