You might as well give me the finger!

[Tintin]

If my gym buddy was wearing headphones I would not appreciate it. I don't know why it makes any difference what other people do in the gym besides your spotter.

Go to gym, lift weights, go home.

[lbuss]

*gives you the finger*

Just kindding haha.. But really, there are a lot of good reasons to wear headphones in the gym. Back before I built my home gym, my biggest complaint about commercial gyms is that they cater to the type most likely to sign up for a membership, pay a monthly due, and not actually show up to workout that often. They are not typically dedicated to the dedicated and disciplined, but rather just try to sign up as many $$$ as they can every month, which means they need to be (or rather, appear) popular and trendy.

Have you ever tried maintaining steadfast determination and focus while listening to what passes for popular and trendy music these days? This auto-tuned pro-tool revised lipsyncfest with some cute girl from the disney channel or maybe that monotone all-sound-the-same faux-gangsta crunk in da club hip hop. No effing thank you!

Personally I think if someone cant be bothered to tap me on the shoulder and spit something out, whatever they've got to say cant be that important anyway. Additionally, part of being in the gym is building confidence. Sometimes thats internal and realized by accomplishing something you didn't think you could do, and sometimes it is external, and might just be doing something you find uncomfortable, like tapping someone on the shoulder and asking them to take a moment to either listen or share.

It isn't always that we dont want to talk. Sometimes we just want to make sure that advice, whether given or received, was well thought out and considered beforehand.

[JasonLB]

I wear headphones because my whole purpose in going to the gym is to workout, not to meet new friends or socialize. (Not to mention all the shitty music I'm trying to drown out.) I don't want anyone talking to me unless it's necessary. If that makes me anti-social, so be it. (The real assholes are those misanthropes who have the gall to workout at home .. they don't even want to be around other people when they workout!)

[Rugger]

I go to the gym to train, not socialize, and I'd rather listen to my own music than whatever shit they play there.

[mpetry]

I don't listen to music at the gym (and my free weight room doesn't have music on, which is really nice), but I go to the gym to lift, not to talk. I'm definitely courteous and friendly to people who approach me but I definitely don't initiate conversations with people I don't know. that's not why I'm there.

[Munnings]

(The real assholes are those misanthropes who have the gall to workout at home .. they don't even want to be around other people when they workout!)

Jason, i take it youve never trained at home. You dont know what your missing out on. it is WAY better than the gym- not because im anti-social but because i can do my own thing pretty much whenever the hell i want without any hassle of travel. You have no idea how good it is to wake up and see a powerrack looking back at you, all you want to do is get in it!
As for not being around people.... i dont want to be around randoms, because they are a distraction, if you disagree then great for you for being able to block that out but i cant and dont want to waste anytime learning. But i invite my friends over for gym sessions so its great. Usually i work alone though, less distrations. This is the only time in my day where i can just think "ok fuck social ettiquette for an hour and lets hit some iron!" Why is it we have to be friendly all the time to people you do not even know? now im not saying im going to be an asshole and ignore them on purpose if they need a favour, just dont see the point in keeping an invitation open to people i dont know to come and have a lil chit chat.
If anyone is going to the gym to chat for the main priority, insead why not go to a shopping centre, call a relative or check out a dating site.

[holvoetn]

I workout at home too, so what ?
It is more convenient for me because I can go when I have time, even when the damn gym is closed.
And the fact this means there are no people around me anymore when I workout is even better. Nobody is doing the same exercises as me anyhow and nobody is going to disturb me in my basement (except possibly wife and son but they also know now not to do this for trivial stuff that can wait for an hour).

I meet quite a lot of people at work daily, both colleagues and clients.
I am involved as adult leader in a boy scouts group which involves at least weekly meetings with the leaders (young guys 17-23 years).
Every time my son plays a soccer match I am there with the other parents.
So I am a misanthrope who has the gall to workout at home and doesn't want to be around other people when he works out ? Damn right then at that moment.

When I work out that's MY time. Before I had my home gym, I also wore earbuds and listened to my music.

BTW When I need to really focus on something at work I book myself a meeting room and close the door.
The message I am sending this way:
I am busy, you better have a GOOD reason to disturb me.
So that does not mean I can not be disturbed at all, but it makes it clear to my co-workers it needs to be for a good reason.

If I want to schmooze, I'll be in the hallway or at the coffee machine, not at my desk.

[Portillo]

I cant workout without my ipod. Well i can, but unless im working out with a friend, i got my music on.

[hardestgainer]

I workout at home at guess what?

Nobody was doing curls in the squat rack
Alphabeat and Miley Cyrus tracks weren't left on repeat
Nobody tried to show me how to quarter squat in the Smith
Nobody was making noises like a sick pig while trying to curl 30kg
Nobody says don't drop the bar or polish the bar after use
No unfriendly cliques in the corner hiding all the heavy plates
I don't have to pay to use the weights

[holvoetn]

I don't have to pay to use the weights

Oh, you got your weights for free ?

One-time investment, zero monthly payments is what you mean, I am sure

[hardestgainer]

I said don't have to pay to USE them not to buy them. But since you mention it, I picked up a lot of my weights from the skip, and I don't feel bad.

[JasonLB]

(The real assholes are those misanthropes who have the gall to workout at home .. they don't even want to be around other people when they workout!)

Jason, i take it youve never trained at home.

It was just a poor attempt at sarcasm, Munnings. I love working out at home! My point was that we work out, whether at home or a gym, to workout, not to socialize. I don't actually believe people who workout at home are misanthropic

[jpez]

+1 to working out at home. It's the best, the only thing better would be a gym full of power racks and people who strength train, that would be sweet.

[Shoke]

i love wearing my headphones....gets me energized for my workout!

[luco]

+1 to working out at home. It's the best, the only thing better would be a gym full of power racks and people who strength train, that would be sweet.

I know these gyms have to exist somewhere outside my dreams. If only I knew where..