What Are Your Gym/Fitness/Routine Moans?
Discussion
Thankyou4calling said:
I wouldn't at any point and my business is running health clubs.
I see people every single day who are in appalling shape (too much, too little, some kind of injury) I see people doing exercises that will clearly damage them, yet they have no interest in being shown the correct technique.
As long as people sign an HCS and we operate the business correctly that's it for me.
Health clubs/Gyms aren't there to judge people.
This.I see people every single day who are in appalling shape (too much, too little, some kind of injury) I see people doing exercises that will clearly damage them, yet they have no interest in being shown the correct technique.
As long as people sign an HCS and we operate the business correctly that's it for me.
Health clubs/Gyms aren't there to judge people.
It's not the gym's business, it isn't going to the gym that makes anorexics anorexic. A gym trying to have words with a member about his or her anorexia will at best have zero impact.
It isn't about judging. There's a difference between cautioning and judging. If someone isn't well enough to attend one of my classes, I will say so eg if they're pregnant it's probably a bad idea to be diving about and getting hit with dodgeballs.
Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
Hoofy said:
It isn't about judging. There's a difference between cautioning and judging. If someone isn't well enough to attend one of my classes, I will say so eg if they're pregnant it's probably a bad idea to be diving about and getting hit with dodgeballs.
Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
Pregnancy and anorexia are different conditions. Would you know whether an anorexic is healthy enough to attend one of your classes?Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
13m said:
Hoofy said:
It isn't about judging. There's a difference between cautioning and judging. If someone isn't well enough to attend one of my classes, I will say so eg if they're pregnant it's probably a bad idea to be diving about and getting hit with dodgeballs.
Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
Pregnancy and anorexia are different conditions. Would you know whether an anorexic is healthy enough to attend one of your classes?Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
They might be different conditions but some pregnant women are adamant they will continue.
A dodgeball at full speed to the abdomen would be like a good kick in that area.
If she (the anorexic) was flagging after 10 minutes, I'd suggest she had a rest.
otolith said:
Yeah, it's not clear cut. A bar can't serve a drunk, but it can serve an alcoholic. She was very obviously ill, but at what point you would intervene is debatable.
Put bluntly a member of health club staff/management should intervene if they believe the individual is likely to do themselves harm. There is also the issue of liability...ie duty of care. In the case of the individual injuring themselves through inability to perform the lift properly were staff negligent in their duty for not spotting the individual's possible health issue. Of course there is also the ethical issue - whether you feel personally you should make some kind of intervention or not. I would, if I thought someone was going to incur injury.Hoofy said:
13m said:
Hoofy said:
It isn't about judging. There's a difference between cautioning and judging. If someone isn't well enough to attend one of my classes, I will say so eg if they're pregnant it's probably a bad idea to be diving about and getting hit with dodgeballs.
Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
Pregnancy and anorexia are different conditions. Would you know whether an anorexic is healthy enough to attend one of your classes?Mind you, I'm more confident about talking to people with mental health issues as my background is working in that profession, too, I suppose.
They might be different conditions but some pregnant women are adamant they will continue.
A dodgeball at full speed to the abdomen would be like a good kick in that area.
If she (the anorexic) was flagging after 10 minutes, I'd suggest she had a rest.
13m said:
But not merely on the grounds that someone appears anorexic.
Have to pick you up on that: If gym management/member of staff is worried a client may be anorexic they should intervene and ask the customer to fill in an up to date membership form (health questionnaire). Anorexics, either bulimic or nervosa, may suffer from weak/brittle bones, seizures, fainting and fatigue. Not good combined with exercise/weights!popeyewhite said:
Have to pick you up on that: If gym management/member of staff is worried a client may be anorexic they should intervene and ask the customer to fill in an up to date membership form (health questionnaire). Anorexics, either bulimic or nervosa, may suffer from weak/brittle bones, seizures, fainting and fatigue. Not good combined with exercise/weights!
A lot of gyms don't even have staff now for the majority of their operating hours.popeyewhite said:
13m said:
But not merely on the grounds that someone appears anorexic.
Have to pick you up on that: If gym management/member of staff is worried a client may be anorexic they should intervene and ask the customer to fill in an up to date membership form (health questionnaire). Anorexics, either bulimic or nervosa, may suffer from weak/brittle bones, seizures, fainting and fatigue. Not good combined with exercise/weights!However the original topic was, I seem to recall, whether or not a gym should intervene if a member appears anorexic. I maintain that the belief that someone is anorexic is not a reason for a gym to intervene. If, however, there is a real and present danger that a condition (of any type) is going to endanger the member or any other member, directly as a result of using the gym facilities, then intervention is justified.
A belief that an anorexic girl is going to hog the 5kg plates is not a good enough reason by the way.
otolith said:
Hard. And realistically, I suppose they'd find somewhere else. All the same, I'd find it hard watching someone using a gym I owned to literally kill themselves.
Absolutely. And staff should be aware anyway..but it may help in some situations to politely point out to staff that an individual may be 'overdoing it'. Most health club/gym staff don't know their arse from their elbow at the best of times.popeyewhite said:
They have staff at reception, and to fulfil H+S requirements isn't there supposed to be a walkaround by a member of staff at regular intervals?
Not at all. I own 5 gyms. 2 are entirely unstaffed.
No reception, no floor walkers, all we have is a cleaner for an hour a day.
No issue with it at all.
If you go bowling people don't ask if you are fit to bowl or if you wan't to play squash in you go.
It isn't my (the operators) responsibility to be involved in the health and wellbeing of a customer only to provide a facility that complies with all H and S regs.
As you say, most gym staff are pretty clueless anyway, any advice they give will usually be worse than awful and that is coming from someone who employs them :-)
Edited by Thankyou4calling on Friday 26th August 12:08
Thankyou4calling said:
Not at all.
I own 5 gyms. 2 are entirely unstaffed.
No reception, no floor walkers, all we have is a cleaner for an hour a day.
No issue with it at all.
If you go bowling people don't ask if you are fit to bowl or if you wan't to play squash in you go.
It isn't my (the operators) responsibility to be involved in the health and wellbeing of a customer only to provide a facility that complies with all H and S regs.
Changing the subject a bit - do you have free weights and if so how do you stop them getting nicked?I own 5 gyms. 2 are entirely unstaffed.
No reception, no floor walkers, all we have is a cleaner for an hour a day.
No issue with it at all.
If you go bowling people don't ask if you are fit to bowl or if you wan't to play squash in you go.
It isn't my (the operators) responsibility to be involved in the health and wellbeing of a customer only to provide a facility that complies with all H and S regs.
13m said:
Changing the subject a bit - do you have free weights and if so how do you stop them getting nicked?
Ha ha!Yes we do have free weights.
I can honestly say we have never had any go missing (been an owner and operator for in excess of 20 years)
I think firstly they are dirt cheap to buy and by taking say a dumbell you are kinda depriving yourself of the use (at least if you carry on visiting)
The worst I get is people filling their shower gel from my wall mounts :-)
Centurion07 said:
Thankyou4calling said:
The worst I get is people filling their shower gel from my wall mounts :-)
Quite possibly the 
est thing to do. WTF would you nick shower gel?! I mean, really, how much are you saving over the course of a year? SMH.Thankyou4calling said:
I wouldn't at any point and my business is running health clubs.
I see people every single day who are in appalling shape (too much, too little, some kind of injury) I see people doing exercises that will clearly damage them, yet they have no interest in being shown the correct technique.
As long as people sign an HCS and we operate the business correctly that's it for me.
Health clubs/Gyms aren't there to judge people.
I can fully see your point in a gym where the client turns up and finds a room full of gear and gets on with it of their own volition. With a formal introduction and waiver signing session obvisouly. What's your view on a gym where you turn up and do a prescribed class that can involve anything from doing simple press ups to overhead snatch to climbing 20ft up a rope (getting up is ok, getting down can be a bit hairy). I'm thinking of the CrossFit type model here btw where you have a class of 5-15 punters and a coach to supervise things.I see people every single day who are in appalling shape (too much, too little, some kind of injury) I see people doing exercises that will clearly damage them, yet they have no interest in being shown the correct technique.
As long as people sign an HCS and we operate the business correctly that's it for me.
Health clubs/Gyms aren't there to judge people.
In this case you are almost "forced" into doing a movement that may not suit your body shape or movement patterns hence opening you up to a higher risk of injury. I'm wondering if there is any case law about where a punter has successfully sued that sort of gym after hurting themselves seriously.
Thankyou4calling said:
I own 5 gyms. 2 are entirely unstaffed.
No reception, no floor walkers, all we have is a cleaner for an hour a day.
I hope membership is cheap. Are you based in the South of the country?No reception, no floor walkers, all we have is a cleaner for an hour a day.
Thankyou4calling said:
No issue with it at all.
If you go bowling people don't ask if you are fit to bowl or if you wan't to play squash in you go.
Fair enough, but I was really addressing weight training and fitness, ie cardio machines. In the OP the poster states he saw a 'young woman exercising, hard'. This kind of precludes bowling and squash, and I was imagining an open gym environment.If you go bowling people don't ask if you are fit to bowl or if you wan't to play squash in you go.
Thankyou4calling said:
It isn't my (the operators) responsibility to be involved in the health and wellbeing of a customer only to provide a facility that complies with all H and S regs.
So no fitness to exercise checks? Do your staff let visibly ill people train, or are they vetted at the door? Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff