Proper Gym Etiquette

Options
1234579

Replies

  • jyneefur
    jyneefur Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    Don't hang around the scale in the locker room, chillin' and gossiping with your 95 pounds friends. (There's plenty of room elsewhere!) It's bad enough you look at me like I'm the Loch Ness Monster, you don't need to be able to see exactly how much I weigh, too.

    Besides, you might think I'm crazy when the scale says 298 and I SMILE because it meant I was no longer in the 300s. :P
  • SJ46
    SJ46 Posts: 407 Member
    Options
    We have 1 squat rack and 2 bench press benches (I guess you call them). Yesterday I did my squats and then went to wait for a bench. After being cutting in front of 3 times, I thought next time I'll just drag a bench under the squat rack. Then, do my rows there and be finished.

    So, that's going to make everyone mad? I don't want to do something that everyone is going to be shaking their head about...

    And if I don't do that, how do I make it known that I am not sitting there admiring the guy in front of me - I really do want to be next!!!

    I'm not sure why you need a bench to do your rows. Next time try putting the bar on the floor, deadlift it to a standing position, bend at the hips, and row. Try it this way and you won't need to wait for a bench. :)
  • tanetti
    tanetti Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    Encouraging other members is great, criticizing their form is not.

    This! A woman was behind me in Body Pump and after class told me I arched my back during squats. Um, yeah, I'm not arching my back; I have a bit too much of a natural curve in my lower back, but thanks for noticing.

    Oh, and if you're going commando please check in the mirror to make sure your spandex doesn't become see-through when you squat or otherwise stress the material. During one Pump class I was stuck behind a woman and her netherlands were staring back at me. Terrifying.

    And then there's the guy in spin class who sounded like he was having some major sexy sex. I feared lives would be lost! And a different guy who tries to lift heavy in Body Pump, attempting ~70 lbs. on the bar for biceps (too heavy for ~100 reps) and failing, then dropping the bar on the wood floor from about 3 feet up (don't wonder why the flooring is warped!).
  • c_faulkenburg
    c_faulkenburg Posts: 158 Member
    Options


    If you're late for class your position is in the back. Don't force your way up.

    ^^^this! I was so mad at myself last week, I got to Zumba early and took my place in the front cause I like to be able to see. This woman came in and stood directly behind me and got all up in my business, so I just went back to the back. I was so upset. She always comes late, always leaves before the stretching and she checks her phone between songs. I kept staring at the back of her head thinking evil thoughts.
  • cchamil1985
    cchamil1985 Posts: 74 Member
    Options
    [snip]
    So before you go claiming that weight loss is difficult without exercise, you may want to figure out how MFP actually works.

    Dear,

    I realize that you are new to this, and I am sorry if I offended your pride by calling you out, but before you attempt to speak authoritatively on a topic you need to come to an authoritative conclusion based on evidence. Trumpeting incomplete or inaccurate information as fact will get you called on the carpet in the company of knowledgeable people.

    I really couldn't care less how MFP works if it is going to get in the way of my weight loss. A calorie deficit without hormone balancing usually winds up causing more weight gain than loss. You have heard the story hundreds of times, it goes like this:

    Person realizes they are fat so person begins calorie deficit. Person drops XX number of pounds and then plateaus, loses little to no weight for an extended period of time, gets discouraged, and returns to a normal calorie diet. Person balloons to a greater weight than they were before while eating fewer calories than they were before.

    What happened? The person ate at a deficit for an extended period of time and their body acclimated to the reduced calorie intake. They no longer needed the number of calories that their TDEE calculator said they needed because their metabolism had slowed down to compensate for the reduced caloric intake. Their system will normalize when they start eating again but they have invariably gained more weight than they started with.

    This happens over and over again. This is not the cause of every case of "yo-yo-ing", but it is the cause of some of it, and the only way to prevent it from happening is to force your body to produce the hormones that allow you to burn fat while increasing your metabolism.

    The process that we use to do that is called exercise. It is 2230 where I am and it is too late to get into the different kinds of exercise and how they affect the body's hormone levels, so I'll leave you with that.
  • luceegj
    luceegj Posts: 246 Member
    Options
    Don't workout next to someone if you really don't need to!!!!!! Drives me crazy!!!!!
    Example of last week!

    Treadmills!

    (Me). (The girl who decided to use the one next to me). (Empty) .(Empty).(Empty).(Empty). (Man)

    Crazy people! Use the Space!
  • Jerrypeoples
    Jerrypeoples Posts: 1,541 Member
    Options
    I have no problem with people correcting my form.


    happened just two days ago. i asked a kid for a spot on bench (im very negative in what i think i can or should be able to do). it was my 4th set and i wanted to get 225.

    i got 6 and afterwards he told me my grip was too close and since i was working chest it was more arms than chest (though chest still got worked just not as much as i could) and proceeded to tell me that if i widened my grip it would be easier and i could bang out 8-10 instead of 6.

    im at the gym cause i let my body go and it would be silly to think i know all the proper forms/grips on anything
  • luceegj
    luceegj Posts: 246 Member
    Options
    YES! Your last point! There are these two skinny girls who go to my gym that dont look like they ever go! They walk at like 3.8 chat get off and chat! Yet get me the dirty looks! WHY!!!!
  • luceegj
    luceegj Posts: 246 Member
    Options
    Hate those men! Then they will give you a look when you come on! It's like do something or go away and chat somewhere eles!
  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
    Options
    I have no problem with people correcting my form.


    happened just two days ago. i asked a kid for a spot on bench (im very negative in what i think i can or should be able to do). it was my 4th set and i wanted to get 225.

    i got 6 and afterwards he told me my grip was too close and since i was working chest it was more arms than chest (though chest still got worked just not as much as i could) and proceeded to tell me that if i widened my grip it would be easier and i could bang out 8-10 instead of 6.

    im at the gym cause i let my body go and it would be silly to think i know all the proper forms/grips on anything

    If you have the little extra cash, I'd definitely go get some "jumpstart" training (as some people call it). I had been lifting for a while, but then went and found a local pro powerlifter (that owns a gym) and went there for 3 training sessions with him. My main reason was that I wanted perfect technique (and some routine improvement), and that makes a TON of difference. I was doing probably 1/2 of my lifts with bad form.
  • Wgbn32
    Wgbn32 Posts: 38 Member
    Options
    Don't workout next to someone if you really don't need to!!!!!! Drives me crazy!!!!!
    Example of last week!

    Treadmills!

    (Me). (The girl who decided to use the one next to me). (Empty) .(Empty).(Empty).(Empty). (Man)

    Crazy people! Use the Space!
    YES! A thousand times YES! I despise when people use the cardio machines next to me and there are plenty empty ones. Happened to me just yesterday. I purposesly went to the end of the row of treadmills just to avoid people...and before I could even finish my warm up they guy jumps on the treadmill right next to me. Mind you the row of treadmills infront of us was practically empty. Out of 10 machines there were only 2 people on. I feel like people do crap like that because they want to use you for competition.

    Anyway my other pet peeve is people who don't wipe down the machines after they use it. Disgusting.

    And lastly, the person that will stand around waiting for you to finish using a weight machine. Go do something else and get out of my face. And please don't ask me if "im almost done". Ill be done when I'm done.
  • Jerrypeoples
    Jerrypeoples Posts: 1,541 Member
    Options
    And lastly, the person that will stand around waiting for you to finish using a weight machine. Go do something else and get out of my face. And please don't ask me if "im almost done". Ill be done when I'm done.

    most of the people at the gym will ask to work in with you. but standing there staring at a person doing a workout is bad if you ask me
  • CarlKRobbo
    CarlKRobbo Posts: 390 Member
    Options
    And lastly, the person that will stand around waiting for you to finish using a weight machine. Go do something else and get out of my face. And please don't ask me if "im almost done". Ill be done when I'm done.

    most of the people at the gym will ask to work in with you. but standing there staring at a person doing a workout is bad if you ask me

    I'm one that always asks to work in If I need to. You do get an awkward person now and then that refuses, which leads to another gym rule based on personal experience:

    Don't hog the damn machine! If your sat there listening to your Music in between sets, then your not training!! This relates to a guy I saw do this, refused to let me work in so I did a whole entire workout (8 exercises, 4 x 12) and they were still on the same machine!!
  • Alexandra289
    Alexandra289 Posts: 330 Member
    Options
    Can't stand people who will just sit on a machine and use their phone. For ages. Really awkward when you have to ask them to move.
  • weinbagel
    weinbagel Posts: 337 Member
    Options
    Do your own thing, and own it! Be confident.
  • wapan
    wapan Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    When someone asks you to work in, do not say, "I only have 1 more set (or two or three or whatever)" When someone asks you to work in, it's gym etiquette that you let them work in.
  • run_way
    run_way Posts: 220
    Options
    Put your weights away! I know you are proud that you can squat with five gazillion pound weights on each end, but it's a lot less impressive when they are 2 feet above my head and I have to take them all off before I can lower the bar for fear of being crushed.

    ...not that I'm holding any resentment for repeat offenders in my gym... :tongue:
  • AmandaLipphardt
    AmandaLipphardt Posts: 80 Member
    Options
    Don't sit in the sauna naked.

    What are you supposed to wear in the sauna? I don't think I go to particularly racy gyms, but I've never seen anyone enter a sauna with anything more than a towel.

    Wearing the towel is fine and wearing a bathing suit is even better. I'm talking about the people who take the towel off and just use it to sit their butt on the bench (and even one I saw who did not even do that much) and then sit there leaning back with their legs wide open sitting right across from me. I had that happen a few times and had to either stare at the floor or leave. At least in the locker room you can focus on your own locker but how are you supposed to be polite in that instance? Its just common decency.
  • CarlKRobbo
    CarlKRobbo Posts: 390 Member
    Options
    Put your weights away! I know you are proud that you can squat with five gazillion pound weights on each end, but it's a lot less impressive when they are 2 feet above my head and I have to take them all off before I can lower the bar for fear of being crushed.

    ...not that I'm holding any resentment for repeat offenders in my gym... :tongue:

    HaHa!! I'm under orders NOT to remove the weight from the Bar after I've squatted, I think that's more to set a challenge to people to catch up more than anything really!
  • JuliePackham
    JuliePackham Posts: 8
    Options
    My advice is if your not sure, ask. When I was new at the gym I was astounded by the amount of rudeness and dirty looks I got. Most gyms have an orientation program, but some serious gym rats have no tolerance for newbies, so if you're looking for courtesy wait first to see if you can find someone who will make eye contact with you so as not to interrupt anyone who is extremely focused. Some people don't like to be interrupted, but most will help you out if asked. We are all on a fitness mission and at some point they were where you are at now. The gym is just like anywhere else, there are rude ignorant people who think they own the equipment and the gym, and there are courteous people who are more than willing to help. If you are too intimidated to ask a member, than flag down a trainer, one who's not working with anyone, and ask them to point you in the right direction or offer some advice about gym rules.

    We were all new at one point. If you can help someone out, you should :)

Categories