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Do I say something?

GoldenEggs

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Sep 4, 2007
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Silicon Valley, CA
I was at the gym today and it was my pull day on weights. I noticed a lady was watching me and following me around. Then I realized she was trying to do the same routine that I was doing!

While she was watching/waiting, she would "use" whatever machine she was sitting on. She was sitting at the seated tricep dip machine and instead of grasping the handles and pushing down, she rested her arms on the handles and shrugged her shoulders. Then when I left my pullover machine, she sat down and didn't adjust the weight or re-size the machine to her size. It looked like she was going to get crunched!!

I usually don't say anything because I am not a trainer and I certainly don't look like one. Also, I understand that some people are targeting a different muscle but what about when someone is obviously using the equipment in an unsafe manner? At the risk of it being unwelcome, should I say something to the person?
 
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GoldenEggs

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Sep 4, 2007
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Not a constant fear... just had more negative reactions than positive when I thought I was being nice or being helpful. I like to avoid conflict whenever possible!

Anyways, I came up with a business idea and sketched it out. When I checked online to see if anything already existed, there were several!! But they had been around for a few years and didn't seem to be that well marketed. So I thought about my idea and how I could improve it and I think I found something I can move forward on. I may not run into that lady again but I think I may be able to create something that will help other people like her.
 

Allthingznew

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Aug 26, 2007
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I've been a member of 24 hr fitness for years. When I first got my membership they took me through the machines and set me up with how to use them and what weight amounts to use. It had been years since I'd used the gym and when I went back again, I'd kept my membership cuz the dues were so low, but when I went back they had different machines.

I made an appointment to go through the machines again only to spend an hour in a sales pitch for training and never got to learn to use the machines. I wasn't about to spend $500 for 60 days or whatever it was then especially since it was already in my membership to have it, but since I didn't have a copy of my contract I was out of luck.

Anyway, I would likely have to skulk around behind someone like you to figure out the new machines now and would be grateful for some pointers. She may have been too.
 

Redshft

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Nov 5, 2007
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Greenville, NC
I've been in that position a couple of times. If I felt the situation or technique was a risk to someone's health, I would let someone at the front desk or closest trainer know to keep an eye on them. Their customers are their liability and they have the training and education to teach them.

It isn't your responsibility to say anything, no. If someone doesn't know how to use the machine prior to going in the gym, they should ask for help themselves or stick to something they know. I hope I don't sound like an a$$, but in my opinion there are too many people that "hang out" at the gym without proper education when there are MANY sources to guide them. They just waste my time while I am there.
 
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GoldenEggs

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Sep 4, 2007
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Allthingnew, I have two memberships, one for Gold's and the other for Bally's. And the machines are completely different at each gym. Same muscles being worked, just different machine. I understand about not wanting to sit through another sales pitch just to figure out how to use the darn things.

Redshift, what annoys me are the girls that are giggling/chatting while working out and hogging the machines! In my high school weight training class, the teacher forbade the girls from any machine where we could sit and pushed us to use barbells/free weights. I understand why he didn't want us sitting!
 

PEERless

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Jan 23, 2008
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Meh... If she gets hurt after following you around, you can't be held liable; BUT if she gets hurt after you have "instructed" her, you are in another boat. I say, focus on your own workout.
 

Allthingznew

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Aug 26, 2007
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Allthingnew, I have two memberships, one for Gold's and the other for Bally's. And the machines are completely different at each gym. Same muscles being worked, just different machine. I understand about not wanting to sit through another sales pitch just to figure out how to use the darn things.

Unfortunately I did sit through it. He started with talking about diet and nutrition and after waiting about 10 min I asked about the machines, was told we'd get to that. Then when we finally did, he had me do a couple exercises with the big ball, a few on the floor, a couple machines and spent about 20 min on an eliptical. It was only when I asked again about the rest of the machines did I hear about the cost and they would not show me how to use them. Needless to say I was a little ticked, but too pooped from the exercises he'd had me to to argue, lol. I just left frustrated.
 
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