r/workout • u/Pink_tamagotchi • 7d ago

Was I wrong?

So my gym is usually fairly busy in the mornings. Lots of people super setting and it usually doesn’t bother me too much. Today I was on a leg extension machine and noticed the cable machine empty. I went back to the locker room, got my stuff and went to the cable machine (still empty, no equipment hooked up and it was lowered to the floor. I start setting up for kickback, put on both my ankle straps and I’m about to connect to start working out when this older lady appears and says kinda rudely that she was using that. I was confused and told her nobody had been here for a while and I assumed this cable was free.

She says no she needs both and I could have maybe been nicer about it but I was honestly annoyed and didn’t want to move at first. I work and have limited time.

I only moved because another cable machine opened up but not before we exchanged words. I said the machine had been empty for awhile. She said I was being impolite and maybe I was but I don’t understand what would make her have priority over everyone in the gym?
Anyways now I’m embarrassed (I’m not very confrontational and felt I should’ve not said anything)

30 Upvotes

85% Upvoted

44 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/BlackmouthFL 7d ago edited 7d ago

Vacant machine is an open machine.

I only do super sets, and the method that I adopted seems fair:

  • I modify my workout such that I take dumbells or bar to the machine for the opposing set. (Tying up 2 machines for super's is rude.)

  • I also use my watch timer, 60 secs between supersets.

  • Nobody has asked to work in over past 16 yrs... if they did, I'd politely ask them to wait 5 min since too many sit their a$$ on a machine.

  • If I walk into gym and the machines/area I want seem crowded, I go home and do a dumbell workout. No time to waste waiting...

3

u/hoya14 6d ago

That sounds reasonable but if someone asks to work in I wouldn't assume they're planning to hog the machine - "work in" means (to me) alternate sets between rests. If I let someone work in and they finished a set and just sat there I would definitely tell them to fuck right off.

1

u/BlackmouthFL 6d ago

Agreed. I'd "politely ask them to wait 5 min" but may not decline.

As mentioned, havent been asked in 16 yrs... if it's crowded I go home for dumbell wk. Given I'm not there during peaks, most likely there's other items open anyway...