Gym etiquette - cable machine sharing, what is your opinion?

Posted by Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 25 comments

I just wanted to get opinions on this. I was in the gym, on a cable machine and using both cables are two different exercises and alternating between each set so pretty much in use every 60 seconds.

I was doing a set on one and I could feel someone hovering behind me, and as I went to go to my next exercise, they grabbed for that free cable. Didn’t even ask if they could jump on and share the machine. So I set I was using the both cables and they stared at me like I was entitled. However, I had finished my last set on the other one and said this to them so they could use it.

This particular machine is placed in a pretty cramped area of the gym so I don’t particularly like sharing it anyway as you end up on top of each other and someone who is on another machine to the side of you. But did so as I was also moving onto that last set of the other exercise.

I personally would wait for the whole machine to be free to use it and to give people the space to do their exercises. I just found it rude to not even ask if they could share. Just looking to see if you’d also wait or at least ask?

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AromaticVacation3077@reddit

There's different kinds of cable machines, but I looked at the photo you posted and in my opinion it's a grey area. The guy should probably have asked first. I don't like machine hoggers in the gym, but I don't like hoverers either. Honestly if you're actually exercising and not using an entire machine to sit and look at your phone for 20 minutes your gym etiquette is already better than 80% of the arseholes who go to my gym.

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

I thought so too, as I think something that would factor in is the placement in the gym as well but it is very hard to describe it, essentially you need to be standing in the middle of the machine to use it to not block others anyway so makes it difficult to share without basically bumping into each other.

Luckily but unluckily, I get terrible internet in my gym so forces me off my phone inbetween sets, just means I am limited to my downloads for my music. I’ve said 10 mins max as it was 6 set of 2 exercises with less with probs a couple mins max.

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SomeHSomeE@reddit

It's rude not to ask but it's also tbh rude to hog the machine for 2 x different exercises if it's the only machine and the gym is busy.

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

I wouldn’t usually and stick to one line when the gym is busy but I often go during the day to miss the busier periods but my logic was to switch between quickly to it frees up the entire machine, I was on it 10 mins max

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FantasticVast01@reddit

10 mins is a long time in a busy gym

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VolcanicBear@reddit

10 minutes is pretty much a minimum for any weight based exercise imo.

I'll have 2-4 minute rest between sets depending on the exercise, and will generally be 5 sets.

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Unusefulness01@reddit

The etiquette should be that they ask rather than just jumping in tbh - if you were using both parts to do chest flys, for example, you'd still have been using both parts of the machine. They wouldnt just jump in then.

A lot easier for them to work in if you're supersetting though

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TheDodoKiller@reddit

Man some of these comments treating you as though you've killed their firstborn. Depends on the gym, the quantity of cable machines, business etc, usually though I would err on your actions being just fine. if it's 5pm and the only cable tower in the gym, different story.

If you were using both cables on the same excercise (a cable chest fly, rear delt flies, cable bicep curls) I doubt many would have an issue, might be a bit weird to rip a handle out of someone's hand mid set. I don't really see it as different to supersetting as long as you're keeping your rest period sensible and there's obviously not a queue waiting on you to finish.

Don't agree with you on waiting till it's completely free, do agree with you that they should've at least asked if you were using both sides of the cable tower.

Though always if you see someone hovering, ask if they're waiting and want to work in. It's really not that hard to shuffle a cable around between 2 people sharing a machine.

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

Thank you, I feel like I have asked for opinions because I wanted to know if I was overreacting or not. I never said I was right and they were wrong. I just personally think it wouldn’t have gone a miss for them to ask.

Fair enough on the waiting comment - maybe I should be more confident in asking to share myself then. There are definitely more people there who hog these machines, the gym is set out weirdly and have the same equipment but in different rooms so it’s spread evenly. I’ve been there on days when someone has used it for my entire session and not once got off it!

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VolcanicBear@reddit

If someone's hovering next to me, I'll offer sharing the machine as they might not want to impose, asking and then making you feel you can't say No.

If someone's using a cable machine I want, I'll ask if I can share, because it's not much hassle and people need to learn to say No when they don't want to do something.

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

I honestly don’t mind sharing and have done it in the past when others have asked, I just prefer having the space as like I said it is a cramped set up. My issue is more that they didn’t ask, but also I would personally also just wait for it to be free completely to use it. But again that’s my personal perspective on it

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WISJG@reddit

So to be clear, you used two machines at the same time in a busy gym. Someone else tried to use the other machine and you said "oi mate I've actually JUST FINISHED on that one"?

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

No it was one cable machine but this one has 2 attachment lines for certain exercises like rows so some people in my gym will use those handle attachments and wok both arms. It’s one of the cable machines where is like 4 different stations

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

Sorry meant to say it’s not a 4 station one, it’s very similar to this and that’s what I mean by someone could be on the whole machine depending on the exercise

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Rowanx3@reddit

If you aren’t using both at the same time, id assume the other is free.

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jesuisnick@reddit

I always catch the other person's eye and ask, even if they're clearly just using one side. It would have been polite of them to check.

But I think you were being a bit entitled to use both sides singularly. It's not really all that different to using two different machines and expecting to "reserve" them while you're on the other one. You could do all of your first exercise and then switch to your second one - it'd take longer, but would be better gym etiquette.

Them waiting for the whole machine to be free is silly though. It's designed to be used by two people when they're doing an exercise that just uses one half.

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

Fair enough, thank you for input. Like I said it’s a cramped space in the gym, it’s an old Manor House so the floor space is odd and I just personally prefer a bit of space as it is really tight on one of the cables. If it had been busier I have stuck to one cable and taken the preferred side but it was at 12:30 and quiet so like I said in another comment thought I would get through it quicker for others to use. There are people who are on it longer than I am usually and I just wait but it’s good to see other peoples perspectives

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Crazy_Plum1105@reddit

I think super sets are fine if you're drilling them. No breaks just bam bam bam, apart from that they're home gym only really

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hrcrss12@reddit

I despise superset people hogging machines. You are not entitled to it.

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Intelligent_Emu2724@reddit (OP)

I didn’t say I was entitled to it, it was quiet when I set up and I did it get through them quicker. I also shared the machine with them. The way the gym is set up, I would have either blocked the walk way doing the exercise so I stood in the middle part where you’d normally be if you were using the machine for pull ups. It is a cable machine but it’s a multi use one as the space is tight in that area of the gym

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L-0-T-H-0-S@reddit

I think you may be missing the point - you hogged two machines for yourself, now you're looking at the other guy like he's done something wrong trying to use just one of them...

Are you actually hearing your own words here?

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