October 3rd, 2011

[Brent Brown]

Notes:

Grrr.. Just had a very negative experience at the gym.  Need to vent. 

 

I went to workout at my corporate gym, at a location I don't usually go to.  My usual gym had a yoga class at the  time I could work out, so I thought I'd just run over to a different location.  It turned out to be a less than ideal workout area, as the kettlebells are out on the basketball court, so folks were shooting hoops all around me... but I was dealing with it. 

 

I was just tensing up to go up for a TGU when some guy shouts at me "YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE WEARING SHOES IN HERE!" I looked up and he was standing right over me scowling.  I said "Huh, I didn't know that."  He rolled his eyes (which is a great way to tick me off) waved his hands in a big circle and said "There's signs on all the doors!"  Then he walked off and started training some guy on deadlifts. I suspected that he was an employee or contractor at the gym and I thought to myself "I could probably get that guy in trouble for that."  I was ticked that he interrupted me that way... but I figured that it probably was a rule, and a fairly reasonable one given that it was a basketball court.  But doing kettlebells in my running shoes sounded like a great way to get hurt, and I've tried to buy five fingers shoes, and they don't make them in my size. I just decided to blow it off, and that I wouldn't go back to that location again. 

 

Anyway, I finished my set of TGUs and went into my swings.  At least he didn't stop me in the middle of a set this time, but as soon as I sat the kettlebell down, he was back in my face. "You going to wear shoes next time?"  Now I was getting hot.  "No, I'm just not going to come back. It'll give me an excuse to get out of this P.O.S. gym membership."  My suspicion that he was an employee was confirmed by the very satisfactory way his face dropped.  :)  He suddenly got a lot less combative, but he got louder.  "Hey, man, I'm just telling ya the rules.  There's signs on all the doors!"  He was waving his hands around again.  By this time, half the court had stopped to watch the show.  I replied, "Ok, I'll leave.  The only shoes I have are my sandals."   

 

So I gathered up my stuff and left the basketball court.  I walked around the gym and looked at every door.  No signs about shoes.  I retraced my steps from the front door to the basketball court (twice) and read every sign.  Nothing about shoes.  So, smiling by this point, I introduced myself to the manager and calmly recounted the whole story. 

 

They said that it is their policy to wear shoes, but they were appalled at how it was handled, and that he should never, ever have interrupted my workout.  When I described the trainer, the manager and assistant manager simultaneously rolled their eyes and grimaced.  I got the impression that this wasn't the first complaint about this guy.  I got a very nice apology and the manager said that he would be having a long talk with him as soon as he finished with his client.

 

So... I got in the car, checked in with my wife to let her know that I would be late, picked up my son at karate, and we both drove over to the other gym location. We got there right as the yoga class was letting out.  I nodded a pleasant greeting to the yoga instructor as she left, in her flip-flops, and then I finished by workout.   Which I feel really good about!  No excuses!

 

Anyway... thanks for listening.  I feel better now..  :)

 

 

Workout:

• One TGU (each side) @ 30lb
• Two sets of 20 reps (10 each side) of one-handed swings @ 45lb
• One set of 10 reps (5 each side) of one-handed swings @ 45lb
• Two TGU (each side) @ 30 lb
• Two sets of 20 reps (10 each side) of one-handed swings @ 45lb
• Three TGU (each side) @ 30 lb
• One set of 30 reps (15 each side) of one-handed swings @ 45lb
• Abnormally long rest period
• Four TGU (each side) @ 35lb
• One set of 20 reps (10 each side) of one-handed swings @ 45lb
• Five TGU (each side) @ 35lb
• One set of 10 reps (5 each side) of one-handed swings @ 45lb

 

Previous Night's Sleep:

• 9 hours

 

Nutrition:

8:00a - Noon:

Two eggs, onions, garlic peppers, olive oil

1.5 chicken habanero cheese sausages

Black coffee

1000mg fish oil, Opti-Men multivitamin

 

Noon - 4:00p:

Four strips bacon, tomato, peppers, mayo, lettuce wrap

Mixed fresh grapes

Iced black coffee

 

4:00p - 10:00p:

Two grilled chicken breasts (from the Albertson deli, not ideal, but after the gym drama it got the kids fed in a not-too-horrible way).

Red grapes

Two glasses red wine

3mg melatonin

1500mg Bulgarian Tribulus

30mg zinc, 450mg magnesium, 10.5mg vitamin-B6 (ZMA)

[Brent Brown]

Heh.  Thanks both of you. :)

 

By the way, that was quite the workout Jim!  I felt it all day today...

 

[Jim B]

My compliments to you, sir!

 

Anyone who makes enemies at that particular gym must be on the right track.

[Pam Benedick]

Yikes! Obviously the guy has no clue about customer service! Doubt he will be working there any longer! Proud of you for going to another spot and getting your workout in. That's dedication!