Obsessive Compulsive Gym Disorder

Magic Eight Ball

I was reading some random Crossfiters blog earlier today and one interesting topic was OCD in the gym.
We’re all compulsive in one way or another in our daily routines but stop and have a little think about how compulsive you can get in the gym.

He listed ten things he’s most compulsive about in the gym and it kind of came as a relief to me that I wasn’t the only one ‘suffering’ from a few he mentioned. :pac:

1. Chalking your hands before attempting a lift, whether your hands need more chalk or not.
2. Ensuring that every last crevice of a certain part of your hand is completely covered in chalk or following a set pattern or process of chalking.
3. Having a “nervous wee” before starting a workout,/lift irrespective of when you last went to the loo.
4. Always using the same pull up station / oly bar / bumper plates etc, even if there are other closer free ones.
5. Ensuring only matching pairs of bumper plates are used and then in the correct order, e.g. descending diameter. Note that where bumpers have writing on only one side, one must ensure the writing is facing out on both, or in on both, no mixing.
6. Making sure oly grips are on tight, with no air gaps between the bumper plates, and the grip handles must be facing in the same direction on both sides.
7. Always taking the same water bottle to the gym.
8. Lining the bar up so it’s right in the middle of a rack or floor tile, before lifting. Additionally, no standing on cracks or seams in the floor.
9. Grunting / coughing / sniffing, in a specific way before a lift or starting a Crossfit workout.
10. Completely unnecessary stamping of the feet before a lift.

I always have to use a certain oly bar when dead lifting or squatting and I simply cannot under any circumstances mix different ‘brands’ of plates.
I can also relate to the ‘nervous wee’ especially before a crossfit workout or before going for a personal best on a big lift.
I have a fair few more idiosyncrasies when it comes to working out but we'll leave it at that for the moment

So come on, let’s hear some of your own compulsive gym habits.

Random

- Trying to avoid going at all costs ... it's one of the worst !

itsallaboutheL

I've already outlined my strange clothing habits in another thread, if i tell anymore i'll just seem really weird!!

BobbyOLeary

The nervous pee is a favorite of mine, as are the nervous farts. My main OCD thing is to wear a particular pair of shorts to the gym. I bought a pair of shorts in H&M back when I was in second year in college (about 3 years ago) and I've worn them for every big sporting event I've taken part in and nearly every big PR I've made in the gym. Orangey flowery things that are falling apart. I don't feel as confident starting a WOD unless I'm wearing them. I have 3 other pairs of shorts but they don't cut the mustard.

Really I can identify with all the things he mentions there!

Roper

Don't do any of those but I absolutely have to brush my teeth before I run. If I do 4 or more hard pad rounds in Muay Thai I have to piss immediately afterwards, which sucks because it looks like you're running to the jacks to chuck. Also, I shuffle my feet repeatedly before any standing lift which makes me look like Rain Man.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Plates HAVE to be in decending order each side, helps if they're the same colour too, as well as having to be completely tight with the collar.
Bar has to be dead centred when racked.
Always the same songs on my MP3 player that are used, can't start a lift without finding the 'right one' for that set.
Waiting til a certain part in a song to do the lift.

Very odd, all of it.

amacachi

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Plates HAVE to be in decending order each side,

Didn't think that was being obsessive, got given out to in a gym for not doing it once, so I thought it was just the way it was done.