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Proper behavior for the gym in Korea
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Alias



Joined: 24 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:51 am    Post subject: Proper behavior for the gym in Korea Reply with quote

Never went to the gym my first year here. Worked too much. Now that I have a cushy 5 hour a day job I have started going to a gym here.

I was wondering if anyone could give me the low down on the do's and don'ts of Gym in Korea?

I've noticed a couple of things already. It seems to be bad manners if you let out a grunt while you are working out. I did that my first day and the owner came over to see if I was ok. Also, I noticed that they don't have any spray to wipe down the equipment with after you're finished.
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Alias



Joined: 24 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Forgot to mention the locker rooms. I'm sure they differ from gym to gym but the one at mine is pretty tiny.

Tonight while I was quickly changing a guy came out of the shower and tried to strike up a conversation with me in broken english. He told me that I am "very handsome". Heard this plenty of times in Korea but this is the first time a naked man has ever said it to me. Shocked

Not that there's anything wrong with that.........
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katydid



Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bring a water bottle with you cause it seems that all the other gyms I have been to just have those coolers with the small paper cups.
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khyber



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Compunction Junction

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ahh...good, i didn't want to start a new topic on this thread...seeking opinions here:

In our shower room, the showers are FAR away from the drain (opposite side of the room) but dudes often go stand over the drain and piss in it.
The men's bathroom is OUTSIDE of the gym so i can kinda see why they do that. and it's over the drain right? Whose it hurting?

Who would participate in that kinda drama?
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IconsFanatic



Joined: 19 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I go to the gym, work out, and leave.

I do not shower there. I feel unconfortable showering with strangers from my own country, let alone Korean strangers.

I also try to avoid conversations, because at the gym it's usually people trying to test out their English. I'm polite and respond, but I don't try to let it go any further.

I realize this is making me sound like an uptight, anti-social wanker, but that's just the way I approach Korean gyms!
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IconsFanatic



Joined: 19 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey, I just noticed w-a-n-k-e-r gets edited by the software censors on here now!

So much for skirting around censors by swearing in dialects.... Laughing
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Mr. Pink



Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

khyber wrote:
ahh...good, i didn't want to start a new topic on this thread...seeking opinions here:

In our shower room, the showers are FAR away from the drain (opposite side of the room) but dudes often go stand over the drain and piss in it.
The men's bathroom is OUTSIDE of the gym so i can kinda see why they do that. and it's over the drain right? Whose it hurting?

Who would participate in that kinda drama?


You aren't supposed to piss in the showers, but if I am alone in there I do it. Just something about an intense workout and then hot water hitting me that makes me wanna pee.

Hmm some things I hate is guys telling you how to do things when they don't know how. This doesnt happen at my new gym, but the guy at my first gym was a real dumbass about watching my every move - made me quit after a month.

Don't sit on the equipment too long if the gym is busy. Some guys like to sit on the equipment to do their reps and rest inbetween. I have seen guys resting 10mins on the same equipment...let others have a chance.

I don't care if people want to talk English with me. In the locker room it is mostly "where are you from" or "nice to meet you". The gym is BORING. I don't mind a little human contact. You might think people are trying to practice their English, but they are being polite.

Also if you goto a smaller neighbourhood gym like me, you might notice the Korean guys talk to each other too...as I said it gets BORING working out not talking for a couple hours, and the GYM is something you have in common...
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The Den



Joined: 26 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The owner of my gym actually speaks pretty good English. It is also quite clean. The locker room is not exactly spacious but it works. I always work out at non peak times so there is never many people in there. The two trainer guys that work there know there stuff and have given me unsolicited pointers a few times. At first I was like "here we go again with the Koreans" but when I realized he knew what he was talking about it did not bother me as much. The first month I was there I got the stares quite a bit and that bugged me. I wish I had a t-shirt with "Take a F**kin picture it"ll last longer" printed on it. But that type of humour would probably be lost on the Koreans.

As far as peeing in the shower goes I would not do it. The first gym in Korea I went to was this really run down place and people used to pee in the shower. It grossed me out. Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode when George pees in the shower.
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tokki



Joined: 26 Jul 2003

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I go at 7 am so I ALWAYS have the whole place to myself. No one ever arrives until atleast 8:45 or 9 am and by that time Im finishing up my cardio on the treadmill or bike. I can turn on the tv and listen to cnn while I work out. Its great.
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Felix the Cat



Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Medell�n

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:48 pm    Post subject: xx Reply with quote

If you don't want anyone to talk to you at the gym, get a few tattoos. Most people will treat you like a leper.
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Ilsanman



Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 6:48 pm    Post subject: yes Reply with quote

They spit in the shower too. I don't want that phlegm around my feet, I'll prolly end up with athlete's foot (not the shoe store) or warts. I dont shower at the gym anymore.

I noticed most gyms will give you a t-shirt to use.

I bring a water bottle because I dont like those little paper bag cups.
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maxxx_power



Joined: 17 Mar 2003
Location: BWAHAHAHAHA! I'M FREE!!!!!!!

PostPosted: Tue Dec 30, 2003 7:17 pm    Post subject: Re: xx Reply with quote

Felix the Cat wrote:
If you don't want anyone to talk to you at the gym, get a few tattoos. Most people will treat you like a leper.


This is true. Some guy at my gym even had his son start going, presumably to practice English with me as all he ever does is follow me around and try to chat.

When he saw my arm tattoos he backed off and now tries to actually avoid me. Laughing

I don't mind people saying hello or asking a few questions but please, leave me the *beep* alone when I'm doing a set or naked.

-Do people at your gym leave freeweights lying around or leave the plates on the bars? That pisses me off like no other when some inconsiderate asshole sweats all over the machine, doesn't wipe it off, and leaves the fucking plates/extra weights on the equipment.
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Alias



Joined: 24 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2003 4:50 am    Post subject: Re: xx Reply with quote

maxxx_power wrote:


-Do people at your gym leave freeweights lying around or leave the plates on the bars? That pisses me off like no other when some inconsiderate *beep* sweats all over the machine, doesn't wipe it off, and leaves the *beep* plates/extra weights on the equipment.


Well that happens back home often enough. I found it was usually the big juice monkeys who would leave the weights on the equipment as well as leaving their sweat on the machine. Poor gym etiquette happens everywhere.
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Mr. Pink



Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China

PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2003 5:31 am    Post subject: Re: xx Reply with quote

Alias wrote:
maxxx_power wrote:


-Do people at your gym leave freeweights lying around or leave the plates on the bars? That pisses me off like no other when some inconsiderate *beep* sweats all over the machine, doesn't wipe it off, and leaves the *beep* plates/extra weights on the equipment.


Well that happens back home often enough. I found it was usually the big juice monkeys who would leave the weights on the equipment as well as leaving their sweat on the machine. Poor gym etiquette happens everywhere.


i wonder how leaving the weights on is poor etiquette? You set the equipment up how you want it. When you leave it, the next guy sets it up how he wants it and leaves it. Setting that chain in motion, you will always have to set it up anyways...seems to work at every gym I have been to.

About not wiping down the equipment. I agree, but find i only really sweat on the bike and the material is hard to wipe down, it is made so sweat evaporizes.

Oh and anyone else got a gym that is ICE COLD in non peak times? That is the reason I haven't been sweating as much...it is soooo cold.
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Alias



Joined: 24 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2003 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At the couple of gyms I went to back home the weights were supposed to be removed from the equipment once you were finished. Seems to be a bit different at the gym I got to here. Weights are left on.
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