A Random Stranger Avenged A Woman Who Was Being Bullied At The Gym

It’s this time of the year when people are at the peak of the ‘new year new me’ phase. For those who don’t bother with resolutions, it can be a mildly annoying period, with friends gushing over vegan recipes, having much more energy without the booze and extolling the spiritual benefits of yoga. Meanwhile, the gym is packed with strangers wearing clean sneakers and snappily elastic lycra, striding the treadmills with a grimly determined intensity. Inevitably, though, things begin to settle and within a month, or two normal service is resumed.

Going to the gym can be a daunting experience for the novice, all these complicated-looking machines and lifting techniques take time to master. The last thing you need as a sweaty and nervous newbie is seasoned gym rats sniggering at your best efforts to build a solid routine, that alone could be the difference between success and failure.

So when someone turned to Reddit for advice to help the newcomers adapt to the gym environment with the minimum of fuss, there were several useful tips to make life a bit easier for everyone. One story stuck out above the rest, though, because it shows the importance of understanding and empathy. Certainly, this novice doing endless curls at the squat machine may be a bit annoying right now, yet that was you once upon a time. What people truly need in an intimidating new environment is encouragement and support!