I got kicked out of my gym.
Image by Malingering
The story is here: www.therealmalingering.com/2008/12/23/crossfit-la-its-the…
Answers to the inevitable questions:
Yes, that is my ass, for the blog reader who challenged me to post this on Flickr.
Yes, I know my form is a mess here and that’s why my back hurts.
No, I am not at the bottom of the squat, this is an action shot and the bottom is lower than that.
It’s #125 and yes, that’s more than what I weigh.
The photoshopping possibilities are endless.
Good riddance — you don’t need those clowns. Other fish in the sea, other gyms in the city where grownups can be found.
so that’s how you get your big ass hehe.
Mal, we love you, but this sh$t seems to only happen to you π
Yep, ’nuff said.
And, hurrah for no more contstant backache, stress fractures, wrist pain, shoulder popping, etc.
PJ: add "…obvious risk of bloodborne pathogens…"
Well that’s a fine how-dee-do. But seriously, you needed to switch gyms long ago.
those walls look bad.
Well, I don’t think this stuff only happens to me, but maybe it only happens to people who refuse to tolerate bullshit and keep their mouth shut about it.
I signed up for yoga and rock climbing for next week, all will be fine and dandy without this BS.
Yaaay!! Good for you.
TDM: I’m trying to back down on the world’s most disgusting and unacceptable gym story (blood on the equipment–left for DAYS). That blood thing basically sent me over the edge. I had to be talked down from getting my mom (former LA County Department of Health Inspector) to call her friends to check it out.
I feel broken-recordy, so I thought I’d go for something new.
Oh, and rock climbing and yoga sound awesome!
It’s not a workout until you crack a rib.
I’m still grossed out by the blood on the pull up bar.
PJ: Okay, I’ll add it — you can back away before you get emotionally stirred up again. (But I don’t blame you for wanting your mom’s dept in on the action, they honestly should be before the CDC has to get involved after an outbreak….)
Bonus of yoga, to my understanding: by nature it’s not supposed to be a competition. π
I find that people and organizations that can’t handle constructive criticism and have to "kill the messenger" eventually pay a very hefty price for their "head in the sand" mentality. For every person that you brought to them, they will lose a hundred because of the respect you generate here, LAist (when you have time), and your blog.
You’re better off without them, but the reverse is not true. Since they’ve obviously chosen not to clean up their act, the penalties aren’t that far away.
Btw, nice ass!
The blood thing is really disgusting and inexcusable. I mean, come on. When I go to the local rec center to work out on the treadmill, they ask everyone to please wipe down the equipment when you’re done. It’s not just a health issue, it’s also a respect issue to other people in the gym.
It’s pretty obvious there is no respect at this gym.
I’ve been to lots of gyms in the past and even some martial arts groups and there’s usually a few fucktards in there that are too cliquey for their own good. They usually either end up leaving for some other gym to hang out with their own kind or they ruin the entire place and the entire experience for everyone else. It seems like you stumbled across the latter.
I know how much you really enjoyed working out there, but really, I do think you’re better off somewhere else with much less drama. It’s about working out and keeping yourself fit, not having to deal with assholes who don’t respect other people there or are in a constant pissing match about whose piss smells the strongest and whose puddle is the biggest.
I think you’ll have no trouble finding another place to work out and stay fit. It’s not in your nature to be stationary.
And I’m also jealous of your ass. Bitch. π
Wow!
It is nice that they motivated you, but hopefully you can find that elsewhere. They sound like they are getting too weird and cult like for their own good. It doesn’t even sound healthy to push to some of the extremes they go to. You don’t want arthritis by the time you are 35 just to see your name on some fucked up board. There is more to life than that. Feeling good physically is important, but you don’t need this kind of shit.
Wow, looks like my one comment started a firestorm of comments.
Yeah, that gym looks like the basement of a guy named "Rocko"
btw… nice ass, bad form….
Zumi is on the front page of Cuteoverload.com for 24th Dec and I nominated her
http://www.cuteoverload.com/
It certainly is some fertile Photo Shop fodder. And that certainly is a profound squat. That is the mother squat of all squats. I guess what I feel I’m missing out on is the grunt that came from you during this squat. Post that. I’m going to see what I can "GIF" up here. Hunhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
I lift more than I weigh ever week. It comes in the form of 20 or so grocery bags 2 or 3 at a time. Sorry to say, but that’s the extent of my workout. Well, that and baby giganticus demanding to be carried everywhere…..
ok – I posted something, then read your blog, and deleted my post. I went to my first gym which was run by a woman and it all wnet smooth. Then she sold it to her brother because she wanted to have sundays for her own at home and he brought in his alcoholic friends and it all went down the drain. It does not look nice when you want to do a workout and some "blokes" with a beer in the hand hang around. Next Gym – more stylish, professional – then suddenly they got a new management and somehow – the atmosphere changed. subtle. but it did.
I quit it. And started Bellydancing which I do now for four years and itΒ΄s just what I need.
I once watched a guy with a serious sunburn working out and when he got away from the machine, his skin stayed on the bench…..and the other thing is – never ever I did squats like this – I always had the barbell in my neck…..
I’m very impressed Mal! Actually I think you have a cute little bootay!! =)
Sorry to hear about them behaving so badly, but I do seem to recall that there are free crossfit workouts available in LA.
I know there are other gyms that offer it.
seems a bit childish of them, but not altogther surprising. Seems like you can save a lot of money doin’ the drills with your sis or some friends without them anyway, the ropes down the beach are free to climb… hey maybe Amir needs a workout buddy down at muscle beach! π
Well, if you ever move to Utah, I’m sure the folks at Gym Jones would love to have you. They’re the ones that whipped Gerard Butler from flabass to "300" spectacular in 10 weeks. 10 weeks. At least check their website and dig the ‘tude for enjoyment.
Wow, I’ve missed a lot. I just came back from your blog, and it took me like 20 minutes to go through all the posts I missed.
The last thing you need, Mal, is having to deal with a bunch of drama queens in your leisure time. They don’t like being criticized? B-O-O H-O-O. You took issue with practices that shouldn’t even exist in a gym, the whole competition thing and the unsanitary equipment.
Use some of the photos you have of the gym to line the bottom of Milo and Zumi’s litter box. That’s what the asshats at the gym deserve (although Milo and Zumi don’t deserve that).
Forgot to add – I hope I never piss you off – with leg muscles like that you could kick my ass ten times over.
Bill S.
Sigh, there are actions and consequences and they don’t have to be fair.
3K in gym fees in 18 months? That is a lot of money. Maybe they did you a favor.
I was a competitive lifter. You are doing damn good.