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As I said in my opening thread, I’m not looking to to socialize at the gym. I just find it odd the number of Folks I see there month after month who fail to even make eye contact and say hello in passing. But I think perhaps it is just an observation of how our society has changed in the last couple decades. Folks in general seemed more “reserved” for lack of a better word, than when I was younger.
At least to me... eye contact and hello in passing is socializing. What if you want to say more than hello? This is how I tell the world I don't want to talk...
- ear buds,
- eyes on the floor..
- failure to say hello...
I really wish that people would respect these signs and not ignore them because they want to talk.
I am really shy at the gym, and feel very uncomfortable. Someone has to talk to me several times and initiate a few conversations before I will say hello first. I am not like this anywhere else in life. I am sure I am not the only one.
I understand that people are often busy, lost in their own thoughts, maybe introverted but, wonder if I am missing something obvious. I have attended the same gym regularly for a few years now. I see a lot of the same people, week in week out so, to me it seems natural to say hello and occasionally initiate some small talk. Most folks respond when approached but many, will never acknowledge me first if they see me a week later? It is as if they have never seen me before. When I say hello, they are friendly enough but if I were to wait for them to acknowledge me, it will not happen. I see a lot of folks, month after month, come in, do their routine and never say so much as hello to another person, even though they see these same folks month after month. I’m not someone who wants to spend my time at the gym socializing. I get that people want to get through their routines an get out but, it seems strange to me that so many people seem to intentionally avoid any social interaction at all. Just curious what that is about.
I don't like interacting with anybody at the gym. I put my headphones and and go to work. I don't even look around to see if I recognize people. I am sure there are people in there who is usually there when I am there, but if so I wouldn't even know. It's nothing personal, I just don't care to interact with anybody at the gym.
However, if somebody says hi I answer of course. And if I happen to get eye contact with anybody and we recognize each other I say hi first. I am not a total freak..lol
It occurred to me... people who are working out are normally counting. You don't just do sit-ups until you don't feel like doing any more. You do 20 or 100 or whatever your workout program is. They aren't going to want their count disrupted.
Humans suck and the vast majority have nefarious purposes if they are talking to you at all.
I think it is odd that people want to try to initiate conversation with complete strangers. To me that seems suspicious. You go to the gym to work out not to socialize.
OP, I thought TX was the friendly state...? What kind of gym are you at: private ($$$$)? Public? YMCA? National chain-type? I've found that the people at the city-subsidized and YMCA gyms are the friendliest. People at the priciest gyms seem to be more into being left alone, unless there's a juice bar, or some other area that's for socializing. YMMV.
As I said in my opening thread, I’m not looking to to socialize at the gym. I just find it odd the number of Folks I see there month after month who fail to even make eye contact and say hello in passing. But I think perhaps it is just an observation of how our society has changed in the last couple decades. Folks in general seemed more “reserved” for lack of a better word, than when I was younger.
For whatever reason, they want to be anonymous. I agree with you; in my experience, the norm used to be to be at least somewhat neighborly, and say hello to people, or give them a nod. You can still find that in some gyms, as I explained in the earlier post.
I think if you are going to a gym most people dont want to chit chat when they are in the middle of a workout. I find myself on a time crunch usually when I go because I attend the gym right before work. If you were really looking to have a gym group that you were friends with I suggest trying out a group exercise program! Most gyms offer them and there are many other options for group exercise.
Humans suck and the vast majority have nefarious purposes if they are talking to you at all.
I think it is odd that people want to try to initiate conversation with complete strangers. To me that seems suspicious. You go to the gym to work out not to socialize.
The large percentage of people that work out in gyms, are professional types that talk with others all day as part of their job. They actually get tired of talking to people.
Gym becomes their refuge, where they get away with talking to people. A place they can exercise and zone out everyone else. This is their refuge/come down place, where they get away from reacting with and talking to people.
OP you are a talker and you are at the gym to make friends, and visit with them. Others at the gym at the same time, are there to get away from people, so they can relax. Other people are trying to get away from people like you, so they can unwind from the normal life they lead the rest of the day.
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