Adventures at 24 Hour Fitness

Ok, so I know it's been a while since I last posted but for the last month I'm pretty sure all I have done is work and sleep.  Throw in a meal or two and that has been my life...no rest for the weary.  I guess that is what being an adult is all about.

Anyway, I have always been into sports and being active since I was a kid.  When I turned 18 I asked for a membership to the YMCA for my birthday.  Of course mom said "are you sure you are even going to use that" (because that is what mom's do), and I said of course.  Ever since then, I turned into a gym rat and never looked back! For the most part the gym was usually an uneventful 2 hours 4-6 times a week.  Well let me tell you, since I have moved to California and joined the 24 hour fitness, this is a completely different story.  The people that go to the gym here are so strange! It's not even one specific "weird" location, it is all of them! In college I went to the UAH fitness center for 2 years and never once felt the need to pull out my cell phone camera to capture someone doing something weird so I could share it with my friends, but here in Cali, it's like a daily occurrence. 

Before I was hired at my current job I was job searching for about 2 months.  This gave me time to go to the gym 6 days a week.  During this time, I saw so many people doing strange things that I was considering writing a coffee table memoir about all my strange encounters. It would include things I would say if I could actually walk up to the "unusual" person and comment on their behavior. Let me give you a few excerpts from my "book":

1. "Yeah I agree...you are much cooler when you practice your martial arts in front of the mirror while talking with your other "cool friend." 

I mean the kid would literally be mid-sentence with his friend, stop, look in the mirror and do some sort of round house kick or something similar and then continue his conversation

2. "Is sitting naked on a locker room bench really the ideal time for a phone conversation?"

I don't think this one requires any explanation

3. "ooo, flora unitard...nice choice!"
4. "Sir? I'm sorry to bother you but I just wanted to let you know that those spandex shorts you are exposing yourself in are meant to go UNDER another pair of more appropriately sized shorts.  Excuse me while I go burn my eyes now..."

The best part is the videos that I capture.  I am not always able to catch these unbelievable behaviors on camera (because I would be way to obvious) but when the opportunity presents itself for me to be a "stealth videographer," I absolutely will capitalize. 

My first video includes my friend who I affectionately call Phoebe, I see her all the time, I'm not sure if she sees me though.  If you have ever seen the episode of friends where Phoebe goes running with Rachel you will understand the reference.  She is going to take someone out with those arms...

All I have to say is Treadmill or Top Model?

And Finally, I'm just not even really sure what is going on here...

These people are just pure entertainment, and most importantly...motivation to keep going to the gym! I hope that my strange encounters have entertained you here as much as they entertain me in person.  And in closing, I will leave you with a photo of a man who will not sacrifice comfort for efficiency:

yes, the are Ugg boots.  Maybe he is trying to loose weight through foot sweat