Dumbass signs in the gym

[EMW14]

I belong to Retro Fitness, mainly because it's pretty much the only game in town. The best thing about Retro is that a membership grants access to any Retro Fitness gym. They are all over the place around here, so I've been to 5 relatively local gyms, depending on what I'm doing and where I am. So far, I've seen a stupid sign in every one! One forbids the use of chalk; another has their programmable screens telling members to "be considerate; loud noises can be distracting. No grunting or making loud noises while working out" or words to that effect. I've heard about this sort of thing at Planet Fitness, but never thought I'd see it in a real gym! Yet another has a sign forbidding deadlifting! Huh? No deadlifting in a gym?

Today's entertainment comes from the one Retro I actually like. First off it's spacious, unlike all the others that have equipment jammed so close together there's hardly room to load and unload a barbell. The have iron plates, as opposed to the rubber coated versions which often drag on the barbells and weight trees. The music volume is relatively low and generally isn't horrible. They have 2 squat racks instead of the usual 1. There's a chalk tub in the free weight area (imagine that???). And it's never yet been crowded when I've gone (hope they stay in business...)!

So, today's entertainment was found posted next to the squat racks: 1 sign saying "No cellphone use in this facility" and the other, right next to it, advertising Retro's cell phone app!! LOL!!

 

[The Survivor]

I was under the impression from the name of the gym that they were old school but apparantly not by yr description. Theres a chalk tub but they dont allow chalk? WTF? In my gym I have all iron plates, no rubber ones either but I really wish I had more space as I'm packed full w/equipment.

We allow and encourage deads too....yes they can be noisy but you want quite go to the library....besides its a relatively short time theres much deadlift noise. Grunting? yes lift with some passion....funny about the apps LOL

 

[EMW14]

Survivor, the "No chalk" sign and the chalk tub are in different gyms. The chalk tub is in the one local Retro that I actually like. Their only dumbass sign is the no cell phone/cell phone app combo...

And I really don't know where the "Retro" name came from. I never really thought about it, but I think the reason I like the oneis because it is kind of "old school". It's the only one with iron plates, all the others have the rubber coated. Most of their equipment - or at least most of what I use - was obviously purchased used and is somewhat older. It's all in great shape, it's Flex Fitness Systems equipment. But it's also not painted bright yellow, like the "bought new" equipment is in all the Retro's. The place has a nice, low key, no bullshit kind of feel. Unlike most of them.

 

[Presser]

i seen a story on the owner of those franchises, and this was years ago, and he juiced, anyhow, dude is paid! and i thought it was a more serious type gym, and no like Planet fitness at alll, but signs like that are a joke!

The No cell phone and Cell phone app ad are priceless, wish you had a picture of that lol, but then i guess you would have been thrown out for taking a picture of it with ur cell phone lol

 

[Presser]

oh and ANY gym that has a strict NO Deadlifting Policy, aint a gym at all! They should be a shamed of themselves, thats like me saying our new policy here at MuscleChemistry is NO Cursing! lol, I mean what the fuck right

 

[Sartorii]

Wait, so we can curse on this site? FUUUUUUUCCCCKKKK YEEEEEEAAAAA!

 

[3J]

it cant be as bad as planet fitness..

 

[EMW14]

I've never been to Planet Fitness, so I can't say anything about that. They're not THAT bad .... in fact, my wife and I checked out a Powerhouse gym a few miles away from one of the Retro's. It was better than the Retro, and I seriously considered switching, except for the convenience of the multiple locations.

Presser, I DO have pictures of the no cell phone and the no deadlifting signs but couldn't get them to load. Shit was pissing me off, so I gave up! Lol! Last few times I tried to upload pix I couldn't make it happen.

 

[Ox 51]

I go to some local "rec centers" when I can't get to my real gym. They have huge signs posted of rules. I specifically hate the one saying that the collars must be used on all barbells. If you are using the little EZ Curl bar, that is fine...but, adding collars on for bench press is stupid and dangerous. Luckily, no one has ever told me to use them, because I'm always ready to raise hell.

 

[Doctor9]

Of course the "collars rule" is because they will have all kinds of newbies who have never moved a weight in their life, and they will inevitably lose control at some point, and have the bar tilt too much...we all know what will happen without collars

 

[Iron Game]

NO DEADLIFTING, LOL.

 

[IdahoRally]

 

[yellow snow]

You cut out the part that says you can do all these things as long as you are eating pizza.

Don't they have pizza mondays or Donut saturdays or dumb shit sundays?

 

[The Survivor]

As much fun as we make of them, they scare the shit out of me as they are in (3 of them) a city out of my market area, like 30 miles away, but if they ever came to this little hick town I'd be screwed, jewed and tatoo'ed. Thier $10 a month would be a huge draw.....of course, they bank on members not showing up and really for $10 a month, who gonna wait on phone for 30 min to cancel? My place is pretty old school, black and white colors with industrial print on gym wall...OTOH they have brand new machines with Barney the dinasouer colors, the preppy crowd I'm sure loves....

 

[beachbody]

I used to work out at a gym that had those rubber covered plates. They had openings for your hands to lift them and they had a metal ring in the hole. They slid on and off perfectly. They were without a doubt the finest barbell plates I have ever come across.

 

[mkdk]

I am not very good at not listening. Signs mean nothing to me. I would eat 12 eggs then wait an hour or so. Then I would go to this gym and lay silent stink bombs and clear the place out.

- - - Updated - - -

They do not like people like us. We are there all the time and using the equipment. The want the fat people who pay and show up once in a while. I should join this gym and get thrown out.

 

[EMW14]

I finally figured out the picture problem. Here's the no cell phones sign next to the cell phone app sign. What a crackup!! Lol!!

 

[EMW14]

I used to work out at a gym that had those rubber covered plates. They had openings for your hands to lift them and they had a metal ring in the hole. They slid on and off perfectly. They were without a doubt the finest barbell plates I have ever come across.

Hey, you can like em if you want to...

Some of the plates in the one Retro have the rubber coating right to the edge of the 2" hole and they drag on the barbells, on the weight trees and are a royal PITA.

Besides that, plates should "clank" when they're slid into place on the bar. Just like guys should grunt when they're straining to push a bunch of those iron plates loaded on a bar. It's part of what makes a gym feel like a gym! Without that it's kinda like riding an electric motorcycle (ever done that?? Harley has one in development; I rode one). It's fun, but it sure is missing something! !!