You are supposed to be 100%
concentrated on your workout and not wasting your valuable time chitchatting
with others at the gym. However, a lot of times your going to experience
workout interruptions brought to you in part by your brothers in iron. For a newcomer,
many of those social interruptions do not make sense. Here is some decoding for
common phrases at the gym:
The Talk
“Can I get a spot?”:
Nothing is more terrifying than death by free weights. Seeking a more secure
workout by asking an able-bodied individual would probably save you a few
life-threatening situations at the gym. With the possibility of a few grunts of
encouragement, your body will be pushed to achieve its limits.
“How many sets do you have
left?”: A question that is repeatedly asked when a gym equipment is occupied by
someone else. The purpose of the question is to know how long to wait around to
be able to use that piece of equipment.
“Can I work in?”: With the
profound assumption that this isn’t someone trying to hit on you, the person is
asking if it’s alright to take turns on the machine/bench/squat rack while you
rest between sets.
“What are you lifting
today?”: The most logical answer would be weights (duuuh!), but the question is
actually asking what muscle group (legs, chest, back, etc.) is on today’s
agenda.
“What’s your max, bro?”:
This question falls under the “pure bro talk” category. It is referring to your
personal best for a certain exercise. Don’t recall the number? No biggie, just
pick your favorite number and add at least one zero to the end of it.
“Can you help me load/rack
these?”: Remember how important it was to put toys away? Proper gym etiquette
states that after loading weights, they should be racked (i.e. removed) and
returned to where they belong (asking for help to do so is totally a personal
preference).
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