Gym Etiquette?!

I do nothing, you never know when you might mess with crazy.

I move on to something else if possible. If not, I ask if I can work in (if it's a machine and not something where weights are racked). People get lost in their own world and are oblivious to how their behavior affects others.

She will quit soon. Be patent.

Does she have long rest periods, like is she doing a huge amount of weight on those machines? (I am imagining not but am giving her the benefit of the doubt.)

Anyway, I'd ask her to work in. She might not know what that is. That's ok, in that case the phrase will confuse and maybe intimidate her and set an expectation for her to comply. So say, "Can I work in while you rest?" If she says no, not much you can do other than do an alternate exercise.

There's a list of different exercises for different muscle groups at exrx.net (or maybe it's exrx.com, forget). Or you could get the Women's Health Big Book of Exercises (I think that's the title). So if "leg press" is on your list, that's quads, you could just do some squats with dumbbells.

Can't you mention it to the staff, maybe they could put up a polite notice. If someone's just sat there texting, that's pretty selfish imo

Merci4u wrote: »

The one thing I find the worst is people who don't wipe down the equipment. I have to breath in your sweaty air, I don't want to sit in it too.

How about the sweaty old men who use their nasty towel to wipe down the machines instead of the gym provided paper towels and disinfectant spray!!

I watched a guy do this a couple times then took him the spray and paper towels and asked him to use that not his sweaty towel. He was quite indignant.

A few nights later I saw another old man doing something similar...only he was reusing a paper towel on several machines ( again not using the spray)

WTH do these old coots have against disinfectant? ??

I would ask to jump in and take turns or literally stand over her until she leaves.

She will quit soon. In my experience the bench testers and those who think the benches are a table to leave their water don't make it through more than a couple weeks.

elliej wrote: »

I would ask to jump in and take turns or literally stand over her until she leaves.

If you do the second option you got to stare at the person too.

I do compound moves instead of machines (except cables) so I don't have this issue but I hate not having room in front of the mirror. I've scheduled my strength training during the slower gym times which sucks because those are usually Fri-Sun and I prefer one of those days to be my off day.

Use a barbell instead

ask to work in between sets or ask how many sets they have left. It could be that they are resting in between sets and using their phone as a timer. (I use the strong lifts app which automatically sets a timer in between my sets)

If the person is just diddling around on their phone and you ask to either work in or how many sets they has left, they will most likely wrap up sooner. If they don't wrap up sooner, ask one more time with the intent of going to the front desk.

LolBroScience wrote: »

Use a barbell instead

You're just moving the problem to benches or squat racks, not really addressing it.

rfihn wrote: »

I really wanted to point to the signs on literally every wall that say "The rest machines are in the hallway" with a picture of a bench. I doubt that would have worked either though lol

She wasn't resting, she was stretching. Based on her answer, I'd say she's seen the signs and maybe had them pointed out to her before.

ninagray000 wrote: »

JarethG wrote: »

this is relevant to the discussion:
https://www.t-nation.com/opinion/12-gym-etiquette-commandments

You never know when you might talk to crazy though, so unless you're willing to put someone on the other side of the dirt using a dumbbell, just move on to different things.

I read that article, and while I agree almost completely, I find his attitude towards women's gym attire disturbing. People shouldn't care what others wear, women, and men, should be entitled to wear whatever gym clothes trey find comfortable. But mysogeny is so engrained in everyone's subconsious that we just continue to blame women becuae their bodies are just good for one thing: sexual attractiveness. BS.

Women should wear whatever they want to the gym. When what she wear molds to every crease and crevice in her body, though, she shouldn't be surprised when she garners attention. The same for men. And let's not pretend that men aren't ogled for their bodies, too, but not as many people know the word "misandry."