Gym/Locker Room Etiquette

tkn11

Adrenalinejunky34's status prompted this for me.

Some people just don't have ANY common courtesy, especially in the gym and/or locker room. What are some of the things you would list on a gym/locker room etiquette list, if your gym had one?

A couple of mine would be:

1) Only 2 people per group at a machine. I see groups of guys with sometimes 5 guys, hogging a machine for what seems like an hour. It's ridiculous.
2) The locker room is a changing room - not a nudist colony. Yes, change your clothes and get naked if you have to, but don't linger - and please block me from getting to my locker by sitting in front of it, naked and gross, talking on the phone.

tkn11

*please DON'T block me* oops lol

dadoffo

You can bring phones in the locker room? I thought that will be illegal since most phones will have camera on it.

I'm with you on #2.

Nikki582

It's 5.30 in the morning. I don't -want- to hear you dropping the weights.. no one's impressed, they just think you're an idiot who can't lift that much.
Also -pick up- the exercise ball to put it away, don't be a wanker and kick it hard at the wall so it bounces back so you can catch it. Right beside my head. Again, you're not impressing anyone, you're just looking like a tool.

Also I appreciate you want to run fast on the treadmill, but if you have to have the speed going so fast that you're having to raise yourself off it using the hand-rails you're going too fast... and making sore puppy noises while you're doing it really isn't making the experience any better for the gym goers.

I'm all for pushing yourself... but work within your limits.

lizziebeth1028

I can't stand when people are talking or texting on their cell phones while on the machines. I will see people running on the tread mill and answer their phone!!! Or one guy literally sent and received like 30 texts and his phone wasn't on silent, his notification sound kept dinging every 10 seconds driving me nuts!

Classalete

Locker room:

A quick glance shows me your mirin', and,entirely heterosexual....A prolonged stare shows me your Sandusky'ing, and by contrast, entirely unacceptable.

Gym/Free-Weight Area:

Conversation should be kept to a minimum as this setting is a place of business...Furthermore, we should all have ties on for an illustration of that point.

Alachofra15

haha - great topic. Hate deliberate dropping of weights - if you were strong enough to be lifting with them to start with you're strong enough to put them down softly - it's not impressive.

lizziebeth1028

Locker room:

A quick glance shows me your mirin', and,entirely heterosexual....A prolonged stare shows me your Sandusky'ing, and by contrast, entirely unacceptable.

Gym/Free-Weight Area:

Conversation should be kept to a minimum as this setting is a place of business...Furthermore, we should all have ties on for an illustration of that point.

LOL Sandusky'ing?!?! too funny :laugh:

tkn11

Locker room:

A quick glance shows me your mirin', and,entirely heterosexual....A prolonged stare shows me your Sandusky'ing, and by contrast, entirely unacceptable.

LOL

jheath123

They always tell me to stop starring and to get out of there before they call security, but what else am I going to do when I sneak into the women's locker room lol. I agree with the 5 dudes standing around one machine or the ones that just stare at themselves in the mirrors and also the grunters, it's hard to concentrate when someone sounds like they are 3/4's the way through intercourse.

Alachofra15

Oh, and not wearing proper work out clothes. Guys coming in jeans and street shoes and girls in full makeup, hair not tied back and no proper sports bra are just there to look good. That's what the mall is for. The rest of us are here to get sweaty and grimace, not look cute.

Jeff92se

haha - great topic. Hate deliberate dropping of weights - if you were strong enough to be lifting with them to start with you're strong enough to put them down softly - it's not impressive.

I often lift the 75lb dumbells for sets of 8 or so. sorry but I'm pretty gassed out to be courteous about your feelings. Plus trying to set them down of the floor gently can cause an shoulder injury. I try to drop them on their ends so they don't gain too much speed but they are going to fall.

And same thing about my deads. at 315lbs for a set of 4, my left hand is loosing it's grip fast. If it fall, it falls. I ain't risking a back injury trying to set it down gently for you.

CouchSpud

Big no to hones in the gym - you are there to work out - the only reason to have a phone glued to your bum is because you are on call
Put those bloody free weights where they belong - if you can take them out, you can put them back, see it as part of your work out routine.
Stop dropping the weight's - makes you look like an idiot - if you cannot handle it - do not use it
Put your pants on when you are drying your hair - it's the locker room not a bloody spa where you should have half of your stuff hanging out and strut around pantyless... urgh

Dustinryan24

just wipe the machine down after youre done.
quit chatting like its a club
dont ask me to work in.. i rest for 20-30 seconds, and only do 3 sets.
dont use 4 different workout machines when there is 100 people working out.. have some damn common sense

Alachofra15

haha - great topic. Hate deliberate dropping of weights - if you were strong enough to be lifting with them to start with you're strong enough to put them down softly - it's not impressive.

I often lift the 75lb dumbells for sets of 8 or so. sorry but I'm pretty gassed out to be courteous about your feelings. Plus trying to set them down of the floor gently can cause an shoulder injury. I try to drop them on their ends so they don't gain too much speed but they are going to fall.

And same thing about my deads. at 315lbs for a set of 4, my left hand is loosing it's grip fast. If it fall, it falls. I ain't risking a back injury trying to set it down gently for you.

I did say DELIBERATE dropping of weights - people understand sometimes they fall if you push it too far. But that's it - if you have to drop them - you're almost certainly doing too many reps. Try dropping a couple of reps, and do another set. Less likely to risk and injury, and tick people off. (yeah dropping weights is annoying - it doesn't hurt my feelings -just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I'm over-emotional)

You know sometimes when people do things differently, it might be because they have something useful.

lizziebeth1028

people reading magazines or books while on the cardio equipment. I'm so focused when I'm working out, my mind is in the zone, I can't imagine trying to read at the same time. For some people it works and if they're fit looking it's obviously working for them. But when someone out of shape has the treadmill on 2.0 and is browsing a magazine it just bugs the crap out of me! Sorry :ohwell:

MercenaryNoetic26

Oh, and not wearing proper work out clothes. Guys coming in jeans and street shoes and girls in full makeup, hair not tied back and no proper sports bra are just there to look good. That's what the mall is for. The rest of us are here to get sweaty and grimace, not look cute.

I'm totally there to look cute AND be hardcore. LOL

jheath123

I am guilty of the texting while on a machine, but I also use my phone to listen to music and have headphones in so it doesn't disturb anyone else. If you gotta drop the weights to avoid an injury, you're already close enough to hurting yourself to begin with. One thing I hate is when people do not wipe off a machine after they use it and just walk away, there's a couple at my gym that get a F- on etiquette always walk away from a machine with it dirty will just sit on another after they have finished their workout and talk.

Jeff92se

haha - great topic. Hate deliberate dropping of weights - if you were strong enough to be lifting with them to start with you're strong enough to put them down softly - it's not impressive.

I often lift the 75lb dumbells for sets of 8 or so. sorry but I'm pretty gassed out to be courteous about your feelings. Plus trying to set them down of the floor gently can cause an shoulder injury. I try to drop them on their ends so they don't gain too much speed but they are going to fall.

And same thing about my deads. at 315lbs for a set of 4, my left hand is loosing it's grip fast. If it fall, it falls. I ain't risking a back injury trying to set it down gently for you.

I did say DELIBERATE dropping of weights - people understand sometimes they fall if you push it too far. But that's it - if you have to drop them - you're almost certainly doing too many reps. Try dropping a couple of reps, and do another set. Less likely to risk and injury, and tick people off. (yeah dropping weights is annoying - it doesn't hurt my feelings -just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I'm over-emotional)

You know sometimes when people do things differently, it might be because they have something useful.

Dropping reps? I can do the reps fine. Just gassed out at the end to drop them softly. Tell you what, you flat bench 2 75lb dumbells and try to drop them softly. Not going to happen. I there to work out and push myself. Not to be PC. I'm not there screaming and grunting but the weights I use are heavy sometimes. People have to understand that.

What's sort of annoying to me is seeing people that are annoyed that I have to drop the dumbells sometimes. Just because my weights drop with a THUD vs your 10lb "tink", doesnt' make me some arrogant muscle head.

3dogsrunning

Locker room -
For some reason, people don't seem to want to flush the toilet. The other day I had to rush in and grab a piece of toilet paper for my nose, which required me to bend a bit, coming face to face with someone's unflushed toilet. Gross. The toilets are a little weak, so you have to hold it for a second longer, but please, make sure it flushes.

Gym -
Twice in the past week I have had to deal with girls (one of which who works at the gym) taking free weights, then standing and talking for 15 minutes (I am not exaggerating the time). One girl (the worker) held them the entire time, so it wasn't even like I could grab them for a set. At least in the other case, I asked her if I could use them. Finished all 4 sets and moved on before she went back to using them. The gym is small and they only have one set of free weights. No need to hog.

MercenaryNoetic26

just wipe the machine down after youre done.
quit chatting like its a club
dont ask me to work in.. i rest for 20-30 seconds, and only do 3 sets.
dont use 4 different workout machines when there is 100 people working out.. have some damn common sense

Yeah, but in those 30 LONG seconds someone can do their ONE set that you might've jumped on the machine while they were supersetting/circuiting anyway... Aaaagh... Don't be an equipment hog. If they have the courtesy to ask is because they know what they're doing.

Jeff92se

I suggest asking to use them. I'd say 95% of the people I ask will let you use them. If they give you attitude, then say I could have been done with my set in the time you've been standing there hanging onto them. I ask all the time. If someone asks me, I say "sure, want to work in?".

3dogsrunning

I do ask, and did in one case. But I am still new to the gym and felt awkward asking for them out of her hands in the other case. I also assumed since she was holding them, she was going to start using them any second now. I ended up just doing something else.

ETA- new to THAT gym, not new to the gym.

Dustinryan24

haha - great topic. Hate deliberate dropping of weights - if you were strong enough to be lifting with them to start with you're strong enough to put them down softly - it's not impressive.

I often lift the 75lb dumbells for sets of 8 or so. sorry but I'm pretty gassed out to be courteous about your feelings. Plus trying to set them down of the floor gently can cause an shoulder injury. I try to drop them on their ends so they don't gain too much speed but they are going to fall.

And same thing about my deads. at 315lbs for a set of 4, my left hand is loosing it's grip fast. If it fall, it falls. I ain't risking a back injury trying to set it down gently for you.

I did say DELIBERATE dropping of weights - people understand sometimes they fall if you push it too far. But that's it - if you have to drop them - you're almost certainly doing too many reps. Try dropping a couple of reps, and do another set. Less likely to risk and injury, and tick people off. (yeah dropping weights is annoying - it doesn't hurt my feelings -just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I'm over-emotional)

You know sometimes when people do things differently, it might be because they have something useful.

gotta jump in here.. guys lift differently than women.. to gain size, you have to lift very heavy. thats why some guys do 4-6 sets on certain days. they do go higher reps on other days with lighter weights. so i understand when they drop the weights every once in a while..

but i understand the types of idiots you are talking about.. youtube jim rome on gym guy. i hate those clowns

twirwin

haha - great topic. Hate deliberate dropping of weights - if you were strong enough to be lifting with them to start with you're strong enough to put them down softly - it's not impressive.

I often lift the 75lb dumbells for sets of 8 or so. sorry but I'm pretty gassed out to be courteous about your feelings. Plus trying to set them down of the floor gently can cause an shoulder injury. I try to drop them on their ends so they don't gain too much speed but they are going to fall.

And same thing about my deads. at 315lbs for a set of 4, my left hand is loosing it's grip fast. If it fall, it falls. I ain't risking a back injury trying to set it down gently for you.

I did say DELIBERATE dropping of weights - people understand sometimes they fall if you push it too far. But that's it - if you have to drop them - you're almost certainly doing too many reps. Try dropping a couple of reps, and do another set. Less likely to risk and injury, and tick people off. (yeah dropping weights is annoying - it doesn't hurt my feelings -just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I'm over-emotional)

You know sometimes when people do things differently, it might be because they have something useful.

Dropping reps? I can do the reps fine. Just gassed out at the end to drop them softly. Tell you what, you flat bench 2 75lb dumbells and try to drop them softly. Not going to happen. I there to work out and push myself. Not to be PC. I'm not there screaming and grunting but the weights I use are heavy sometimes. People have to understand that.

What's sort of annoying to me is seeing people that are annoyed that I have to drop the dumbells sometimes. Just because my weights drop with a THUD vs your 10lb "tink", doesnt' make me some arrogant muscle head.

Actually, your behavior in this thread make you seem like a pretty arrogant muscle head. I lift some pretty heavy weights, but I have the ability to put them down fairly gently.

Don't be a douche. Some people drop weights inappropriately loudly.

Jeff92se

If anything, it lets them know that they are doing nothing with the weights and get it gear so someone else can use them.

shunkawakon

I hate the guys that come in "full costume"....baggy jeans, stupid *kitten* straight-brimmed hat and in their stupid jerseys....soooo annoying! nobody should be there trying to impress anyone!!!

also, there are a lot of naked women walking around my locker room....and of course I have to avert the eyes downward. Sometimes I accidentally catch their eyes and they stare at me like I'm a creep, but COME ON stop hanging out all naked! put a towel on! I am NOT checking you out! ug!

My workout buddy also got hit on, and creeply stared down by one guy. He came up and bugged her about it with me. Annoying, we have a schedule here buddy, we're trying to get s*** done!! Stop being a creep this is no place to ask women out on dates!!!

Barneystinson

DE-LOAD YOUR PLATES.

and...

Don't curl / talk on your cell phones / chat with your brahs in the squat rack, brocacho.

3dogsrunning

If anything, it lets them know that they are doing nothing with the weights and get it gear so someone else can use them.

Good point.

Jeff92se

haha - great topic. Hate deliberate dropping of weights - if you were strong enough to be lifting with them to start with you're strong enough to put them down softly - it's not impressive.

I often lift the 75lb dumbells for sets of 8 or so. sorry but I'm pretty gassed out to be courteous about your feelings. Plus trying to set them down of the floor gently can cause an shoulder injury. I try to drop them on their ends so they don't gain too much speed but they are going to fall.

And same thing about my deads. at 315lbs for a set of 4, my left hand is loosing it's grip fast. If it fall, it falls. I ain't risking a back injury trying to set it down gently for you.

I did say DELIBERATE dropping of weights - people understand sometimes they fall if you push it too far. But that's it - if you have to drop them - you're almost certainly doing too many reps. Try dropping a couple of reps, and do another set. Less likely to risk and injury, and tick people off. (yeah dropping weights is annoying - it doesn't hurt my feelings -just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I'm over-emotional)

You know sometimes when people do things differently, it might be because they have something useful.

Dropping reps? I can do the reps fine. Just gassed out at the end to drop them softly. Tell you what, you flat bench 2 75lb dumbells and try to drop them softly. Not going to happen. I there to work out and push myself. Not to be PC. I'm not there screaming and grunting but the weights I use are heavy sometimes. People have to understand that.

What's sort of annoying to me is seeing people that are annoyed that I have to drop the dumbells sometimes. Just because my weights drop with a THUD vs your 10lb "tink", doesnt' make me some arrogant muscle head.

Actually, your behavior in this thread make you seem like a pretty arrogant muscle head. I lift some pretty heavy weights, but I have the ability to put them down fairly gently.

Don't be a douche. Some people drop weights inappropriately loudly.

I do put them down as gently as I can. But if my grip on the dead liftbar fails, what exactly do you want me to do about it? Try to catch it mid air and set it down nice and soft?

I bet I put down the dumbells just as gently as you. But I bet the both of us put them down to loud for that particular person.

I'm not doing power clean to an overhead press than just slamming the weight down from 6ft in the air.

jheath123

This is a great thread, basically we all have the same pet peeves when it comes to the gym, and we're all here to basically back up and support each other. We all have the same people that walk around like they own the gym or sit on a machine that you need to use, knowing you need to use it. Whether we admit it or not we check each other out be it a glance, a stare, or the eventual restraining order, some people just have no common courtesy when it comes to a public setting. People are going to drop weights and grunt and push themselves it is the gym, just don't hurt yourself.