10 Tips for Proper Gym Etiquette
Do you inadvertently offend others at the gym?
Ben Greenfield
Listen
10 Tips for Proper Gym Etiquette
Over at the Get-Fit Guy Twitter page, Andrew recently wrote that he was “fired up” about a guy at the gym who took weights off the dumbbell rack and proceeded to do shoulder raises directly in front of the mirror, blocking access to the dumbbell rack for everyone else. What do you think? Was this right or wrong? Is there some type of rule system in place for proper gym etiquette?
10 Tips for Proper Gym Etiquette
As a matter-of-fact, there is gym etiquette, but often it’s not posted at all, or it’s on a very small sign tucked away in the corner of the gym. So in this article, you learn 10 quick and dirty tips for gym etiquette that will help you know what to expect of your fellow gym goers and how to act at a gym so that the only thing you worry about during your workout is your workout.
#1: Wipe Up After Yourself
Most gyms have towels available at the front desk or somewhere near all the exercise equipment. These towels are not there just in case you spill a big cup of soda, or need to teasingly towel-whip a workout buddy. They are there so that you can:
A) wipe annoying sweat from your forehead, forearms, neck or anywhere else it tends to collect and
B) wipe up any nasty, stinky wet puddles that you leave on the exercise equipment or floor.
If your gym doesn’t have towels then bring your own, or just use an old t-shirt. And yes, when you wipe up sweat, you are expected to use disinfectant spray if your gym has provided it or made it readily accessible in the workout area.
#2: It’s OK to Spot and Be Spotted
Often, when lifting heavy weights, you or another exerciser may need a “spot,” which is assistance or a helpful hand when performing the exercise. If there are absolutely no personal trainers or gym employees available to help you, it is OK to ask someone else for help provided that:
A) you are 100% confident that they have the physical capability to help you
B) you will politely understand if they say no
C) you do not have to interrupt their exercise routine to ask. In other words, if you are about to attempt a new personal record bench press, do not go tap a scrawny teenager on the shoulder as they are deeply involved in an exercise with their headphones attached.
Similarly, if someone asks you for help, it is fine to politely decline if
A) you do not feel physically capable
B) you are busy with your own exercise routine
C) a personal trainer or gym employee is obviously available in the workout area.
#3: Give Others Space
Often, dumbbells, barbells and other pieces of equipment are on racks or shelves. When you get one of these items from its location, back away at least 4-6 feet so that others can go get their own equipment while you’re doing your exercise. If there is absolutely no physical way to do this, then go find the owner of your gym and tell them to read this article, because they are legally required to include a minimum of 3 feet of space between equipment and enough room to perform exercises without impeding the movement of gym traffic.
#4: Leave It How You Found It, Usually
If you are using weight machines or equipment that has weight stacks or special settings and you are not completely sure whether someone else was using the equipment or is in the process of using the equipment, then you must leave it how you found it. If nobody appears to be using it, it is fine for you to change the adjustments and to do your sets or your exercises, but once you are finished, leave it how you found it. That means that you should return the stack to it’s original weight, seat height to it’s original height, and make any other necessary adjustments, unless you are 100% confident that nobody else is in the process of using the equipment.
#5: Have Good Hygiene
Nobody likes to smell sulfurous cigarette residue, heavy body odor, or stinky farts while they’re exercising. Please shower or use deodorant prior to exercising in public areas and if you need to break wind, politely enter the restroom, do your business, and then continue with your workout. If your exercise session includes a pool or a post-workout hot tub soak, you must shower beforehand, with soap. When it comes to gym etiquette, Pigpen is not a good role model.
#6: Clean Up After Yourself.
[[AdMiddle]You’ve already learned that you need to wipe up your sweat. You also need to be sure to remove hats, towels, sports drinks or any other clutter from equipment that you’re done using. You also need to pick up crumbs, peels, or sauces from any food that you have consumed during your workout (if you are lucky enough to be working out at a gym that even allows you to eat in the workout area, which most gyms do not).
#7: Don’t Monopolize Equipment
If you are using a piece of cardio equipment or a weight machine and you need to briefly go to the restroom, do a very quick burst of cardio, or mix in a set on one other piece of equipment, it is OK to leave a hat, towel, or other sign that you are temporarily reserving that piece of equipment. However, if:
A) someone is obviously waiting to use the equipment
or
B) you plan on being gone longer than just a couple minutes
then do not reserve or attempt to monopolize it.
You’ll simply need to share and let someone else “work in a set” along with you, which means you’ll also need to wipe down that piece of equipment after each set that you do. In the same manner, if you want to use a piece of equipment that someone appears to be using for an unreasonably long period of time, simply politely ask whether you can share that area with them. If they say no, then trust me, it’s not worth the fight; although you can, if you really want to, approach a personal trainer or gym employee to voice your complaint.
#8: Read the Clothing Rules or Ask
Guys, in most cases, nobody really wants to see your nipples or copious amounts of chest and back hair during the workout. And ladies, unless you are thoroughly confident that nobody at the gym will complain about your butt hanging out of your gym shorts, then wear something that keeps body parts relatively contained. It is very rare that a gym does not post its basic clothing rules, which are typically:
-
wear a shirt
-
wear closed toe shoes
-
don’t wear jeans (they can destroy the vinyl on the equipment)
-
if you have a baby, make sure they have an appropriate water-proof diaper in the pool.
In most cases, it’s best to err on the safe side and not wear clothing that you suspect may offend or nauseate others.
#9: Use Sign-Up Forms Properly
If you have reserved a treadmill or bicycle, or if you have signed up for a class, like yoga or Pilates, then cross out your name from the sign-in list if you decide not to use the equipment or attend the class. If a class is full and you want to attend, it’s OK to just drop in and ask the instructor, since there are often “no-shows.”
#10: Don’t Try To Solve Conflicts Yourself
If any of these rules that I’ve mentioned appear to be being broken, or you have a bone to pick with another gym goer, then do not attempt to resolve the conflict yourself. In almost every case, the appropriate step to take is to locate a personal trainer or gym employee and use their services to mediate the situation. People can get aggressive, grumpy, and downright mean when they’re exercising, and the last thing you need at the gym is a bloody nose. A bloody nose is not what those towels are for.
If you have your own question about gym etiquette, tips that weren’t included here, or even just a funny story from the gym, why not share it on the Get-Fit Guy Facebook page? Click here to do it now.
Gym image courtesy of Shutterstock
About the Author
Ben Greenfield received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology; personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); a sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), an advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta. He has over 11 years’ experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports, and as helped hundreds of clients achieve weight loss and fitness success.