Gym etiquette question

katykat79

Hi! On my leg day, I go to the power cage to do my squats, lunges and straight leg deadlifts; the entire routine takes me about 20 minutes. I go to the Y and usually no one else is in the cage or wants to be in the cage (as far as I can tell). I had just done my first squat when a guy walked in. He clearly wanted to use the cage. He just sat behind me and stared. Eventually he got up and did some other things, but he kept checking back. I continued my routine and when I was done, he came right over. So what is the etiquette? Was I correct to keep going? Or should I have let him rotate in? He wasn't particularly rude, but definitely irritated. I wouldn't be rude on purpose, so I would like to know the answer. Thank you!!!!

Captain_Wobbles

On the smith cage, there isn't usually room to have people work in. Rest between sets are short and variances of weights between others ruins the whole objective if you have to wait around for somebody else to finish a set and unrack. So in short no it wasn't bad etiquette on your behalf. He was probably grouchy since like you said , the equipment is usually empty and he had his hopes on getting to the gym and getting his workout in but had to wait. So as long as you weren't standing there on your phone taking selfies the dude was just outta luck.

Brownsbacker4evr

This is one reason I tend to switch my muscle groups up to uncommon days. For example, I'll never do a chest day on Monday. Good luck ever getting a bench. Chest-bros everywhere! Either way there sometimes just isn't enough equipment to go around, so If you wanna be a nice person about it, you could ask if he wanted to work in between sets with you.

Rhayahana

At our gym, if you want to use the one and only squat rack we have, and it's occupied, you just ask how many sets they still have to do, and just wait for it to be free while doing your other things.
If you want to be nice and have enough time between sets, you could see if he would want to rotate in, which I personally don't do since I'm on 90 sec between sets.

JoRocka

Hi! On my leg day, I go to the power cage to do my squats, lunges and straight leg deadlifts; the entire routine takes me about 20 minutes. I go to the Y and usually no one else is in the cage or wants to be in the cage (as far as I can tell). I had just done my first squat when a guy walked in. He clearly wanted to use the cage. He just sat behind me and stared. Eventually he got up and did some other things, but he kept checking back. I continued my routine and when I was done, he came right over. So what is the etiquette? Was I correct to keep going? Or should I have let him rotate in? He wasn't particularly rude, but definitely irritated. I wouldn't be rude on purpose, so I would like to know the answer. Thank you!!!!

You're fine.

You have no obligation to offer- it's THEIR job to ask or work around. I watched a guy do the very same thing once at my gym- both racks and the cage were occupied (I was at the cage) and he just stood there watching - standing obviously patient but obviously wanting the equipment. No one did anything extra. And he never asked- so he never got started any sooner.

Busy days- I will only offer/make eye contact and play charades when I KNOW the person and I know odds are the rack is where they are headed next- usually I'll ask - you want this after me? (yes- there can be a line for the rack)- but that's only if I know you and like you. I'm not going out of my way for you otherwise- that's THEIR job.

You're totally fine.

Although- lunges- you normally can do those outside the equipment- unless you're doing weight you simple cannot get over head.

shor0814

I think you are fine, as long as you were working out and using the equipment.

You might, maybe, have been able to move out of the cage for deadlifts, but that also depends on your gym and the availability of barbells and floor space. In my gym it was hard to find space outside of the cage to do deads. With the new dead platform/cage/rack combo you are expected to do them on the platform. Of course it helps that we have 5 combos and one standard power cage :happy:

MagnumBurrito

I agree with shor0814 and JoRocka, move out of the cage for dead lifts if possible. And you're under no obligation to offer. I use to hog the rack for 45 min. There's another dude who would for an hour and a half. At first I felt like a d*ck doing it for that long but you get used to it and won't care. It's really on the gym, they should have more racks available. The person who is obviously waiting should ask to work in. I never turned anyone down who asked to work in. That's actually how I made a lot of gym friends.

katykat79

Thank you everyone! Just the feedback I needed.... I take very little rest between sets (20-30 secs max) and the way my gym is set up, there is really no room outside the cage for lunges or deadlifts....and you know if he weren't so dang creepy about sitting down right behind me, I would have offered

Booksandbeaches

Thank you everyone! Just the feedback I needed.... I take very little rest between sets (20-30 secs max) and the way my gym is set up, there is really no room outside the cage for lunges or deadlifts....and you know if he weren't so dang creepy about sitting down right behind me, I would have offered

You're fine. I don't think you did anything wrong. At a larger military gym I go to, I've watched one or two users hog a machine for 30 minutes or more. What's irritating is that they're texting or scrolling through something on their smart phone for more than five minutes. That kind of behavior is inconsiderate.

joshbond85

Being efficient is all that is required.

AND NO CURLS IN THE RACK!!!!!

madi678

I think you were fine to keep going, as long as you weren't wasting time taking selfies or texting haha. Strange he didn't ask how many sets you had left and just sat there and waited for a bit.

cwolfman13

I think you're fine...my only possible suggestion would be to move out of the cage for your dead lifts. The cage at my gym has an Oly platform right behind the cage and that's where people are supposed to do their dead lifts, etc. Also, what kind of weight are you using for the lunges...would it be possible to do your lunge work outside of the cage too.

Again, I don't think in anyway that you are in the wrong...but I'm always looking for ways to be more efficient and to allow others to be more efficient as well...unfortunately, there never seems to be enough equipment to go around. As far as working in goes though, the onus is on him to ask.

I have rarely asked to work in myself as either the other individual is substantially stronger than I am and I don't want to waste time changing plates and what not or the individual is lifting too little weight and the same problem there with having to change out plates. I generally only ask to work in on cable machines and whatnot where it's really easy to change the weight...or if someone's level is on par with my own.