I've been doing Starting Strength 5x5 for about 8 months off and on. Finally got into a grove of 3 months consistently without "breaks".
Previously I was working out late at night after my 8-10 hour work day. Consistently I would be too tired after work or I would go so late, eat late, sleep late; my cycle and rhythm were horribly off.
I now go to the gym in the morning. I get up at 7 am to be at the gym by 8 and get home by 9/9:30. Eat, shower, prepare food for the day to eat at work and food to come home to so I don't have to prepare much when I'm finally home.
The past two weeks there has been a woman at the gym. She takes over an entire corner of the gym. The gym is rather small and only has two squat racks. Doing the 5x5 program that's all I use is the squat rack. This woman uses the deadlift platform, squat rack, 2+ sets of dumbbells, and a bench. She literally quarantines an entire corner of the gym. Every time I go I'm lucky enough that the other rack is free. Today was a different story though.
There was a gentleman using the other squat rack to bench. That's all he was doing. Benching resting, repeat. I didn't want to work in with him since he was using the rack to bench and I would be squatting. Asked her how long she would be "only two more sets". I stretch for quite awhile, go do some single arm rows to waste time. It's been easily 50 minutes. I go up and ask if she's finished. I can't actually tell, she sits around in her quarantined cubicle on her phone for 10 minutes between each set. I know because every rep she makes a sex moan. She's probably early 40's late 30's. She's in great shape and looks good for her age (what I guess her age to be).
So after her telling me 2 sets are left and me waiting 50 minutes to use the squat rack I ask if she's done with her sets. She says she's finished with the deadlift platform but still using the squat rack. In the most rude tone I have had someone speak to me in quite some time. How dare I ask her if she's done when she said 2 sets 50 minutes ago. She isn't even using the rack to squat. She is using it to do some kind of straight leg deadlift for hamstrings and butt.
How do I proceed next time? Should I call her out on quarantining an entire section of the gym that she isn't even using? Do I just jump in and start using the rack and tell her she can use it when she's ready and I'll get out of her way? I don't want to fight with her in the gym, I don't want to run to the employees and complain like a child.
I tend to take a stoic approach to most things, but this fucking got under my skin after she spoke to me in that tone. The fact I wasted 50 minutes waiting for her to be done, thinking she would be done soon, totally threw off my attitude. Me being upset makes me even more upset that I let some other person affect my attitude that much that I'm even making this post.
TL;DR: Older fit woman at the gym has been taking 1 of the 2 squat racks + tons of other equipment on lock down for her workout. Doesn't use half of it and won't let anyone else work in. How to proceed?
Edit/Update : I plan on going to management next time I'm at the gym. Thanks for all the advice.
[–]Endorsed Contributorvandaalen39 points40 points41 points (12 children) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 3 points4 points5 points (2 children) | Copy Link
[–]Endorsed Contributorvandaalen21 points22 points23 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 3 points4 points5 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]streetlecture-2 points-1 points0 points (8 children) | Copy Link
[–]Endorsed Contributorvandaalen16 points17 points18 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]HurricaneHugues7 points8 points9 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]bbcbarbarossa 1 points [recovered] (5 children) | Copy Link
[–]streetlecture2 points3 points4 points (2 children) | Copy Link
[–]bbcbarbarossa 1 points [recovered] (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]streetlecture0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 1 point2 points3 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]JarHeadJoseph5 points6 points7 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]DVidojkovic7 points8 points9 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]PleezSitOnMyFace4 points5 points6 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]satellite7794 points5 points6 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 2 points3 points4 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]HurricaneHugues2 points3 points4 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 1 point2 points3 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]DeontologicalSanders1 point2 points3 points (4 children) | Copy Link
[–]derrtderr2 points3 points4 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]HurricaneHugues0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]devdibyo0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]1atticusfinch19731 point2 points3 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]AWorseManThanYou 0 points1 point2 points (10 children) | Copy Link
[–]HurricaneHugues7 points8 points9 points (8 children) | Copy Link
[–]derrtderr3 points4 points5 points (4 children) | Copy Link
[–]HurricaneHugues1 point2 points3 points (3 children) | Copy Link
[–]derrtderr3 points4 points5 points (2 children) | Copy Link
[–]HurricaneHugues1 point2 points3 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 2 points3 points4 points (2 children) | Copy Link
[–]HurricaneHugues0 points1 point2 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]Purpurtentakel0 points1 point2 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]AMHash770 points1 point2 points (2 children) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]AMHash770 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]WoodWizzy870 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]BurnieSlander0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]throwinghthisoneaway0 points1 point2 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link
[–]thatbadrogue20 points1 point2 points (2 children) | Copy Link
[–]lookoutitscaleb[S] 0 points1 point2 points (1 child) | Copy Link
[–]thatbadrogue20 points1 point2 points (0 children) | Copy Link