Gym Ethics: grunts, groans, moans, yelling and screaming - really necessary?

[RIGorous1]

Hi all,

I'm a cardholding member to 24 hour fitness and USC's gym and I frequently come across people who grunt, groan, moan, yell, or scream while lifting weights. I'm wondering what your take is on this issue, I mean is it really necessary given that the weight could be heavy or is an attention-whore tactic used to attract stares? Do you personally do this or do you supress it? What is your intention?


Let me end by saying I am by no means a superheavy lifter who max's out; rather I build by working a 10-8-6 rep-sets while progressively adding weight. Nevertheless, I am no wimp and often find myself lifting 2 to 3 times the weight of other people.

Rig

 

[WobbleWobble]

I personallly try not to attract attention and don't grunt.

 

[Orsorum]

UNNJHHHH

 

[bunker]

Back in college (the olden days) when I used to work out frequently, I would grunt when lifting heavy. Just seemed to help me for some reason and it definitely wasn't attn. whoring because the place was practically empty when I went.

 

[Fausto]

It's okay to a certain decibel level, but beyond that you're just being an idiot.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

This sounds like a syringer post...

 

[Hammer]

i agree its disturbing. but what beats these people is people that do all that when using bathrooms at work. these fatasses sound like they're about to die of a heart attack judging by the grunts, groans, and heavy breathing. if you cant take a sh1t without breaking a sweat, you might as well shoot yourself with face with a shotgun.

 

[b0mbrman]

I grunt quietly when lifting heavy...It helps squeeze a little bit extra out...

 

[mobobuff]

Then what you do, is go grab a bench right next to them, put only 10 pounds on the press, and start benching it as loud as you can. Make it extremely theatrical.

 

[broon]

Originally posted by: Hammer
i agree its disturbing. but what beats these people is people that do all that when using bathrooms at work. these fatasses sound like they're about to die of a heart attack judging my the grunts, groans, and heavy breathing. if you cant take a sh1t without breaking a sweat, you might as well shoot yourself with face with a shotgun.

For some reason this made me laugh. I like the people who get on an elevator to DOWN one floor and constantly breathe heavy/loudly just due to walking.

 

[MetalMat]

I hate people who waste there time on the elliptical/bike machines by doing the bare minimum resistance and hardly even moving (about 60-70 rpm on the bikes).

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: MetalMat
I hate people who waste there time on the elliptical/bike machines by doing the bare minimum resistance and hardly even moving (about 60-70 rpm on the bikes).

If you're out of shape that might not be a waste of time.

 

[RIGorous1]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I grunt quietly when lifting heavy...It helps squeeze a little bit extra out...

so do you thnk its really necessary, or is it psychological? Even though alot of weight lifting is psychological, do you think you could lift the same weight if you didn't grunt?

 

[edro]

I will sing or yell using my lips only... I try as hard as possible not to make an audible sound though. There is always that one guy who likes to yell as loud as possible just to get attention. Then when they get up, they look around to see how much attention they have gotten, or they will go further, by acting exhausted or hurt.

 

[SuRgEoN]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I grunt quietly when lifting heavy...It helps squeeze a little bit extra out...

That's Gross

 

[new2AMD]

Originally posted by: MetalMat
I hate people who waste there time on the elliptical/bike machines by doing the bare minimum resistance and hardly even moving (about 60-70 rpm on the bikes).

I was next to a lady on the elliptical today and she was going slower than a walking pace. I wanted to say something like, what the heck are you doing? You are wasting your time and taking up a machine.

Grunts dont bother me, but people counting reps next to me while I am counting in my head bothers me.

Dudes who think the locker room is there bedroom bothers me. Put a towel on when holding conversations you freak!

 

[acemcmac]

can't hear anyhting in my gym anyway... last night.... there was some drama about a kidnapped plastic surgery woman on one tv and the apprentice on the other. the volume is so loud, the only thing you can hear is the weights clinking.... you have to be loud just to talk to the your buddy on the next machine

 

[shenaniganz]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I fart quietly when lifting heavy...It helps squeeze a little bit extra out...

Fixed.

 

[acemcmac]

Originally posted by: new2AMD

Originally posted by: MetalMat
I hate people who waste there time on the elliptical/bike machines by doing the bare minimum resistance and hardly even moving (about 60-70 rpm on the bikes).

I was next to a lady on the elliptical today and she was going slower than a walking pace. I wanted to say something like, what the heck are you doing? You are wasting your time and taking up a machine.

Grunts dont bother me, but people counting reps next to me while I am counting in my head bothers me.

Dudes who think the locker room is there bedroom bothers me. Put a towel on when holding conversations you freak!

we don't have a locker room just a room with a buncha machines.... want to get changed? your apartment is no more than 1/8th a mile from the door... mine is less than a hundred feet

 

[nakedfrog]

I don't think it's generally necessary. As said, some level of it is just fine and is normal, but some guys... you'd think they'd just taken a crossbow bolt to the nads or something the way they yell.

 

[SludgeFactory]

I don't have a problem with some grunting, but the screaming is just stupid.

There's physiology behind it, the attempt to exhale with your mouth and nose closed and "bear down" is called a Valsalva maneuver, which raises intra-abdominal pressure and hopefully better supports your spine.

 

[Atomicus]

Some tennis players grunt occassionally for timing. If you listen to their grunts, it is usually timed to match the impact of the racket to the ball....

Sharapova on the other hand...

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Normally not necessary... although I definitely do grunt when I'm coming up on the last rep of a particularly demanding set. As long as its not ridiculously loud, who cares?

I typically don't pay attention to other people in the gym anyway, I try to stay focused on what I'm doing and avoid comparing myself to others. Also helps keep my eyes from wandering to the lovely ladies in Spandex.

 

[MrChad]

All I have to say is: Maria Sharapova.

 

[phatj]

its called getting a real workout and not being a pvssy.