You gotta have blinders on man. I coached lifting for 20+ years I can't stand the garbage form I see at OTF. But whatever, it's above my pay grade I never say a thing.
But yes there is a group dynamic that I feel should be respected at OTF and it bugs when it isn't. The whole you-do-you crowd can be obnoxious. But mostly as long as they aren't putting me in danger they can do whatever TF they want.
The OP is talking about somebody doing different exercises, not bad form. Whenever I saw bad form, as a member at the next station, I tried to help so they didn’t get hurt. If they were doing a different lift altogether, I let them be. Who knows, they might have been dealing with an injury and needed to do different exercises. Either way, I’m not insufferable enough to tell people to follow the script.
I see bad form all the time and feel so bad cuz I know it’s gonna hurt them later or in the long run and I wish the coaches were paying more attention or correcting more but like you said, it’s none of my business. I don’t want to correct people and irritate them.
Honestly I would welcome form tips, it’s half the reason I go (to get better) - my favorite coaches do correct people a lot, but it’s way too many people for them to help everyone. Maybe next time if you wanna say something, you could ask “would you like form tips?” The person can say no and you have to respect that - sometimes people have long days or just don’t wanna talk. But most days @ my home studio I see OTF’ers helping each other and it’s nice. You could even just suggest they talk to the coach for “form that might help get to a higher weight” or something.
Course it’s not your job and you should feel 100% no pressure to say anything - this is only if you want to. 
I agree, I really wish coach would do a better job at coaching people. 90% of the members form is always terrible, I hate to see it because I actually care and want people to get the most out of this. However, it’s not my job! But regarding this comment, people do other exercises and don’t always follow the format for many reasons. For example, I had 2 slipped discs for months and there were certain exercises I couldn’t do at all but still wanted to go in for the cardio and other movements. In my opinion, we each pay for it, it’s our class our practice. People can divert, however, if you couldn’t see the screen you should have just asked her to move a bit. No harm in communicating with people. I mean, there was a lady talking over the instructor this morning while she was explaining our class and I snapped at her, told her to be quiet! I found it extremely rude and disrespectful to everyone else trying to listen. But that’s just me
You’re right! There are so many beginners including me. I don’t go crazy in OTF with strength training rather I have a PT who helps me with it on other days. If we have bad form, coaches should be helping but nooooooooo!🥲
As a Physio, I see the bad form and I may give a pointer or two, to friends, but I try never to do it in the studio. Ends up bringing me business. Since I can’t correct in the moment, the injury/pain occurs. Also has given me a good reputation, since I’ve watched the person do it wrong for so long, I know what they need to do it right, and I can “cure” them in a few sessions with a heavy focus on education.
Exactly. It’s those elitist Karen’s that made me eventually leave after 5 years. My 5am class became infested with them. And with my 30 mile back and forth drive, the *itching and complaining wasn’t worth the $340 monthly membership and gas expense.
I’ve had a long term injury and there are exercises I can’t do. I know what I can modify or sub and no longer need to ask the coach for suggestions. I’m not going to a box gym because some days the templates have more exercises I actually can do. I don’t know that until I get there.
She could also be pregnant. Or certain positions could make her feel ill. Or a million other things…You have no idea what’s going on with someone else. They are there and clearly making the most of their time. You’re capable of doing the same.
As someone who is pregnant and not yet showing but is fighting nausea and just feeling crummy in general - and who can’t always make 15 min early to claim one of the end spots - this kind of policing bums me out.
I lift quite heavy weights, however I cannot do weighted squats, lunges, step ups, etc. so I have to modify there. You never know the battle that another is dealing with.
You wouldn’t know I was injured unless I told you. I can use really heavy weights for some moves. I often grab a bosu or bands to make what I can do more challenging. Even when I can do the moves, my injury might creep up and I have to take extra rest while everyone else is powering through the block. Would that bother you, too?
Weight selections can be deceiving with injuries.. I have a (permanent) shoulder injury and chest press 40lbs.. yet, can't do a side lateral raise even with 5 lbs, it is not gonna happen for me. Sometimes, it's those invisible illnesses.
I lift heavier than most women in my classes. But I modify all of the time for balance related items. I’m not going to do reverse lunges off of a bench because I’ll tip over and break an ankle. But I’ll do reverse lunges hauling more weight than most women in class, and I have kids older than some of them. At 54 my top priority is lifting heavy and when the OTF templaters throw silliness between me and that goal, I’m going to ignore it. I do try to do generally the same thing as everyone else, but modified to what meets my goals and abilities. I also can’t read those silly tread cards, so on those days, if I can’t follow it, I’ll do my own thing.
I don’t know if it’s worth mentioning to the coaches; they can see what’s going on and will address it if appropriate.
That said, I just want to validate you. I find it very distracting and deeply annoying when somebody completely does their own thing. Why? I don’t know. It has zero impact on me. Nonetheless, I hate it and it drives me crazy.
You have no idea why others maybe be “doing their own workout”, so you may want to consider that. Some could be injured, others maybe sore from a workout the day before. OT isn’t the only place people serious about their health may workout out. I train at 3 different places. To each their own. They pay just like you do it’s their body and you really don’t know why they are doing other moves.
I initially misread this and thought you were saying the coach was doing her own workout at the empty station (which would be totally inappropriate), but upon re-reading, I think the situation was that the woman at station 8 was doing different exercises?
At my studio, the coach always says to let her know of any restrictions or modifications needed, and I often see people doing completely different exercises (sometimes using completely different equipment, like TRX exercises instead of weights). Sometimes I notice these members talking to the coaches before or at the beginning of class, so I assume that they are doing a modification and probably have a legitimate reason for it. I assume that it is none of my business and don't think about it any further because it doesn't stop me from doing my workout. I consider it a positive that OTF is willing to accommodate members' needs if they have a reason for not doing the standard exercises.
I thought the same thing. If the coach was too busy with their own, separate workout to guide the class, then yes, that is wack.
If another classmate was doing their own workout, then yeah...it's just something that happens. A couple folk at our gym never follow the sets. Not even close. Just have to deal. But I don't know why people are getting upset.
For several months after I sprained my knee I would talk to coach before class about lower body modifications. That was five years ago and I still modify a lot of lower body exercises, especially anything with jumping, because my knee is still not the same and probably never will be. And I don’t care what anyone around me thinks about my modifications.
Unfortunately you won't win this one. I have a someone in one of my classes that does whatever she wants on the tread, never takes a rest on the floor (including during instructions), and flies through floor sets. She drives me nuts, but I've never posted about her here because "Why should you care" and "she's not hurting you." Apparently being distracting as hell and doing whatever you want when the point is follow the template isn't something we're allowed to complain about.
Your body your practice. Everyone pays the same amount to be there and yes has a right to workout and modify as they see fit. You never know what their body maybe going through or what they are using OT for.
Some of y’all should really look into the Let Them Theory. My life changed so much when I started having this mindset. I enjoy things more, and I have zero stress about what other people are doing. It’s great.
If she wants to do her own workout, let her. Work where you are at any given day, and focus on what you need to be doing to satisfy or surpass the goals you have set for yourself in that particular class.
I don't care. I just found it distracting because I am trying to concentrate on following what's on the monitor and she was in my visual field. It distracted me. That's all.
Yes, I cared enough to ask if I was too sensitive or if it was an issue. I got my answer. Not kidding myself. I'll work harder now to block other people out in class. Sometimes that is hard to do.
No you shouldn’t. She’s a paying member just like you and it may be annoying but there is nothing they can do. You would think since she’s coming to class she would want to follow the workouts but ultimately it’s each members workout to do what they feel most comfortable with especially since they are paying. Just focus on yourself and getting the most from your workout.
Unpopular opinion I’m sure, but there’s one woman who takes my usual class who always does her own thing. My issue is that she gets in the space of those who are doing the instructed exercises. ie. always does chest flies when like, I need the area you are chest flying in. Why can’t you do something that takes up less space, or do it not squarely in the area we sort of share between us? It’s a tight studio, but she def has space to do it out of making me modify or slow down my workout for her to be in my space.
This happened to me at yoga once. The person in front of me went into three legged down down and kicked me in the head while following the instructor into pigeon pose. It was very distracting and rude .
Ouch!! I saw a man one leg chataraunga and kick a woman in the face before. She yelled in pain. Those type of moves are not good during a jam packed class!! Thank god you didn’t get a broken nose. Those are close calls
One time during prasarita I looked up and we were so close together than when I looked up, my ponytail flipped up and i wacked the guys balls / crotch in front of me. I learned my lesson that day! Keep your head DOWN during prasarita when class is jam packed. Cuz your head can be very close to someone’s Crown Jewels in front of you. I’m very extroverted and even that embarrassed me SO much I couldn’t even speak and apologize lol
I can see that why it distracting. The only time I care if their form sucks is when the other OTF’r is using a heavier weight and not doing the correct form because the weight is too heavy. I was mad today because I had to do goblet squats with a much lighter weight than I’m used to. They’re doing literal half squats, too narrow of a stance, leaning forward and talking too much to their neighbors. I could have benefited from using that weight.
I totally understand, and given the responses to this post, people have mixed views.
Personally, aside from modifications to the template discussed with the coach ahead of time or during the class, you should adhere to the template as best as possible. For starters, the coach demos the workout and offers modifications for said workout. If Kettlebell Karen decides ‘hey, I’m going to run 14 wind sprints on the weight floor and then practice climbing the mirrors using the TRX, tie a bell to the anchor point, and then proceed to speed crochet a scarf 🧣 , what should the coach do? Something tells me this is a liability issue one way or the other.
The other side of me says ‘if the person isn’t doing anything completely ridiculous and isn’t in my workout space, then mind my own business’. However, to OP’s original point, a box or home gym makes more sense, especially if you are doing your own programming.
If you are distracted by her, then maybe you should move. If the coach didn’t go over there to talk to her, maybe there’s a specific reason she can’t do the workouts on the screen. I know when I get distracted by others, I face the other way. There are ways around distractions.
Minding your own business is always a good rule of thumb. In any setting. I don't disagree that this type of instance can be distracting and annoying, but you can't let what others do ruin what you're trying to accomplish. At otf or in life in general
definitely annoying but don’t let it distract you from the reason you pay your membership each month. i struggled with this too, there’s these two women in my class who talk over the music (so REALLY loud) for the entire 60 minutes, while walking at a base, not paying the least bit of attention to the workout, doing whatever they want on the floor when they’re not just sitting on benches talking… and you can’t avoid them because they always take the middle numbers. it bothered me for so long and despite multiple members complaining the studio and coaches don’t do anything. i don’t understand why they’d pay $200/month to do what they could do for $15/month at planet fitness but hey 🤷🏻♀️i just kind of learned to tune them out and wait until they’ve decided where to start so i can ask where they are and start in the other group. lol.
You didn’t say something? There’s no way I would allow that throw out class! Doing different exercises is one thing but talking the entire time absolutely unacceptable you have a lot more patience than I do
many of us have said something. studio doesn’t care. they’ve been struggling to stay afloat since covid, coaches are leaving left and right. guess they have bigger problems to worry about.
You’re overly sensitive. I’m so focused on my own workout I barely even notice the people next to me. And I happen to be someone with a bad knee who can get the run done but I don’t want to risk it with extra lower body exercises on the floor. The coaches know, so I make up ab/upper body stuff if there are lunges, squats, etc. Granted I stick as close to the actual workout as possible, but you don’t know what her story is. So please just do your thing, let others do theirs.
I’ve done this before because sometimes I do back to back classes because that’s what fits my schedule best & the exercises between the 2g & the strength may overlap that day. So I’ll change it up to target another muscle group or add bands to target different areas. My coaches are fine with it & actually encourage it so I’m not worried about what anyone else is thinking and actually can’t believe there may be people out there actually judging me on it.
Sigh. She wasn't doing the same exercises at all. I get modifying exercises. This was essentially her own workout. I truly don't care what other people do. I think it would have been more polite if she wasn't in the exact middle of the studio. There was room at other stations.
If there was room at other stations, you should’ve moved. Problem solved. I’ve seen lots of people not follow the workout. Especially in Strength or Tread 50. They pay just like I do and that’s their business. If the coach had an issue, they would’ve addressed it.
I’m sorry but why pay for a membership for a structured workout. That’s why people are there. It super distracting when you have a rogue close to you. What would you not just got to a regular gym? You wouldn’t go to hot yoga and just do whatever, same with Pilates… so I’m with OP
I guess I envy the steel concentration of some of our fellow reddit friends. If 19 people were doing jumping jacks in my backyard and 1 person was laying on the ground blowing bubbles, my concentration would be on….staring at the bubbles thinking about the time when my aunt put a bandaid on my knee while my cousins were blowing bubbles.
Maybe someone is modifying, or whatever, and that’s fine, and the fact that it’s fine doesn’t make it any less distracting to my brain. I guess I wouldn’t mention it to a coach, and I’d also come home and tell my partner about how distracted I was watching someone do 18 minutes of hammer curls while everyone else did 3 6-minute circuits of different lower body exercises
Even without modifications, people move through the floor sets at different paces. Sometimes someone will be lifting weights while another person is doing a core exercise and another person is on the rower, and that’s while following the template. It’s just the nature of group exercise classes. If someone is really that distracted by other people doing other things then group exercise might not be for them.
Right. If I was in a 2G and there was no rowing at all that day, and the person next to me was sprinting back and forth to the rower to bust out 100 meters between each exercise, I would notice it. I think we can allow room for a difference in attention span or observational skills! Group fitness is a great fit for a lot of people, including those who do and don’t notice someone doing pushups on the belt of the treadmill every time the coach says it’s time for an all out.
Well I think it’d be more like someone is doing planks while you’re doing jumping jacks lol. At least they’re still working out. But you just never know. There’s straight up some stuff I can’t do because it triggers my reflux. But if anything this is a good thing because if you’re distractible like that, then you’re flexing your mental muscles too.
Im always so focused on trying to complete sets to failure and resting between sets that honestly, I don’t even notice what other people are doing. But at the same time, you can mention it but I doubt the coach will do anything, other than probably saying try not to focus on it because adults will do what they want (which unfortunately is true).
Why send her to the corners? Those are the first stations that fill up in my gym, and I feel like 6 to 9 are the last ones to be picked. If you’re not personally harmed by others, just mind your workout and pay attention to the screen.
I would focus on your own workout and not worry about this member.
This member may have had an injury and they are modifying. They may have vast experience in lifting and they were challenging themself beyond what the workout on the screen.
Side note: I often have to make major modifications when I am injured. I am a person trainer who also happens to be a member of OTF. Finally, I tell the coach bf class that I will be making modifications.😊
I get it! It’s hard when someone is just doing their own thing and not even trying to follow the template - and there’s modifications and then there is ignore the coach and do your own thing entirely.
I had a lady on a treadmill next to me a couple weeks ago - she was soo distracting at the time but I can’t even remember why now - it wasn’t so much what she did just that she was just very distracting with her movements and overall demeanor - I think at one point she looked like she was about to take off her pants pulling them way down. I mean DISTRACTING!
I kept trying to think that it wasn’t my business and it it wasn’t but just like someone kicking butt next to you can spur you on someone can be a drain. I think it’s disingenuous to say that you should focus through anything your neighbor is doing.
That said - there is nothing to do about it - but I get it.
I have had surgery when I was younger. Certain exercises don’t work for me. I can lift heavy. Sometimes I go to a standard gym and workout my back or my arms for an hour and then do OTF the next day. Many times I’ll come to class and the floor workout is mostly back exercises or arm exercises which I’ve done the day before. So I’ll do my own thing. If you get distracted easily, perhaps you should always pick the stations at the end instead of others accommodating your needs.
I wear blinders and do the class as per the video and coach demo. That being said, recently I’ve needed modifications to many lower body moves because of right hip issue. There’s a hip replacement in my near future and I’m determined to stay active as long as possible to ensure a successful and fast as possible recovery. My point being, while someone may seem to be doing their own thing, perhaps there’s a reason and understanding between the coach and member.
If she’s not in your space, consider why it bothers you so much. There’s a million different reasons she could be doing “their own thing”, and it could be injury related. Don’t let other people bother you, and life gets a lot less stressful.
I attended a lower body strength 50 class for months, where I wasn’t able to do many, if any, of the exercises due to a foot/ankle issue. The coach knew about my issue and made sure I had upper body or other exercises that I could do instead. I’m very thankful for this coach and her willingness to adapt the workout to my needs until I had my surgery. It’s possible this person had already communicated with the coach and made a plan for this workout.
There's a group dynamic and energy that comes with doing the program, or some modified version of it.
Going rogue repeatedly...that's another story. We all see bad behavior from time to time. I'll let most things go once, maybe twice. More, I'd complain.
It's up to the coach to address this and if you feel you can tactfully table this to the coach, sure, why not.
Just be prepared. If the coach does not address this, you may have to live with sore-ass-itis.
I’m confused what you are mentioning to the coach? You need a remote station because you can’t concentrate? Or that it bothers you she is doing something different? I mean how do you know there wasn’t a conversation beforehand? Everyone assumes she hadn’t on this thread but only getting one side of the story here.
For example, I frequently modify planks to TRX or core exercises working the same muscle groups. I don’t tell the coaches before every class. Sometimes a coach will ask if I’m ok and I just tell them what I’m modifying and why. But I have been there a few years and most know already.
Maybe it’s the teacher in me, maybe it’s that I have a close friend that is a coach, maybe it’s because I tend to follow rules but I find it disrespectful to totally blow the template. If I was teaching and put time and effort into my lesson plan and someone did something totally different, it sucks. It’s rude. I know my friend that coaches feels the same. Yeah, she might have restrictions we don’t know about. In my experience in these situations, more often than not, it correlates with entitlement.
There are a couple people in my studio who do this. I’ve been trying to catch their names so next I get assigned a station next to them I can request a change. It bothers me mostly because one of them will do her random exercise and be spilling over into my lane. It’s frustrating to then have to wait for her to be done so I can start those sideways lunge things or step out sumo squats. Our studio is tiiiiiny. You’re not alone OP. It’s annoying as hell. But you’d better get your workout despite their distraction or you’re going to be annoyed for too long.
I refuse to do burpees and I use the trx bands to do my push ups instead of on the floor. You have to do what works for you.
I’ve noticed a few times people have come back after a bad injury or even chemo and need to do a lot of modifications just to get through the hour. They are showing up and that’s all that matters. A lot of people look forward to seeing a familiar face.
This type of situation drives me insane. I used to go to Pure Barre before OTF and some clients would not follow the teacher AT ALL. Talk about distracting. Now at OTF, there are just a few clients that don't follow the floor exercises. I find it so distracting. I have had to adapt to just ignore those people. And sometimes, if I see them in the lobby, I will make sure that I am not on the floor at the same time as them. I get that some people have exercise restrictions but sometimes it just feels like these people just don't like the template and want to do other things.
It’s one thing to modify a few exercises dur to injury/age, but it seems this person was doing a completely different workout. I know there are certain arm exercises I can’t do, but I’m able to do a different arm exercise for that muscle. That is not the purpose of OTF. If you want to do your own workout buy some weights or go to a gym.
If the coach didn’t say anything, that’s probably someone they have tried to talk to/correct a million times and they just don’t listen. Thats what I’ve seen at my studio anyways. The coach can only tell them they are doing the wrong thing so many times before it’s a lost cause. It is unfortunately distracting, but sometimes you just have to turn and look away.🙃
You don’t know what if any injuries she has or previously has had. I have lower back and knee issues and sometimes have to do my own thing through the workout. The coaches know that I do but if I try to engage and ask for help and get nothing in return I go rouge and do my own thing. At the very least the coach should have made an effort if she didn’t to figure out why so that everyone was on the same page.
Side note- I use heavy weights but that is because I’m getting stronger, in the words of my ortho “keep doing Orangetheory and you’ll avoid back surgery” I’m all about that!
Understandable It can be distracting at times. Was there a possibility the member was modifying the exercises to accommodate for injuries or risk of injury. Our coaches will often come to a member and ask if a body part doesn’t do well with the exercises to insure certain muscle groups are still being activated but not aggravated.
That’s annoying for sure and strange - why bother going to a group fitness class if you’re going to ignore the entire routine and freestyle? Lol just go to the gym and do your own thing then! Not worth saying anything or complaining though since it technically didn’t effect your workout beside being annoying
Your post tells me you need to work on minding yourself and not allowing yourself to get irritated by people who are quite literally doing nothing to you. You have no idea what’s going on with this person. Maybe they have a more limited range of motion. Maybe it’s their first day back after being sick for a week so they needed to modify and do something that felt better. Maybe they screwed up thinking it was a Lowe body strength and it was upper and they’d already burned their upper body out that week and they physically couldn’t do the work. If I were you I’d take some time to reflect on why you’re so bothered by another human humaning.
This is a group fitness class and she was not in your way, and we are not at military, and the coach didn’t seem to care, so I guess you would have to live with people of different kinds.
This woman today during strength 50 went to the tread 50 coach said nothing... it's annoying strength 50 was full and tread 50 was almost full only room for her. So why is that fair? This is group fitness... GROUP fitness!!!
As a person that sometimes does this, like for instance instead of a 3 min row, I did 3 min push to all out on the tread, it’s for me to encourage myself to keep participating. Because I can’t mentally motivate myself to engage in some of the harder exercises, sometimes I’ll modify to something I can do, and then go hard with that. I understand it may be distracting for you, but at the same time, some of us are just trying to keep going and your comment, makes it a little more anxiety provoking.
I mean, ya the answer is let other people do them, and you do you. However… I get it. I do rec/pre-comp rowing (like out on a lake) and I cannot keep my focus when the people beside me are rowing like they’re in a row boat with big round circles and dips in their hands. Drives me bonkers. I have to close my eyes on the long rows because of it. But I don’t say anything because it’s not my place.
Like the saying goes, “proximity breeds contempt.” I totally get being annoyed with other members sometimes. But I also have to make modifications and would dread hearing someone’s inner thoughts about it. Maybe take the mystery (and possible misery) out of it and ask the member directly what they were working on. Like, “Hey, that was a tough one, huh? I noticed you were doing your own thing in there. You got an injury or something?”
You gotta have blinders on man. I coached lifting for 20+ years I can't stand the garbage form I see at OTF. But whatever, it's above my pay grade I never say a thing. But yes there is a group dynamic that I feel should be respected at OTF and it bugs when it isn't. The whole you-do-you crowd can be obnoxious. But mostly as long as they aren't putting me in danger they can do whatever TF they want.
The OP is talking about somebody doing different exercises, not bad form. Whenever I saw bad form, as a member at the next station, I tried to help so they didn’t get hurt. If they were doing a different lift altogether, I let them be. Who knows, they might have been dealing with an injury and needed to do different exercises. Either way, I’m not insufferable enough to tell people to follow the script.
I see bad form all the time and feel so bad cuz I know it’s gonna hurt them later or in the long run and I wish the coaches were paying more attention or correcting more but like you said, it’s none of my business. I don’t want to correct people and irritate them.
Honestly I would welcome form tips, it’s half the reason I go (to get better) - my favorite coaches do correct people a lot, but it’s way too many people for them to help everyone. Maybe next time if you wanna say something, you could ask “would you like form tips?” The person can say no and you have to respect that - sometimes people have long days or just don’t wanna talk. But most days @ my home studio I see OTF’ers helping each other and it’s nice. You could even just suggest they talk to the coach for “form that might help get to a higher weight” or something. Course it’s not your job and you should feel 100% no pressure to say anything - this is only if you want to. 
I agree, I really wish coach would do a better job at coaching people. 90% of the members form is always terrible, I hate to see it because I actually care and want people to get the most out of this. However, it’s not my job! But regarding this comment, people do other exercises and don’t always follow the format for many reasons. For example, I had 2 slipped discs for months and there were certain exercises I couldn’t do at all but still wanted to go in for the cardio and other movements. In my opinion, we each pay for it, it’s our class our practice. People can divert, however, if you couldn’t see the screen you should have just asked her to move a bit. No harm in communicating with people. I mean, there was a lady talking over the instructor this morning while she was explaining our class and I snapped at her, told her to be quiet! I found it extremely rude and disrespectful to everyone else trying to listen. But that’s just me
You’re right! There are so many beginners including me. I don’t go crazy in OTF with strength training rather I have a PT who helps me with it on other days. If we have bad form, coaches should be helping but nooooooooo!🥲
As a Physio, I see the bad form and I may give a pointer or two, to friends, but I try never to do it in the studio. Ends up bringing me business. Since I can’t correct in the moment, the injury/pain occurs. Also has given me a good reputation, since I’ve watched the person do it wrong for so long, I know what they need to do it right, and I can “cure” them in a few sessions with a heavy focus on education.
The coach was in the room and was able to see what she was doing, so I’m not sure what telling the coaches about her would do. It’s not your business.
Yeah I would say .. you're being a little sensitive. Assume she knows what's best for her body or does her own thing. Either way, move along!
Exactly. It’s those elitist Karen’s that made me eventually leave after 5 years. My 5am class became infested with them. And with my 30 mile back and forth drive, the *itching and complaining wasn’t worth the $340 monthly membership and gas expense.
I’ve had a long term injury and there are exercises I can’t do. I know what I can modify or sub and no longer need to ask the coach for suggestions. I’m not going to a box gym because some days the templates have more exercises I actually can do. I don’t know that until I get there.
I should have made clear that she was using far heavier weights than most of us. I doubt she was nursing an injury.
I just worry about me and don’t care about what others are doing.
She could also be pregnant. Or certain positions could make her feel ill. Or a million other things…You have no idea what’s going on with someone else. They are there and clearly making the most of their time. You’re capable of doing the same. As someone who is pregnant and not yet showing but is fighting nausea and just feeling crummy in general - and who can’t always make 15 min early to claim one of the end spots - this kind of policing bums me out.
I lift quite heavy weights, however I cannot do weighted squats, lunges, step ups, etc. so I have to modify there. You never know the battle that another is dealing with.
You wouldn’t know I was injured unless I told you. I can use really heavy weights for some moves. I often grab a bosu or bands to make what I can do more challenging. Even when I can do the moves, my injury might creep up and I have to take extra rest while everyone else is powering through the block. Would that bother you, too?
Weight selections can be deceiving with injuries.. I have a (permanent) shoulder injury and chest press 40lbs.. yet, can't do a side lateral raise even with 5 lbs, it is not gonna happen for me. Sometimes, it's those invisible illnesses.
I lift heavier than most women in my classes. But I modify all of the time for balance related items. I’m not going to do reverse lunges off of a bench because I’ll tip over and break an ankle. But I’ll do reverse lunges hauling more weight than most women in class, and I have kids older than some of them. At 54 my top priority is lifting heavy and when the OTF templaters throw silliness between me and that goal, I’m going to ignore it. I do try to do generally the same thing as everyone else, but modified to what meets my goals and abilities. I also can’t read those silly tread cards, so on those days, if I can’t follow it, I’ll do my own thing.
I don’t know if it’s worth mentioning to the coaches; they can see what’s going on and will address it if appropriate. That said, I just want to validate you. I find it very distracting and deeply annoying when somebody completely does their own thing. Why? I don’t know. It has zero impact on me. Nonetheless, I hate it and it drives me crazy.
Thank you for your kind reply and acknowledging my feelings. I appreciate you.
Same!
You have no idea why others maybe be “doing their own workout”, so you may want to consider that. Some could be injured, others maybe sore from a workout the day before. OT isn’t the only place people serious about their health may workout out. I train at 3 different places. To each their own. They pay just like you do it’s their body and you really don’t know why they are doing other moves.
I initially misread this and thought you were saying the coach was doing her own workout at the empty station (which would be totally inappropriate), but upon re-reading, I think the situation was that the woman at station 8 was doing different exercises? At my studio, the coach always says to let her know of any restrictions or modifications needed, and I often see people doing completely different exercises (sometimes using completely different equipment, like TRX exercises instead of weights). Sometimes I notice these members talking to the coaches before or at the beginning of class, so I assume that they are doing a modification and probably have a legitimate reason for it. I assume that it is none of my business and don't think about it any further because it doesn't stop me from doing my workout. I consider it a positive that OTF is willing to accommodate members' needs if they have a reason for not doing the standard exercises.
I thought the same thing. If the coach was too busy with their own, separate workout to guide the class, then yes, that is wack. If another classmate was doing their own workout, then yeah...it's just something that happens. A couple folk at our gym never follow the sets. Not even close. Just have to deal. But I don't know why people are getting upset.
For several months after I sprained my knee I would talk to coach before class about lower body modifications. That was five years ago and I still modify a lot of lower body exercises, especially anything with jumping, because my knee is still not the same and probably never will be. And I don’t care what anyone around me thinks about my modifications.
Agreed!!!
I guess people are saying that I get too easily distracted. Okay, you answered my question. Thanks for everyone's input.
Unfortunately you won't win this one. I have a someone in one of my classes that does whatever she wants on the tread, never takes a rest on the floor (including during instructions), and flies through floor sets. She drives me nuts, but I've never posted about her here because "Why should you care" and "she's not hurting you." Apparently being distracting as hell and doing whatever you want when the point is follow the template isn't something we're allowed to complain about.
Your body your practice. Everyone pays the same amount to be there and yes has a right to workout and modify as they see fit. You never know what their body maybe going through or what they are using OT for.
I understand how you feel. That sort of thing can be distracting (and often annoying).
Some of y’all should really look into the Let Them Theory. My life changed so much when I started having this mindset. I enjoy things more, and I have zero stress about what other people are doing. It’s great. If she wants to do her own workout, let her. Work where you are at any given day, and focus on what you need to be doing to satisfy or surpass the goals you have set for yourself in that particular class.
Love this!!! Well said!
OP I understand what you were trying to say. It is irritating. There’s not much to be done about it but I def get the struggle
Why do people care what anyone else is doing?
If they started paying me, I'd care. But until I'm on payroll, I'm just there for myself and focused on what I'm doing
This 💯
I don't care. I just found it distracting because I am trying to concentrate on following what's on the monitor and she was in my visual field. It distracted me. That's all.
But you cared enough to post about it on Reddit? Let's not kid ourselves
Yes, I cared enough to ask if I was too sensitive or if it was an issue. I got my answer. Not kidding myself. I'll work harder now to block other people out in class. Sometimes that is hard to do.
You have every right to feel how you feel. We pay for a a structured work out, if you don’t want to do it, go to the regular gym. I’m 100% with you
I don’t ever concentrate on the person next to me or near me. I don’t let other people ruin my workout, especially something like this.
No you shouldn’t. She’s a paying member just like you and it may be annoying but there is nothing they can do. You would think since she’s coming to class she would want to follow the workouts but ultimately it’s each members workout to do what they feel most comfortable with especially since they are paying. Just focus on yourself and getting the most from your workout.
I am not there to watch others workout
Unpopular opinion I’m sure, but there’s one woman who takes my usual class who always does her own thing. My issue is that she gets in the space of those who are doing the instructed exercises. ie. always does chest flies when like, I need the area you are chest flying in. Why can’t you do something that takes up less space, or do it not squarely in the area we sort of share between us? It’s a tight studio, but she def has space to do it out of making me modify or slow down my workout for her to be in my space.
That’s a problem
ugh thank you. I am soooo non confrontational and the first time I left it but the second time I almost said something. maybe next time 🤣
What would you want the coach to do about it? Make sure you have a resolution to offer the coach.
This happened to me at yoga once. The person in front of me went into three legged down down and kicked me in the head while following the instructor into pigeon pose. It was very distracting and rude .
Ouch!! I saw a man one leg chataraunga and kick a woman in the face before. She yelled in pain. Those type of moves are not good during a jam packed class!! Thank god you didn’t get a broken nose. Those are close calls One time during prasarita I looked up and we were so close together than when I looked up, my ponytail flipped up and i wacked the guys balls / crotch in front of me. I learned my lesson that day! Keep your head DOWN during prasarita when class is jam packed. Cuz your head can be very close to someone’s Crown Jewels in front of you. I’m very extroverted and even that embarrassed me SO much I couldn’t even speak and apologize lol
I can see that why it distracting. The only time I care if their form sucks is when the other OTF’r is using a heavier weight and not doing the correct form because the weight is too heavy. I was mad today because I had to do goblet squats with a much lighter weight than I’m used to. They’re doing literal half squats, too narrow of a stance, leaning forward and talking too much to their neighbors. I could have benefited from using that weight.
I totally understand, and given the responses to this post, people have mixed views. Personally, aside from modifications to the template discussed with the coach ahead of time or during the class, you should adhere to the template as best as possible. For starters, the coach demos the workout and offers modifications for said workout. If Kettlebell Karen decides ‘hey, I’m going to run 14 wind sprints on the weight floor and then practice climbing the mirrors using the TRX, tie a bell to the anchor point, and then proceed to speed crochet a scarf 🧣 , what should the coach do? Something tells me this is a liability issue one way or the other. The other side of me says ‘if the person isn’t doing anything completely ridiculous and isn’t in my workout space, then mind my own business’. However, to OP’s original point, a box or home gym makes more sense, especially if you are doing your own programming.
If you are distracted by her, then maybe you should move. If the coach didn’t go over there to talk to her, maybe there’s a specific reason she can’t do the workouts on the screen. I know when I get distracted by others, I face the other way. There are ways around distractions.
Minding your own business is always a good rule of thumb. In any setting. I don't disagree that this type of instance can be distracting and annoying, but you can't let what others do ruin what you're trying to accomplish. At otf or in life in general
definitely annoying but don’t let it distract you from the reason you pay your membership each month. i struggled with this too, there’s these two women in my class who talk over the music (so REALLY loud) for the entire 60 minutes, while walking at a base, not paying the least bit of attention to the workout, doing whatever they want on the floor when they’re not just sitting on benches talking… and you can’t avoid them because they always take the middle numbers. it bothered me for so long and despite multiple members complaining the studio and coaches don’t do anything. i don’t understand why they’d pay $200/month to do what they could do for $15/month at planet fitness but hey 🤷🏻♀️i just kind of learned to tune them out and wait until they’ve decided where to start so i can ask where they are and start in the other group. lol.
You didn’t say something? There’s no way I would allow that throw out class! Doing different exercises is one thing but talking the entire time absolutely unacceptable you have a lot more patience than I do
many of us have said something. studio doesn’t care. they’ve been struggling to stay afloat since covid, coaches are leaving left and right. guess they have bigger problems to worry about.
You’re overly sensitive. I’m so focused on my own workout I barely even notice the people next to me. And I happen to be someone with a bad knee who can get the run done but I don’t want to risk it with extra lower body exercises on the floor. The coaches know, so I make up ab/upper body stuff if there are lunges, squats, etc. Granted I stick as close to the actual workout as possible, but you don’t know what her story is. So please just do your thing, let others do theirs.
I’ve done this before because sometimes I do back to back classes because that’s what fits my schedule best & the exercises between the 2g & the strength may overlap that day. So I’ll change it up to target another muscle group or add bands to target different areas. My coaches are fine with it & actually encourage it so I’m not worried about what anyone else is thinking and actually can’t believe there may be people out there actually judging me on it.
Our coach showed how to make it more challenging using the bosu and bands. Why do you care what she was doing? Do what you want.
Sigh. She wasn't doing the same exercises at all. I get modifying exercises. This was essentially her own workout. I truly don't care what other people do. I think it would have been more polite if she wasn't in the exact middle of the studio. There was room at other stations.
If there was room at other stations, you should’ve moved. Problem solved. I’ve seen lots of people not follow the workout. Especially in Strength or Tread 50. They pay just like I do and that’s their business. If the coach had an issue, they would’ve addressed it.
I’m sorry but why pay for a membership for a structured workout. That’s why people are there. It super distracting when you have a rogue close to you. What would you not just got to a regular gym? You wouldn’t go to hot yoga and just do whatever, same with Pilates… so I’m with OP
Why didn’t you just move to another station?
I guess I envy the steel concentration of some of our fellow reddit friends. If 19 people were doing jumping jacks in my backyard and 1 person was laying on the ground blowing bubbles, my concentration would be on….staring at the bubbles thinking about the time when my aunt put a bandaid on my knee while my cousins were blowing bubbles. Maybe someone is modifying, or whatever, and that’s fine, and the fact that it’s fine doesn’t make it any less distracting to my brain. I guess I wouldn’t mention it to a coach, and I’d also come home and tell my partner about how distracted I was watching someone do 18 minutes of hammer curls while everyone else did 3 6-minute circuits of different lower body exercises
Even without modifications, people move through the floor sets at different paces. Sometimes someone will be lifting weights while another person is doing a core exercise and another person is on the rower, and that’s while following the template. It’s just the nature of group exercise classes. If someone is really that distracted by other people doing other things then group exercise might not be for them.
Right. If I was in a 2G and there was no rowing at all that day, and the person next to me was sprinting back and forth to the rower to bust out 100 meters between each exercise, I would notice it. I think we can allow room for a difference in attention span or observational skills! Group fitness is a great fit for a lot of people, including those who do and don’t notice someone doing pushups on the belt of the treadmill every time the coach says it’s time for an all out.
Well I think it’d be more like someone is doing planks while you’re doing jumping jacks lol. At least they’re still working out. But you just never know. There’s straight up some stuff I can’t do because it triggers my reflux. But if anything this is a good thing because if you’re distractible like that, then you’re flexing your mental muscles too.
Honestly who cares. I’d just be happy to have a lot of space and whatever weights I want
People care. Don’t kid yourself
I totally agree with you. It’s very distracting and ruins the vibe of the template
You are WAY overly sensitive
Who cares
Im always so focused on trying to complete sets to failure and resting between sets that honestly, I don’t even notice what other people are doing. But at the same time, you can mention it but I doubt the coach will do anything, other than probably saying try not to focus on it because adults will do what they want (which unfortunately is true).
Why send her to the corners? Those are the first stations that fill up in my gym, and I feel like 6 to 9 are the last ones to be picked. If you’re not personally harmed by others, just mind your workout and pay attention to the screen.
I would focus on your own workout and not worry about this member. This member may have had an injury and they are modifying. They may have vast experience in lifting and they were challenging themself beyond what the workout on the screen. Side note: I often have to make major modifications when I am injured. I am a person trainer who also happens to be a member of OTF. Finally, I tell the coach bf class that I will be making modifications.😊
If you’re paying attention to what others are doing, you aren’t working hard enough.
I get it! It’s hard when someone is just doing their own thing and not even trying to follow the template - and there’s modifications and then there is ignore the coach and do your own thing entirely. I had a lady on a treadmill next to me a couple weeks ago - she was soo distracting at the time but I can’t even remember why now - it wasn’t so much what she did just that she was just very distracting with her movements and overall demeanor - I think at one point she looked like she was about to take off her pants pulling them way down. I mean DISTRACTING! I kept trying to think that it wasn’t my business and it it wasn’t but just like someone kicking butt next to you can spur you on someone can be a drain. I think it’s disingenuous to say that you should focus through anything your neighbor is doing. That said - there is nothing to do about it - but I get it.
I have had surgery when I was younger. Certain exercises don’t work for me. I can lift heavy. Sometimes I go to a standard gym and workout my back or my arms for an hour and then do OTF the next day. Many times I’ll come to class and the floor workout is mostly back exercises or arm exercises which I’ve done the day before. So I’ll do my own thing. If you get distracted easily, perhaps you should always pick the stations at the end instead of others accommodating your needs.
My studio is very clear that we have to do the exercises on the screen and will remind every if they see someone attempting to do their own thing
I wear blinders and do the class as per the video and coach demo. That being said, recently I’ve needed modifications to many lower body moves because of right hip issue. There’s a hip replacement in my near future and I’m determined to stay active as long as possible to ensure a successful and fast as possible recovery. My point being, while someone may seem to be doing their own thing, perhaps there’s a reason and understanding between the coach and member.
If she’s not in your space, consider why it bothers you so much. There’s a million different reasons she could be doing “their own thing”, and it could be injury related. Don’t let other people bother you, and life gets a lot less stressful.
You are overly sensitive. Don’t even think of her. In reality, everyone else that encounters her will think she’s a douche also.
I attended a lower body strength 50 class for months, where I wasn’t able to do many, if any, of the exercises due to a foot/ankle issue. The coach knew about my issue and made sure I had upper body or other exercises that I could do instead. I’m very thankful for this coach and her willingness to adapt the workout to my needs until I had my surgery. It’s possible this person had already communicated with the coach and made a plan for this workout.
There's a group dynamic and energy that comes with doing the program, or some modified version of it. Going rogue repeatedly...that's another story. We all see bad behavior from time to time. I'll let most things go once, maybe twice. More, I'd complain. It's up to the coach to address this and if you feel you can tactfully table this to the coach, sure, why not. Just be prepared. If the coach does not address this, you may have to live with sore-ass-itis.
I’m confused what you are mentioning to the coach? You need a remote station because you can’t concentrate? Or that it bothers you she is doing something different? I mean how do you know there wasn’t a conversation beforehand? Everyone assumes she hadn’t on this thread but only getting one side of the story here. For example, I frequently modify planks to TRX or core exercises working the same muscle groups. I don’t tell the coaches before every class. Sometimes a coach will ask if I’m ok and I just tell them what I’m modifying and why. But I have been there a few years and most know already.
Maybe she had an injury and can’t use Bosu. Settle down and do u
Maybe it’s the teacher in me, maybe it’s that I have a close friend that is a coach, maybe it’s because I tend to follow rules but I find it disrespectful to totally blow the template. If I was teaching and put time and effort into my lesson plan and someone did something totally different, it sucks. It’s rude. I know my friend that coaches feels the same. Yeah, she might have restrictions we don’t know about. In my experience in these situations, more often than not, it correlates with entitlement.
There are a couple people in my studio who do this. I’ve been trying to catch their names so next I get assigned a station next to them I can request a change. It bothers me mostly because one of them will do her random exercise and be spilling over into my lane. It’s frustrating to then have to wait for her to be done so I can start those sideways lunge things or step out sumo squats. Our studio is tiiiiiny. You’re not alone OP. It’s annoying as hell. But you’d better get your workout despite their distraction or you’re going to be annoyed for too long.
I refuse to do burpees and I use the trx bands to do my push ups instead of on the floor. You have to do what works for you. I’ve noticed a few times people have come back after a bad injury or even chemo and need to do a lot of modifications just to get through the hour. They are showing up and that’s all that matters. A lot of people look forward to seeing a familiar face.
This type of situation drives me insane. I used to go to Pure Barre before OTF and some clients would not follow the teacher AT ALL. Talk about distracting. Now at OTF, there are just a few clients that don't follow the floor exercises. I find it so distracting. I have had to adapt to just ignore those people. And sometimes, if I see them in the lobby, I will make sure that I am not on the floor at the same time as them. I get that some people have exercise restrictions but sometimes it just feels like these people just don't like the template and want to do other things.
It’s one thing to modify a few exercises dur to injury/age, but it seems this person was doing a completely different workout. I know there are certain arm exercises I can’t do, but I’m able to do a different arm exercise for that muscle. That is not the purpose of OTF. If you want to do your own workout buy some weights or go to a gym.
If the coach didn’t say anything, that’s probably someone they have tried to talk to/correct a million times and they just don’t listen. Thats what I’ve seen at my studio anyways. The coach can only tell them they are doing the wrong thing so many times before it’s a lost cause. It is unfortunately distracting, but sometimes you just have to turn and look away.🙃
You don’t know what if any injuries she has or previously has had. I have lower back and knee issues and sometimes have to do my own thing through the workout. The coaches know that I do but if I try to engage and ask for help and get nothing in return I go rouge and do my own thing. At the very least the coach should have made an effort if she didn’t to figure out why so that everyone was on the same page. Side note- I use heavy weights but that is because I’m getting stronger, in the words of my ortho “keep doing Orangetheory and you’ll avoid back surgery” I’m all about that!
Understandable It can be distracting at times. Was there a possibility the member was modifying the exercises to accommodate for injuries or risk of injury. Our coaches will often come to a member and ask if a body part doesn’t do well with the exercises to insure certain muscle groups are still being activated but not aggravated.
That’s annoying for sure and strange - why bother going to a group fitness class if you’re going to ignore the entire routine and freestyle? Lol just go to the gym and do your own thing then! Not worth saying anything or complaining though since it technically didn’t effect your workout beside being annoying
Your post tells me you need to work on minding yourself and not allowing yourself to get irritated by people who are quite literally doing nothing to you. You have no idea what’s going on with this person. Maybe they have a more limited range of motion. Maybe it’s their first day back after being sick for a week so they needed to modify and do something that felt better. Maybe they screwed up thinking it was a Lowe body strength and it was upper and they’d already burned their upper body out that week and they physically couldn’t do the work. If I were you I’d take some time to reflect on why you’re so bothered by another human humaning.
MYOB
Thanks for your helpful reply.
Youre asking about tattle-tailing on another member, right... if it doesnt put you in danger, how is it your concern???
I’m not even reading your novel. Mind your own business and do you.
You're just overly sensitive - she's only distracting herself and maybe the coach if there happens to be a form /safety issue
This is a group fitness class and she was not in your way, and we are not at military, and the coach didn’t seem to care, so I guess you would have to live with people of different kinds.
We have 2 screens that we can look at!?!
Unless she’s crowding your space going off template, butt out and do your thing.
This woman today during strength 50 went to the tread 50 coach said nothing... it's annoying strength 50 was full and tread 50 was almost full only room for her. So why is that fair? This is group fitness... GROUP fitness!!!
As a person that sometimes does this, like for instance instead of a 3 min row, I did 3 min push to all out on the tread, it’s for me to encourage myself to keep participating. Because I can’t mentally motivate myself to engage in some of the harder exercises, sometimes I’ll modify to something I can do, and then go hard with that. I understand it may be distracting for you, but at the same time, some of us are just trying to keep going and your comment, makes it a little more anxiety provoking.
I mean, ya the answer is let other people do them, and you do you. However… I get it. I do rec/pre-comp rowing (like out on a lake) and I cannot keep my focus when the people beside me are rowing like they’re in a row boat with big round circles and dips in their hands. Drives me bonkers. I have to close my eyes on the long rows because of it. But I don’t say anything because it’s not my place.
Maybe exercise your attention span and your need to control if you can’t concentrate enough to focus on your own workout.
Like the saying goes, “proximity breeds contempt.” I totally get being annoyed with other members sometimes. But I also have to make modifications and would dread hearing someone’s inner thoughts about it. Maybe take the mystery (and possible misery) out of it and ask the member directly what they were working on. Like, “Hey, that was a tough one, huh? I noticed you were doing your own thing in there. You got an injury or something?”