Going to the gym can be lots of things. It can be energizing, satisfying, exhausting and fun. These are positives. It can also be stressful, annoying and disgusting. You know I am right, here. I mean, only in the gym can you see some things – things that would go on no where else in the world. Remember this Post?
The other day I experienced three things that left me just shaking my head. I think there must have been something about the moon or something in the water to bring these three examples all out on the one day I was there – and the one day I only had a really short amount of time to get a quick and effecient workout in. (That part is key later on. . . . )
After what was supposed to be a really intense interval cardio session, I was in the weights part of the gym to work on some upper back exercises that are good for my shoulder issues. It was actually more of a physical therapy portion of a workout, so I like to get in and get it over with. A young woman came over beside me to do her own weight moves and was truly huffing and puffing – so much so that she made me stop in concern. I was thinking she was about to pass out and I was going over in my mind the 30 breaths 2 compressions of CPR I had recently reviewed, just in case she fell over.
At one point she began fanning herself with her shirt and lifting it up to show that she had her waist so tightly cinched with a waist trainer that she could hardly breathe. Really? As as she was gasping for every poor breath, did she not see the problem with this? Exercise
is about getting air in and out, using your heart and your lungs. While I definitely questioned her judgment,
I stayed close by just in case, I could only shake my head . . .
Next, I noticed a young woman on a recumbent bike nestled out of the way by a treadmill. She was sitting on the bike with her headphones on. That was normal. She was connected to her IPad for music, I guess. That was normal. She was also typing away on her laptop. That was a little normal. It occurred to me she was using the recumbent bike as a working desk. Well, that is a good way to continue moving while getting work done, although my stance on that is that you are better off focusing on your workout, even if it is only for 20 minutes and making it count, than merely peddling or ellipticalling away endlessly at a nonexistent pace, with no focus on your form, body, heart rate and workout.
Here is another example of a way to keep moving while working – an engenius desk for the bike. I think some of you handy folks out there could do this!
That being said, I was fine with the laptop until I looked down and realized her feet were NOT even in the pedals. Really? She was basically sitting in the recumbent bike using it as her own personal desk, and not a moving desk at that. And she had on shoes definitely not designed for any type of exercise. I really shook my head at that. It was a high traffic time in the gym and I am certain there was a worthy candidate for that bike that would have used and appreciated it for the purpose it was intended!
Remember when I said I was supposed to have that intense cardio session? Well, that was my intent. I did not have an entire hour to spend on my workout, so I wanted a really high intensity interval 20 minute session. I was ready. I had a great playlist cranking. My headphones were in and I was in the zone. Then it happened. A talker got on the machine next to me. Ordinarily, I would have been happy to exchange pleasantries. I am from the South and that is what we do. We are not rude. On this day, however, I was really itching to be rude. Normally, I can wear my headphones and not have this problem. Wearing headphones is a wonderful buffer and fabulous deterrent at times. Especially at times like this when you just don’t have the time, energy or interest in a long conversation between Tabatas. There just was no deterring this talker. Needless to say, my really short but intense cardio session was not all that I had hoped for. I had to walk away and shake my head . . .
Any interesting sights lately? What is the most outrageous? Do you know those gym talkers? What do we do?
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