Some days, your practice is nice. Some days, they’re just normal. Sometimes we do not know what makes one day great, another day not so great.
But one thing every gym goer knows is that certain people can break it easily perfect workout. You most likely know what I’m talking about.
Bad gym etiquette can be annoying even best planned workout. And if You have never run into anyone else doing annoying habits at the gym… that might be a sign that YOU are the one ruining it for somebody else.
Here’s a list of things you should do and things you should not do while working out at the gym.
Do:
Be an observer.
Attention. Before heading to a machine, bench, squat rack, or stack of weights, take a few seconds to look around.
That is simple. If you’re going to use equipment, put it back in the right place. Be in the zone is what everybody strives for, so it helps reduce undesirable delays and interruptions.
Do other people use it? Maybe they simply went for a drink of water, and they came back.
Know that other people are in the gym with you and let them finish all their sets before making yourself comfy at Station X.
Be clean.
Simply put, clean your equipment after you use it, particularly if you’re a heavy sweater.
These days, most gyms provide equipment for you to do this. If you realize your gym does not, please bring your own towel and put it under you, so you absorb most of your body’s waste, it is a good thing to do.
Organized.
Put your free weights in the right place.
There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to find another 20-pound dumbbell that ends up someplace with a lat pulldown for reasons that make no sense at all.
That is simple. If you’re going to use equipment, put it back in the right place. Be in the zone is what everybody strives for, so it helps reduce undesirable delays and interruptions.
Be respectful with your eyes.
Don’t stare. Don’t glance.
Regardless of what is that cute boy or girl wearingthe gym is not a place for dating.
Don’t be the disgusting bastard that’s only there to hook up. Nobody wants that, I promise.
Respect your phone.
Some gyms prohibit taking pictures. Instead of complaining about stupid rules, save your shot until you get home.
If not, be smart about taking pictures; Do not exaggerate. One or two photos will suffice.
And for the sake of all things spandex, do not have marathon conversations on your phone relaxing between sets in the Roman Chair.
Be kind to novices.
Instead of grinning and rolling your eyes at the newbies at them new sportswear or someone who has trouble understanding the machine, offer a friendly smile and a straightforward “hi.” Be kind.
Be pure.
As a general rule, keep food and drink away from the gym. One exception is water. Water bottles are recommended.
Nothing turns your stomach more than seeing and or smelling someone’s remains pre-workout drink linger in a fountain or sink.
Here’s a straightforward rule of thumb: keep the calories secret.
Respect your smell.
I get it, BO happens. But do not cover it up with too much perfume, body spray, or deo.
Avoid spraying fragrances before going to the gym. Most of us prefer to smell your natural scent over chemical cover-ups which nearly all the time do a lousy job.
weight training in gym bodybuilding equipment close up
Prohibition:
Don’t be a pig.
Don’t hang around on any machine or piece of material doing anything but texting or talking.
Most gyms only have 1 or 2 squat racks. If you are still squatting 30 minutes after you started, you are past the welcome period. Move!
Don’t #every workout.
It’s not that you do not look astonishing.
It’s not you does not just kill your workout.
You are astonishing and powerful.
But, please. Minimize selfies.
Don’t be Chatty Cathy.
Unless you are sure they’re okay, do not talk to other people.
Some people have limited time to exercise. Let them do what they need to do and if they do not seem interested in the conversation, follow the prompts and move on.
Don’t wear earbuds
Or headphones. Unless you are completely aware of the noises, you are doing it while lifting.
We’ve all heard the moans and grunts of our fellow lifters that made us cringe. Unless you know you can minimize awkward sound, avoid earbuds.
Also, singing along to your playlist is a big no-no.
Don’t give unsolicited advice.
There are many Trainer-Wannabees in the gym. Unless you are asked for advice, keep it to yourself.
Even so, unless you’re a certified trainer with significant knowledge and experience, avoid sharing tips. One great coach said that if he could not answer someone’s question in 1 minute, he asked them to book a session with him.
Don’t share germs.
Don’t be a sick person who shares his germs with others. Keep your germs at home.
Cough? Stay at home.
Vomiting or diarrhea? Stay at home.
Fever? Even if someone cannot tell by looking at you that you are feeling less than your best, stay home!
Don’t lift the ego.
Do not take it wrong; I’m all about lifting weights.
But if you are sacrificing the security and well-being of yourself or others by throwing away weights you cannot handle, nobody wants you in the gym.
Stay with a manageable weight and while you are at it, do not drop it. If you cannot spin it without causing an earthquake, it is too heavy for you.
Don’t badmouth others.
People often deal with problems we know nothing about.
Maybe they do not have anything to wear to the gym.
Maybe their kid threw up on his nice shoes right before they left.
Maybe they’re just learning a new exercise so yeah, they will lighten up a bit and perhaps look a little awkward. Just leave it.
Along the same lines as above, do not judge the coach.
Some trainers are novices, and it is hard not to cringe when you observe the exercises they do together for unnoticed clients.
However, what about overweight trainers? A well-respected strength trainer tells the story of how a trainer she judged from a distance was battling cancer which had caused her to swell, leaving her unable to exercise. He is probably the most clever and experienced coaches out there… once he gets to know him.
It’s a fact of life. There will be less-than-perfect gym members working out with you.
We feel your pain. However, rather than getting aggravated at them during your workout, save your energy to be certain you aren’t other people’s gym-pain-in-the-ass.
Writer biography:
Adam Steel is the Editor in Chief at Hard work. He is an aspiring personal trainer, sporadic runner, avid sportsman, and is currently training for his first marathon and 100 mile sport.
