I go to a fitness first gym here in australia. It isn’t nothing compared to a hardcore gym, it has its cardio section, tanning salon and you can even rent dvds ahahah. Some days ago I noticed a poster in the weightlifting section (if you can call it weightlifting section, with only 1 power rack and 4 smith machines, wrong ratio) where it stated that making loud noises with the weights was not allowed. I know that it is annoying for some people… but this gym is equipped with shock absorbing floor pads on the power rack area and dumbell/barbell section. I mean, if its equipped with that type of flooring hardcore lifters (not me, but i admire those that do lift heavy weights) should be able to lift heavy and not worry about a punk trainer coming over telling them not to throw the weights around.
If those hardcore lifters are big enough, they could throw those punk trainers around instead of a bar.
Isnt being able to rent movies from your gym a weird rule? It is to me.
[quote]okuma wrote:
I go to a fitness first gym here in australia. It isn’t nothing compared to a hardcore gym, it has its cardio section, tanning salon and you can even rent dvds ahahah. Some days ago I noticed a poster in the weightlifting section (if you can call it weightlifting section, with only 1 power rack and 4 smith machines, wrong ratio) where it stated that making loud noises with the weights was not allowed. I know that it is annoying for some people… but this gym is equipped with shock absorbing floor pads on the power rack area and dumbell/barbell section. I mean, if its equipped with that type of flooring hardcore lifters (not me, but i admire those that do lift heavy weights) should be able to lift heavy and not worry about a punk trainer coming over telling them not to throw the weights around.[/quote]
That maybe because Fitness First is gay. They aren’t gyms - they are Lifestyle Centres (whatever the fuck that is).
At the last job I had, I got a free membership to it. I went twice and then went back to lifting at home.
[quote]Massif wrote:
That maybe because Fitness First is gay. They aren’t gyms - they are Lifestyle Centres (whatever the fuck that is).
At the last job I had, I got a free membership to it. I went twice and then went back to lifting at home.[/quote]
Fitness first isn’t ideal I agree. No one uses that one squat rack though so you can always work on that for as long as you like. They let old guys parade around in lycra but had two trainers threatent to escort me out because I took off my shoes to squat!
I just got back from Oz a couple weeks back. Great place. I trained at Fitness First out of necessity – it was the best I could find in the area and they were right next to where we played so we got a minor “discount” (i.e. they reduced the monthly rate from 95 to 85… from absolute rip-off to complete rip-off… and still fucking ridiculous). The vibe sucked. I could feel the T levels plummeting.
I remember seeing a sign next to the squat rack saying something to the effect of:
Please do not use the barbells to do Bent Over rows. We have bought a T-Bar row to overcome this problem.
One of the dumber things I’ve ever seen at a gym. I could name 3 things wrong with that… but I don’t wanna go off on a rant.
Anyway, I never refrained from doing my bent over rows. And as far as I could tell no one else did either. Even the “trainers” would have their clients do what I assume was supposed to be a bent over row.
This is kinda weird since they let me do my atg squats, deads, overhead preses, and oly lifts. But bent-over row? The sign said not to.
Also, I’ve never been to a gym where two-man benching/deadlifting/rowing/curling was so popular. I don’t think anyone ever lifted weight on their own.
It just must be an Australian thing i did a job at Noosa and found the same thing the gym I went to for two months, however it looked hardcore and then I noticed signs every where requesting you not to make any noise, I wanted to train not go and read. People would stare if you banged your wieghts together and the staff would come and police it. It was an experience.
my gym just got bought by fitness grande, I think they are related. They are taking out heaps of equipment, the power rack disappeared a few weeks ago. The advertising says they are turning it into “a boutique women’s health club”
Cool
[quote]Mowgli wrote:
Please do not use the barbells to do Bent Over rows. We have bought a T-Bar row to overcome this problem.[/quote]
Over come what problem!? 
LOL This is hilarious!
There’s a sign at my gym that says something like:
[center]Appropriate attire must be worn at all times while in the gym area.
Please note that jeans are not appropriate attire.[/center]
[quote]Miserere wrote:
Mowgli wrote:
Please do not use the barbells to do Bent Over rows. We have bought a T-Bar row to overcome this problem.
Over come what problem!? LOL This is hilarious!
There’s a sign at my gym that says something like:
[center]Appropriate attire must be worn at all times while in the gym area.
Please note that jeans are not appropriate attire.[/center][/quote]
Heh heh. My university gym has somewhat existensial “Replace equipment after use. This is not a request.” I read this statement before heavy pulling to clear my mind ("not a request, then what is it?!). Its a bit like that “if a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it does it make a sound?”
A bit on topic- at work we have a gym.
One day we’re discussing what kind of rules or guidelines for the gym, so it’d be more organized in a way.
I suggested ‘No TVs’.
I thought it was obvious if the personnel wanted to get into shape, condition, or strong. But everyone else wants to watch TV while they are working out.
Sad to say no one reaches anywhere near 200lbs on any lift in that gym except me (and I keep the TV off).
I was gonna mention another fun rule, ‘No Mirrors’, but I knew I was gonna get ousted from the Wellness & Fitness committee if I even tried that one.
At our college rec center they have a rule that no cutoff shirts may be worn, you must wear shirts with sleeves. They have tv’s, mirrors, 2 smith machines, more cybex machines than I’ve ever seen in my life, and only 1 bench, and no squat racks. So I lift in the football weight room with 4 squat racks, 4 benches, 4 towel and 1 regular pullup bars, Jammer machine… Lots of other nice equipment. I love it.
Wow, I feel for everyone trying to workout in Austrailia.
That just sucks.
[quote]nanjingldv wrote:
Wow, I feel for everyone trying to workout in Austrailia.
That just sucks.[/quote]
Australia does have some excellent gyms, it’s just that the gym chains suck. Many of the sport centres are great. They have heaps of powerlifting and olympic lifting gear. The gym chains mainly focus on soccer moms and corporate fatasses who think a walk on the treadmill is a workout.
The first gym I went to (The Rockhampton Fitness Centre) had a normal gym set-up upstairs, and downstairs was literally wall to wall lifting platforms, squat racks and power cages.
It smelled old and mouldy, like hard work and sweat. Basically, you checked in, drank your Growling Dog, went downstairs to the dungeon. It was fantastic!!
Last time I heard - Holmes place in the UK banned all men from training in vests (intimidates the other members if you have arms bigger than theirs!) and prohibited the use of swiss balls even for crunches and press ups unless directly supervised by one of their trainers.
It seems some gyms have an unoficial rule that sweating and working hard is strictly prohibited, whilst reading the newspaper while doing hamster cardio is positivly encouraged!!!
Patch.
I got one for ya. Are you ready for this? My friend goes to this gym cause it is really cheap and he is trying to come back from some serious back surgeries. He walked in the other day and there was a sign reading “NO DEADLIFTING”. I started laughing hysterically and told him to leave that place Immediately.
I found this to be a weird rule at my gym (but I know others will likely disagree). We have a few signs set up around the place that says something to the effect of “No cell phone use on the gym floor. If you need to use your cell phone, please restrict it to the pro shop area.”
Now this got me thinking… what difference does it make if someone is talking on a cell phone on the gym floor? I used to get annoyed about people talking away on their phones in the gym as opposed to… oh I dunno… actually training. However, is it [i]any[/i] different AT ALL from the guys who hog up much needed power racks or benches by socializing for 10 minutes with their buddies between sets? Somehow it is that much worse because the socializing is with someone not in the gym?
I would much rather they do something about people who cannot seem to focus on using a piece of equipment as opposed to killing too much time. It makes me think of this guy who lifts with his son in the mornings at my gym. I kid you not… when they are both using the only two power racks in the gym (side-by-side because the kid cannot lift anywhere near as much as his old man)… they take about 8-10 minutes between sets. I get into the gym ready to squat, see them on those racks and realize that I am pretty much screwed for the next 45-50 minutes.
Not good times.
Kuz
I used to work out at this gym, we’re talking 15 years ago…there’s a Walgreen’s there now…Anywho…There used to be a sign that read, “protective eyewear must be worn on all overhead lifts”. The only reason I can assume is that so when you clang the weights together, pieces of them don’t come off and hit you in the eye.
Kuz,
Psychologically speaking, yes it is more distracting to hear a cell phone conversation. When we hear a conversation we anticipate hearing different voices, a response to questions, etc. Cell phone conversations aren’t “normal” for us to hear, so they’re more distracting. Think about it.
[quote]magnetnerd wrote:
Kuz,
Psychologically speaking, yes it is more distracting to hear a cell phone conversation. When we hear a conversation we anticipate hearing different voices, a response to questions, etc. Cell phone conversations aren’t “normal” for us to hear, so they’re more distracting. Think about it.[/quote]
Thought about - just don’t buy it at all. What you are describing is really more the problem of the person apparently being “distracted”. Seriously, it should have no different impact on your ability to do a workout unless it is causing a person to hog equipment.
If only hearing one end of a conversation is really throwing off your workouts, you have much biggest problems than someone talking on a cell phone.
[quote]lostinthought wrote:
I used to work out at this gym, we’re talking 15 years ago…there’s a Walgreen’s there now…Anywho…There used to be a sign that read, “protective eyewear must be worn on all overhead lifts”. The only reason I can assume is that so when you clang the weights together, pieces of them don’t come off and hit you in the eye. [/quote]
I am picturing someone wearing some Kareem Abdul-Jabbar style goggles while doing military presses… and that is one disturbing image.