Cardio - you occupy the machine for a minimum of 20 mins, and it’s unusable by the other patrons, no turns in cardio. A dumbell, I “effectively” use it for a minute or 2, and then the next one can pick it up.
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this post was submitted on 31 Oct 2026
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A dumbell, I “effectively” use it for a minute or 2, and then the next one can pick it up.
Nah I sit on them for 45 minutes while I scroll tiktok
Finally a real gym rat
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A surprising number of people go to the gym for cardio only or mostly.
Mainstream gyms are attracting normies. Normies who come with casual goals and for a sanitised experience. They want people who come sometimes and then carry on paying but never really use facilities. Half the people in normal gyms have never actually done any reading into how yo do exercise or what they're training or how to avoid injury. Even the treadmill runners don't have a plan.... They just run till they're a bit tired and sweaty.
Weights gyms are different. Muscle heads intimidate normies. I used to seek out weights gyms and they would mostly be dark, dingy places. "Rough" looking places with "rough" looking people. Many have attached UFC or boxing training. People tend to come in groups and spot each other. There's grunting and weights banging. You may need to wipe someone else's sweat off a bench. The music may be non-mainstream. It's scary for the uninitiated.
When I was younger a friend convinced me to go to one of these gyms. We'd go stupid early in the morning, like 5am. There would be one other group of people that would go that early in the morning. After like a year of going I was in the best shape of my life and I'd get the nod in the morning from the other group.
It felt really good, but then I got a new job, moved where I was living, and a particularly cold winter rolled round. Went to my car; ready to go to the gym, and the door was frozen shut. Decided to skip it and climbed back into bed. It all went downhill from there and I now regret not having kept it up. I hope that the other morning group is still going 14 years later.
No one understands this more than me, and this isn't directed at you or anyone in particular, ain't here to judge, but in case anyone needs to hear that it's okay to slip, don't let being perfect stop you from being good enough.
That's something I needed to experience and practice to appreciate, unironically.
My friend has a saying about this. He says, "Even when you give up, don't give up."
My best decision was to start going, my worst decision was giving up. My 2nd best decision was to start going again a year ago. I won't say I feel great, but I feel better than I did before.
I love normie gyms. There's multiple treadmills, bikes, and all sorts of machines, but only one cage and only one bench - and they're never taken, even when the gym is busy!
I can just go in, even take both and no one bats an eye, it's amazing. And the gym is a 5min walk from my house!
My single experience in a scary weights-only gym was getting told by some beefed up roider that I train like a (very rude word for vagina that I couldn't find a good translation for). My current gym has a split of about 60:40 between weights and cardio in favor of weights and the atmosphere is so much nicer.
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I wish I had one of those weights gyms in my area. At best any gym might have a single squat rack and there's almost always someone using it.
Eventually I gave up and decided to stick with kettlebells at home. That being said, home workouts are tough to keep up with, especially with my schedule. There's been lots of starts and stops over the years
If you have space (like a garage) then buying equipment for a home gym works best. An Olympic bar and a squat rack and some plates and bench will get you started on every body part exercise you need. And this costs less than a year's gym membership.
I've got the above and slowly added dial-in-weight adjustable dumbells. A weighted belt and abs wheel.
Pro tip: secondhand weight equipment is just as good as new and less than half price. It is hard to damage weight equipment. Space is the limiting factor, otherwise buying your own equipment is far cheaper than a gym membership. Home gym also saves travel time, lowers the mental barrier by reducing friction for attending, and the biggest bonus is not having to interact with humans. I've got a TV in my gym for my Jellyfin TV shows as well while I work out. Super happy with it. Highly recommended.
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Maybe I’m unversed but I rarely see the “be me” format used in this way to satirize other people and I’m here for more
berrypicker as fuck
I think my biggest issue at the gym I go to are people who swim in perfumes (there's this one lady who literally stinks up the whole 3-room-basement with no proper ventilation) and then the people who do 5 moves in a machine and then sit on the machine for 5-10 minutes while scrolling their phones.. Then another 5 moves, more scrolling. Maybe there are better places for scrolling TikToks, Reels or whatever shit than the basement gym with very limited space and equipment?
A couple of minutes rest between sets can help with training:
Yeah resting between sets is unavoidable, I don't even see how anyone could not have any rest periods between lifts. I guess they mean they get distracted scrolling and rest way too long. Personally I rest 1 to 3 minutes between sets while I adjust weights etc, but I also work out at home so I'm not exposed to it becoming an issue.
absolutely no barbells
dumbbells go up to 45 lbs
Look, i know this is a shit post but 200 treadmills is just not enough. How are members going to feel comfortable doing their cardio unless a super majority of the cardio equipment is free?
Urinal rules, you have to have at least one treadmill between you and your neighbor
Gyms should save money by having a fake nonworking 3d printed treadmill between each set of real ones.
They should do this with urinals too
Amen my incel 4 chan bro.
First gym i went to at 19 (am now 58) had 2x stationary bikes for people to warm up on before lifting, that was it. Now.. an ocean of barley used cardo shit and a dumbbell rack that's doesn't go high enough, one flat bench and teo smith machines :(
much better with an old school lat pull down that whacked you on the head adjusting the weights as a right of passage :)
Apparently one appeal of gyms is "complimentary" hot showers, rather than run up your gas/electric and water bill.
The worst thing about treadmills and stationary bikes is that people could run or bike for free outside (plus cost of bike). It's one of the dumbest and worst wastes of time and resources. It's only possible because USA is a complete shithole with very little outside, except for places dominated by automotive violence where it's foolish to exercise.
People who say this make me laugh because it is extremely obvious that you don't exercise, either indoors or outdoors. It's like asking "why would anyone ever buy an oven when you literally could just eat the raw ingredients", presumably you've just never consumed food before.
There are benefits to stationary cardio. 1) More convenient 2) Easier to zone out 3) Built in pacer 4) Safer 5) Doesn't matter if it's snowing/raining/humid/hot/dark. 6) Can be done from home, relevant if you have kids, on call duties, etc 7) Good way for adults to learn how to ride a bike in the first place 8) two people can run next to eachother at different paces while chatting 9) can be stopped at any point and you're never 2 miles from your destination 10) Some people just don't enjoy riding in the road, and riding on sidewalks is illegal in many areas 11) can be set for very long downhill or uphill segments that aren't realistic in the real world 12) easier to follow a class/routine.
Like. People aren't just idiots. They use them because there are good reasons to use them.
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It's more about being comfortable while doing it. Running or biking in scorching heat, the freezing cold, or a stormy day sucks ass whereas I can do the same things in a temperature controlled environment.
Also, on a treadmill or stationary bike, if you get tired or just ain’t feeling it, you’re not 3 miles away from your house or car when you stop.
Sure you can run or bike outside but if you’re a few miles in and get hurt or too tired, you’re walking back.
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I say you are missing the fun.
I bought carbide studded tires for my bicycle, and rode all winter back and forth to work. -20C doesn't feel cold once you start peddling, and you actually have to unzip layers to cool off.
The summers at 35C were hot, but the sweat and moving through the air cool you.
Very invigorating feeling compared to being in a gym.
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Also, safety. There is a walk bike path near me and I prefer biking than stationary bikes, but not everyone has access to safe paths. Even the relatively safe path I use, I have maybe permanently injured my right wrist due to a fall caused by a dog jumping at me (he was just an excited sweetheart, but that didn't stop me flying off the bike). My sister also walks the path and has been chased by feral dogs, plus has to deal with creeps hitting on her. Lots of people walk with some sort of blunt instrument for safety, though personally I feel that's over the top.
While the only serious danger and injuries came from animals, that's still something you wouldn't have to worry about in a gym. The creeps... maybe, but still safer in most gyms than out in the open.
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You do realise treadmills aren't just a US thing, right?
And bad weather is also a thing, right?
Treadmills are used everywhere, my confused American friend.
No, they don’t. Because they’ve never left America once. They just like to sit in their shit and ask why it smells.
The nature here is actually very beautiful if you take the time to explore it. It is sparse in some areas but parks are a good place to walk or bike with no vehicles.
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