The 10 People you’ll find in Any Gym by Chris Sparling
Explain each of Sparling’s 10 types of people who go to the gym.
The gamma radiation victim, Thomas Edison (invent their own exercises), the sparkle motion (early riser ladies), a bit too personal (working out with a friend as they share stories), bob the builder (unfashionable), the unworthy screamer- pants and yells for nothing, teen titan- teenagers in the gym (made worse if they are a group), doctor style (work clothes in gym), Scarface and the senator who always wants to talk to you even if you’re not interested in his talks.
Why do you think the author wrote this article about gym types?
The reason for this article about gym types is to help an individual be able to identify the different types of individuals who can be at the gym. Apart from identifying them the individual can learn how to deal with them or avoid them if they make that person uncomfortable. It also provides an ideal expectation in a gym and if a person does funny stuff they may be encouraged to leave them aside when going to gym.
Can you add any categories to Sparling’s gym member types?
The other categories may include those new babies to the gym and they are trying to learn everything. Most of the time they are shy and keep on looking at what others is doing to learn how to exercise. There are also those big bodied ones but not big bodied and energetic just big bodied and very weak that come to the gym to try and cut weight.
What is the significance of the author’s classification system?
The classification system of the author is very significant in that all the mentioned groups of individuals can be found in a gym and their manner of behavior is very clearly explained. Therefore in as much as it may sound harsh it is true that some of the traits of the different individuals like the senator are annoying.
Which of Sparling’s types is most common at the gym? What personality traits go with the gym behavior for this group?
The unworthy screamer is one of the most common individuals in the gym. Most of the times they scream for different reasons. One of them can be trying to lift very heavy weights which are heavy than their ability, tiredness and exhaustion among other reasons. The major character is the sign of tiredness and almost giving up on the exercise.
What do all the references to proper nouns (brand names, people, and places) add to this essay? Give an example to support your conclusion.
The author uses brand names, people and places for the reader to be able to clearly and very fast identify with the different nouns mentioned and therefore understand the characteristics talked about with a lot of ease. For example when the author mentions the senator it is clear that politicians are talkative and therefore this person clearly relates and portrays a senator in terms of being talkative.
Why do you think people in gyms are easy to classify into groups?
People in gyms are easy to classify since they all have peculiar characters. Each and every person acts in a certain way and therefore they are put into a group of people who behave that way. However there is a deeper reason; people tend to try to be fashionable within the gym while others desperately come to the gym for the sake of their health. These two differentiate the many categories into 2.
Why do you think most of these types of people are so oblivious to their own bad behavior?
Most of the people at the gym do not really care what other people say and their focus is training and exercise. However others are so much concerned with others for the sake of company and a sense of belonging when at the gym that they just act funny and maybe somehow foolish.
How would you describe the tone of this essay?
The tone of the essay is a mocking one. Even though there is important information to pass, the manner of passing this information is in a kind of mockery manner because of the bad behavior of the individuals. This is also brought out by the focus on the negative attributes only.
How well do the titles of his categories introduce the author’s explanations? Which title do you think is most accurate? Explain you’ answer.
The titles of his categories introduce the different individuals with surprise. This is because the manner of comparison is so good even though focused on the negative attributes and this introduces the different types of people in any gym in a unique manner. The most appropriate title would be gym dominators since most of the people explained are the most common ones in gyms.
How does Sparling organize his categories? Is this an effective order? Explain your answer.
The order of organization can be said to be somewhat wacky. However it expresses the main communication and it is an effective manner of organization. The effectiveness of the organization comes in whereby the main and the major message is still communicated even though in a comical and exaggerated manner.
In his essay. Sparling uses several comparisons that fall into two categories: similes, which use the words “like” or “as” to compare two similar items, and metaphors, which omit “like” or “as.” Find three comparisons in this essay, and explain what each one adds to the section.
This is used in many places within the essay, for example “Even worse is when they use far too much weight on the cable crossovers and end up being violently yanked backwards like Sweerchuck in Police Academy” and the names given to the different categories like the senator whereby he could have said as talkative as a senator. Ignoring them or hint dropping for them to leave you alone are about as effective as using gasoline to put out a fire. These three comparisons add to the quality of narration and being out different sound effects which brings a kind of rhythm and flow of the essay.
