This May Have Been the Final Straw!

[ryan1117]

I load up my weight for deadlift and start chalking up my hands when a guy starts walking towards me. He proceeds to tell me that chalk is no longer allowed in the gym. I'm pretty angry that I'm likely going to have to fork out hundreds of dollars to find another place. Plus, I'm still really paying for the school gym through tuition. I refuse to use straps and without chalk, my body won't be able to get a good workout. Maybe I should send them the article written by Dave Tate so they can see just how bad they look to most powerlifters.

I'm sure most of you have probably seen the article, but here is a link:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/sick-of-your-gym.htm

I'd say this line best describes how I feel:
"As luck would have it I found one of these places during my time in college. This place had all the best machines, mirrors, locker rooms, aerobic equipment, juice bar and hot chicks walking around from time to time. It took me about 2 weeks to figure out I up rooted myself right into HELL. I ran into many of the same issues many of you are still dealing with. "

[Alex.V]

Talk to the facilities director. Tell him/her that you'd like to continue using chalk, and that you will clean up after every time you use it. Bring two towels, wet one, use it to clean the bar and floor afterwards, and use a dry one to mop up the rest.

People are usually reasonable, gym management or otherwise. The policy is usually made to avoid mess, but I'm sure compromise can be reached.

[Adam]

:withstupi

[ryan1117]

I'm also thinking of using gloves if I still can't use chalk. They may help a little since they would keep my perspiration off the bar. I also may try sneaking some chalk on my hands in the restroom and just not put any on the bar. My hands seem to stay dry for quite awhile after I put chalk on them. My grip has been very solid lately and I might be able to get to failure with the latter.

[Shankerr]

does Purdue not have a decent facility that you can use chalk in? wow, thats weird....

GLoves are OK, but not the same.. I'd agree with Belial, they'll most likely be accomodating if you talk to them

[GIS]

Like Belial said, talk to a higher authority and reason with him/her.

Gyms rely on as high of a member base as they possibly can get. Their cost structure is such that additional members above equilibrium (break-even point) do not add any further signifiant costs, so that's profit that they are missing out on for each member who leaves.

Anyway, just talk and say you'll probably have to switch gyms (even if you wont) in a non-abrasive and non-confrontal way and I'm sure they'll reason with you.

[the doc]

Uni gyms never allow chalk, and they dont care about how many members they have since everyone is a member

[Praetorian]

just snap, go postal and spray chalk all over the place

[ryan1117]

Originally posted by Centaurion
just snap, go postal and spray chalk all over the place
Haha, I really did think about doing that. But, I figured I wouldn't sink down to their level.

[flake]

my gym stopped chalk a while back, suks. Then they did a revamp and it started looking v. gay and like a health club. When they added the sauna and swim pool I got scared :eek:

But then they move the weights room downstairs away from the spandex gang and now have 100kg dumbells, so its looking up again :)

Oh except the pull up bar mysteriously vanished :(

[GonePostal]

Originally posted by Centaurion
just snap, go postal and spray chalk all over the place

You rang???
:shoot: :shoot: :shoot: :shoot: :shoot:

[GonePostal]

Originally posted by ryan1117

Haha, I really did think about doing that. But, I figured I wouldn't sink down to their level.

As for you shut up! LOL :p

[GIS]

Originally posted by the doc
Uni gyms never allow chalk, and they dont care about how many members they have since everyone is a member

My uni provides chalk! :p

[Manveet]

Hey GIS, who is that in your avatar?

[WestyHeadbanger]

WTF??/????? NO CHALK IN A GYM?????


Are they for real is this some kind of joke????

What else do they want to make a rule?? No lifting weights heavier than 10lbs.

The good thing about my uni gym is that 90% of the dawgs who go there are heavy weightlifting mofo machines and as we lift we perve at the one or maybe 2 chicks in the aerobics area. We sometimes even bring so much chalk that we have to eat the leftover bits that we dont use and look like coke heads.!!@!#@

ARGGh.. NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!NO CHALK AND BAD RULES MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY.1@#@!!!

[the doc]

lucky bastard!

[ChrisH]

Advantage of my gym: I know the main trainer.
Disadvantage: Theres no squat rack, the guy I know said he'd seen some squat stands, but they cost a lot so he had to put some other stuff first (eg, tree thing for holding plates...v important). Unfortunately, im the only one who wants a power rack. All the other people who visit the gym are the people who want to 'tone' and stuff. I WISH there was a hardcore gym around here.

[Wolfman]

Hey GIS, who is that in your avatar?
That's Tony Montana (Al Pachino) on Scarface...awesome flick BTW.

[BCC]

My gym stopped chalk as well. But I work there, so I use it anyways :cool:

[Scooby-Doo]

Originally posted by ChrisH
Unfortunately, im the only one who wants a power rack.

If you build it, they will come.