Gym etiquette for newbies

Oh, one question. Who the hell works out in jeans.....with a regular belt???? Really? How

I saw a guy workout in Pajama's. Not impressed. Haha.

Uhh...my son wears his jeans. He is 10, and we go directly to the clubhouse to do the treadmill. If I go home first, I'm never going back out again. And, with it being cold, I'd rather do the treadmill. Still, even if we go outside when it is warm, he wears jeans. I have seen these people as well. But, if they are comfy and can move in the jeans/belt...I say go ahead. What concerns me more are those that workout in the wrong shoes. I have literally seen guys wearing "work shoes" to walk on the treadmill.

I have weight lifting gloves, and i do use them, so don't give me the look of "why do you have those on along with a watch?" (my hrm is the polar FT 4). I also am new to lifting so stop looking at me as though girls shouldn't be lifting.

Lol, theyre judging the gloves, not you lifting. Get some chalk

If I like to wear winter mittens while I work out, get over it and pay attention to your damn self.

Hahahahahahha!!! Ive heard lack of individual finger use is great for grip strength

I feel lucky that I go to a great gym. New people are treat like friends and welcomed into the fold. Everyone is helpful, friendly, supportive and non-judgemental. We have all different kinds of people who train all different kinds of ways....runners, fighters, lifters, dancers....Its good to have a mixed bag. My advice to newbies is don't be scared, everyone took their first step through the door once.

Hard to disagree most of the comments on this thread. Cell phones, overly stinky people (that includes perfume / cologne), not cleaning up after yourself (weights, wiping down equipment, leaving your personal affects at a machine or on the floor), etc. are all really obnoxious.

Thought I'd add:

-People who watch the godd@mn t.v. more than they work out. They just take up space and get in the way.
-People who use my precious equipment to go slower than they would walk around the grocery store. We have one bike at our tiny gym and there is usually and older person going slower than you could imagine when trying to exercise. I'm not being a jerk on this one either. They literally are pedaling 12 rpms and aren't doing a cooldown, aren't exercising. They are just watching t.v. Seriously, you lazy *kitten*, why don't you march in place at home and watch the t.v.
-People who don't know how to do a push-up. It ain't hard. And when you grunt and moan and stare down the girls while doing so, yet can't keep your back straight or don't get your nose close the ground, you piss me off AND you don't impress the girls. It's not hard.

Don't stand right in front of the dumb bell rack and do your set, take three steps back and be courteous to other people who want use the dumb bells as well.
and;
Put the bells back in pairs, doesn't even have to be in order. How lazy are you that you paired a 20 with a 45, come on!

Don't leave newspapers and magazines in the sauna. Seriously. There is a HUGE sign right next to the door that says so, but every day I'm having to remove them when they're turning crispy. I don't know why people take them in there in the first place. You cannot possibly be so busy that the five or ten minutes you spend in the sauna is wasted if you can't read the Wall Street Journal or Cosmo while you're in there.

Aside from that, I got nothing. The people at my gym are great.

All of these "clean the equipment" comments - just wiping down with a towel is okay, right? We're not expected to carry a spray bottle of disinfectant with us or something? Because I've seen a couple people carrying purse-sized Dettol and using it on a the machines, and I could never figure out if I was supposed to be doing that or if they're germophobes.

My gym provides disinfectant bottles. I thought all gyms did, but maybe not.

Every gym I've been to has provided spray bottles. With the crap out there these days it's disgusting if one doesn't.

We have disinfectant wipes at my gym. I always wipe everything down even if I don't touch it because I figure I might have coughed on it or something. The flu is bad this year and you don't know you are carrying it until after you have already had it for hours.

Duly noted. I guess I'll start carrying disinfectant with me, and suggest that the gym put some out. Mostly I just see people sitting with their towels between them and the seat, and a few who brought their own - I've never seen bottles of cleaning products set out for customer use. Dunno if that's an English thing or just a dodgy gym, heh.

It's generally frowned upon to use dirt from the potted plant as chalk. The gym is filthy enough without people rubbing potting soil on the equipment.

WUT.

Seriously? lol.

Hi,
Grab your own squirt bottle, cloth and magazines. Many treadmill users track their time, or read. They no not want to be interrupted by"can I borrow your bottle? Be an adult.
Wipe down the equipment after you use it. be respectful to all.
Put back the weights after you use them.
Don't toss your gym bag in the traffic lane. People HATE that.
Ask if you are not sure a bench or machine is still being used.
Shut your cell off!
Never sit in a Nautilus machine to use your cell.
Our gym attendant will pay you a visit, pronto!

Don't hang your winter coat on a weight rack. Seriously......yes, some bro did that at my gym this morning!

Don't bleach like a cave man.

People do their wash at the gym?

I kept trying to think of witty response to this one, nice job