Proper Gym Etiquette

Options
Immerito
Immerito Posts: 105 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What is proper gym etiquette in the weight room, classes or the cardio area?
«13456789

Replies

  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Options
    The area in front of six lockers is not your personal, reserved space.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Options
    Do not fart while doing squats.
  • blwenz
    blwenz Posts: 16
    Options
    There are so many rules, some written, some unwritten. I think the one thing that bothers me the most is someone leaving a bench or machine without wiping it down. Most gyms have sani wipes and signs posted everywhere and its just plain gross and disrespectful to walk away from a sweaty nasty machine.
  • SJ46
    SJ46 Posts: 407 Member
    Options
    Proper etiquette in classes - stay out of my spot, front row left side in combat, front row left of the instructor under the fan in step.

    Proper etiquette in the weight room - if you have been chatting for the last five minutes while standing in the olympic platform do not give me, then your friend, a look when I ask to use it and then say you need to do your last set of pullups first.

    Do what you want in the cardio area, I have no use for it.

    ;-)
  • blwenz
    blwenz Posts: 16
    Options
    Do not fart while doing squats.

    At least say "excuse me"
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,535 Member
    Options
    Weight room- get your business done, put your weights away, wipe down machine or bench

    Classes- don't get on your phone, don't carry on conversation while the instructor is speaking to instruct, leave room to move around

    Cardio- don't hog the machine (30-60 min then get off unless there's a lot still available), wipe off your machine when done, don't pile on perfume or cologne so that others around can breathe.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    Options
    stinking is a no no!
  • fShaw86
    fShaw86 Posts: 878 Member
    Options
    Encouraging other members is great, criticizing their form is not.
    Wiping down machines after you use them.
    Returning weights to their respective racks.
    Not staring at people when they're working out.
    Not loitering in access areas, like in front of machines, weight racks, water coolers, etc.
    Engaging a person lifting, running, in deep conversation.
  • SJ46
    SJ46 Posts: 407 Member
    Options
    On a serious note, be courteous of others first and foremost.

    Also -
    when you are finished using something put it away
    if you sweat all over equipment, wipe it down
    use equipment for what it is meant for, if what you are doing can be done somewhere else then don't use specialized equipment (aka don't curl in the squat rack)
    if you have questions/need help then ask someone
    don't slam stuff around or be extra dramatic
    if you check someone out, be discreet not creepy
    blow dryers in the locker room are not meant for your entire body
    seriously, don't take my spot in class.
  • mego07
    mego07 Posts: 234 Member
    Options
    After a frustrating evening at the gym, my ex-boyfriend and I went through what could almost be a book of silly and serious gym etiquette rules. The biggest seem to be to clean the machine after your use and do not try to look like a "bad *kitten*" and end up breaking the equipment and now no one can use it. --that seems to happen a lot with the heavy bag and speed bag. :(
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    Options
    Don't hog multiple racks/machines to do your Crossfit routine while the gym is packed.
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    Options
    Don't hog multiple racks/machines to do your Crossfit routine while the gym is packed.

    This drives me nuts! Ill see this guy all the time with various weights and hell be running around the room doing headstand pushups, go do a set, then be gone someplace else.. and of course you cant go use his stuff bc all the weight is still sitting there. Ugh.

    Also put the equimpment away. I hate when people dont put the accessory things (Grips, bars whatever) for the cable machine back. Or when they dont put the plates back in the right spot.

    Also, I dont care for people coming up and trying to talk to me while I am doing cardio. seriously. especially if I dont know you!

    I do have a question... what are you supposed to do while waiting for a machine, rack, etc? sometimes I find something else to do, other times I just kinda stand there looking at my phone or something, or go over by the window.. but its always kinda awkward. I dont want to seem impatient.
  • SJ46
    SJ46 Posts: 407 Member
    Options
    Don't hog multiple racks/machines to do your Crossfit routine while the gym is packed.

    This drives me nuts! Ill see this guy all the time with various weights and hell be running around the room doing headstand pushups, go do a set, then be gone someplace else.. and of course you cant go use his stuff bc all the weight is still sitting there. Ugh.

    I agree, ugh.

    Early last Saturday morning this guy was curling the bar in the only olympic lifting platform then meandering across the gym to the cable machines to do triceps, then he would slowly meander back to the platform all the way across the gym to do his curls and so on. Of course he draped his towel across the barbell to claim it while he was working his triceps. Really, you can't find somewhere else to do your curls?
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    Options
    Just throw the towel off and see what happens ;)
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Options
    Don't come into a class after it's started.

    I cannot tell you how many people come meandering into Spin or Yoga half way through the class, and then expect you to move over or help them get set up.

    It's like seriously, had you been here on time, you would know what to do and how to do it!
  • lcvaughn520
    lcvaughn520 Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    My big pet peeve is if you take like 6 different sets of weights off the rack and line them up next to your mat. This one guy at my gym does this and because he has such a big range, he has like ALL the weights I need!!

    Also, if you're doing a circuit workout, you can't get mad at people for using machines that you are using in your circuit. This one lady literally was staring me down and making snide (not so quiet) comments about me to her trainer because I didn't realize she had been planning to use a machine that I jumped on. You can't expect people to be paying that much attention to what you're doing, so if you're halfway across the gym, someone else can use the machine. Ancillary - it's also not considered good gym ettiquete to be snide and talking about someone. People feel self conscious enough there, lady!
  • hifi898
    hifi898 Posts: 54
    Options
    MY PEOPLE!! I was wondering when this thread would come up on rotation on my MFP message board notices, as over the past week, I've noticed the same damn gym "offense" from multiple patrons at my gym and needed a place to gripe about it.

    If you are done with a piece of equipment, please kindly move so others can use it. Exercise equipment, including benches and such in the free weight area, are not your personal lounge equipment. Too many times this past week, I've been in the gym just waiting and waiting...and waiting for some obviously non-engaged person to move off of the cable row machine or the squat rack. What makes it worse is that if I ask them if they're almost done, I get a "Yeah, just one more set" and then they proceed to d*** around and talk to friends walking by, play on their phone, sit around staring and doing ANYTHING but finishing their set.

    THIS is why I get my *kitten* up at 4am and go lift - no people!

    On a slightly different note, I *HAVE* noticed the repeat offenders of this are oddly the 45 yr oldish men that come in, weight belts and pre-workouts in tow to "work out" (i.e. sit around on machines, talk to friends, and be creepy starers of women at the gym) and the beer gut never seems to get any smaller...

    I did have a slight OMFG moment yesterday. A woman came in with her bf/hubs/friend? who was grossly overweight, and is apparently getting "lifting" advice from this guy. I've seen them both in there the past few months and they do the same thing. They pretty much walk around the gym, do a few dumbbell curls in the weight area, and then sit at the smoothie bar the rest of the time. I want to shake her so bad and say "Why are you taking nutrition/exercise advice from someone who obviously doesn't take any himself??"

    Okay, done ranting. Pulling soapbox away now...
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Options
    Bathing oneself in perfume before entering any workout areas is spiteful, stop that *kitten*!
  • gerard54
    gerard54 Posts: 1,107 Member
    Options
    Throw weights, make loud noises while lifting, jump from one machine to the next, hit on girls...
  • CarlKRobbo
    CarlKRobbo Posts: 390 Member
    Options
    Depends on the gym:

    Commercial Gym:

    Weights are not allowed, treadmills must be thy second home, you must never break a sweat, make any noise, smell exactly the same as you did when you went in, spend 90% of the time chatting, do endless BB\DB Curls and situps, people putting on belts then doing front shoulder raises with 2.5KG's\5Lb's!
    Personal observation.... If you have to hold on to the handles on the treadmill, lower the damn incline!!

    Proper Gym:

    Gloves are not allowed, Chalk is Mandatory. If you can lift it more than 5 times, it's not heavy enough, If the next weight did not break you it's still not heavy enough. If you can move the body part you just trained, you didn't do enough. If it's 1RM time, screaming\farting\fainting are all allowed, in fact recommended

    On a more serious note, Put the weights away. Wipe down the machines, Do not curl in the squat rack, Do NOT do situps in the power rack (That really did happen!!). Don't sit around for 5\10 minutes in between sets*

    Whilst I am guilty of the last one, I do that on 1RM days only, in a quiet gym, and no-one really want's to spend ages stripping my weights and re-loading them anyway

Categories