Moms, and Dads, I was an example of how not to act in public this morning.
I lost it on the little general manager at our gym. I've been doing this yoga class on T/TH mornings for over 2 years and the floor is always filthy due to the Zumba class before and the gals do not change shoes for that class. I have asked repeatedly for signs or announcements and of course nothing has ever happened. So I live with it and let it go as much as I can, but I do wipe down my own area around my mat before exercising. But for a germphobe like me I still have to see all the gross gum, hair, sweat droppings, etc since I am down there.
Anyhow, today during the last 5 minutes of class this horribly, loud, bombing sound starts. Of course, during the relaxation part. When class was over I marched straight to the general managers office and asked to speak with her. Another guy said he could help me and I re-stated the dirty floor issue that has never been addressed, but I cannot handle the loud, artillery sounding thuds going on. The yoga room is in the basement below the free weight room where the guys drop those huge weights onto the ground. So, the young GM with his ugly pierced, big whole in the ear look, says that they try to schedule things but it just doesn't work out. In general, he gave me a flippant, corporate, we're not responsible answer. I was already physically reacting to the scary sounds and said the sound is not the usual squash courts banging their balls against the wall, this is deafening and shocking and disturbing and that they as a team need to stop it and make changes so that Yoga is a comfortable and anxiety reducing practice. And as a former US Officer in the Army I've experienced enough of artilerry sounding episodes in my life and they are causing me a lot of stress. He said if I did not stop yelling at him, he would ask me to leave.
No gals, I have yelled in emergencies, and at my kids, and my husband, but I have never yelled in public at a stranger. If anything I was hyper-ventilating and could not get my breath, so I know I wasn't yelling. I was upset.
Should I send an email to customer service and report the staff? Do you all exercise in gyms with excessively loud and scarry noises? So I should just find another gym?
Ugh...I'm still a bit shaky. Loud noises freak me out.
Thanks girlfriends for being so supportive. I only stay because they have the only outdoor pool in the entire area and my real love is to swim. But even that has lost is glam after today.
I'll shop around and thank you all soooo much again for your kind responses. I realize now looking back on this morning I had a full blown panic attack brought on by the bombing sounds.
3rd for find another gym. If you don't do anything else besides yoga maybe find an independant yoga facility.
I'd find a yoga studio, where they do strictly yoga and you can really unwind relax and not worry about filth.
I think at this point you should find another gym. You have made your opinion clear and they have clearly stated, by their lack of response, that they do not care about those things.
You should try different gyms, take their trial class and talk to the other class participants to make sure it meets your needs. If you have friends in the class, take them with you. If you have acquaintances, let them know why you are leaving.
They are not required to change what they do for you. I urge you to find a different gym for your yoga, one that is more receptive to client's issues. This place is obviously not a good fit.
I understand with PTSD that certain sounds (loud noises in general) can be disturbing and if you're taking yoga to relax and help with the PTSD this makes it even worse.
Since the manager hasn't done anything to fix the situation, I would write the company and let them know you want to terminate your membership, and why. Explain to them that you're retired/former military and that you take yoga to relax, but this was anything but relaxing. Explain about the nastiness of the floor and area where you are supposed to take the yoga class.
Then find a new gym.
It sounds as though you have done all you can to get the situation resolved, but the gym refuses to do anything more. So you need to find a new gym that cares enough about its members to keep the yoga area clean and relaxing.
I would definitely find another place for you to do your yoga. You aren't going to get much out of the class if you are constantly interrupted by those loud noises. And the dirty floors, that's just disgusting!
It's been 2 years, and nothing has changed for the better. They obviously dont respect the opinions of their clients, which does not look good for their business. Please change gyms, because if you aren't happy and comfortable with them then what's the point of going? Your just wasting your money.
I think he was within his right to say he would ask you to leave. If you have an issue leave a comment card, don't attack the manager. The fact that you call him ugly and degrade his piecing here in your post say a lot about the attitude you may have been showing to him. If you don't like the gym, find another.
as for the Yoga, in a multi use gym there will always be more noise and more dirt, it sounds like you may need to find a yoga only studio if these issues are a big deal for you.
I guess I'm wondering why you'd still attend this place if you've never cared for it? There are plenty of other places, that are yoga specific, serene & quiet, and that are sanitary. Sounds like you are going to a gym that offers multiple classes & has multiple floors & just doesn't plain suit you. At some point, you have to decide that your sanity is more important than whatever attachment you have to the place.
Sounds like where I used to work out at. Perhaps it is time to find a new gym, this one clearly doesn't give you what you need.
I would find another place, they are not worthy of your money. Look for a yoga studio, where they specialize in only yoga. It will make a huge difference in your experience, and you will be MUCH happier.
i don't think yoga and gyms mix. i do yoga at a studio over a cool little juice and coffee bar, so occasionally we get some blender or cappuchino noises, but no artillery fire!
i'm sorry you're stressed, dear one. it sounds as if you may have gone a little wonky on him, but i don't blame you, and he really didn't handle it well.
i hope you find a nice zen studio where you can enjoy your shivasana (is that right?) in the peace you deserve.
khairete
S.
Oh, I'm sure a lot of people can relate.
I think you would be better off in a private yoga only facility. Yes, find another place for yoga.
Do not report the staff. If you want to write a note to customer service or the manager, let them know why your leaving and be nice and maybe mention about being in the militiary and not liking the loud noises. If it were me personally, I would not write a note, I would just cancel my membership and if they asked why I would nicely tell them.
I say find another gym. Why do yoga if you are going to be stressed out during class? Kind of defeats the purpose!
Look for a Curves - they are a women's gym and I bet there are no loud banging, artilery noises there.
BTW, thanks for your service!
You are SO in the wrong place, honey! Why on earth have you stayed? Why do the other people stay? This is a men's gym - not even a co-ed gym. Just a men's gym.
Please go find another place. What you are going through negates all the psychological benefits of yoga.
The guy will say what he wants to you just to get you off his back. I doubt that anything you say to corporate will matter one bit.
So sorry...
Dawn
once you are able to settle a bit (although I will say, wowza I would totally be freaking about the noise right now if I had your history too),
I would suggest calling and setting an appoiment to sit down and talk with the highest up person there is. NO second in command with his ugly ear holes.
I would be very firm and state that you greatly .... enjoy the yoga instructor ( or someother compliment) BUT due to the lack of the zumba instructor cleaning up after class, and due to the loud noises from the free weights during the cool down of the yoga class You will be cancelling your membership and taking your business elsewhere, Then VERY Calmly AND very s l ow ly ( incase this person isn't the brightest bulb) I woud say it is a shame because It would be very easy to rectify the two issues you have previously brought to their attention.
THe non confrontational route would be to talk to the instructor themselves and see where the block is. Could your instructor not sweep up real quick before class?? Does your instructor not have any imput in what other activites such as freeweights are scheduled during yoga? or could she change rooms? What alternative solutions are there?
goodluck
I would love to do yoga but at home doesn't work for me and i can't make it out of bed at 5 am to take the only one offered when i'm not in work.
I"ve found the adult swim time at the pool to be very relaxing too.
Yep, you deserve a place that you will enjoy. That place sucks!
Our Y is under some new construction right now, so there are some unpleasantly loud noises and mess. There have also been signs up for a couple of months already explaining about the construction and apologizing in advance for the noise/mess etc. It doesn't bother me, but I suppose anyone who is bothered by it has been forwarned and might avoid the gym for a while. As for the floors, this is a huge pet peeve of mine. There are about 50 signs throughout the building telling people that they may not wear outdoor shoes in the fitness center and that no shoes are allowed on the pool deck or in the showers, yet people always ignore the signs. The worst is the parents who feel the need to go stand on the pool deck while their kids are in swimming lessons, leaving gross, dirty footprints all over the place that anyone using the pool has to walk through in bare feet. I wish the lifeguards would say something to them, but they would have to spend all their time telling parents to take off their shoes and wouldn't have time to watch the pool. I don't know about reporting the staff, but it wouldn't hurt to report the situation to customer service.
I think you should not only find another gym or yoga studio but also contact their corporate office notifying them of your dissatisfaction and the cancellation of your membership.
