Yesterday at the gym around 5:30 PM, I started my leg day workout, which is usually the longest of the week. I was using the power rack to do squats, deadlifts, and good mornings, typically taking about 30-40 minutes. There are three power racks, and I was using one of them. I take about 3-minute rests between squat sets since I’m doing heavy weight for low reps.
While I was squatting, two girls, who I’ll call Girl A and Girl B, started waiting behind me. Neither approached me to ask how many sets I had left, but they just hung around. When I finished squatting and began re-racking my weights to prepare for deadlifts, I could tell they assumed I was done. I walked up to Girl A and asked if she was waiting for me to finish. She said yes, so I explained that I still had deadlifts and another movement to do. She responded with “Ugh of course you do…” and I just moved on.
As I set up and began deadlifting, both girls stood nearby, rolling their eyes and acting frustrated, as though I should be shortening my workout for them. I decided to be polite and ask Girl A what she wanted to do. She said squats, so I offered her the nearby squatting area, since I wasn’t using it. She declined, so I kept going with my workout.
Meanwhile, another guy using a different power rack offered the same to Girl B, but she also declined. A group of two women then came up, and the girls complained that they had been waiting for 30 minutes and it was “ridiculous.” I ignored them.
When I finished deadlifting, Girl A moved away to warm up. I approached Girl B and, before I could speak, she looked at me and paused her music, saying, “WHAT??? Hold on, I can’t hear you.” I told her I still had one more movement to do and would need 5-10 more minutes. She seemed upset and responded sarcastically, “Okay, that’s fine. I’ve already been here 30 minutes; what’s another 10?” I shook my head and walked away.
As I started my next movement, I briefly considered shortening it to avoid further conflict, but then decided not to. I didn’t want to reward their rudeness by letting them dictate my workout. I’ve been lifting since 2016 and have always tried to be respectful and kind to others at the gym. When people ask politely, I don’t mind sharing equipment, but the way these girls treated me was unpleasant. I continued my workout as planned because being kind is free, and I wasn’t going to let their behavior disrupt my day.
AITA for continuing my workout despite their rude behavior?
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Yesterday at the gym around 5:30 PM, I started my leg day workout, which is usually the longest of the week. I was using the power rack to do squats, deadlifts, and good mornings, typically taking about 30-40 minutes. There are three power racks, and I was using one of them. I take about 3-minute rests between squat sets since I’m doing heavy weight for low reps.
While I was squatting, two girls, who I’ll call Girl A and Girl B, started waiting behind me. Neither approached me to ask how many sets I had left, but they just hung around. When I finished squatting and began re-racking my weights to prepare for deadlifts, I could tell they assumed I was done. I walked up to Girl A and asked if she was waiting for me to finish. She said yes, so I explained that I still had deadlifts and another movement to do. She responded with “Ugh of course you do…” and I just moved on.
As I set up and began deadlifting, both girls stood nearby, rolling their eyes and acting frustrated, as though I should be shortening my workout for them. I decided to be polite and ask Girl A what she wanted to do. She said squats, so I offered her the nearby squatting area, since I wasn’t using it. She declined, so I kept going with my workout.
Meanwhile, another guy using a different power rack offered the same to Girl B, but she also declined. A group of two women then came up, and the girls complained that they had been waiting for 30 minutes and it was “ridiculous.” I ignored them.
When I finished deadlifting, Girl A moved away to warm up. I approached Girl B and, before I could speak, she looked at me and paused her music, saying, “WHAT??? Hold on, I can’t hear you.” I told her I still had one more movement to do and would need 5-10 more minutes. She seemed upset and responded sarcastically, “Okay, that’s fine. I’ve already been here 30 minutes; what’s another 10?” I shook my head and walked away.
As I started my next movement, I briefly considered shortening it to avoid further conflict, but then decided not to. I didn’t want to reward their rudeness by letting them dictate my workout. I’ve been lifting since 2016 and have always tried to be respectful and kind to others at the gym. When people ask politely, I don’t mind sharing equipment, but the way these girls treated me was unpleasant. I continued my workout as planned because being kind is free, and I wasn’t going to let their behavior disrupt my day.
AITA for continuing my workout despite their rude behavior?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1. Continuing my workout and not shortening it to appease the two other people
I believed they might be right because it wasn’t just one person upset , but there were 2 visibly upset with me . I think maybe I could have shortened what I was doing to be accommodating to the other people.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA
It was rude for them to try to pressure you off your work out, if someone is using the thing I want I go do something else until it’s free.
>As I started my next movement, I briefly considered shortening it to avoid further conflict, but then decided not to. I didn’t want to reward their rudeness by letting them dictate my workout. I’ve been lifting since 2016 and have always tried to be respectful and kind to others at the gym. When people ask politely, I don’t mind sharing equipment, but the way these girls treated me was unpleasant. I continued my workout as planned because being kind is free, and I wasn’t going to let their behavior disrupt my day.
That would be exactly my response. You did nothing wrong. NTA
The racks are first come/first served. The could have been communicative and instead gave you attitude and rudeness. They are not entitled to the racks anymore than you are. Being a petulant baby is noticeable and doesn’t yield the results they hoped for.
NTA they were incredibly rude. They came at peak hours; ridiculous that they expected you to move for them.
NTA. You weren’t using the only power rack; you were using one of three. They could have used the other two while you were still going. They chose not to. They wanted sole use of the area between the two of them. That’s an unrealistic expectation, and it’s completely on them that they decided to wait rather than share.
NTA, they were TA.
Nta they just want to cause drama probably for a TikTok
YTA. I’m in the minority it seems.
First off, good on ya for not skipping leg day and most likely being in better shape than me.
However, my gym etiquette is that I can offer another person to work in between sets if we’re similar weight, or I expect the equipment to become available after that particular muscle movement (i.e. I would give up the machine after squats and then wait my turn again to do deadlifts).
Further, 3 minutes between sets would cause significant frustration for most people waiting. I understand you’re lifting very heavy, but perhaps a powerlifting-specific gym is a better fit for you.
G’luck and stay swoll
(Edit: spelling)
If you are taking 3 minutes rest in between sets, you could have invited them to work in. Plenty of time to change weights.
Deadlifting doesn’t require a rack. Good mornings do..
Info: I need to know the setup here. At my gym when I move to start deadlifting I am behind the rack (or in front of it? Either way I am not in the squat area). Is this the same so they feasibly could have used the rack you were using to squat once you moved to deadlift? Are there additional barbells so that this is possible?