The 6 Commandments of Gym Etiquette
Modern Manners Guy and special guest Get-Fit Guy write the rules on proper manners at the gym. Check them out before you commit a workout faux pas!
Richie Frieman
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The 6 Commandments of Gym Etiquette
In a previous episode, I talked about Locker Room Etiquette and many of you agreed with my observations, as well as readily offering up your own hilarious experiences on the Modern Manners Guy Facebook wall.
As I mentioned in that episode, in my tenure as a professional wrestler, I had the unfortunate opportunity to visit some of the nastiest locker rooms imaginable. Some didn’t even qualify as locker rooms and many wouldn’t pass a health inspection by the worst health inspector on the planet. It got so bad that I once changed behind a building, against the wall of the place where we were wrestling that night, just because the locker room was so foul. I know what you’re thinking: “Pro wrestling is such a clean sport!” Sorry, my friends, it’s not the glitz and glamour you see on TV.
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While training for wrestling, I practically lived in gyms, and although I no longer make my opponents weep with my signature Foreman Forearm Hold, I still go to the gym 4-5 days a week. Whether it’s free weights or cardio, a workout is incredibly satisfying and rewarding. However, nothing can ruin the feeling of accomplishment than seeing other people breaking every gym etiquette rule in the book, as if there was a contest to see how wrong they could be in public. And as great as I feel after the workout, nothing can ruin the process of exercising more than some steroid freak grunting like he’s having a bowel movement, or some past-middle-age woman strutting around in a thong.
Missing the key points of etiquette in the gym is about as common as celebrities getting divorced after one month of wedded bliss. So, once again, it’s up to Modern Manners Guy to shine the spotlight on some of the worst examples of manners. And today, I have a very special guest to help me in my quest. For this episode, I’ll be joined by my fellow Quick and Dirty Tips host, Ben Greenfield, aka Get-Fit Guy. Ben has a new book called Get-Fit Guy’s Guide to Achieving Your Ideal Body, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Ben is going to dispense some fitness wisdom for us. But before that, here are my top 3 Quick and Dirty Tips for things you should NOT do at the gym:
Tip #1: Hush It, Will Yah…
Let’s make one thing clear: Grunting like a grizzly bear does not make you stronger. Or more ripped. Or manlier. Yes, it’s a fact that exhaling makes you lift better and keep composure, but the animal roars after you slam down the weights? Really? I know you just got done “killin’ it bro” but we don’t need to feel your pain. So do your part and keep the moaning and groaning to yourself. Of course you can let out a breath of relief but don’t put on a show. No one’s impressed.
Tip #2: Smelly Sweat Surprise
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on a treadmill and the person next to me is sweating so bad I can taste their BO. Ugh! Who wants to grab a hold of something and feel your nasty sweat on it? Every time you work out, regardless of how much or how little you sweat, you must wipe down your equipment when you’re done with it. You don’t have to clean every little crevice, but wiping off your sweat shows that you have respect for your fellow gym-goes. In most every gym they have plenty of paper towels and spray or wet wipes, so no excuses.
Tip #3: I’m Sexy and I Know It
I love when people dress very provocatively to the gym and then complain that others are staring at them. If you are wearing skin-tight clothing that hugs your nether regions like you’re vacuum-packed, people are going to stare at you. Be it man or woman, this goes across the board. Heck, you don’t even have to be hot! It’s common nature to notice when someone is dressed suggestively and at the gym this happens on a daily basis. When you work out, wear what you like, wear what is comfortable, but please leave something to the imagination.
Alright, now it’s time for the man of the hour, Get-Fit Guy to take over. So, without further ado, I would like to introduce my good friend Ben Greenfield. Check out his new book Get-Fit Guy’s Guide to Achieving Your Ideal Body.
Here are Get-Fit Guy’s 3 Quick and Dirty Tips on what NOT to do at the gym:
Tip #4: Don’t Be a Hog
Have you ever tried to use your favorite machine at the gym, but found that it appears to have been reserved with a towel, hat, or water bottle inconveniently placed directly where you’d like to sit? This can be even more frustrating when nobody appears to actually be using the machine – probably because they’ve ventured off to some other corner of the gym to use a different piece of equipment.
So if you’re going to “reserve” equipment, and you need to briefly go to the restroom, do a very quick burst of cardio or mix in a set on another machine. It’s OK to leave a hat, towel, or other sign that you are temporarily reserving that piece of equipment. But if someone is obviously waiting to use it or you plan on being gone longer than just a few minutes, then do not reserve or attempt to monopolize gym equipment, and be ready to share with others. It’s Playground 101 folks.
Tip #5: Give Some Space
If you’re using dumbbells, and they’re placed on a rack in front of a mirror (as is the case at most gyms), don’t grab the dumbbells and stand adjacent to the rack as you exercise. This leaves anyone who wants to grab a dumbbell for themselves completely unable to do so without venturing within dangerous striking distance of your curls, presses, swings, or whatever else you’re doing.
Instead, get the dumbbells that you want, then find a place to do your exercise that is at least 3 feet away from the dumbbell rack. This will give others the chance to swoop in and get the weights that they want.
Tip #6: Ask For Help
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 considered acceptable etiquette at the gym 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 tap a scrawny teenager on the shoulder while he is deeply involved in his workout and has headphones attached to his ears.
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 somewhere in the workout area to help
Do you have a locker room war story you would like to share? Post them on the Modern Manners Guy Facebook page so we can all cry with you.
As always, if you have another manners question, I’m look forward to hearing from you so drop me a line at manners@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email. As well, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @MannersQDT. And of course, check back next week for more Modern Manners Guy tips.