Aggression in the gym

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Does aggression disproportionately occur in the gym? If so, why? An overdose of testosterone? A clash of different personalities or an ever-changing pecking order?

“You can go in between”

The reason for this article is an incident that took place yesterday morning right before my eyes at the gym. A guy, let’s call him person A, places his water bottle on the seat of the lat pulldown machine next to me. Then he walks away to another machine where he continues his workout. A minute or two later, another guy, let’s call him person B, asks me if I’m using the lat pulldown machine. I reply that I’m not and continue with the cables I was using for shoulder exercises. A few moments later, person A comes back and says he was still using the machine. B says something like “I didn’t see you,” to which A replies that he was using two machines at the same time. Now, I’m not a fan of using two machines in a rather busy gym, but no problem: A says that B can use the machine in between. At least, that’s what both B and I hear.

“But come outside for a moment”

Apparently, we heard this wrong because a few moments later, I see A standing in a rather threatening manner in front of B, apparently angry. The words I hear A say are: “But come outside for a moment, I’ll explain it to you.” Roughly translated: “But come outside for a moment, I’ll hit you in the face.” He then puts his hand on B’s shoulder to lead him towards the exit. B asks: “Why are you reacting so aggressively? I could go in between, right?” That seemed like a good moment for me to play the peacemaker and address A: “Sorry, maybe we both misunderstood you but I also thought I heard you say he could go in between.” However, I think A had already come to his senses a bit by then because the switch was very quick afterward. He turns back to B and says, “Yes, you can go in between.” To which B responds, “Yes, you just said that. Forget it.” Really, I’m not making this up. From zero to 100 and back to 0 in 4 seconds. That’s quite impressive on its own. I usually need a bit longer to cool down when I’m angry. Although it’s still a mystery why he got angry in the first place.

Aggression in the gym

In case you’re wondering: “A” doesn’t stand for “anabolic.” I dislike prejudices and stereotypes. Moreover, I have to admit that I have also felt aggression in the gym before that I couldn’t explain afterwards. Maybe I had a good reason to be unhappy about something. But not to the extent that I wanted to introduce someone’s forehead to the end of a barbell. I have never, like A, physically threatened someone. But I have been startled by the extent of aggression I felt rising which I expressed verbally. I can exclude supernormal levels of testosterone as the cause of my case back then. After all, I am a natural bodybuilder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJmVlt98FLA

(A ‘nice’ example of pointless aggression in the gym).

Different animals in one cage?

When I once wrote a complaint about Basic-Fit, gyms of this franchise were compared to a zoo in a response. Among apes, the principle of the ape on the highest rock is known. There’s a hierarchy that maintains peace and tranquility. In documentaries, you can often see how such a hierarchy in the animal kingdom can be disrupted with the arrival of a newcomer. Often a young male who also wants a chance to be first with the females. Although I strongly doubt that women in a gym will be charmed by aggressive behavior, I consider that we’re looking at a form of alpha-ape behavior here. Especially in gyms with a high turnover like branches of the bigger chains. The composition of visitors in the gym can change at any moment of the day. Apparently, this can lead to the necessary social tensions. More than a ruined workout Although yesterday’s incident was mostly funny to me, such tensions can have serious consequences. I remember an incident in a gym where I used to train. I wasn’t there myself, but I was told how someone was beaten up in a despicable manner a few weeks earlier. Despicable because he was doing crunches when he was sucker-punched from behind. It ended up with a hospitalization. It was someone who previously had the typical air of an alpha ape. Possibly fueled by the fact that he always had a beautiful girlfriend with him. That apparently changed drastically afterward, I was told. Lost confidence, lost girlfriend, lost highest rock. Yesterday ended well. But I can imagine that some in ‘person B’s situation would find this enough reason not to go to the gym anymore. If you’re almost drawn into a fight for completely inexplicable reasons, you also can’t figure out how to prevent this next time.

Take it out on the weights

Therefore, I suggest that if you feel aggressive feelings coming up in the gym, you use this to push out a few extra reps. Or maybe you finally try to bench press that extra ten kilos. In the worst case, you have to crawl out from under a barbell. That’s also a quick and effective method to get rid of your inner alpha ape and get to know humility.