today I was doing negative pull ups on the bench press bar, As the actual chin up bar is much too high ('m not exactly a tall girl)
and it's much easier to do negatives on a lower bar.
while using the equipment some old guy comes over to the press and starts loading the bar with weights, and trying to push the bench back under the bar WHILE I'm STILL ON THE MACHINE
so other random old guy that spoke english comes over and tells me the other guy wants to use the bench press (no kidding) I (still kindly at this point) tell him I am in the middle of doing a set and he can wait for me to finish my set, I will be less then 5 min.
then he goes on and tries to say will that's not what the machine is for, I (a little less kindly) tell him it is a piece of workout equipment, and I am working out on it, so what is the problem.
he says go use the chin up bar,
well that would be an option if I could reach the damn thing, and I can't use a bench to stand on because 15 min early when I had been doing step up lunges onto the bench the same guy had come over and told me I cant do those using the bench because I shouldn't be putting my feet on it.
anyways it ended with a 20 min argument, which he finally backed off and let me finish my sets (which were now broken up and with a long rest in the middle)
The workout I'm doing is here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55yW3aVn ... youtu.be&a
you can see the parts where the bench press bar is required.
is this a common thing in asia?
was it because I'm a women? is that kind of sexism present in workout clubs here?
or where these guys just being jerks, for the sake of being jerks.
) to reach the bar, and what would they suggest? This will then result in a 40-minute discussion between the entire staff, the cleaner, and six passersby, but at least when they give you an answer you've got some legitimacy.
"srsly?" and walk away. Still, in general, I don't think we should have to put up with bad behaviour at the gym. It's a public space and it gets pretty crowded, which means proper etiquette is important. Unfortunately, I get the feeling gym etiquette (much like road etiquette) is not taught here. Hence the friction. If someone is doing something reckless, dangerous, or unsociable, I don't see anything wrong with calling them on it, loudly if necessary. If someone grumbles, one should consider first, "am I inconveniencing anyone?", and if you are, do as you're told. If the grumbler is just being a dick, I'd say the best solution is to just ignore them, if possible. Pretending not to speak Chinese is pretty foolproof (and even more so if you don't).
