Dear Eric: I am a recently retired woman who is appreciating my morning routine at the gym. I love the group exercise classes.
My issue is with one woman who insists on counting very loudly with the instructor, slipping in loud singing with the music and thinking she is entertaining during class.
She does it during every class twice a week. The first few months of classes I let it slide. I finally, diplomatically, took her aside and told her that her loud counting and singing is very distracting to some of us taking the class.
I told her she doesn’t have to stop but just be considerate of the volume she uses because some of us find it distracting, especially during our balancing exercises. She couldn’t believe I would say that to her and told some of her friends in class.
I’m not the only one who doesn’t appreciate her behavior. She has been in class sporadically since and when she comes, she still counts, sings and now yells out, “Did you miss me?”
What can you recommend other than grin and bear it?
– The Count’s Enemy
Dear The Count’s Enemy: Wow, this is so enervating. And her response? Yikes.
What you did is what I would suggest to anybody else in your situation – you communicated clearly about your experience; you were fair and not demanding. For her to respond with childish taunts suggests there’s something else going on with her. Something that may go beyond being diplomatic.
Because she, presumably, pays her gym dues and, also presumably, this kind of behavior isn’t explicitly against the rules of the gym, your hands are a bit tied. However, I’d talk to the instructor, express your discomfort and ask for help. They might have a bit more leverage to keep the class in line.
(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)
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