Gym Etiquette

lunamare

I've got major pet peeves at the gym but I tend to just try to focus on my workout and ignore the idiots. I've got a degree in sports med and worked at clubs when I was younger, so, I've learned that no matter how hard you try, you're not going to change them.

I hate people who use bad form when lifting free weights. I want to tell them how much damage they're actually doing to their body but I keep my mouth shut.

I do sit on a machine in between sets, but, I rarely take more than 1 minute between sets and I go at sort of an "off" time.

I watch to see if someone else is using a machine before I head over to it. I'm flexible, I can rearrange my workout if I have to so I can share machines.

I'm sure people give me looks with my phone in my hand BUT I'm using the ActivTrax website that our Y is linked to. My workout is on my phone and I enter in my reps, weights, etc on it. I can't stand carrying around the paper and then typing it into the computer later, this way it's all done when I'm done. I do not talk on the phone at the gym, ever. That's for outside.

As for time crunch, there are some days all I have time for is to get in a cardio workout or a quick weight circuit. Other days I can stay longer. The only day I'm there at a set time is Monday, so, I'm sure people wonder. I really don't care. It's my workout, not theirs.

Biggest pet peeve, I think would be people who think they "own" the gym and the rest of us are in their way.

kaits108

-"owning" a spot during an aerobic class....please, you do not own the space, you may like to stand thr every time you come in, but you do not OWN it, please to not touch the person in "your spot" they came in before you did. ppl dont like to be pushed.

I hate this! It's not the end of the world if you don't stand in the exact same spot every class! I've seen this in a lot of the weight lifting classes at my gym, and the little cliques annoy me with the people who are up the instructors butt. I get it, you're in the class a lot, no need to show off. I'm here a lot too, but I'd rather make people feel welcome than excluded.

And it's really bad at my gym with the cycling class I hear. I haven't even tried that class because I've heard of people being so possive of "their" bikes. Ridiculous!

lunamare

One of the funnier comments ever made to me by an instructor was because I had moved from the area I typically was in during her class to the other side. She said it kept screwing her up because she was looking for me and I wasn't there. I had to laugh. We were all very close in that class and really tried to make new people feel welcome. I hate walking into a class where everyone is stuck up and witchy.

pauljohnsadler

I worked in the fitness industry for about 8 years and I think I have seen it all. One of my personal pet peeves is when I am finished with my workout and go to take a shower. I try to be discreet and not look around and focus on getting in and getting out. I HATE it when guys speak to me and they are COMPLETELY NAKED. That is probably the most uncomfortable thing. I wanna tell them to put clothes on! UGHH...

LaylaClapton

The gym I go to is small, and there's not a lot of equipment. There are 2 treadmills & 3 ellipticals. If both treadmills are in use, and I've waited 25mins and this one particular guy is showing no sign of stopping, I DO interrupt and ask when he's going to be done. Gym policy is clear: 30mins when someone is waiting. He also sweats all over the machine & doesn't wipe it down. Disgusting.
I'm talking several times this month, that he has done this. I'm going to let the gym manager handle it from now on.

GooBeGone

The gym I go to is small, and there's not a lot of equipment. There are 2 treadmills & 3 ellipticals. If both treadmills are in use, and I've waited 25mins and this one particular guy is showing no sign of stopping, I DO interrupt and ask when he's going to be done. Gym policy is clear: 30mins when someone is waiting. He also sweats all over the machine & doesn't wipe it down. Disgusting.
I'm talking several times this month, that he has done this. I'm going to let the gym manager handle it from now on.

ewwww gross. i hate it when ppl don't wipe down.... that's just nasty.. :sick:

Lisa__Michelle

-I get listening to music while you work out. However, you are in a public place and thus you must interact with other people. If your music is so loud you can't hear other people asking you questions or addressing someother concern you should probably take your work out home.

I have to disagree and that I am not there to talk. It is a public place but it is also a gym. There is no point in working out if you can carry on a conversation. You should be just out of breath enough not to be able to or you are not working out hard enough and there is no point in coming. Please, go to a public place that was meant for conversing with others like a coffee shop or something. That brings me to my biggest pet peeve.

1. The people who sit or stand on a machine or in front of one having a full blown conversation. You could be blocking someone's way from them actually wanting to use the gym.
2. I don't see anything wrong with taking rests on the machines as long as they are a minute or less rests in between sets. I am not going to get up and walk away to just come back 30 seconds later.
3. I have to say the girl that said people try to "save" and "own" the equipment, it is not anbody's to save. Everybody pays the same membership so it has to be shared.
4. Other than that, just don't be rude to others.

bstamps12

I can't believe no one has said this yet: staying on the cardio machines for forever! I get that you pay for a gym membership, but there are signs everywhere saying that if it is a busy time at the gym, to limit time on the cardio machines to 30 minutes. Yet people will stay on them over 45 minutes when they can see a lot of people waiting on the machines! I understand you want a good workout, but don't come at 5:00 (the busiest time at my gym) and expect to hop right on the elliptical and stay there an entire hour! (My gym only has 5 ellipticals, 5 treadmills, and 2 bikes. They are also the only gym with good cardio machines in the entire town so obviously there are a lot of people fighting for time on those few machines!!)

The gym I went to before I moved was awesome, but there were constantly old (I am talking 65+) ladies walking around NAKED in the locker room! At the very least, put a towel around you, please!

Amy62575

No you're not.

Gym etiquette: keep your eyes off my cardio machine. You don't need to know how long I've been on, how far I've gone, how fast I'm going, etc. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS! And you better believe if I catch you looking at my machine, I'm going to look at you, look at my machine.

My thoughts exactly. Thank you for posting

Amy62575

I don't know if this was posted already, but how about the dude (or chic) who decides they want to use 2 machines at a time...1 set on this machine and moves to another...meanwhile I have been doing my own thing and I go to his first machine, he comes back and gives me the evil eye....Yo. For 1 - they are not YOUR machines, and 2 - I was not stalking you and your workout so I did not realize you were using 2 machines at the same time until AFTER I wondered why you were looking at me funny and then watched you. How annoying. Oh and 3 - you didn't clean the equipment between. Ewww.

Actuality

Girls in full make up, reading magazines, while on the cardio machines. WHY??

I dont wear makeup on the machines... but I am known to read a good book while I am on there. Or watch my favorite show. Anything to help me get through that incline of 15 for and hour.

So thankful I go to an all womens gym too.

iplayoutside19

-I get listening to music while you work out. However, you are in a public place and thus you must interact with other people. If your music is so loud you can't hear other people asking you questions or addressing someother concern you should probably take your work out home.

I have to disagree and that I am not there to talk. It is a public place but it is also a gym. There is no point in working out if you can carry on a conversation. You should be just out of breath enough not to be able to or you are not working out hard enough and there is no point in coming. Please, go to a public place that was meant for conversing with others like a coffee shop or something. That brings me to my biggest pet peeve.

Let me clarify. I pretty much agree I'm not there to talk. But occaisionally if I need ask if you're done using the 70 lb Bar Bell that's been sitting by "your" bench for 10 minutes and you haven't touched it....I'd like to get a yes or no answer without having to wave my hand infront of you to get your attention because you can't hear a thing going on around you.

dave4d

I use my phone all the time, but it is for music, and logging my workouts.
I sit on the machine/equipment, until I'm done with all my sets, but I only rest 60 seconds max between sets. I pull out my phone to start my timer after I log what I lifted during that 60 second period.
I tend to be OCD on organizing the plates. I hate it when they are scattered all over the floor, and in an unorganized manner on the racks, so between sets, I usually organize them according to weight to make it easier to find what I'm looking for.

GooBeGone

I can't believe no one has said this yet: staying on the cardio machines for forever! I get that you pay for a gym membership, but there are signs everywhere saying that if it is a busy time at the gym, to limit time on the cardio machines to 30 minutes. Yet people will stay on them over 45 minutes when they can see a lot of people waiting on the machines! I understand you want a good workout, but don't come at 5:00 (the busiest time at my gym) and expect to hop right on the elliptical and stay there an entire hour! (My gym only has 5 ellipticals, 5 treadmills, and 2 bikes. They are also the only gym with good cardio machines in the entire town so obviously there are a lot of people fighting for time on those few machines!!)

i admit i kinda do this BUT i go when it's a down time. & there are abt 15 treadmills & unfortunately they aren't spaced 2 where u can c all of them 2gether (some of the treadmills r in alcoves). BUT i do also (if i'm doin a long run) go on it for a time then get off. then i get back on if no1 steps up 2 it if it's busy or if it looks like there r at least 3 others avail. our machines cut off at 1hr anyways. lol. but again i go at an OFF-PEAK time. there r also abt 10 ellipticals which i never use and abt 6 bike machines. it's not the biggest gym but it's the only 24hr gym close 2 where i live.

so i admit i'm guilty (:embarassed:)but i am conscious of others. i make sure that it doesn't impede any1 else gettin a workout.

& yes i know the machine cuts off at an hr b/c i was workin out that long & there were 5 avail treadmills right next 2 me so no harm no foul. :flowerforyou:

andyxbear

I hate people who go to the gym walk on the treadmill for 20 mins and leave, this is their everyday workout. Why come to the gym at all? Do some weights, put the thing on incline, boost the speed, hit the elliptical or a bike. This also goes with the person who comes into the gym does 20 on the recumbant bike and leaves. I guess some just go for the social atmosphere?

Maybe these people just don't have enough time to do more, at least they are doing something instead of sitting at home. Or maybe they just had surgery or something and can't do anything strenuous. This is one thing I feel like people judge me for while at the gym, I walk, I don't run, I can't run, but at least I am there to do what I can!

I knew I would catch some flack..but in the 6 years that i have went to this gym, that is all I have ever seen these people do, nothing more nothing less. I guess it is their money.

That was kind of rude. I agree that maybe those people only had 20 minutes of spare time to be at the gym. I, too, walk and don't run or do vigorous exercises and I usually do it 20 or 30 minutes at a time. It's my pace. It's not being rude to anyone.