If you’re a gym-goer passionate about working out, chances are you’ve come across many Aussie gym stereotypes.
Gyms are usually full of fascinating people – especially at peak hour. Regular goers know to expect more tight neon than a rave, selfie-taking sessions and the ‘expert’ who tries to coach everyone. But it’s those people that often make the whole workout experience, well, interesting.
Regardless of what gym you go to, you’ll probably find the same three things there – free weights, treadmills and that grunter that lets everyone know they’re working HARD.
Whether you swap the gym for home workouts to avoid the parody of personalities, or you’re a regular gym goer, here are the most common Aussie stereotypes.
The Barbie Girl/Selfie-Taker
That girl who looks like she’s just come from work, with a full face of makeup and matching gym gear.
She barely sweats between ultra-light weights and working the elliptical or treadmill at a leisurely pace. Her ‘active rest’ involves checking in on social media and checking herself out in the mirrors.
The barbie girl can also be a selfie addict, squeezing in essential gym snaps midst workout.
According to this survey, a typical gym-goer wastes up to 35% of each session on non-fitness activities include texting, taking photos, checking emails and scrolling through apps. If you’re a declared selfie-taker, try swapping the photos for a pumping workout playlist and break a proper sweat instead.
The Social Butterfly
The person that knows everyone at the gym.
Never seen on their own, the social butterfly knows how to work out at a pace that allows for comfortable conversations.
They gather in groups and gossip more than an episode of Gossip Girl, working mouth muscles and socialising over sweating.
Social gym butterflies also hoard equipment, not because they’re turning into a weight machine, they’re too busy gas bagging like they’re at the pub, whilst casually moving a few things around.
The Treadmill Sprinter
They have their game face on and work that treadmill like they’re running from Zombies on Walking Dead.
The treadmill sprinter loves a good HIIT workout, but never bothers with the 30 seconds walking downtime. They’re an over-enthusiastic runner, especially in the morning, with no time for check-ins or useless chatter.
The Grunter
The loudest at the gym, the grunter makes sounds that resemble a tennis match between Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
You’ll know them as soon as you hit the gym. You’ll hear screams, grunts and swears to somehow boost workout quality. The grunter has everyone’s attention. But the ridiculous noises made at every barbell lift leave you thinking that can’t be proper form.
Although grunting is linked with your body generating more power, it’s when the wounded animal-like noises start you know there may have a problem.
Not the grunter? Make sure you bring a pair of headphones!
The Hunter Gatherer
The hunter-gatherer needs a workout with variety.
They’re notorious for using multiple pieces of equipment simultaneously, gathering benches, weight balls and ropes to fuel their collection.
If you’re not a hunter-gatherer – be prepared to be frustrated! There’s always something in their collection you need, but they never seem to be using it. Their workout seems to last for hours, but a lot of this time is spent wandering and collecting.
Hunter-gatherers can benefit from a workout plan with a variety of physical activities. This helps keep them focused, whilst adding enough diversity to combat boredom.
The Bench Brothers
The bench brothers do weights for days.
Don’t get stuck behind them in a gym workout, as they can take up one weight bench for a few hours.
In case you miss them, they leave a trail of sweat to mark their territory. But get in the way of their workout and expect the look of death.
Usually in pairs or groups, the bench brothers stalk benches waiting to pounce. They’ll spend all their time lifting weights in fear of losing a kilo if they go anywhere near a cardio machine.
The bench brothers have the right idea though. New studies show nearly 200,000 Australians don’t do enough strength training. Fall into these statistics? Aim for 20 minutes two times a week of weight lifting. This can include barbells, dumbbells or kettlebells, or resistance bands and body weight exercises.
Which group do you fall into? Or have you created your own? Let us know in the comments below.
