Comments on: What The –?

By: Body Impolitic - Blog Archive - » Where Did that Grunt Come From? - Laurie Toby Edison: Photographer

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 01:05:25 +0000

[...] n various places. We thought about making some comments on the class implications; however Zuzu at Feministe has done an excellent job on that one. Most gyms will have rules a [...]

By: r4d20

r4d20 — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:11:36 +0000

Me, personally, I have more trouble at the gym when I have to deal with a flock of .5% body fat tanning bed chicks who are giving all 275 pounds of me nasty looks for being there.

In a few years, when you look like one of them to some new girl in the same shoes, you can make her feel more at home and let her know its not impossible.

If anything you have more of a right to be there than they do because
1) you have more to gain by coming
2) more to lose by not coming
3) you are probably putting in more effort than they ever have.

Please continue to ignore them and keep working out. Seriously. Refuse to quit and the results WILL eventually come.

By: r4d20

r4d20 — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 01:50:41 +0000

Seriously, when I began lifting I was self-conscious and afraid of looking like a fool or a weakling, like many. Then, after a few months, I finally realized that no one was paying the slightest attention to my workout. It’s been so much easier ever since.

Same here. Usually they just ignored me. When someone did “notice” me it was usually to offer helpful advice. After a few months, even though I still looked about the same, the other “regulars” started exchanging greetings with me, chit-chatting in between sets, and asking me for a spot – it was more about being “serious” about sticking to it than being “big”. The idea that some bigger guy is going to push you aside and say “Get out of my way weakling, I’m taking this bench” is ludicrous. Almost all the “gym regulars” were once either fat or skinny (hence the motivation) and are certainly NOT going to mock someone going through what they went through.

By: r4d20

r4d20 — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 01:23:50 +0000

“no cutting” rules either

What? You can’t fart in the Gym?

By: carrie

carrie — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 01:08:44 +0000

Have you noticed that more and more our society is about coddling and soothing and dumbing down? We’re all adults here. I would wager that nearly all of the “intimidation” occurring in gyms is one-sided; i.e. the bulky, grunting weight lifters might be “showing off,” but, really, they’re much more concerned about oggling their traps in the mirror than in taking the time and effort to actually walk up to someone scrawny and laugh. That “scrawny” person is the one who has the body issues, and who needs to work through them. I don’t believe that we need to be patted on the head 24 hours a day, constantly made to feel okay about ourselves and convinced by others that we are, indeed, special snowflakes. The gym is for working out and improving health and fitness. Instead of letting ourselves be intimidated by others (it’s really our choice nearly all of the time), why not ignore others, or be inspired by those in better shape than us?

And Alexandra, as one of those “.5% body fat chicks” (which is actually physically impossible, but whatever), I find your comments worse than the pointed looks said skinny girls purportedly give you at the gym. Why rail at someone like me because of what I look like or because of the shape I’m in? As long as you’re not being openly harrassed (name calling, physical contact, etc), ignore the looks you’re supposedly getting & just work out for your own reasons.

By: Alexandra Lynch

Alexandra Lynch — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:39:52 +0000

Me, personally, I have more trouble at the gym when I have to deal with a flock of .5% body fat tanning bed chicks who are giving all 275 pounds of me nasty looks for being there.

Mind you, I ignore it, but I’d still rather not have it around. I’d consider going to Curves, which is apparently very “feel better” positive, as opposed to “get all toned and ripped” focused, but I know too much about where the money goes. (sigh)

By: Hugo

Hugo — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:54:17 +0000

I am hardly muscle-bound, but I always wear tanktops (Everlast) to the gym. I feel much more comfortable lifting with bare arms. I’d be very outta any gym that stipulated men cover up.

By: jt

jt — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:51:44 +0000

I bring it up b/c of a point my brother-in-law made – that his gym did not allow men to wear tank tops b/c the muscle-y guys might be intimidating to the non-muscle-y guys.

I gotta laugh at rules like that. Seriously, when I began lifting I was self-conscious and afraid of looking like a fool or a weakling, like many. Then, after a few months, I finally realized that no one was paying the slightest attention to my workout. It’s been so much easier ever since.

By: jt

jt — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:25:24 +0000

I grunt. Without shame. I try not to scream, but yes, breathing out when you lift is good for you. In addition to the issue pointed out above, it also is now said to reduce the risk of exertion-induced glaucoma. And, frankly, if you don't feel at least some inclination to grunt or exhale heavily in the process of lifting weights, I suspect you aren't lifting enough for your workout to make much of a difference. It's supposed to involve real effort!

By: Bolo

Bolo — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:51:35 +0000

Headphones eliminate all the distracting grunting noises. Of course, then you run the risk of grunting yourself and not realizing it.

And I suppose headphones don’t work so well for some exercises, especially if their cord is too long.