Talking throughout an exercise class

Horribly discourteous. People often don't know how to behave in public now. Thoughtless and ignorant.

That's so rude. I'm surprised the class instructor didn't say something.

If you are chatting I cannot see how you can do the class properly as you surely are properly listening to the instructor. Keep the chat for after.
When I went to yoga silence was a big part of it

I was visiting India a few years ago and the last night was in a dormitory prior to an early flight the next morning. At 2am a group of Americans came in and instead of creeping in quietly as we would do, they put the lights on and chattered while getting ready for bed which took ages. Thoroughly inconsiderate.

In 2019, a work colleague of mine was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and the doctor asked her if she'd be willing to go on a free one-day diabetes awareness course in a room at a rugby club. She agreed.

My colleague is a very quiet, timid little mouse; there were a few others on the course, with her doctor and a dietician.

My colleague told me she had a great time; it was a brilliant course, the doctor and dietician were great, and all the other students were fantastic, apart from one bloke who just HAD to be the centre of the universe. Very loud voice, kept interrupting others' conversations, even telling the doctor and dietician off because they asked him to keep his voice down and let others get some words in!

Apparently he was like it during break times too, wouldn't let anyone else speak ''without his permission ".

Every one of the students were trying to learn about their condition but couldn't concentrate because of him.

Back from the break, the dietician was trying to explain something, and Mr-I'm-Full-Of-Myself kept talking over her, very loudly, and my colleague, as quiet and mousey as she is, surprised herself and everyone else by snapping at him quite loudly ''Oh, Peter, will you just SHUT UP? BE QUIET! LET EVERYONE ELSE SPEAK AND CONCENTRATE!''

He shut his gob for 5 minutes then carried on, but at least he then knew everyone was sick of his ego!

I've never been to exercise classes and never would, but if I did, those 2 gobbies would drive me loopy!

If they won't shut up for an hour ... or whatever the time length is, then where will it all end?!

I don't think it's just an American thing any more; people all over the world are becoming more self-obsessed, more thoughtless to others, more me-myself-and-I.

The gobbies were totally insensitive and thoughtless to the instructor and her people.

I know it's not easy for some people, but I'd have snapped at them to shut up while in class.

I'm sorry you and the others had to put up with those dumbties!

That's a great tactic Margomar.
To address the instructor directly rather than get involved with the other people.

Cabbie21

It happens in choirs too. One or two people try to use every pause to resume their conversation. Our MD is very strict about it and will just freeze and go silent until they stop and pay attention.

I agree, Cabbie21 I think we must be in the same one! Nobody dares speak as they’ll get the “stare”
However I’m in another choir which is much more relaxed , people chat all the time and the young conductor seems to put up with it but I find it really annoying- once when he was making a point which I couldn’t hear, I spoke up quite loudly, and said to him directly, “I’m sorry I didn’t hear that because there’s so much talking” I wasn’t very popular but gradually what we call choir etiquette has improved.

I had the same thing on a National Trust guided walk, not Americans though. I couldn't hear what the guide was saying and I wondered why these people went on the walk if they didn't want to hear about the area they were walking through. I didn't like to say anything for fear of creating an awkward atmosphere.

ViceVersa

No, I would have been extremely annoyed by that too. It's not just rude to the instructor, but to everyone else in the class as well. Why do they think the world revolves solely around them? Surely if you are going to a class like that, you need to concentrate? Bizarre behaviour...

Agree 100% ..

The music determines the timing. It's nonstop. We all watch the instructress for what to do. She doesn't talk. She's very good. We all like her and have terrific workout.

I would’ve be annoyed by the chatting, the instructor should have said something like” when you finish talking we will start the class.

Aveline

I don't think they'll be back. I'm going to speak to the instructress next time but she's so polite I'm sure she'll shrug it off.

She should think about being polite to all her regular class members.
If they do turn up again, and keep yapping, stand near them and tell them to shut up as you can't hear the instructions.

Oh yes, I see that. (a bit different from say a yoga class where there are pauses etc).

But maybe the thing would be to say something really clear right at the start of the next class. I mean, they are in charge, ad have to lay down any boundaries in the interests of safety and being able to fully engage in the class in terms of peoples concentration.

The instructress could only have brought the whole class to a stop in order to speak to them. That would have put all the timing out.

Oreo

It was up to the instructor to ask them if they would please be quiet, and she should have done so right from the start, it was unfair to not to this as it annoyed most of you.

Absolutely!

Its stops vital focus which is keeping your own body safe and doing things right.

Easy to enforce in an organised gym, however: is this a community class?

I live in the States, and this is what Americans do ALL THE TIME. It drives me absolutely crazy. I have no qualms in saying SSHH in a very loud whisper!

An example of what used too be called Loud Mouth Yanks. Before pretend niceness and tolerance took over.

Smile!!

Aveline

Today two Americans joined our usual fitness class. They were welcomed. We have a very good instructress and the class proceeded. However, I was soon distracted by the two Americans chatting loudly together and apparently impervious to the people around them. I became really quite cross and tried to analyse my feelings. First, I suppose that it was just plain rude to the instructress. They were carrying on as though she was just a video not a person. Then I wondered at the cast iron brashness to just not sense the unease round them. They made no effort to talk quietly. Is this just an American thing? I could have gone for coffee with them afterwards but was just so fed up with them that I just left.
Was I being unreasonable to be so irritated at their behaviour?

I think it’s really rude and very annoying.

I've already explained that it was a busy fast moving nonstop action class and that I was quite far from them. Apart from anything else I'd have had to bawl to them to shut up. No chance of being polite.

Yoga, Pilates, Callanetics or any class that needs quiet it’s rude to talk amongst yourselves.

If it is an aerobic class, bums & tums, Zumba etc., unless they were louder than the music and/or instructor not so much of an issue.

I have been a member of the same gym for nearly 30 yrs, sometimes we chat (instructor/PT joins in) other times we are too out of breath so just grimace.

AmberGran I totally agree with all your comments.

Why did you not ask them politely to be quiet?

I have never gone to a yogs class, so I do not know if is customary to talk during one. No classes I have ever attended or taught were bothered by this kind of thing.

As an instructor, I would automatically have asked the speakers what the problem was, assuming that they had misunderstood me. If their reply had shown that they were carrying on a private conversation, I would have asked them not to.

And if I were one of the class, I would not have hestitated to ask them to s top talking, or leave the room and come back when they had finished their discussion.

Another sufferer here, but it’s a very noisy aquacise class. TBH I can’t hear the instructor anyway as the music is so loud, I just have to follow her movements and copy everyone else. It’s two ladies that hardly do the exercises, they basically stand in the water and chat - every session! I think it’s very rude and it annoys me intensely but I feel it’s up to the lovely young instructor to say something, but I know she won’t.

Yes, another one here with a very irritating lady in my exercise class who constantly turns around to chat to another lady.

She is a chatterbox and can’t help it I think. But she gets laughs from others in the room, that’s why she does it.
I don’t find her at all funny, just irritating.

Is it just me or am I being a grouch.