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Notes -
FWIW I too have been going to a nearly-free old man gym in Japan for several years now, and nobody grunts or makes noise (except me, a little, when I'm trying to do my max).
Our regulars are probably 50% withered seniors born in the Taisho era lifting 3kg or stretching. The other half are dudebros (and a scattering of chicks) from the nearby regional university. It's usually pretty quiet in there (well, except for the loud boombox radio in the corner blasting our city's local station at near max volume... I'm always up on the weather and I get to improve my eigo with daily 2 min lessons) but that's probably because the older folks tend not to talk much while exercising. When the college guys are in there it can get a bit noisier, but even then I don't really hear any grunting that's louder than the ambient conversation. I think your Forrest Gump guy might have a screw loose.
P.S. I once attended a Joyfit for a year (sounds like we may have had similar experiences) and at that gym there was one elderly gentlman who would put on a weight belt and make very loud, hoarse shout-grunts that sounded as though he were either suffering through a bout of severe constipation or a round of particularly taxing intercourse, while manipulating a 10kg barbell in variety of ways. And at the Gold's in Harajuku I've seen some Asian bodybuilder dudes clearly on gear get really carried away pushing through sets and egging each other on. But never at my local neighborhood gym.
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