Get Torn, Not Rough: Ten Rules of Good Gym Etiquette
Jerks are all over the place, but people who push in the gym can be especially annoying. All you have to do is lift heavy objects calmly, but here they are, with prints of sweaty buttocks on the bench, loud phone calls and equipment strewn across the floor. Oh, does that look like you? Here’s how to make the gym better for everyone.
I am an optimist, so I believe that in most cases people simply do not pay attention to the fact that they can cause inconvenience to others. That is, people are not inherently terrible, they are just random assholes . After all, I was definitely one of those people and have since learned how to become better and more polite towards other people. As the saying goes: do to others as you want them to do to you. So what does this mean in the gym?
Get to know your gym
Each gym has small variations on the general rules. The gym rules state what the gym staff will or won’t tolerate, and what other gym enthusiasts expect from others. For example, if you are addicted to deadlifts (which inevitably leads to louder sounds), but the gym has a policy against loud noises – well, don’t do it and don’t get angry about it. This could mean that this particular gym may not suit your training needs anyway.
Your initial “walkthrough” with a sales representative is one of the best times to learn about all of this. Communicate your unique needs and desires and see if the premises and staff can accommodate them.
If you use it, put it back – where it is
It doesn’t matter if you found it there. After use, all equipment must be returned to its place. Each section of the gym has its own set of equipment that tends to hitchhike: dumbbells and dumbbells must be returned to the gym; the foam rollers are for stretching , and the jump ropes are probably for the cardio zone. It sucks to clean up after other people, but it’s best to replace what you end up using.
If you only have one thing to remove, do it: replace your damn weight plates. Don’t be the person who either holds 45-pound plates on the bar and walks away, or leaves a drunken ant trail of scattered scales. Take a few minutes to rearrange them. Heck, this is a good way to add extra movement to your workout.
This also applies to dumbbells. Dumbbell division in my own gym makes the post-apocalyptic wasteland feel like heaven. Often times, a lone 40-pound dumbbell is in the groove, clearly marked with 15, and well, good luck to the unfortunate person (usually me) who needs to find another. If you are using dumbbells, compare them with the numbers on the labels and keep them in pairs!
Respect Your Sports Equipment
The exercise equipment is ready for a fair amount of knocks, but letting attachments return to their cable pulleys, dropping plates like hot potatoes, and generally just overusing equipment is no-no behavior, not to mention signs of bad attitude. It’s just a courtesy to be respectful of things that aren’t yours (you pay to use good equipment, after all). It’s like going to the library, folding your dog ears on all the fresh pages of the most popular books, and licking the covers. Okay, maybe not the last part.
Death by sweat stains (and germs)
Look, no one wants to sit or stand in another person’s sweat puddle. In addition, gyms are known for spreading germs and infectious diseases . I mean, just think of all the hands and sweaty buttocks that touched every piece of equipment. Fortunately, most gyms have hand sanitizer and sanitizer stations that you should definitely use, whether or not you have runny nose.
While we’re at it, tidy up your space. Yes, most gyms have a cleaning service, but no one needs to pick up piles of paper towels soaked in snot and sweat. Throw away the trash!
Don’t be smelly sandy
While it is impossible to maintain a flawless appearance and odorlessness throughout your workout, using deodorant and wearing clean clothes every time can make a big difference – mostly to other people. At the opposite end of the spectrum, unbearably strong colognes and perfumes can simply suffocate. Don’t wear them to the gym. Or ever.
Communicate and share with others
If he’s busy, politely state your intentions to share (or offer to share) equipment. Even if you were there first, be prepared to let people “work” while you are relaxing or doing something else. However, most people usually ask how many sets or how much time you have left on your machine and can wait until you are done.
Occasionally, however, forage harvesters may be required. If your training program includes supersets of two exercises (usually each of which works on opposite muscle groups – for example, push-ups with deadlifts) in a row, you will have to use common sense when you become a hobby machine. … Obviously, it will be difficult during rush hours. Try to choose equipment that is closer together and tell others that you are supersetting and letting them work while you relax. Communicate!
Texting is not a thumb exercise
Many gyms have started to implement cell phone ban policies for a variety of reasons. But if you absolutely need to check Twitter and Instagram during your workout, at least have a little situational awareness. Maybe someone is waiting for you to finish your sets, or you are covering someone’s gaze in the mirror. Even if you check your phone in between sets, it’s very easy to lose track of time and shoot in the minute or two rests you should have taken.
However, I find it difficult to stay focused and exercise well if your phone is constantly distracting you. If you’re going to check your phone, do so at least after you’ve finished your sets of exercise.
Grunt if need be
By all accounts, grumbling is weird and embarrassing. Well, say that to Serena Williams as she tosses the tennis ball back towards the opponent’s court at 90 mph. When lifting weights, there will inevitably be grunting, gurgling and screaming.
It all comes down to the gym environment: if other gym goers are used to this type of exercise, grunting – if it’s not too awkward (you know what I mean) – seems normal. On the other hand, there is no need to overestimate your power for anyone within earshot. Keep it calm, friend.
There is a suitable place for every exercise.
Each section of the gym creates favorable conditions for certain types of workouts. Of course, the gym is just an ordinary place where people can improve their fitness, but using a bench to stretch the hamstrings is simply inappropriate. Likewise, many weightlifting enthusiasts poop on squat curls, but I have yet to see this happen in person. As we mentioned earlier, respect the gym (and other) and use it for its intended purpose.
Give people space
Activities like zumba, yoga, or even strength training like BodyPump can get overwhelmed, but be sure to leave the neighbors away from you. The last thing you want is for someone’s bare feet to be in their face while doing yoga, right?
If everyone follows these basic principles, your gym sport is likely to be more enjoyable. Otherwise, just a couple of goofs who don’t return equipment to where they belong, for example, are enough to cause an exhilarating effect of negligence and sheer anarchy.
Bottom line: A gym membership isn’t a cheap investment. When we lay out this hard-earned cheese every month, most of us at least expect a good workout without constantly having to look for missing dumbbells.
So do your part, be polite gym goers, and respect others’ time without making them clean up after you!