Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cubanlord]

About a month ago, I got fed up with not being able to workout (too expensive, etc.). I finally broke down and bought a membership (man do i feel great now).

Anyways, have you guys or gals every weight lifted, turned around or looked in the mirror, and seen Koreans staring at you. Some even coming over to check out the specific set you are doing....then join in at the same weight (even though they are struggling to do it)? Figure lower the weight but noooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

Happened to me yesterday, 2 different guys came over and jumped in with me. First they "checked it out" before participating. Pretty neat though. Great ice-breaker. With my little knowledge of Korean, the situation turned out to be a pleasant one.

[quiksilver]

Yeah the first month or so is hard in terms of people in your face. I've been at the same gym for about 10 months now and everyone leaves me alone. It is funny when the guys jump on the equipment right after you with little regard for changing the weight. It's like a mini-Olympics, Korea vs (insert foreign country). They lift it once and prance around looking for their Gold medal and flowers. Sometimes I set the machines to the highest weight possible right before I'm finished just to screw with them.

[quiksilver]

Also don't worry about listening to the local ajossi who trys to get you to stretch for 45 minutes. There are a couple threads about weight lifting on here froma couple months back.

[white_shadow]

I can't generalize and say that all gyms here suck. But I know the one I own a membership at does.

I've been max'd out on the machines that I use. When I do any sort of heavy compound exercise, I have to gather most of the weights in the room. I've been max'd out on their dumbbells.

Almost everyone has poor gyms manners. No re-racking of weights at all. As a matter of fact they just leave them there. Even the personal trainers do this. Sneaking in behind you when you to get in a few reps with asking. Standing a foot from the rack and a foot from your face. Taking one hour on the flat bench.

The halls in the locker are also too narrow. It's like a naked maze. You can't get through to your locker without grinding on someones johnson or getting his workout juices all over you. And when you get to your locker, you realize you were given the one next to the customer who came right before you. So he's all naked and as you reach down to open your locker you've got a 180 degree of his bare ass.

They also don't sanitize the towels or the rent-a-wear. It has a slight scent of mildew, gasoline, and B.O. They line-dry the clothes in the dark moist basement. When I found out about this I tried to get a refund, but the next gyms was too far away.

[mercury]

my experience at the gym near my place.........

walked in, paid 40,000 won. Walked over to the first machine, did all the weight, second machine, did all the weight, leg curl, did all the weight, and these sort of skinny guys came over and said "good, good".

My only competition is with the old azmmmas, dancing in front of the mirrors, and taking up the running machines.

They pretty much run the place, they even do squats!

[uberscheisse]

me+mp3 player=nobody bugging me at the gym. eyes front, ignore everyone.

of course i go to a gym (california fitness, apkujeong) where people wear sunglasses and high heels to work out in... so some dude in a slayer shirt with a bit of a beer gut isn't exactly a tractor beam for stares.

[Ya-ta Boy]