Gym Rant
 

This is going to be a long, rambling post but here goes:

I recently joined a gym and feel uncomfortable there. Not by other members but my management.

When I first signed up they asked what my goals were. I told them I lost over 100 lbs, have more to go, want to develop an exercise routine for maintenance, tone up, etc. I wanted the regular $30/month plan but they tried to sell me the personal training program for almost $250/month. I told them I wasn't interested and just wanted what I originally came in for.

They asked why I didn't "value my health" enough to sign up so I told them I felt pressured and he backed off.

I went for the "free" assessment which ended up being 30 minutes of someone showing me how to use the machines and then trying to sell me training sessions. Flat out told them I was not going to.

However, when I go, every evening after work, the personal trainer comes over to me to tell me I'm not jogging fast enough, not smiling, not drinking enough water, etc. I smile back and tell them I'm happy with what I'm doing. I'm feeling judged every time I go.

Then he had the nerve to say to me today "I know you don't care what I have to say." I told him, yes I did care but I was currently satisfied with what I was doing.

Just getting my frustrations out. Normally I would cancel and find another gym but this one is super convenient to my office and I pre-paid for an entire year's membership.

Maybe I'm being too sensitive?

Geez ridiculous. I think I would just firmly tell them one more time you appreciate it but you do not need any more help and want to enjoy your time at the gym without the interruption smiling sweetly. Make sure you have names of the annoying ones. And if that doesn't do it then it's time for a complaint letter.

I joined Crunch Fitness over the winter and there big motto is no judgement and everybody has their own way to work out. I got a free personal trainer session with my membership which I declined the gal said that's fine and if you want to use it later just let me know and that was the end of it.

Its a slow time for gyms right now... they are probably getting told by higher ups they need more training sessions. I know at the gym I used to work at March April May were slow. people getting off there new years res. people starting to work out outside more etc.

I don't think you're being sensitive. You are being way nicer to them than I would be. What's with the smiling comment, anyway? How annoying.

I agree with all of the above comments. Stick to your guns, you're doing great IPN!

If you are stuck with a one year membership, I hope that talking to management will improve your situation. The last gym I joined, there was a trainer who constantly reminded me about my weight and pressured me to sign up for training. During a yoga class, an instructor looked at me and, in front of the entire class, said. "If you are obese, this is how you should modify the pose." I could have figured that out by myself. After I had been out sick with the flu, another trainer lectured me about the importance of never missing exercise and my need to lose weight. I complained to management and nothing happened so I left that gym.

I work out to relax and I want to be left alone. I was going there 3-4 times per week. I believe it was the management's policy to pressure members, but it just became too difficult for me to take their crap every time I walked in the door. Instead of encouraging me, they humiliated me. I didn't need that. I also don't need to be lectured like a child.

If you speak to management and nothing changes, I hope you eventually find a better gym.

I have a similar situation. The gym costs $80 a month but they want me to sign up for 1-2 personal training sessions a month at 40-90 per hour. Had I known that I would become an outcast after signing on for 18 months, I am pretty sure I would not have invested here. They were so nice and supportive and instructed during the initial classes, and I had watched a lot of Youtube videos.

I got a deal by signing up for 18 months, 80 instead of $150, the classes are wonderful so I do get my money's worth that way, but I don't get that instruction that I heard everyone rave about on the youtubes. The missing information is that you have to do the personal training sessions to not be considered a piece of you know what.

Once you have prepaid or signed a long contract - do not give them the satisfaction of chasing you away - that just benefits them by giving them more room to lure the next sucker, + all that money.

That's insane, ask to speak to the owner.

I agree about speaking to an owner and be honest about how this is making you feel. Maybe even start with an honest chat with that one particular trainer. This is just ridiculous and rude.

If someone said that to me I'd tell them to f&@k off and write scathing reviews online of the gym until they refunded me my year's membership. Unacceptable to insult members, and counterproductive since it makes them want to avoid the gym.

Talk to the Gym manager. The last gym I was a member of was very similar (they sound identical actually) but the personal trainers were not gym employees. They were private contractors that made their money off the clients they got at the gym. I had one seriously tick me off when they came over to a machine I was using (cable machine) and took one of the handles off one of the cables even though I was *actively* using the machine. I was furious. I confronted the trainer (who gave me the handle back) and then spoke with the gym manager later because the trainers there had a habit of treating gym members who weren't their clients as though they were second hand citizens. Ultimately I dropped my membership entirely because it was just getting ridiculous with the trainers.

I have a membership at Planet Fitness since 2012 and never once did anyone come up to me or ask me my goals at sign up. I just canceled my membership because the park district is more convenient and all they did was ask my reason for leaving to document customer feedback and that was that. They didn't pressure me to stay or anything.

Unsolicited weight loss advice (you'd think they would know) is a touchy subject especially when some people feel uncomfortable being in a gym in the first place. They must be VERY hard up for money or pressured by management. I would definitely find a way out of that contract and leave...then leave a review on Yelp.

I'd find a different gym. Most areas have several gyms, there's bound to be one that has better staff.

Can you wear ear buds so that maybe they aren't so eager to try to talk to you?

I don't think you're being 'too sensitive' at all! They are the ones who are being
totally out of line and super annoying. You have shown alot of restraint and class :D


I love this visual..."I ... Can't....HEAR.... you..." (in annoying sing-songy fashion) :D

I understand that being direct has been socialized right out of most of us, but next time he approaches you before he says anything just say - I realize you mean well but my time here is limited and you're cutting into it. I'm not interested, I won't be interested. Thanks anyway. And then as someone else suggested, put your ear buds in and tune him out. You can say it in a friendly non-rude way and still be firm.

It really sounds like this guy is trying to drum up sales and clients and just has NO clue about social cues.

I know kind of what you mean. If feels like they are hard selling the personal trainers. It can tick you off! Well it did for me anyways. This one guy had the nerve to tell me I was keeping a "closed mind" because he said he could see me at a size 4. But I kept saying I wanted to be thick/Juicy size 9/12 something in that window so my boobs didn't get to damaged. I dismissed him, there was no way I would pay to have that guy assist me in my journey lol what a joke that guy!

Ear buds, make sure not to make eye contact and tell them "thanks, but I'm set" if it gets to be to much tell them the hard selling/pressure makes you anxious and uncomfortable maybe even makes you drag your feet when it comes to gym time!(?!?) If you are going to be interrogated every time you come in to work out.

If you voice your concerns that usually makes them beat it ;) they'll know there MAY BE a risk of you leaving then & a poor review of that gym. And one customer that's had a bad experience is more likely to voice their issues to others.

But that's just me, whatever's cool :D
Hope it WORKS OUT... For ya ;) heeheehee

Thanks for the insight everyone.

Funny thing is, I do wear my iPod. I have them in the whole time but he'll come stand on the side of my treadmill and start talking until I take one bud out and semi-listen while making sure he knows I still have the other one in.

I also think what really annoyed me was that the salesman quizzed me on a few topics when I was signing up and was genuinely shocked that I knew the answers.

Sorry, just because I was overweight doesn't mean I don't know anything about exercise or nutrition.

He asked me to put in the order of importance the following: strength training, cardio and nutrition. I said nutrition is most important followed by strength training then cardio. He told me strength training then nutrition then cardio.

So I asked him about the thought that "abs are made in the kitchen." He told me that's not true, he does no cardio, has 7% body fat and is "handsome as h*ll" (direct quote.) That's about the time I asked to be switched to a different salesman :D

He was also taken aback when I knew the answer why you need a rest day (muscles are torn and rebuilt.)

I got satisfaction out of shocking him with my correct answers though!

How annoying! I wouldn't be too angry at the people who work there, they have been instructed to say these things. It's called upselling. Get them in the door, and make them spend more money is the idea. You have to understand that their purpose is to get you to spend more money, but attacking your committment to your "self" etc is totally uncalled for and a very very very poor strategy on their part.

Since the reason they are approaching you is for money then I find the fastest way to shut people up is "I'm broke, I'm not spending any more money here." I say this to hairdressers, spa clinicians, shoe salesmen, whenever I'm being pitched something extra I always stop them and say "I'm sorry, this is all the money I've got to spend at the moment" and it shuts them all up.

Secondly, I would set up a meeting with the branch manager and tell them that you understand the employees are trying to upsell, but they are doing so in a very insulting and aggressive manner. Tell him/her that your work out time is the one hour of day you have for yourself and you don't intend to spend it questioning your commitment, or on sales pitches. And that perhaps the staff need to be alerted that when you walk through the door they are to leave you alone.

Being assertive is hard but remember, you PAID to be there and you're not asking them for a favor, this is borderline harrassment.