# Gym etiquette / policy / whatever



## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

I go to a small, it's 6 minutes from my house....

Anyway, i went around noon one weekday which I understand is prime time.

Among the aerobic machines, there are only 3 treadmills.

When I arrived. I could see that 2 had someone on them. One was not in use although I could see a towel hanging on its frame. 

I changed my shoes as gym rules are such that you cannot use the same shoes that you came in from the street with.

I put my stuff in a locker and locked it. this is all in the same space as the treadmill so I was able to see it as I did all these things.

I got on the treadmill and notticed not only the towel but also a water bottle. A couple of feet away from this machine was one of those cubicle / shelf like structures so I put those items there.

And then I started my treadmilling. About 1 minute into it, the person came back and wanted the machine back.

He asked if I saw his items. yes, I did. I told him that I didn't see him even as I was changing my shoes.

He did n't engage the management. but did hang around.

For my part, I try to get some treadmilling in before a close. So that allowed me only 5 minutes running time before the class started.

And as I was getting the machine, someone else asked about it and I mentioned that there someone else waiting for it.... yes, that guy.

What would you have done?

I'm wondering if I should mention this to the management.


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## arbitrator (Feb 13, 2012)

NextTimeAround said:


> I go to a small, it's 6 minutes from my house....
> 
> Anyway, i went around noon one weekday which I understand is prime time.
> 
> ...


*Absolutely! Management needs to know that it is not doing a very good job!

And after having been so advised, if they then refuse to comply, then it's time to find yourself another gym or workout facility where rules are adhered to!*
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

So, Arbitrator, you believe that you move, you lose.

I do too as long as everyone else follows that.


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## happy as a clam (Jan 5, 2014)

I agree. I don't think someone should "hog" the treadmill by marking it with their stuff. If they're not there to use it, they lose it.

Now it's a bit different with weights and weight machines, especially if someone is doing a circuit and they just need to jump onto a machine for one quick set. But most experienced gym-goers are quite familiar with this and have no problem allowing someone to "work in".

IMHO you did the correct thing. You politely placed his things on the shelf (instead of tossing on to the floor ). And I would tell management they need to post a sign near the treadmills -- "Please be courteous to other patrons. No 'Holding' Equipment", or something to that effect.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

intheory said:


> Yeah, maybe that person went to the bathroom; and left their towel and water bottle as a way to "hold" the machine 'til they got back??
> 
> But you had no way to know this; and saw an unused machine and started to get your workout in.
> 
> ...


If there is a grace period for bathroom breaks, that would have to be defined.

I could the see the empty treadmill as I entered the door and always look for it because that determines how fast I'll change my shoes take my coat off and get things into the locker.

And then I was on the treadmill runningin my groove so to speak so after I determined the correct speed and incline.......

and then this guy shows up........

Considering the fact that I only had 5 minutes to treadmill before the class....

that means that 5 minutes is a meaningful amount of time.


and 1 minute is 20% of 5 minutes.........

those are the proportions that we are dealing with.....


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## EllisRedding (Apr 10, 2015)

Hmmm... this is tricky. Like intheory said, maybe the person just ran to the bathroom. if that is the case they shouldn't lose their machine. So, I will go with @intheory suggestion, have management create a sign that says "Gotta $h!t, brb" along with the poop and taco emoji so you know next time!








+









I would just take on a case by case basis.

I go to a small gym as well, and have somewhat similar gym etiquette issues. Normally I am at the gym at 5am so very few people there that I have to worry about (except for the guy who periodically has digestive issues, leaves trailers/crop duster all over the place which is great b/c the area will stink, I will be the only left in that area, and anyone else who walks in thinks I was the one participating in anal acoustics ...

The one issue I do run in to, if I go to the on the weekends around 7-8am, there are a couple of females who come in to work out together (typically with the personal trainer). For some reason they view the equipment (in particular the bench press) as the best place to store their purse, coat, etc... They won't even use the bench press, just end up doing various exercises elsewhere. Unfortunately the PT doesn't have an issue with this which is why they probably do this. Seriously, one time I was on the bench press, bar was loaded, I finished my set and walked away (maybe 10 feet or so, just moving around) and the minute I got up they tried putting their crap on the bench. Common sense is definitely lacking there ...


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## EllisRedding (Apr 10, 2015)

intheory said:


> @EllisRedding
> 
> I prefer Mr. Hanky as my animated fecal character, for future reference.
> 
> Richard Simmons workout videos can be very intense. I did them for about six months. Made sure the living room drapes were closed all the way first. Good, goofy workout.


Noted ...










I still remember doing those Billy Blank Tae Bo videos when they first came out. First time I did it I could barely walk for a week lol.


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## happy as a clam (Jan 5, 2014)

EllisRedding said:


> I still remember doing those Billy Blank Tae Bo videos when they first came out. First time I did it I could barely walk for a week lol.


Oh man, I LOVED Tae Bo... Billy Blanks was da' bomb!!! And you're right, I couldn't go up or down stairs for a week. At all.


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## ReidWright (May 15, 2014)

Usually a towel is to show that the equipment is being used. Could someone forget one? sure.

I usual would look around, then ask the person next to the equipment, "hey, did you see someone on this treadmill?"

I'm not sure of the exact timing, but it seems like you jumped the gun slightly.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

ReidWright said:


> Usually a towel is to show that the equipment is being used. Could someone forget one? sure.
> 
> I usual would look around, then ask the person next to the equipment, "hey, did you see someone on this treadmill?"
> 
> I'm not sure of the exact timing, but it seems like you jumped the gun slightly.


How much time would you give for grace period.

The type of treadmill at my gym gives a 1minute pause. If the user does not revert back to active mode, then the machine "stops", gives a summary of the run and then goes into sleep mode.

I saw the summary screen. I don't know how long the summary screen lasts. (so pause screen + summary screen) So at least one minute by the time I got to the machine. And then I was running on the machine by the time the guy returned, so close to another minute.

Would you say then, that a grace period consists of at least 2 minutes... or more maybe?


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## EllisRedding (Apr 10, 2015)

happy as a clam said:


> Oh man, I LOVED Tae Bo... Billy Blanks was da' bomb!!! And you're right, I couldn't go up or down stairs for a week. At all.


My problem, when I first started those video I went into it thinking I was already a professional kickboxer/martial artist. Boy was that a mistake lol.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

intheory said:


> @NextTimeAround
> 
> There's gotta be a suggestion box at your gym; or perhaps you can email the manager directly.
> 
> ...


yeah, you're right. And we're assuming bathroom breaks.

This guy could have taken a phone call and assumed that the treadmill would be waiting for him.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

The implication here is that 

I don't want to give up the treadmill because I took a bathroom break 


only to find out that if I had been away for 2 minutes or less, I should still be able to reclaim the machine

EVEN when others are waiting.


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## MJJEAN (Jun 26, 2015)

The gym we went to last had a policy that stated if you weren't currently on the machine, it was free to be used by other members. Period. Right there in the contract and on the wall.


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## kag123 (Feb 6, 2012)

ReidWright said:


> Usually a towel is to show that the equipment is being used. Could someone forget one? sure.
> 
> I usual would look around, then ask the person next to the equipment, "hey, did you see someone on this treadmill?"
> 
> I'm not sure of the exact timing, but it seems like you jumped the gun slightly.


Agree. 

The water bottle and towel is a universal symbol where I go that the machine is taken. 

This is also one of the reasons we chose to join a very large gym. We have about 20+ of each type of cardio machine so it's not such a noticeable issue if someone saves a machine. 

In a small place, the gym should have a policy for peak hours about this. You should suggest that to them. 

However - in your shoes, I would have asked around if anyone saw the person using the machine. And probably just used another cardio machine while scoping it out for the next 15-20 mins. 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


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## FeministInPink (Sep 13, 2012)

MJJEAN said:


> The gym we went to last had a policy that stated if you weren't currently on the machine, it was free to be used by other members. Period. Right there in the contract and on the wall.


I think the OP is in the clear, and behaved just fine. I see no etiquette rules being broken. There was no one on the treadmill when he arrived, and there was no one on the treadmill when he had finished changing his shoes.

I understand the whole "towel means the machine is in use," but I don't think that applies in this case. Why? Because it's peak time at the gym, and there are only three treadmills in the whole place. It's a real d!ck move on the other guy's part to monopolize a machine during peak time, by walking away and leaving his sh!t there--part of etiquette is being courteous of other people in the gym. He doesn't OWN the treadmill. The OP pays a membership fee

People have made the "bathroom break" argument, which I don't buy. It's just common sense to use the facilities BEFORE you start your workout, and you should be able to make it through 30 mins on the treadmill without having to go again... if you can't, well then, you've got more serious issues than whether or not someone takes the treadmill that you abandoned.


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## EllisRedding (Apr 10, 2015)

FeministInPink said:


> People have made the "bathroom break" argument, which I don't buy. It's just common sense to use the facilities BEFORE you start your workout, and you should be able to make it through 30 mins on the treadmill without having to go again... if you can't, well then, you've got more serious issues than whether or not someone takes the treadmill that you abandoned.


Actually it can be legitimate. Oh geez, I don't want to sound like some poop expert lol. The most common cause, people having caffeine/stims pre workout. This of course can stimulate the GI which is why you could easily end up having to do #1 or #2 intra workout when everything kicks in. Not just caffeine but could be other things you may have taken as well. Back in the day there was a pre workout called Super Pump which based on user feedback got renamed Super Dump lol.

Also, some people may do something like the treadmill at the end of their workout so may have consumed a lot of water/liquids leading up to that (which once again, with your bladder bouncing up and down on the treadmill could be enough to trigger a tinkle)

My current process, I take my pre workout about 30 minutes before I go to the gym. This gives me enough time to get the pre workout morning poop in before heading out the door. If I have to poop at the gym, it feels like a workout in itself and I just end u p going home lol

OK, too much detail here, time to put the keyboard away :grin2:


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

EllisRedding said:


> Actually it can be legitimate. Oh geez, I don't want to sound like some poop expert lol. The most common cause, people having caffeine/stims pre workout. This of course can stimulate the GI which is why you could easily end up having to do #1 or #2 intra workout when everything kicks in. Not just caffeine but could be other things you may have taken as well. Back in the day there was a pre workout called Super Pump which based on user feedback got renamed Super Dump lol.
> 
> Also, some people may do something like the treadmill at the end of their workout so may have consumed a lot of water/liquids leading up to that (which once again, with your bladder bouncing up and down on the treadmill could be enough to trigger a tinkle)
> 
> ...



Since anyone could be affected by needs for ablution, I think "you move, you lose" is the best way to go since it could happen to any of us.

there's no point in having unused assets in the gym, especially at high time.

Plus the idea of giving some time between the person leaving the machine and coming back, who exactly is going to check on that. The whole idea of the machine going into sleep mode after 60 seconds of non movement was one way to solve it. Should we extend that to 5 minutes.

In any case, after bringing my beef here and not hassling my husband, my solution for the next time is to point out to the manager that the machine is free despite a towel hanging on its frame. What might be her opinion?


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## Mr. Nail (Apr 26, 2011)

this issue is one of the big reasons I swim. My gym has 2 areas for cardio. The women only area, and the anything goes area. Guess where the functional machines are, and while you are at it guess where the women work out. So here I was waiting for this gall to walk an hour while 3 machines were empty upstairs. The last day was when they put the 175 # weight limit on the men's treadmills. My current treadmill has varying inclines, natural dirt surface, scenic vegetation and occasional wildlife. Very few over toned women.


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## bbdad (Feb 11, 2013)

The towel / bottle is a sign that the machine is taken. However, some abuse that greatly. There is one lady at my gym who will put her stuff on her favorite treadmill, then go and do a 30 minute workout on the weight floor and come back to "her" treadmill. I have been known to move her stuff and use that machine just because I can't stand people that think they are entitled to stuff in a public space.

In your case, I would have done as you did. However, when approached, I would have given the machine back ONE TIME. If it regularly happens that some one is "holding" their machine, then that person loses all gym etiquette from me.


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## MJJEAN (Jun 26, 2015)

kag123 said:


> Agree.
> 
> The water bottle and towel is a universal symbol where I go that the machine is taken.
> 
> ...


Our gym IS a large gym. Over 25 treadmills, 15 stair steppers, over 40 of two different kinds of ellipticals, two different weight areas with racks and Smith machines as far as the eye can see.

At 6 pm on a weekday, you're lucky to get a machine or a dumb bell, and can forget about a bar and some weights until after 8 pm, at earliest. Hell, you're lucky to have space to lay a yoga mat.

Our gym has a very low monthly membership fee and allows adult memberships to anyone ever 16 with parental consent. A lot of the local high school athletes work out there in addition to everyone else you'd expect to see at the gym, so during peak time it's packed!


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## BetrayedDad (Aug 8, 2013)

Who the hell "holds" a treadmill?!?

I'd wait five minutes cause maybe they went to the bathroom.

You're either running or your not. This guy is a clown. Total narcissist.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

BetrayedDad said:


> Who the hell "holds" a treadmill?!?
> 
> I'd wait five minutes cause maybe they went to the bathroom.
> 
> You're either running or your not. This guy is a clown. Total narcissist.


5 minutes is a long time in gym time. I try to get 30 minutes of running time when I am not taking class. That's 16% of my evening program.

The more I respond to my own thread, the more I believe that one should not get that privilege. 

As I said, rest time at my gym is programmed for 1 minute. unless, you restart and repause or restart to treadmill again, it goes into sleep. And starts over at 00:00 for time.

I did see at one gym signs that say that the aerobic machines stop at 30 minutes. I guess that means you need to get off it. Especially at high time,


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

bbdad said:


> The towel / bottle is a sign that the machine is taken. However, some abuse that greatly. *There is one lady at my gym who will put her stuff on her favorite treadmill, then go and do a 30 minute workout on the weight floor and come back to "her" treadmill. *I have been known to move her stuff and use that machine just because I can't stand people that think they are entitled to stuff in a public space.
> 
> In your case, I would have done as you did. However, when approached, I would have given the machine back ONE TIME. If it regularly happens that some one is "holding" their machine, then that person loses all gym etiquette from me.


the management support that practice.


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## FeministInPink (Sep 13, 2012)

EllisRedding said:


> Actually it can be legitimate. Oh geez, I don't want to sound like some poop expert lol. The most common cause, people having caffeine/stims pre workout. This of course can stimulate the GI which is why you could easily end up having to do #1 or #2 intra workout when everything kicks in. Not just caffeine but could be other things you may have taken as well. Back in the day there was a pre workout called Super Pump which based on user feedback got renamed Super Dump lol.
> 
> Also, some people may do something like the treadmill at the end of their workout so may have consumed a lot of water/liquids leading up to that (which once again, with your bladder bouncing up and down on the treadmill could be enough to trigger a tinkle)
> 
> ...


Fair enough. 

Though, I think if one is taking a supplement which causes that type of side effect... try a different supplement!


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## BetrayedDad (Aug 8, 2013)

NextTimeAround said:


> 5 minutes is a long time in gym time. I try to get 30 minutes of running time when I am not taking class. That's 16% of my evening program.
> 
> The more I respond to my own thread, the more I believe that one should not get that privilege.
> 
> ...


I purposely go to a gym that's not as busy cause I hate waiting for machines. At the same time, I've had my machine "taken" simply cause I went to take a piss and it sucks. Its a long walk to the locker room, pee, wash hands, dumb air dryer and a long walk back. Easily 3-4 minutes.

But I just moved onto something else when it happened. Almost all the patrons at my gym will ask if you or someone are using something before they jump on. I personally would wait out of courtesy cause I've been there but I'm not on such a rigid schedule as you I guess.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

BetrayedDad said:


> I purposely go to a gym that's not as busy cause I hate waiting for machines. At the same time, I've had my machine "taken" simply cause I went to take a piss and it sucks.
> 
> But I just moved onto something else. *Almost all the patrons will ask if you are using something before they jump on. *I personally would wait out of courtesy but I'm not on such a rigid schedule as you I guess.


Should I pay a visit to the men's room and ask permission before I go on a machine At least one with a towel on it?

And remember, I don't was taking a piss or a dump. He may have been in the courtyard tending to a call or a text. What do you propose then?


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

BetrayedDad said:


> I purposely go to a gym that's not as busy cause I hate waiting for machines. At the same time, I've had my machine "taken" simply cause I went to take a piss and it sucks. Its a long walk to the locker room, pee, wash hands, dumb air dryer and a long walk back. Easily 3-4 minutes.
> *
> But I just moved onto something else when it happened*. Almost all the patrons at my gym will ask if you or someone are using something before they jump on. I personally would wait out of courtesy cause I've been there but I'm not on such a rigid schedule as you I guess.


There were no more treadmills available. He was able to move on to a stairmaster. Or should I have done that?


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## BetrayedDad (Aug 8, 2013)

NextTimeAround said:


> There were no more treadmills available. He was able to move on to a stairmaster. Or should I have done that?


I mean just be reasonable. That's my philosophy...

If he comes back and sees you on it and says, "I'm so sorry I was using that I just had to run to the bathroom real quick." And it was less than 5 minutes, I'd be like "okay, I thought it was unoccupied" and I would do the stairmaster. 

If he's like, "I had to take a phone call (which can wait)" or "I'm holding it to use in 20 minutes" or "I'm doing some bizarre tread mill circuit" I'd tell him to go pound sand. It's a judgment call what you think is fair and how you would feel in his position.

That's just me.... Treat others the way you would expect to be treated. I take a lot of protein on my gym days. Sometimes you just get that sudden urge to go LOL.


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## heartsbeating (May 2, 2011)

NextTimeAround said:


> What would you have done?
> 
> I'm wondering if I should mention this to the management.


What what I have done? ....I would have chosen a different cardio machine and moved on. 

In your shoes though, I would have simply replied to the guy that I wouldn't be long then put my headphones back in. I'm not one for telling management and requesting signs. I just don't feel that a person is going to change their manners/behavior because of a sign. My take is you did what you thought was okay at the time. What bothers you about it?


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

heartsbeating said:


> What what I have done? ....I would have chosen a different cardio machine and moved on.
> 
> In your shoes though, I would have simply replied to the guy that I wouldn't be long then put my headphones back in. I'm not one for telling management and requesting signs. I just don't feel that a person is going to change their manners/behavior because of a sign. My take is you did what you thought was okay at the time.* What bothers you about it?*


Wanting to make sure that a rule is consistently applied.

For example, had I given up the machine after getting on it, then next week, I decide to take a bathroom break, return, find the machine occupied, I would expect to get the machine back, because I showed that courtesy just last week.

OR say for example, I leave the machine alone only to watch someone else take the machine. And when the bottle and towel owner comes back, he still doesn't get his machine back.

IF there were a rule, it would evenly applied. No one would feel as if they were always on the wrong side of it.......

IOW, I am willing to go either way, I just don't want to be caught out.


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## FeministInPink (Sep 13, 2012)

NextTimeAround said:


> Wanting to make sure that a rule is consistently applied.
> 
> For example, had I given up the machine after getting on it, then next week, I decide to take a bathroom break, return, find the machine occupied, I would expect to get the machine back, because I showed that courtesy just last week.
> 
> ...


That's all well and good, but none of it mattered if what you do/expect isn't consistent with the policies at that particular gym. And if you gave the treadmill back to the guy, there's no guarantee that someone else would have been as generous with you next week. You can't expect to get the machine back the following week. 

Without any written rules, that's just wishful thinking. Etiquette cannot be enforced; written gym policy can be enforced by managers, and if you are behaving in accordance with the gym policies, management will back you up. But if you are following etiquette--which may be contrary to the gym's actual policies--then no one's going to back you up on that.

If you follow anything other than that specific gym's policies, then you'll be caught out at some point.


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## heartsbeating (May 2, 2011)

Does 'being caught out' equate to being 'wrong'? ....and if that happens, why would it necessarily be a bad thing? NTA you're a good person. You actively looked to see if someone else was using the machine. You made the judgement call to the best of your ability. 

Well done on hitting the gym. It can be a place of positive encouragement.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

heartsbeating said:


> Does 'being caught out' equate to being 'wrong'? ....and if that happens, why would it necessarily be a bad thing? NTA you're a good person. You actively looked to see if someone else was using the machine. You made the judgement call to the best of your ability.
> 
> Well done on hitting the gym. It can be a place of positive encouragement.


Very kind of you, hearts beating.

"Being caught out" in this case means that no matter which side of a scenario I am on, I don't benefit in anyway.

I am perfectly happy to give up the machine if I can be reassured that can take a bathroom break and can demand the machine back even when others are waiting.


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## bbdad (Feb 11, 2013)

Upon reading more of your answers, I think it would be best for you to purchase your own treadmill and workout at home. When you are talking about xx% of your workout time, that seems a bit too anal to be in public settings with many people trying to get things done. 

You stated there was a stepmill available. Well then you should have gone to that. If you are following a program that is so rigid that you can't substitute when needed, then you need a new program or a private gym.

Common courtesy would have been for you to use the stepmill. You still get cardio benefits with that machine. I am not big on holding machines, however, I understand it within reason.


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## heartsbeating (May 2, 2011)

And sometimes rules can be (temporarily) broken... or at least flexed. 

I thought of your thread. I was running late for a pilates class and know the policy is they don't allow late-comers to enter. I arrived 2 minutes late and figured I wouldn't be permitted to join the class. That was indeed the case. My bad for being late. Carrying my mat and water bottle, I made my way to the weights area instead. As soon as I walked in, I realized I didn't have a towel. The 'rule' is to use a towel on the machines. ******. 

I turned back around, was exiting the weights section, when the manager saw me and surprisingly knew I hadn't made it to pilates. I answered that I was two minutes too late. I said I was thinking of doing legs instead but... [it was obvious I was about to leave and manager interrupted with]...'No, there's no buts, get yourself back in there!' To which I continued '...But I don't have a towel with me for the machines.' I was told not to let that stop me from working out and they'd find a towel I could use.

So I worked out. A towel didn't make its way to me. I figured the staff were busy. The manager passed me as I was leaving, apologized for not getting me a towel and 'Well done' for doing legs. Note to self: be punctual and bring a towel.


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## Haiku (Apr 9, 2014)

People on fixed schedules at a gym is common. If I saw a machine claimed but unoccupied I'd wait a reasonable time (2-3 minutes) and if no one returned I'd probable do one of two things: tell the staff and ask for their help/permission, or just take it. 

If the person returned a minute or so after I started I might turn it back over to them or else tell them it was abandoned and I'll be done in X minutes. It's nice to be able to tell them I checked with the staff and had permission. Then the user's grief is with the gym and less with me. 

I hate gyms and clubs (except for group classes) so I put in a gym and dry sauna in the house. That's not an answer for everyone, but I use it on my schedule and it's always clean and available.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

heartsbeating said:


> And sometimes rules can be (temporarily) broken... or at least flexed.
> 
> I thought of your thread.* I was running late for a pilates class and know the policy is they don't allow late-comers to enter. I arrived 2 minutes late and figured I wouldn't be permitted to join the class. *That was indeed the case. My bad for being late. Carrying my mat and water bottle, I made my way to the weights area instead. As soon as I walked in, I realized I didn't have a towel. The 'rule' is to use a towel on the machines. ******.
> 
> ...


It sounds as if you did not try to enter the pilates class. You just simply gave up.

Imagine if you had attempted to join the pilates class and the instrustor turned you away.

And then you noticed one or more people joining the class after you were turned away.

How would you feel?


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

bbdad said:


> *Upon reading more of your answers, I think it would be best for you to purchase your own treadmill and workout at home. * When you are talking about xx% of your workout time, that seems a bit too anal to be in public settings with many people trying to get things done.
> 
> You stated there was a stepmill available. Well then you should have gone to that. If you are following a program that is so rigid that you can't substitute when needed, then you need a new program or a private gym.
> 
> Common courtesy would have been for you to use the stepmill. You still get cardio benefits with that machine. I am not big on holding machines, however, I understand it within reason.


Why? I'm sure the gym would miss the revenue from my membership. surely, I cannot be that difficult for the management to accommodate.


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## bbdad (Feb 11, 2013)

The membership from one person is not going to make or break a gym. Maybe I am reading wrong, but you have a sound of entitlement in your posts.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

bbdad said:


> The membership from one person is not going to make or break a gym. Maybe I am reading wrong, but you have a sound of entitlement in your posts.


only as much as someone who believes that they can block a machine from use for some unspecified amount of time.

Also, I would think the manager of a gym would want to know what's going on and why people are not renewing.

Perhaps you're one of those types who feel entitled to keep a machine for your personal use while others wait.


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## heartsbeating (May 2, 2011)

NextTimeAround said:


> It sounds as if you did not try to enter the pilates class. You just simply gave up.
> 
> Imagine if you had attempted to join the pilates class and the instrustor turned you away.
> 
> ...


'You just simply gave up' ...it may have come across that way to you but it wasn't. Although really, it would have been reasonable to have done that. 

I did attempt to join the class. After running across the car park, of course it was worth asking! The reception staff checked to see if I could still get in and I couldn't. However knowing that I was late, I wasn't going to push the point. I appreciated her help in trying. This is why I wrote 'indeed that was the case' in terms of being late. 

These glimmers of help make me feel it's a supportive gym. I can't get my head around the hypothetical scenario you gave me. It wouldn't happen. 

There are rules and policies ...sometimes they can be flexed (or attempted to be), sometimes I need to flex. Sometimes a bit of both. Focusing on the Pilates class, it's understandable why that rule is in place. Late comers can distract the flow of the class. Why should the instructor and other patrons be disrupted because of my tardiness? I have a watch and timetable same as everyone else. 

Personally I think you ought to go to the gym, be aware of the main 'rules' and the rest is in the moment and working with and around others.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

I agree with the cut off time for joining classes as well. I would just want to be sure that it is applied to others as well as myself. 

As far as my own situation, now that I think of it, since he did not go to manager, there may not be a rule on this matter. Or else, he was not aware of it either.

After starting this thread, I've decided to only deal with this issue if it arises again. At the same time, for myself, during high time in the gym, I will avoid bathroom breaks while expecting to get the machine back.


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## bbdad (Feb 11, 2013)

I agree that "holding machines" is a bad move. However, people have to be flexible in their workouts, when using a public facility. There were times where my program was to do stairmaster. Our gym only has 8 of them. At the time, all were taken. I didn't have a fit and monitor the time people were using them. I was flexible and just decided to switch to the treadmill - which I HATE. That is just a function of choosing to be at a public gym. Flexibility is required by all.

Again, I think it was a bad move to hold the machine. But, I also think your reaction and then the amount of emotional energy you have spent on it since could be much better directed. That is all I have been trying to get across.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

bbdad said:


> I agree that "holding machines" is a bad move. However, people have to be flexible in their workouts, when using a public facility. There were times where my program was to do stairmaster. *Our gym only has 8 of them. At the time, all were taken.* I didn't have a fit and monitor the time people were using them. I was flexible and just decided to switch to the treadmill - which I HATE. That is just a function of choosing to be at a public gym. Flexibility is required by all.
> 
> Again, I think it was a bad move to hold the machine. But, I also think your reaction and then the amount of emotional energy you have spent on it since could be much better directed. That is all I have been trying to get across.


Are you suggesting that I physically kicked some man off of a machine? If anything I kicked a towel and water bottle off the machine. I would certainly think that if people are on the machines that you would like to use that you adjust and move on.

I don't consider that towels and water bottles have the same standing as human being.

When the machines have a human being on them, I move on.


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## Lilac23 (Jul 9, 2015)

intheory said:


> @EllisRedding
> 
> I prefer Mr. Hanky as my animated fecal character, for future reference.
> 
> Richard Simmons workout videos can be very intense. I did them for about six months. Made sure the living room drapes were closed all the way first. Good, goofy workout.


God, I love South Park. That one's a classic!


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## bbdad (Feb 11, 2013)

NextTimeAround said:


> Are you suggesting that I physically kicked some man off of a machine? If anything I kicked a towel and water bottle off the machine. I would certainly think that if people are on the machines that you would like to use that you adjust and move on.
> 
> I don't consider that towels and water bottles have the same standing as human being.
> 
> When the machines have a human being on them, I move on.


You obviously believe you were 100% correct in your actions, so why even post about this?

I disagree with you. Simple as that.

Time to move on.


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

bbdad said:


> You obviously believe you were 100% correct in your actions, so why even post about this?
> 
> I disagree with you. Simple as that.
> 
> Time to move on.


Ok, I'll let yu have the last word.


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