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Gym Etiquette
Replies
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StealthHealth wrote: »If someone is on a piece of kit I'd like to use
"Hi, how many more set have you got?" if the answer is "I just started" and they don't offer the chance for me to work in, I go find something else. If they've only got a couple of sets I'll usually do a bit of extra warm up whilst I wait.
I've occasionally had to tap someone on the shoulder because they were listening to music so I could ask them but I'm always polite and as friendly as I can be and I've never had a bad reaction.
I also, pro-actively let people who appear to be lurking how many sets I have left when I'm on a piece of kit (usually the squat rack or bench) and will offer to let them work in if it's practical or going to be a long time. I've met some nice people this way and it's stuff like this that gets you on nodding acquaintance terms with your fellow gym goers. I'm also happy to spot for people and not afraid to ask for a spot when required.
P.S. If someone spots for me I always thank them, tell them my name, and tell them that they can always tap me up for a spot whenever they need one. The only competition in the gym is with yourself and being friendly does not mean that you will minimise your gainz. I like to get my work out done, who doesn't? But I leave the aggressive *kitten* attitude to the younger guys.
Nice way to roll.1 -
@Packerjohn Cheers0
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You know what else is bad? People who take TWO BIG lockers during peak gym time!
They can check their coats and their shopping bags. Bunch of pigs !!!0 -
It will be quite obvious that I'm not a gym-goer when I ask this: what is "work in"? I know what it is to work out, but in? Thanks.1
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vivmom2014 wrote: »It will be quite obvious that I'm not a gym-goer when I ask this: what is "work in"? I know what it is to work out, but in? Thanks.
Sharing a piece of equipment so as one person is resting the second person does their set.1 -
melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
Agreed, this is really my one and only.....probably mainly to do with the gym I'm pretty much stuck at now is terrible, just kitten terrible for putting weights away.
That and they have "classes" in a common area of the gym so you can't use any of the equipment around it. They were doing circuits and were set up about a 6" from the squat rack, and weren't about to move over when I moved into the rack.1 -
distinctlybeautiful wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
Some people do.
Most often it's people leaving plates on a barbell after they're finished with it.
It's a foul for sure.
This guy on the bench had left 3-4 45s and a 55 on each side of the row machine but said he was finished, so I started taking them off because I wasn't gonna sit and wait while he finished benching. So then he comes over and tries to take the 55 off my hands! Little late by then. He was a big dude too.. probably didn't feel great about a female less than half his size putting up his weights. He helped in the end, but it annoyed me that he left it and then thought he needed to help me with a plate I was obviously having no trouble carrying.
On a side note, I love organizing and the gym. I might be in heaven if I got paid to do nothing but keep the plates organized
Hate when weights aren't re-racked.
I've already had to ask a trainer to give me a hand with some on a barbel a good 6' 6" up or higher. I'm short. Figured unloading 45s I could barely touch with my fingertips while balancing on my tippy toes was a bad idea.
What was really embarrassing was the time I was unloading a bar on the floor at the deadlift station so I could use it. I was tired. It was taking me a little extra time, but I was getting it done. Next thing I know, some 70+ yr old gentleman is taking the weight I'd just pulled off the bar out of my hands and telling me to just rest, he'd get the rest for me.
*sigh*
He meant well. But I had to make a serious effort to not let any annoyance show when I thanked him and continued deloading the bar (letting him put the weights in the rack). Hope I succeeded.1 -
Don't like when someone stands right by me waiting for me to get off the squat rack sometimes I like to do 10 set 10 reps back to back makes me nervous like I should hurry1
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distinctlybeautiful wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
Some people do.
Most often it's people leaving plates on a barbell after they're finished with it.
It's a foul for sure.
This guy on the bench had left 3-4 45s and a 55 on each side of the row machine but said he was finished, so I started taking them off because I wasn't gonna sit and wait while he finished benching. So then he comes over and tries to take the 55 off my hands! Little late by then. He was a big dude too.. probably didn't feel great about a female less than half his size putting up his weights. He helped in the end, but it annoyed me that he left it and then thought he needed to help me with a plate I was obviously having no trouble carrying.
On a side note, I love organizing and the gym. I might be in heaven if I got paid to do nothing but keep the plates organized
This makes me laugh, because it tweaks my OCD tendencies when the plates are racked but in no order. 10 pounders on the bottom, and 35s up top, different size plates on the same pin. ARGH! Will you come organize my gym right before I arrive, please? LOL2 -
lizzelspark wrote: »Don't like when someone stands right by me waiting for me to get off the squat rack sometimes I like to do 10 set 10 reps back to back makes me nervous like I should hurry
Do you offer to let them work in?0 -
If you let someone work in who is of a different height and is squatting a much different weight who is responsible for taking off and putting on the plates and moving the height of the bar? You or the person working in?1
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singingflutelady wrote: »If you let someone work in who is of a different height and is squatting a much different weight who is responsible for taking off and putting on the plates and moving the height of the bar? You or the person working in?
When squatting with more than one person, we just make the bar low enough so that the shortest person can rack/un-rack.
The loading/unloading of the bar is shared.1 -
Packerjohn wrote: »lizzelspark wrote: »Don't like when someone stands right by me waiting for me to get off the squat rack sometimes I like to do 10 set 10 reps back to back makes me nervous like I should hurry
Do you offer to let them work in?
That's one thing I usually don't let anyone work in besides my workout buddy I just hurry which I think it's probably not good to not take a longer break in between sets and I hate hogging it but I think they just stand there because they are grabbed as soon as someone gets off of one1 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »distinctlybeautiful wrote: »Carlos_421 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »My biggest pet peeve is people who don't rack their weights. I have a bad back and just got back to lifting in the last few months. I can't be racking 8/45 pound plates because some person was strong enough to use them but not to rack them. Ugh....
Then there is this one woman who apparently uses the adduction/abduction machines for cardio and stays on one machine for 30-40 minutes straight, no rest. That's a little ridiculous. Thankfully she is usually done by the time I'm off the bike if I decide to do cardio first.
My old gym, back in the day, everyone worked in together and were very considerate, I don't see much of that anymore. Too bad, it was kind of nice.
So weights, dumbbells etc are on a rack, and should be replaced when finished, right? Do these people just leave them on the floor when they're done??
Some people do.
Most often it's people leaving plates on a barbell after they're finished with it.
It's a foul for sure.
This guy on the bench had left 3-4 45s and a 55 on each side of the row machine but said he was finished, so I started taking them off because I wasn't gonna sit and wait while he finished benching. So then he comes over and tries to take the 55 off my hands! Little late by then. He was a big dude too.. probably didn't feel great about a female less than half his size putting up his weights. He helped in the end, but it annoyed me that he left it and then thought he needed to help me with a plate I was obviously having no trouble carrying.
On a side note, I love organizing and the gym. I might be in heaven if I got paid to do nothing but keep the plates organized
This makes me laugh, because it tweaks my OCD tendencies when the plates are racked but in no order. 10 pounders on the bottom, and 35s up top, different size plates on the same pin. ARGH! Will you come organize my gym right before I arrive, please? LOL
How much is it worth to ya!?1 -
lizzelspark wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »lizzelspark wrote: »Don't like when someone stands right by me waiting for me to get off the squat rack sometimes I like to do 10 set 10 reps back to back makes me nervous like I should hurry
Do you offer to let them work in?
That's one thing I usually don't let anyone work in besides my workout buddy I just hurry which I think it's probably not good to not take a longer break in between sets and I hate hogging it but I think they just stand there because they are grabbed as soon as someone gets off of one
Guess that is why people hang around.0 -
The squat rack is my favourite place to hang around. #truedat1
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The worst is when you go to use the squat rack and have to take 200kg worth of plates off by hand - and it always happens on the sorest day after working upper body. No worries beefcake, i'll take those plates off for you since you're obviously too fatigued!
How much you want to be the person that leaves a bunch of plates on a bar/machine is also the one that is taking up 2 parking spaces close to the entrance? *kitten* behavior doesn't start and end at the gym door.4 -
singingflutelady wrote: »If you let someone work in who is of a different height and is squatting a much different weight who is responsible for taking off and putting on the plates and moving the height of the bar? You or the person working in?
If you're both not kittenholes (you're welcome, MFP. I did your work for you), then you help each other out.3 -
Re-racking other peoples weights and walking around looking for plates is my cardio.4
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I couldn't help taking a picture.. Who's gonna take off 105#, really 140# because the hubby had one on the bar, to get to that little 2.5# weight!? This might be the most ridiculous thing I've seen when it comes to putting weights in the wrong spot..3 -
Honest question. If I lay on my towel to lift, do I still have to wipe the machine down?0
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eveandqsmom wrote: »Honest question. If I lay on my towel to lift, do I still have to wipe the machine down?
Personally, I wouldn't care either way. Others might say yes because your sweat is on the towel so your germs are still on the machine.1 -
I always sit at the machine between sets because if I don't, people will take the machine I'm using and sit at it between sets hahah
But yeah just ask, I've never seen anybody be upset except for this one guy who was extremely rude to me after I asked to swap...0 -
eveandqsmom wrote: »Honest question. If I lay on my towel to lift, do I still have to wipe the machine down?
I'm like Carlos_421 and wouldn't care, but if I'm using equipment, stand up, pick up the towel and see any dampness, I'll give it a wipe.
For general info - you'd have to leave the cleaner on the equipment for longer than anyone actually does in order for there to be any real disinfecting effect. The cleaner is just there to make people feel better.3 -
Many programs that involve full-body, compound lifts recommend anywhere from 3 to 5 min rests between sets, by design.Hi Guys
One of the biggest annoyances in the gym is people who hog the machines, sitting there either on their phone or staring into space and do one set every five mins.
How do you guys deal with this when you come across this?
I would be surprised if someone was snippy if you just asked to use the equipment while they were resting.
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I have asked when it is obvious they are having a conversation if I could slip in a set while they finish up their phone call. No issues so far.2
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One of the gyms I go to has a posted rule specifically prohibiting the use of cell phone while on the exercise equipment. IMO, good idea. They don't have cell phone police walking around, but if there is an issue a member can point to the sign that it's against the rules.4
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What's with all the resting, playing on iPhone and socializing between sets? You're supposed to be working out - you don't need more than a minute between sets. C'mon people!3
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