Sometimes a disruption to your workout routine can make or break your gym session.

This was the case for one man who was told by staff at Clementi's ActiveSG gym to stop doing T-bar rows with a barbell as it would "damage the equipment".

Danie Dharma, a personal trainer and a former Mr Singapore winner, took to TikTok earlier this month to address what he described as ActiveSG's "backward, ridiculous draconian rules".

"I was doing a set of T-bar rows at one of the ActiveSG gyms, when suddenly the floor trainer comes and stops me, and he says that, 'you're not allowed to do T-bar rows here, it will damage the equipment'," he elaborated in the video.

The 36-year-old said he empathises with the floor trainers as they are just doing their job, and directed the issue towards ActiveSG's management instead for "all these ridiculous rules".

"That is ridiculous. You can't damage a barbell by doing T-bar rows on it as that's the purpose of the barbell – to place weights on it and lift it."

A T-bar row is an exercise where the individual pulls up the weighted end of a bar bell towards them while straddling it.

This exercise is usually done with an equipment called the landmine, which anchors the bar bell to the floor and secures it, or with a proper T-bar machine.

"For the ActiveSG management, I think it's time you stop living in the 1980s. It's already 2022. It's long overdue that you guys should have updated your rules," he added.

"A lot of your rules really don't make any sense, and it is greatly inconveniencing a lot of people."

Speaking to AsiaOne, Dharma said he was "frustrated" when told to stop doing the exercise and the floor trainer, while polite, did not explicitly specify how the exercise was damaging the equipment.

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He explained to AsiaOne that he was using a corner of the four-machine cable station to place the other end of the bar bell instead of a landmine. And that he did not feel the need to secure it as he "just needed to place [the bar bell] right" and perform the exercise with "strict form".

"I've been bodybuilding for 21 years, and have been to almost every gym in Singapore," he said. "Only ActiveSG has such ridiculous rules. The other gyms have no such rules at all."

Safety hazard

When contacted by AsiaOne, a Sport Singapore spokesperson said Dharma was told to stop as "the exercise he performed was a modified version using equipment that was not intended or designed for his specific workout".

"The barbell was placed against the base of a multi-gym station, which was acting as an unsecured stopper. The pivoting end of the barbell was not firmly anchored as per a proper T-bar row machine," the spokesperson said.

"This could result in unstable usage of the modified equipment, thereby posing as a safety hazard to the user and other gym patrons. The workout also caused damages to the base of the multi-gym station due to the repeated lifting motion."

ActiveSG is a national movement initiated by Sport Singapore.

The spokesperson added that ActiveSG "follows a set of curated rules and regulations that ensures the safety and well-being of the gym users", just like other gyms in Singapore.

"Modified and misuse of equipment can lead to serious injuries," the board said. 

Nonetheless, the spokesperson shared that ActiveSG "understands the feedback provider's desire to perform his T-bar exercises", and welcomed him to do so at other ActiveSG gyms with proper T-bar equipment.

This includes the Jurong East Sport Centre gym and ActiveSG Park @ Jurong Lake Gardens gym.

The spokesperson added: "We encourage gym users to exercise responsibly by using proper exercise equipment and techniques to create a safe and conducive environment for all to enjoy.

"We will continue to conduct regular reviews of ActiveSG gym rules and regulations, of which the safety of our gym users takes precedence."

Ban on posing

This is not the first time a gym has been questioned by patrons about rules perceived to be absurd.

Earlier this year, a patron of a Choa Chu Kang gym also shared on TikTok that the Anytime Fitness branch had seemingly imposed a ban on posing in front of mirrors.

While Dorlisa Leong, a 23-year-old student, admitted that she "doesn't really care" for the rules as she finds it awkward to show off her physique, she wondered why the rule was implemented in the first place.

She also found it weird that several members had to sign a "no shirtless" agreement or risk being banned.

The fitness centre, when contacted by AsiaOne then, would only say that "we do not have any comments about this". 

wongdaoen@asiaone.com

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