How do you deal with jerks at the gym?

Do you guys have any tips for polite ways to deal with people who are going way over the time limit on machines at the gym while people are waiting, or cut in line? This girl obviously knew what she was doing when she stole my machine this morning, and I kept quiet because, being sleepy and grumpy, I couldn’t come up with anything more polite than to ask her if she’d read the new study suggesting that being a huge bitch is fattening.

My answer is simple don’t go to the gym…. but seriously for me working out is supposed to be the most stress-less part of my daily routine, to have “jerks” ruin it seems to me to be counter-productive. If this is an on-going problem maybe you should consider removing yourself from the environment for a while and try other activities that don’t require the gym, or look at changing times to avoid the rush if that’s possible. What your describing is precisely why I don’t bother going to gyms. Workouts should be a stress reliever not a stress enhancer. There are so many alternatives from in home gyms to exercising at the beach, using suspension training like the TRX, or just working out at home…I am sure you can find something you enjoy. But if the gym is what you enjoy doing I wouldn’t let jerks dissuade you ..I really don’t have the experience to suggest ways to handle gym jerks but I am sure someone in here has …Good Luck and don’t let the jerks get you down! :)

do you have sign up sheets for your machines or is it just a recommended 30 mins maximum? at my gym there is a sheet and if there is someone on the machine you’ve signed up for its always a simple “hey i signed up at this time” ive never had anyone say no

Nobody really “owns” a machine in a the gym. So I don’t know how someone would go about “stealing” one. If you stand up and walk around, then most often it is taken as a sign that you are not using a machine. If you are using a machine, then you sit in it, or occupy it.
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Also remember that other people workouts are just as important as your own.
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Most often it is easy to dispel any confusion or frustration by simple communication. And most often, solutions like “coming in in-between sets” (that is lifting while the other is resting between sets) is happily accepted. In busy gyms this is almost a necessity.
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Being passive aggressive about it wont help things, and only add on internal frustration that must go out some day, some way. And if you are one of those people that is surrounded by “jerks” all the time everywhere you go. Well then you cant escape can you? ;)

@nerdofhonor My gym has a 20 minute time limit, no sign up sheets. So you just have to trust people to respect who got there first and not to go way over the time limit.

@arnthorla This person clearly saw I was waiting before them, but stood really close to the treadmill and jumped on before I could get to it. I wasn’t hallucinating, several others around me rolled their eyes. (I’m talking about cardio machines, not weights, I get what you’re saying in that context)

And my point is that everyone’s workouts are equally important; people who think they’re somehow justified in spending an hour on a machine when everyone else only gets 20 minutes is what’s bugging me.

That is to say. . .I’m not a passive aggressive person and I’m not “constantly surrounded by jerks”. It’s just a particularly awkward situation because I see these same people all the time but don’t know them, and some of them behave in ways that are selfish and rude and screw up others’ workouts. . .and it’s impossible to predict how they’ll react to any kind of response to it. And because it’s awkward to say anything, they get to keep doing it. Just wondering if anyone’s had a successful experience of actually saying anything.

You know if working out at a gym works for you and you’re paying for a membership then I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t be comfortable being polite but firm in asking the person to get off the machine or asking the gym staff to get the person off of the machine.

Anything else is just admitting that you deserve being treated with disrespect.

I think you should have gone with your initial response, if I heard someone drop that line in the gym this morning, it would have been the highlight of my day.

Other than just saying “Excuse me, I’m next in line” I’ve got no real advice, I definitely know where you’re coming from though, some people just lack common courtesy.

Ok, I see.
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Those types probably rely on the hesitation of a confrontation in other people. So that calls for a “call on that” in a confrontation.
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However I would go for a low key one, a polite one. Even in this case, ask the owner about these things, or some one with authority in the gym. And explain this to him or her. And next time you could perhaps politely speak to the offending person and stating in a very easy manner his or her offense (in a friendly manner) and if there is no positive response, go get the person (that you have already spoken with, if possible) and have him/her sort things out.
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If nothing works. A firm punch in the nose might do the trick with those kind of persons. (Some people never understand unless they get hurt. – In a primitive way they need to be dominated. Too bad that modern society frowns up on those kinds of acts of justified violence.)

Very caveman, @arnthorla, but you made me laugh.

@rachelbishop, rather than stewing about it, the most productive thing would have been to call her on it. Next time, just say “excuse me, but I was waiting for that machine”. If she acts bitchy, THEN you can stew. But chances are, she would have backed off.

Very often asking when they will be finished will do the trick. I do understand that everybody’s workout is important and I do recognize that when someone is working his/her but off that they have a fixation. On the cardio machines I chose the least popular machine (anyone knows what that might be?)They have four and they are almost never busy…
On the weight machines there are trafficlight circuits where you are on 40 sec then rotate in 20 sec… and there are free machines. When someone is on the free machines there is no time limit. But when I see someone using it as a chair or resting for ever on a machine I just ask how long if they are almost done. Almost always they are :) …
Btw the cardio machine was Stairclimber (not funny because heavy work).

I am usually the jerk. I would say that if you just politely asked me how many sets I have left, I will gladly tell you. Most of the times we are jerks for a reason, because we have to put up with you after new years when we have been working out in the gym all year, you want to do barbell curls in my beloved squat rack, Because we come to workout not talk talk talk, if you want to pick up a girl or a guy go somewhere else I am trying to work out here, no I dont want your opinion on nutrition or lifting I am doing fine by myself, and you screamers and cell phone talkers. Yes, if you hesitate and daydream I will jump in front of you.

Is this the only gym in your town? I tried out one very popular, relatively cheap gym recently and decided it wasn’t for me. If I have to wait for a treadmill or stand in line for a place to plug in my hair dryer after showering, I don’t need to waste my money for that type of stress.

@riggle: but they’re paying for the same facilities, aren’t they? anyway, she clearly said she was queued up but the other girl cut the line. that’s not exactly ‘daydreaming’ and i don’t see the point of calling out the types of people you called out. you’re justifying your admission of being a jerk, but it seems so out of place given the context of the thread.

20 minutes maximum on a cardio machine?!?

you need to find a new gym.

Heh, yeah, 20 minutes and no sign up sheet is annoying. . .but it’s an NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation gym, which means it’s costing me $70 a year. I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of convenience for that level of affordability. And there’s a very nice track at a nearby park when I don’t feel like dealing with it.

Anyways, thanks for the advice everyone!

Hey Rachel,

It seems like the advice from people given here is kind of varied, however I’d like to throw my two cents in. It’s a pity that the gym doesn’t have a sign-up sheet, as that would change the whole situation. Perhaps talking to the owner/manager about that would be a good step? Say that this is a problem at the gym and many people abuse it.

Secondly, just backing away from it, or switching gyms isn’t solving any problems (like some people on here suggested). You are just letting those assholes win, whether they’re doing it on purpose or not. You have to “confront” them. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Would you rather be in the gym known for “the person who stood up for herself” or “the person who was a pushover and just let it happen”? I know it’s tough, and I’ve been in that situation before, and my only regret was that I didnt speak up for myself the first time. I learned fast and now I don’t take that kind of crap from anyone. I don’t care if it’s a world-class marathon runner jumping in line, or some jacked up guy who has had nothing to do but go to the gym every day for the last 10 years…social etiquette like that should be followed and respected regardless.

And some tips, if you do speak up for yourself, and that person starts getting angry at you and trying to blame you (which will most likely happen, as a defense mechanism by people who know theyve done wrong – first reaction is to resort to violence/intimidation) then just remain calm and tell them “If you don’t agree with me, then we can discuss this with the manager, I was clearly waiting here first…etc etc”

The only one that will end up looking bad is them, because like you mentioned, everyone around you noticed and rolled their eyes!

Fight the crazies! :P

People simply need to be reminded of basic gym etiquette.

Point it out, let them know, believe it or not most people have no idea how to act inside a gym. Hopefully they won’t do it in the future once you point out the bullshit they’re doing.

I think it’s interesting that of this complaining no one has yet mentioned the other sins people do in the gym like not putting away their weights when they are finished and not wiping down the bench they have just used which is a rule at my gym.

Personally I don’t have the problem of people being being rude when it comes to weights sharing as everyone is really nice at my gym but admittedly I get really agro when someone won’t get off my favourite treadmill. The one with the big fan behind it,,,

the gym i go to is empty only a few people go there and there is no limit for the machines