Proper Gym Etiquette
Immerito
Posts: 105 Member
What is proper gym etiquette in the weight room, classes or the cardio area?
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The area in front of six lockers is not your personal, reserved space.0
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Do not fart while doing squats.0
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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.0
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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.
;-)0 -
Do not fart while doing squats.
At least say "excuse me"0 -
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 nutrition0 -
stinking is a no no!0
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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.0 -
On a serious note, be courteous of others first and foremost.
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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.0 -
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.
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Don't hog multiple racks/machines to do your Crossfit routine while the gym is packed.0
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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.0 -
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?0 -
Just throw the towel off and see what happens
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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!0 -
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!0 -
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...0 -
Bathing oneself in perfume before entering any workout areas is spiteful, stop that *kitten*!0
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Throw weights, make loud noises while lifting, jump from one machine to the next, hit on girls...0
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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 anyway0 -
In general: be clean, and be courteous.
In particular: Don't curl in the squat rack.0 -
Do not fart while doing squats.
At least say "excuse me"
Agreed. Sometimes you just can't help it.0 -
Don't ever go to a Planet Fitness. Holy love of Jesus. I don't even know where to start.....0
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Please wipe off the machine, even if you don't think you sweat.0
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For the love of god do not wear perfume or smelly body sprays to the gym.
You are there to sweat and workout, not smell like james bond swam in axe.
Jus sayin.
It drives me crazy when I am in cycle class and can't breathe due to b**tches perfume.0 -
Don't be late for group classes! Even when it's not yoga, it's a distraction when I'm trying to focus on a routine and someone walks in the room late, especially when they walk in front of you to get to a spot. I've had two offenders of this in my Zumba class that particularly stand out:
1) Last month, a woman who shows up kind of regularly, but hasn't been there as much as she used to be, walks in 15 minutes late. We had a sub that day, as our instructor was out sick. The woman saw this I'm sure, so she stayed for about 10-15 minutes more of class, then walked out. I thought it was pretty rude to our sub, as the rest of us were enjoying him AND he had only gotten licensed about five months ago, so like...give the guy a break! He was doing his best, as our instructor is pretty popular and I guess some people are hard to please. So it goes without saying to be courteous to any instructor, whether it's your favorite or a sub. Not to mention it's ignorant to show up late and leave early.
2) Two weeks ago, a different girl showed up late, although not as late, as we were still doing warmup. She was not ready for class at all, as she walked into the room with flip flops and her hair down, so she was standing in the back of the room changing her shoes and putting her hair up. Last I looked, the group fitness room was NOT a locker room, so I don't understand why some people think it is. She should've done whatever needed to be done in a bathroom or at home, then come to class.0 -
the putting weights back bothers me. im guessing i am a little OCD but on the squat rack there are 8 pegs. two bottom outside pegs hold the 45s, the upper two pegs hold 25s. the two top pegs on the inside hold the 5s and the lower two pegs hold the 10s
i get so freaking annoyed when the 10s and 5s get mixed and matched and a 45 is between two 25s. i am very aware i am not normal
whether you think you sweat or not always wipe down a machine, it's only common courtesy
pick up after yourself. the people employed at the gym should not have to go pick up paper towels off the floor cause you missed the garbage can or all the water that accumulates on the sink.
the aforementioned people who are there to gab and not workout, leave. now.0 -
Yes! a chance for me to finally get this off my chest:
Why are you stretching in the cramped area behind my treadmill when there is an open and spacious streching area 10 feet away? Your not fooling anyone creep.
Don't take up multiple machines at the same time, especially when the gym is full and that is the only working lat pull.
Don't drop the weights so that they crash down and disturb everyone. If you can't set them down normally then you are not in control and they are too heavy.
Don't do your exercises on the stairs going into the gym. That is for traffic not training.
Don't spit in the showers, I don't care that you think everyone does it. You could at least have the decency to not do it like you're yacking out a lung. Don't spit in the pool either.
If a machine is designated for a class during a certian hour don't pitch a fit when you're asked to get off. You made the decision to use it during that hour so that is the risk you took. Quit interrupting the class.
If you're late for class your position is in the back. Don't force your way up.
Don't sit in the sauna naked. You don't have anything I want to see. On a related note, don't do your tai chi, yoga pose, ballet dance whatever it is while in a full sauna. If you're alone then whatever but I would rather not live in fear of getting clocked on the head.0 -
Everything that has been posted is 100% accurate and you will see all of these offenses repeatably and may end up being guilty of them eventually at some point in time. The point is to be courteous and respectful of the fact that this is not your home or personal gym.
The one I'll add is directed more for the "meat head" men who insist on loading up a weight rack machine with as much weight as possible and then leaving the weights on the machine for the next person to somehow figure out how to remove them. I would love to be able to use the Smith machine but when there are always 200+ lbs loaded on the machine, I can't safely remove all those weights to a more reasonable amount for me to work out with. So if you're a "meat head," please take the weights off the machine when you're done & wipe it down, so that those of us who want a tone physique rather than a beef physique can use the machine after you
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I love you guys.
When I was in uni, the gym was somehow *always* full of "those guys." You know, the ones who couldn't possibly life unless they unleashed the most ungodly grunt in the world. Were they lifting, or having a poop?! So completely gross. I actually stopped going to the gym partly because of those guys - they made me really uncomfortable.
People who don't wipe down machines should be tied down and bathed in the sweat of 10,000 strangers. With their eyes open.0
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