Gym culture
Saturday, May 30th, 2009
I’ve finally come to grips with my new gym and their vast array of useful and useless equipment. For example some of the equipment has the weights labelled correctly and the machine in perfect working order. Other equipment however has no label on the weights and each plate I am sure weights a different amount so you mearly decide to lift 5 plates this week and then maybe 6 next week.
That aside the most interesting part of visiting the gym is the different way guys go about their session. You have the big tough macho guys groaning and grunting lifting the big weights, seeming to spend more time standing about than actually lifting anything. Then there is the usual guys, working hard but not trying to out do the guy next to them or prove to the hot girl in the corner they are cool. They will generally be the ones that will have a chat with you and spot you when your about to drop a heavy ass weight on your head.
Lastly is the guy or should I say group of guys (normally young guys) who think they know it all. They try and lift the heavy weights which are obviously too heavy as the lifting technique goes out the window all together. You will always see them looking about for the hot girl and doing the wrong exercise in the wrong spot (ie bicep curls in the squat rack).
With all of these different types of guys its obvious why new gym attendees feel overwhelmed and just quit. I know when I first started out it was very off putting trying to work out how to use the equipment with the big “I know everything guy” on one side and the kid “straining his ass off” to impress the girl next to him on my other side.
Gym culture is a funny thing as I’m sure it’s never going to change, its just the proportions of guys at any given time that does. If only we could all just get over ourselves I am sure the gym wouldn’t be as scary as it is, and maybe the next overweight/unfit guy wouldn’t feel so self-concious as he enters the gym domain.
Oh and for the record I’m your average usual guy I’m there to get fit, help another if they need it and lastly not make a fool of myself 
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