In almost every group activity there is an individual or two that makes the rest of us uncomfortable. While I’ve only been to the gyn a handful of times I’ve already discovered the sub-species that inhabits that territory.
As the circuit was explained to me, the machines are laid out in a specific order: working the large muscle groups first and the smaller ones last. The smaller muscles are used to stabilize the large ones, and they also play a major role in your ability to grip, for example. If you tire these muscles out too soon, you won’t be able to work the larger ones. The second point that was made clear to me is the idea of maintaining a rapid pace through the circuit twice. This elevates your heart rate and keeps it elevated for close to thirty minutes. Not a pure aerobic exercise but better than nothing.
So, every time I’ve gone to lift weights there’s been one guy (not the same one each time) who has to use the machines either out of order, or worse, who wants to lounge on them for several minutes rest before another Herculean attempt to move the entire stack using the wrong form or muscle group. I realize that being new to this I am being a bit of a zealot, and that other people can do it however they want.
Just not in my thirty minutes, okay?