I feel for John. People who make noise are even worse than window-closers and should be shot at sight. But host is far too timid to throw a tantrum like that. Also he looks like 30, not 70. And not bad I must say.
TL;DR
While host refused to go back to the gym for a few days, I finally dragged him there yesterday - as expected all windows in the gym machine room were closed, awful air, Karens around. But the gym has 3 other rooms, two for floor gymnastics and one for open weight training. So we went there where the cool kids go and it was good. Few people, no Karens, window half-open not perfect but decent air. Host has already used his manipulative superpowers to forge an open-window faction and we have 3 of the most notorious gym regulars on our side. Karens very rarely go there and if they'll have to put up with far less agreeable people than host. So yeah, it's not ideal as I'd like to do a few things in the gym machine room, especially pull and leg, but we'll manage. It's time to move from the machines to using dumb- bar- and kettlebells anyway.
There's a new coach who looks like Sasuke, never seen him smile but he's chill. Taught us a few new kettlebell exercises. He pushed host to his limits and - what surprise - he can do a lot more that he usually does. I like the man! You know, host has this routine thing where he always does the same and hence easily hits a plateau. And unless you yell at him he won't go out of his comfort zone Lazy. I think he'll benefit from exercising with the coach and one of the regulars. Doesn't hurt learning from and being pushed by others.
And of course The Bear was right, machines suck and doing everything with weights is far better. It was good at the beginning to get a feel for it and avoid injury but it's been almost 2 years since we started and I feel we wasted half of that on machines. So actually we have to thank the Karens, it was a revelation.