Gym etiquette:

JCKuethe
JCKuethe Posts: 3 Member
edited November 22 in Fitness and Exercise
I find it amazing that virtually every free weight bar/machine (i.e. Hammer Strength equipment) is left with a load of weights on it.

First of all, this is inconsiderate for the other people who wish to use the equipment. Sure, a lot of us are strong enough to unload the bar to set it up for our workout but consider those who aren't. At my gym there are many young people and ladies who use all the equipment and why should they have to take several 45 lb plates off just because the person who used the equipment was too lazy to re-rack the weights. I have often helped others do this as they are not able to handle the large weights alone. Come on man, step up and put away what you use.

Secondly, the people who leave weights on the equipment are shorting themselves of what I call the "hidden workout". You are there to lift weights right? How about the extra lifting you get when taking the weights off the equipment and putting them back on the rack? These movements are still a part of the workout and will give you additional strength training benefits in addition to making you look like a considerate person. I wonder if the people who are too lazy to re-rack the weights they use also cruise the parking lot looking for the closest parking place; just saying.

Replies

  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    At our gym there are a certain number of entitled jerks that think because they pay dues, the job of the staff is to be their personal servants. We also have a bunch of high school and college kids whose mommy and nanny have picked up everything thing they’ ever dropped in their lives. Worth noting that the jerks who trash the weight room are virtually 100% male.
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
    If it's a couple of 15kgs on a bar, I'll clear them no problem. I don't want to be the aggy girl in the gym.

    And if stripping someone else's bar gets me the plates I need for *my* workout then that's absolutely fine by me. (Sometimes there's a bit of a scrum for the tiny plates - never seem to be enough 2.5s or 1.25kgs in my gym - so you have to go and hunt them down if you need them.)

    If someone leaves like 80kg on EACH SIDE of their bar when I want to use it empty for overhead press then I'll be tapping them on the shoulder and asking them to clear it for me...!! :D

    And if someone does it persistently, particularly one of the PTs when they're with a client, then I let whoever's on the desk know. Normally they come and help, and then have a word later.
  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    I don't mind. MORE GAINS FOR ME!
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Doesn't happen often at my gym. The public shaming and burpee punishment are enough of a deterrent
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Reracking others weights left behind doesn't bother me...I consider it an extra workout. But folks in my gym tend to meander between sets, so it is sometimes annoying when you walk in and can't easily determine which rack/bench is available.
  • susanp57
    susanp57 Posts: 409 Member
    MotherOfSharpei wrote: »
    Reracking others weights left behind doesn't bother me...I consider it an extra workout. But folks in my gym tend to meander between sets, so it is sometimes annoying when you walk in and can't easily determine which rack/bench is available.

    This aggravates me. When I can't be sure if someone is between sets or failed to re-rack.
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,219 Member
    susanp57 wrote: »
    MotherOfSharpei wrote: »
    Reracking others weights left behind doesn't bother me...I consider it an extra workout. But folks in my gym tend to meander between sets, so it is sometimes annoying when you walk in and can't easily determine which rack/bench is available.

    This aggravates me. When I can't be sure if someone is between sets or failed to re-rack.

    I'm a "meanderer" between sets on certain machines. What I do is leave my phone on the bench with a countdown timer very visible (I use the Strong app to track my workout). I'm also never far away and try to pay attention to anybody paying attention to where I'm at. I'll often let people know they can work in if they seem to be waiting.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    MotherOfSharpei wrote: »
    Reracking others weights left behind doesn't bother me...I consider it an extra workout. But folks in my gym tend to meander between sets, so it is sometimes annoying when you walk in and can't easily determine which rack/bench is available.

    If there is no bag- or no water- or no nothing there- I assume someone left it.

    My gym is a bag gym- almost everyone has a bag- or stuff- so it's pretty clear for us to tell whose using what (usually)

    but you do the look around- catch the eye of the nearest guy to the equipment- point at it with a quizzicle look and when he shakes his or her head no- go forth and lift/
  • Okiludy
    Okiludy Posts: 558 Member
    Doesn’t happen at mine either. Folks cleanup after themselves like adults. My gym is also 90% active duty USMC and get called sir more then I can count. So likely not a normal atmosphere.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    Nobody does this at my gym but honestly Idgaf it’s not like it takes that long to take them off myself
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    Cutaway_Collar wrote: »
    You can approach a damsel in distress struggling to rerack the weights a meathead left behind and then romance may blossom?

    Literally how I met my boyfriend of almost 4 years.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    MotherOfSharpei wrote: »
    Reracking others weights left behind doesn't bother me...I consider it an extra workout. But folks in my gym tend to meander between sets, so it is sometimes annoying when you walk in and can't easily determine which rack/bench is available.
    I agree I find the meanderers annoying. Lol. But usually they leave a water bottle or something.
  • Carl_Carlson
    Carl_Carlson Posts: 85 Member
    How about a group of power lifters sitting around waiting while a group of women tie up a power rack doing squats with two 10 Lb weights on the bar? I maintain that this equipment was never intended to be used to do squats with 20 Lbs.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Some of the "etiquette" questions often are more "gym rules" than mere etiquette. I think a lot of gyms have something like this in their rules somewhere! Pick up your toys!
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,219 Member
    I think maybe what Carl is saying is that for such light weights you can squat anywhere without worry about having to dump and hurt yourself. A power rack is to provide a mechanical spotter when a real spotter isn't available. I've seen people use a power rack without even setting the bar catches. Might as well use the regular squat/bench rack. Now, if there is no alternative area to squat or bench but the power rack - then it's fair game for everybody.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    edited October 2017
    .
  • LiveLoveFitFab
    LiveLoveFitFab Posts: 302 Member
    It doesn't matter if the weights on the squat rack seem light to you. If it's more than just the bar (assuming it's 30-35lbs) I can't lift it over my head and on to my shoulders safely, even though you might be able to easily.

    Women have much less upper body strength for getting that bar on their shoulders without using a rack.

    Eyes on your own work out and you won't have to worry about it. But that's just my opinion.
  • jondspen
    jondspen Posts: 253 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    This was a problem at my gym a couple years ago (more with the dumbbells, I believe) so the staff began putting up signs: "If you're too weak to rerack your weights when you're done, please let one of the girls at the front know and they'll take care of it."

    LMAO...that's a good one. Bet it handled the problem too, didn't it? :)
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