I Don't Care Who You Are.

It’s a shame gyms have become such an anti-social, cold and scary environment.

Where the slightest side glance might get you internationally labelled as a creeping pervert.

There used to be a time, back in my day, when you could go to the gym not knowing anyone and leave with a handful of names and people to train with.

There was the option to keep to yourself, or there were always people happy to talk training and swap stories.

Now everyone wears headphones and a, “fuck off” look on their face.

You were allowed to look at other people and see what they were doing and how they were doing it. It wasn’t sexual. People like to watch other people train. Plus it's a great way of learning.

There were no Joey Swoll videos.

Admittedly, girls didn’t dress like strippers then. Actually, they kinda did. They just weren’t amateur porn stars. That’s probably the big difference. “Don’t look at me you pervert! I want to train in peace. Subscribe to my OF and watch me make this cucumber disappear!”

Now it’s safer to look at the floor.

Of course that might mean you accidentally bump into someone and get internationally labelled a creeping pervert.

You’re basically fucked no matter what you do.

I don’t tend to talk to people in the gym. I'm not rude or aggressive to anyone. I’m normally in my own little world focused on what I need to do. I am happy to talk before or after I’ve trained. Between sets is fine, so long as we aren’t getting into a “meaning of life” conversation. I don’t interrupt anyone because I assume most people are also focused on their training. There is a "right time" for talking, but the option to talk with me is always there.

It’s very rare that I go up to someone and offer advice on how to do an exercise.

Firstly, I don’t want to be “that guy.” Some people do things differently for a reason. They might have an injury or they just move differently. What appears wrong to me is right to them. As I've gotten older and have more things to work around I do a lot of things in ways that would make most people cringe. But that's how I do them now because it works for me.

Sometimes though, if I’m genuinely curious and they are between sets I’ll ask why they are doing it that way. Most people will happily explain their reasons and I get to learn another way of doing something. But for the most part, if they look like they know what they’re doing, I let it go.

The second reason: I assume most people want to be left alone.

However, if there is someone who obviously looks new to training, who looks a little unsure of what to do and is doing something in a way that will probably lead to injury, or it’s just wrong, I’ll politely offer some assistance. I’m happy to pass on my years of experience to anyone. I genuinely care about training and want people to do it correctly, so they can get the most out of it.

If they listen and take the advice, cool. If not, oh well. I’m more concerned with my own training anyway.

As weird as it sounds, I don’t see gender when I watch people train. I don’t see a girl doing a leg press or a guy doing a shoulder press. To me, everyone is nothing more than an object doing a movement. I really don’t care. If it’s a big person lifting a little weight, I think they’re a pussy. If it’s a small person lifting a big weight, I think that's fucking cool. Anyone doing cable glute kick backs is a fucking idiot. Male or female, it makes no difference.

But to some people gender matters, and that's a shame.

Approaching a female and trying to offer advice is taken as a patronising, offensive act. It’s “mansplaining!” Greeted with a full-body recoil, rolled eyes and instant hostility.

Really Miss? While you may not understand this, I don’t give a fuck who you are, or who you think you are, you are simply doing that exercise wrong and I was only trying to help. I’d do the same thing to a guy if he was doing something wrong or dangerous. The only difference is, he would be more appreciative of the help. But please, continue doing it wrong, it makes no difference to me.

Despite what the internet will tell you, the vast majority of guys are not in the gym to creep on women. Women’s safety isn’t at risk from male predators. Shocking as it may sound, wait for it, men are there to train.

Take a look around most gyms. What do you see? The gym floor is mainly filled with guys training. The mirrors are filled with girls taking pictures of themselves.

Yes, men in gyms look at the women. Guess what? They look at the men more. People in gyms look at each other. People everywhere look at each other.

And why wouldn’t a man look at a woman? They are beautiful.

Has anyone looked at a man lately? Fuck we are disgusting. There really is no choice of who is better to look at.

I get it, some men in gyms are dogs. They’re also normally the guys that EVERYONE hates. They piss everyone off for a myriad of reasons. Their presence annoys everyone.

It isn’t just reserved for females.

But no one is too good to be given advice. No one is so special they are unapproachable. No one is so good that they can't be taught something by someone else.

Just because someone approaches you, it doesn’t mean they have an ulterior motive. They may just have some useful advice to give you.

They may help you learn how to train better.

They may help you realise that cable glute kick backs are fucking waste of time!