The Gym. For some the gym is a sanctuary, a place where people can go and improve their physical and mental well-being through exercise. For others it's a frightening jungle, filled with weights stacked like trees, only disturbed by gorillas looking to finish a set so they can neck their banana protein shake. Then there are those who neither love nor loath it, the apathetic visitors to the gallery of iron, who seem more interested in just being seen at the gym than gaining any benefit from it. Whatever category you fall into, the gym has established itself as a new 'third place' in recent times. Whether it's the introduction of classes and programs such as Spin or Cross fit, or the promotion of weight training as a key part of the exercise Zeitgeist, gone are the days of gyms being solely occupied by Mr Olympia competitors. However the rise in the pop-culture-gym does not come without consequence. For where vanity gathers, parody follows, and just about every gym goer will have a funny story or a gripe regarding their own personal 'house of pain'. None the less there are some problems that just seem to keep occurring, some are mere annoying inconveniences and others...well...others will threaten the very fabric of your being...
22. Exercises That Just Don't Make Sense
So you've just finished a set of bench press, or maybe you've panted your way to the end of a gruelling cardio' session. You grab your bottle of water and begin to think about the next exercise. You ponder what other gym users are doing, maybe in the bid for some future inspiration. There's the guy in the vest with the full sleeve tattoo, he's doing pull-ups - naturally. Ah there's Sharon, she's new to the gym, she's getting used to the Smiths machine, way to go Shazza. Ah who's this fellow in the black vest...why has he tied the cables around his ankles? Good god. Some may say it's an inspired way to hit different parts of your body. Others would say 'what are you doing man?' If you want to work legs, just squat/dead-lift/leg press. There's no need to turn the equipment into some sadomasochistic torture device. How does he get down without polaxing himself? In fairness, there is worse...