When I was in high school, going to the gym was fun. The idea was to work out with friends, but now it's like you described: they only go to take pictures to sell you the idea that they're healthy, fitness people. It's all about selling you a false image of life.
Not only that, there's the danger of being called a stalker or rapist for sitting on a machine, looking at the wall to rest for a while, and then a girl walks through the wall, sees you, turns around, and accuses you of being there all alone, even though you were there first, just to stalk her and stare at her butt. That happened to me once. Luckily, another girl saw everything, went up to her, and yelled, "Shut up, bitch, we want to work out!" That got rid of the troublemaker, but the feeling of dread stayed. From that day on, I never went back to a gym! Boom, an anecdote just popped up without me even realizing it.
i hear you there, (other side) im a girl and like all the guys at our gym are "there to work out" not try and perve at the girls.. they are too busy looking at their own arms in the mirrors.. lol
Ive never had an issue. However it does take them a few months of seeing me around before they nod and say hi... no doubt ... as you say... they are either TOO BUSY or worried about a girl accusing them of something.
you SHOULD be able to nod and say hi to everyone there if you want to..
I was saying above i find the girls more annoying at the gym than the guys.
It's great that you're still enjoying the gym. I haven't been back since that day, for obvious reasons. This time someone saw everything and was able to save me, but if it happens again, will there be no one who saw it? What can I expect? It's better not to risk it. I'll have to exercise at home, but calmly.