Gym Bullies

A miracle occurred in my world on Sunday, November 3rd at about 9:30 p.m. Michelle texted me and another friend from the gym and asked if we would be her accountability partners at the gym. Of course we responded yes! Without a second thought I was at the gym at 6:00 a.m. the following Monday morning. We did strength training followed by Tabata training. Tuesday morning we were off because we had turbo kick on Tuesday night. Every other morning we were at the gym hitting it. I was sore. I was pushed beyond my limits. I was nauseous. When I thought I couldn't go on, Michelle encouraged me. AMAZING! I hadn't felt this way since working out with Trainer Mike. I was preparing my post to introduce Trainer Michelle. Michelle is who taught the bootcamp this summer where I learned about the poisonous wheat and many other things that have changed how I feed my body. She has truly inspired a change I needed. BOOM!!!! After working out this Monday, we arrived at Turbo Tuesday night only to find out that some grouchy old fools at the gym had complained about our music. Please understand the music is not offensive. It's music that Michelle uses for Tabata. Hello! How can we do Tabata without music? Well...the ruling is we have to get rid of the music. Not only did six people complain to the owner, one complained to corporate. Don't think I haven't thought about sending my own complaint to corporate about NOT being able to use music when I work out. One of the men that has complained (it's pretty simple to figure out because it's not like there are too many people in the gym at that time of the morning) smacks his gum so loud that I am offended. This has bothered me each and every time I have gone to the gym in the morning. Maybe I should write a complaint and there will be no more gum chewing at the gym??? Two of the others that have complained workout with the JERK Trainer. I'm pretty sure he has voiced his complaint too. (This man can't even acknowledge me. I have said hi to him and he ignores me. I have asked him about how to move a setting on a machine and he has replied with, "I'm not your trainer. No pay...no help.") I have seen him watching us in the mornings and I know he had something to do with this which makes me even more furious if that is at all possible. Based on his rudeness to me at the gym, I get the feeling that if I'm not working out with him he harbors ill will toward my future success. The ONLY time he has been somewhat nice to me is when he was working out with the owner of the gym and she and I were talking. I really don't want to use the word HATE, but I certainly do NOT understand him. He is supposed to be in the business of helping people. However, he is so full of himself that he doesn't have a clue what helping someone is about. As for the two others who have complained (I haven't figured them out yet), every person in there has their ear phones in (I'm sure partly to listen to the news, but more so to muffle the sound of the stuck up old geezer who sounds like a hog in it's slop when he chews that gum.) I cannot comprehend why one hour of us playing music while we work out would provoke them to complain. If we had on offensive music with nasty language that would be one thing, but we do not. We are three people who have found each other and are motivated to come to the gym and hit it. (In all fairness, we do have one fan. He has given us numerous compliments and words of encouragement.) For the first time in a long time, I have felt I was on the right path again. I hadn't steered off. I have been working out and striving to eat clean. However, this new accountability has really pumped me up. I had been wanting to do Tabata for a long time. I am discouraged that the corporate owners of my gym are so quick to cave to people and shut down my attempt to get healthier. It saddens me that these six people have so much power and that their sense of entitlement drives the policies and rules which are enforced. I work in an elementary school as a counselor. All day long I work with kids about conflict resolution. Today in teaching a lesson about bullying, I referred to these people at the gym. NEVER did any of them come to us and ask us to turn the music down. NEVER did any of them think "they are only here for an hour." My fifth graders were right. They are bullies. They want it to be their way. How differently would this have turned out if one of them would have come to us and said, "Hey, your music is really too loud. Could you turn it down a notch?" Did they ever stop to consider the repercussions? It never crossed their mind to consider our perspective or to ask if we would be willing to compromise by turning the music down. The gym is supposed to be a place where one goes to feel better. Unfortunately, I need to go in the mornings because of my schedule. I wish I didn't have to because it feels hostile. It feels them against me. I have enough work to do to reach my goals. Now I have to deal with this load of crap and these bullies who get the power. I'm not happy about this situation at all.