Gym etiquette questions?

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Replies

  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member

    As to the unloading the bar and making it tip - I've tried it intentionally on the squat rack at my gym - if you have 30kg one side and 0 the other, that seems to be the tipping point :P

    Good to know! I've always wondered but have never wanted to test it, myself!
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    Your maths sucks.

    As to the unloading the bar and making it tip - I've tried it intentionally on the squat rack at my gym - if you have 30kg one side and 0 the other, that seems to be the tipping point :P

    The 20kg plate on each side was inferred!

    On the plus side, at least my squat rack doesn't suck, I've had 60kg on one side, and nothing on the other, with no tipping.
  • Joocey
    Joocey Posts: 115 Member
    I'd rather work in and deal with switching weights than wait 20-40 minutes if someone is using the squat rack doing stronglifts; assuming that there isn't another rack available.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Your maths sucks.

    As to the unloading the bar and making it tip - I've tried it intentionally on the squat rack at my gym - if you have 30kg one side and 0 the other, that seems to be the tipping point :P

    The 20kg plate on each side was inferred!

    On the plus side, at least my squat rack doesn't suck, I've had 60kg on one side, and nothing on the other, with no tipping.
    Overcompensating.

    :flowerforyou:
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    1,2,3,4, This is why I have my own gym stuff - worst case, I have a friend or two over to share it with.
    I did get a moan that I'd left the plates on the other day (it's at my work unit and I was doing some work); I suggested she buy her own weights if it was an issue ;).

    Anyway:
    1: On a lot of things, I actually find it more annoying if there's no weight. But yes, it is considered good manners to re-rack the weights.
    When my friend about moans about taking off my 20kg discs, I point out she's there to get stronger ;).

    2: Everywhere I've been, the weights are just shared around all the machines - you're paying to use it, you go and find the kit you need to use.

    3: As above, consider doing a couple more reps at the lower weight maybe, until you can do a few at the higher.

    4: See my first point :). But yes, you can always have the lighter person's weights on first, which should make it less hassle.

    Oh and when I was over at my mum's the other week I went to a local gym. My left side seemed particularly weak on the power clean's and I was rather unbalanced.
    Turned out I'd stuck a 10kg rather than 5kg on that side or something (may have only been 2.5 extra); whatever, it noticeably negatively effected the lift in that case.
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    :brokenheart: LOL!
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
    1. You're supposed to re reck but some people are jerks and don't do this.

    2. Yes.

    3. Wait until you can go up a full 10lbs if you don't have smaller plates.

    4. Only work in on machines or if the person is doing the same weight as you. Otherwise it's a pain in the *kitten*.
    QFT.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member

    Yeah, it's okay to take a barbell from a bench for deadlifts if there is no free bar sitting around. You might want to use a power rack when you put the weights on it (once you get to a point when you do 135 lb or more), because otherwise it's hard to rack a bar that's sitting on the ground. At least I find it easier to rack it in a power cage and then lift it out to do my deadlifts.

    It IS hard to rack a bar on the ground....but then I find it even harder to lift the bar out of the rack considering the forward stanchions of the power rack are practically at chest height for me!!!!!

    I find it good practice to rack it from the ground (a little bit of extra strength training :wink: ), however, you can also stack plates under the bar, which will also make this much easier to do. In fact, many people stack plates under the bar anyway if they are pulling from the floor so the bar is at least at the height it would be if it were loaded with 45s in order to pull DL and Rows from the same height, no matter what weight is on.

    It's not a strength issue for me (45s aren't that hard to lift), it's just awkward to rack on the ground. It takes a lot less time to rack in a rack. I sometimes use the squat rack's catch bars to rack for the deadlift, which places the bar at a perfect height for pickup. (My gym has three squat racks and a power cage so I'm not getting in anyone's way.)
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
    One more follow-up question - if you are doing deadlifts or barbell rows, can you just take the bar from one of the benches where it is sitting to go somewhere else to do them? I think my gym has one bar that just sits on the ground off to the side, but as it is only one, it's often in use, even at 5 AM when I go. Can I just take my bench press bar after I'm done doing the bench, do my deadlifts in front of the bench, and then put it back? I guess if I'm going to still just use that bench to sit on to rest between sets, I'm still just using the same equipment anyway, right?

    Huh... I didn't realize this was a concern. :ohwell: I just started lifting last week, and I go to the local rec center's fitness place so it's not usually busy, but I just take the benching bar for my deadlifts.
    We have some smaller bars that sit on the ground, but since they're not as long as a bench or squat bar, I wasn't sure of the weight of the bar itself. That's why I took the bench barbell. I know it's 45lbs so I know what I'm lifting. Question to people who have lifted longer than me: any idea what the small bars would weigh?
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    One more follow-up question - if you are doing deadlifts or barbell rows, can you just take the bar from one of the benches where it is sitting to go somewhere else to do them? I think my gym has one bar that just sits on the ground off to the side, but as it is only one, it's often in use, even at 5 AM when I go. Can I just take my bench press bar after I'm done doing the bench, do my deadlifts in front of the bench, and then put it back? I guess if I'm going to still just use that bench to sit on to rest between sets, I'm still just using the same equipment anyway, right?

    Huh... I didn't realize this was a concern. :ohwell: I just started lifting last week, and I go to the local rec center's fitness place so it's not usually busy, but I just take the benching bar for my deadlifts.
    We have some smaller bars that sit on the ground, but since they're not as long as a bench or squat bar, I wasn't sure of the weight of the bar itself. That's why I took the bench barbell. I know it's 45lbs so I know what I'm lifting. Question to people who have lifted longer than me: any idea what the small bars would weigh?

    I would guess 20 lb (seems to be a common weight for non-Olympic-style bars), but you could ascertain this by weighing yourself with and without the bar on the gym scale. Could be anywhere between 10 and 25, really.
  • crista_b
    crista_b Posts: 1,192 Member
    One more follow-up question - if you are doing deadlifts or barbell rows, can you just take the bar from one of the benches where it is sitting to go somewhere else to do them? I think my gym has one bar that just sits on the ground off to the side, but as it is only one, it's often in use, even at 5 AM when I go. Can I just take my bench press bar after I'm done doing the bench, do my deadlifts in front of the bench, and then put it back? I guess if I'm going to still just use that bench to sit on to rest between sets, I'm still just using the same equipment anyway, right?

    Huh... I didn't realize this was a concern. :ohwell: I just started lifting last week, and I go to the local rec center's fitness place so it's not usually busy, but I just take the benching bar for my deadlifts.
    We have some smaller bars that sit on the ground, but since they're not as long as a bench or squat bar, I wasn't sure of the weight of the bar itself. That's why I took the bench barbell. I know it's 45lbs so I know what I'm lifting. Question to people who have lifted longer than me: any idea what the small bars would weigh?

    I would guess 20 lb (seems to be a common weight for non-Olympic-style bars), but you could ascertain this by weighing yourself with and without the bar on the gym scale. Could be anywhere between 10 and 25, really.
    Thanks! I don't know where there's a scale in the fitness center. I assume in the locker room since there isn't one out on the main floor, but I've never been in there. I'll check it out. Hopefully the employees don't think I'm trying to steal the bar. :laugh:
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    Thanks! I don't know where there's a scale in the fitness center. I assume in the locker room since there isn't one out on the main floor, but I've never been in there. I'll check it out. Hopefully the employees don't think I'm trying to steal the bar. :laugh:
    You could always ask?

    Most gyms have these people that your paying for with your membership fees that can answer questions. I know people don't want to look like they don't know what they are doing but if you don't it's a lot better to ask what your gym polices are then to be doing the wrong thing.
  • snooj
    snooj Posts: 69 Member
    One more follow-up question - if you are doing deadlifts or barbell rows, can you just take the bar from one of the benches where it is sitting to go somewhere else to do them? I think my gym has one bar that just sits on the ground off to the side, but as it is only one, it's often in use, even at 5 AM when I go. Can I just take my bench press bar after I'm done doing the bench, do my deadlifts in front of the bench, and then put it back? I guess if I'm going to still just use that bench to sit on to rest between sets, I'm still just using the same equipment anyway, right?

    Definitely don't do this.You can take the bench press bar for deadlift, sure, but do it away from the bench. Sitting down on a bench between sets is a pretty big no no as it prevents someone else from using it.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    One more follow-up question - if you are doing deadlifts or barbell rows, can you just take the bar from one of the benches where it is sitting to go somewhere else to do them? I think my gym has one bar that just sits on the ground off to the side, but as it is only one, it's often in use, even at 5 AM when I go. Can I just take my bench press bar after I'm done doing the bench, do my deadlifts in front of the bench, and then put it back? I guess if I'm going to still just use that bench to sit on to rest between sets, I'm still just using the same equipment anyway, right?

    Huh... I didn't realize this was a concern. :ohwell: I just started lifting last week, and I go to the local rec center's fitness place so it's not usually busy, but I just take the benching bar for my deadlifts.
    We have some smaller bars that sit on the ground, but since they're not as long as a bench or squat bar, I wasn't sure of the weight of the bar itself. That's why I took the bench barbell. I know it's 45lbs so I know what I'm lifting. Question to people who have lifted longer than me: any idea what the small bars would weigh?

    The womans bar weighs 35lbs and is about a foot shorter and a little thinner. Any other bar, you'd have to weigh. I've seen really little practice bars that were only 15lbs too.
  • Philllbis
    Philllbis Posts: 801 Member
    One more follow-up question - if you are doing deadlifts or barbell rows, can you just take the bar from one of the benches where it is sitting to go somewhere else to do them? I think my gym has one bar that just sits on the ground off to the side, but as it is only one, it's often in use, even at 5 AM when I go. Can I just take my bench press bar after I'm done doing the bench, do my deadlifts in front of the bench, and then put it back? I guess if I'm going to still just use that bench to sit on to rest between sets, I'm still just using the same equipment anyway, right?

    Definitely don't do this.You can take the bench press bar for deadlift, sure, but do it away from the bench. Sitting down on a bench between sets is a pretty big no no as it prevents someone else from using it.

    I don't see this being a problem. If he's using the bar from the bench what else would they use the bench for?
  • username_misso
    username_misso Posts: 50 Member
    i more or less agree with everything else, except for #4.

    i usually train with a big group so working in is a given. if im at a commercial gym i usually need longer rest breaks than the average punter so am more than happy for people to work in.

    you can test this out - if you are waiting for a bar just ask how many sets they have left. if someone offers for you to work in, go for it. its a great way to meet potential training partners or have a spotter at the ready. if not, fine, you can wait. if you were really pushed for time you could always ask to work in, but i probably wouldnt recommend making a habit of inviting yourself.
  • BonaFideUK
    BonaFideUK Posts: 313 Member
    Its very easy to change weights on machines and swap with someone (usually its just a metal peg on a stack) but on free weights like the bench and squat rack its a pain in the *kitten* and you're better off waiting until the person has finished all their sets.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    As per username_miss, I tend to take fairly long breaks, so plenty of time to swap weights - if anyone asks how many sets I've got left I always offer the use of it between mine.
    Won't be doing much else in my rest at a commercial gym (at my own setup I'll be working probably, thus letting my friend using it for free do it :) ).

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