Spin Class Trial Highlights Obnoxious Gym Behavior

The case of the spin class smackdown has been sparking a lot of debate about proper workout etiquette. According to the Times, the noisy behavior of Stuart Sugarman – who was thrown against the wall during a spin class by a guy who was fed up with his vocalizations – is not at all abnormal. There are too many people grunting, cursing, and hollering “Let’s do it!” in gyms all over town, and also plenty of people who’d like to shut them up with brute force.

The paper talks to Canadian Dustin Vye, a Cirque du Soleil trouper, who is appalled at the vulgarity used by one of his weightlifting neighbors at J’s Big Gym on 181st Street.

I was tempted to go over and say, in a polite way, “If you wouldn’t mind keeping it down a little bit, it would be appreciated.” Things like that frustrate me. I’ve pushed my body to the max. I don’t have to grunt and scream and yell.”

Of course you don’t have to scream and yell, but how else is everyone going to know how totally jacked you’re getting? If the scolds who get their lifestyle tips from books like Debrett’s New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners had their way, we’d all be exercising in polite Canadian silence, with nothing to drown out the voices in our own heads. The book tells readers that “Neanderthal displays of caveman bravado, such as excessive grunting, hissing and huffing when lifting weights, are also not appreciated and should be assiduously avoided.” But even AskMen.com suggests, "Unless you have tiger genes, try to minimize your yelling while exercising."

Obviously Sugarman hadn't gotten to that chapter in the book before he got roughed up last August, but maybe it’s not too late for his assailant to get the current Debrett's author John Morgan to testify as an expert witness.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on May 30, 2008 1:20 PM

Comments [rss]

wiseguynyc

It would nice if gyms put up signs requesting people to keep their grunting down. It might at least make them aware of it.

In terms of rudeness, to me it's right up there with loud mobile phone conversations and not wiping down your machine after use.

jaycjay

From the Times article:

"Some spinners talked about how instructors were expected to pump up the enthusiasm by, say, telling a class to fantasize that they are two miles from the finish line in the Tour de France."

As a retired bicycle racer, I'll say that if that were the case, you wouldn't be screaming and yelling to motivate yourself. Most likely you couldn't if you wanted to, because you'd actually be working hard, barely able to bring enough oxygen into your lungs as it is.

If you can do that in a spin class, well... you should be doing more "spinning." Exercise your vocal chords in a different workout.

amsci

[7]

"Not now Chief, I'm in the fuckin' ZONE."

suepart

usually the ones doing the noise making at the gym are either fat guys, lame broker looking losers in bad shape, or old sex and the city looking bags talking on the phone while "exercising"

lanciano

spinning class men are ridiculous.

in the times piece this guy eric haims says "The only time people get upset is if you take their bike." YOUR bike, mr haims? booo freakin hoo.

What a bunch of prima-donalds.

man, im in a crabby mood for a friday.

angry_mariner

"Yeah, I grunt when i get me swell on at the gym, because everyone should know how jacked and tan I am."

Jaegerbomb

gfrance

Fat guys grunting in East Side gyms = bad

Maria Sharapova grunting as she swings another killer backhand = awesome

PERFECT!

fortyver

Stockbroker might speak to the intelligence of the defendant.

JenChungsBaby

Fat guys grunting in East Side gyms = bad

Maria Sharapova grunting as she swings another killer backhand = awesome

smokedgouda

I would pay to see a video of Stuart Sugarman being thrown into a wall during a spinning class. You can't make that stuff up.

My gym has pretty level headed people - some grunts and heavy breaths are natural. But every once in a while there are some knuckleheads who need to make a scene of themselves, too bad I can't hear them through the music from my ipod.