Rude old men in the Gym

[Indiana]

Yeah, these are the reasons we fitted out a home gym when we were living in Pingdong!

[Formosa Fitness]

Actually, your real problem is that you are in the wrong gym: get thee to Formosa Fitness!
...
At least you don't have to contend with getting flashed by gays in the change rooms like happens in California Gym for men.

Thanks for the mention!

If people are flashing others, etc. then they should be tossed out on the butts, which is exactly what would happen at our gym. The money of any single problem individual isn't worth it. The gym owner at these places has an obligation to set the culture there and I'm pretty strict. So far we haven't had anything like that happen and hopefully we won't. The situation will NOT improve until owners take an active interest in shaping the attitude and fitness of their gym goers and that's not even on the radar of most local gym owners. Gym etiquette will NOT improve here under current conditions.

But then running overly sexual ads that make the gym look like a brothel doesn't help the situation either. What they're promoting shows up in the attitude of the gymgoers.

[Indiana]

I just had a giggle remembering something from a gym we joined when we first arrived in Taiwan....

A bunch of the men in there were shirtless and barefoot and one of them told my husband that he was doing an arm exercise wrong because he was keeping his back straight. The guy proceeded to show him how you should swing the weights and arch your back as much as possible for maximum results. We got a kick out of that one.

[upandover]

Sounds like just a classic combination of Taiwanese logic and a couple of old (wo)men filling their pointless lives with childish behaviour. The closest I've got to harrassment was a guy who took a break from jabbering to his mates halfway across the room while I was doing tricep curls. Apparently, he was "using that machine", except that he hadn't been. I just told him politely to wait until I was done and he went away.

Do you mean a smith machine? I can't imagine how anyone does chinups on a bench press machine, unless you're Mini-Me. I'd guess the best option would be to stand on a bench under the chinning bar and take NO BLOODY NOTICE of idiots who think they own the gym. Just pretend you're deaf. Call the gym staff over if they start doing dangerous crap like loading plates over your head, or (perhaps more effective) shout and scream like a fishwife having a bad hair day. I've noticed this is The Taiwanese Way. Or you could simply tell the staff that you're too short ( ) 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.

Having said that, I must admit to telling some gormless teenager to get lost. He thought the correct way to do leg curls is to sit on the machine, crank out two perfunctory reps with one plate loaded, and then sit there for a good five minutes fiddling with his iPhone. This is during the 7pm peaktime rush. So while I can understand a certain amount of frustration if a machine is occupied, you are actually using it.

WOW....

you just described my entire gym to a T.....and I'm not even being sarcastic

unfortunately, the gym I frequent is quite old and run down, it's pretty obvious the owners couldn't give a rat's a** about the condition of the facilities, or the gym etiquette of the cliental. it's still standing and bringing in $$ every month and that's about the sum of it.

I also doesn't help that 90% of the pop that frequents the place is over 60. their not working out, their sitting on the benches having an old farts social club.

I"ve asked the staff before for help on certain issues with no avail (ie. the music is blaring, to the point I cant even hear my ipod) and they refused to turn it down because it's "gym policy"
both the desk ladies actually came up part way through the argument, stood there and looked back and forth between us. Neither spoke english, so there wasn't really much they could do.

the crap I see happening in the gyms here would never fly back home.

My membership runs out with them in Oct, but I might cave before then.

[upandover]

Do you mean a smith machine? I can't imagine how anyone does chinups on a bench press machine, unless you're Mini-Me. I'd guess the best option would be to stand on a bench under the chinning bar and take NO BLOODY NOTICE of idiots who think they own the gym.
using it.

check out 1:30 and 2:50 in this video and you'll see what I was using it for
www.youtube.com/watch?v=55yW3aVn4HM&feature=youtu.be&a

definitely "improper conduct", us dumb foreigners just don't know how to "properly" use fitness equipment

Does anyone have a price list for Fourmosa fitness????

[finley]

The guy proceeded to show him how you should swing the weights and arch your back as much as possible for maximum results.

I hope at least one of you knew how to mutter "wanker" in Taiwanese.

check out 1:30 and 2:50 in this video and you'll see what I was using it for

Ah, ok, got it

How about taking the video with you on your iPod to show the busybodies if they start moaning again?

their not working out, their sitting on the benches having an old farts social club.

That annoys me no end, except in my gym it's the young kids who think all they have to do is turn up, sit on a few machines staring at the ceiling or their pocket gadget, and within a week they'll be looking like The Hulk. I've even seen people asleep - proper asleep and snoring - on the ab benches. And don't get me started on the rich girls squeaking '好痛'好痛 when their PT finally cajoles them into lifting anything heavier than a lipstick. The older people actually seem far more serious.

[jimipresley]

Does anyone have a price list for Fourmosa fitness????

Call them and ask! http://formosafitness.com/

[tommy525]

Gosh I hate gyms in America and for sure I would hate the ones you guys describe over there.

At least over here theres none of those problems at my local 24 hour fitness (except it is not actually open 24 hours at this location, which is one main reason i quit cuz i couldnt go much when they are open).

But even so, the idea of being in an enclosed space with tons of people all heavily breathing because of exercising doesnt appeal to me. The air cant be all that good in there.

Apparently machines are not the way to health anyway. Just go out and walk. Get a dumbell or some weights at home.

[Formosa Fitness]

Does anyone have a price list for Fourmosa fitness????

Call them and ask! http://formosafitness.com/

We're currently NT1000 a month with a 12 month contract. That's cheaper than the Taipei city gyms for a much more serious environment.

Also, our showers are self contained, meaning you're the only one in there when it's being used. Flashing, etc. makes me sick to my stomach and that WILL NOT happen at our gym. The local gym culture sickens me and when the locals in our new location found out we were opening a gym, they had some harsh questions about what really goes on in our gym. We quickly re-assured them we're a family values kind of place and I even bring my kids in to workout. If anyone is tired of the local scene, then please come check us out. Thanks!

[dasmania]

Why did they have harsh questions? Did they think it was a front for a brothel or something?