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Gym Etiquette

by Earl R. Curry

It?s that time of year when the gyms get packed with people again. Some people are veterans or regulars of the gym, some just show up around this time of year and some are experiencing the gym environment for the first time. Anytime you have that many people together in one area, it helps if everyone shows a little common courtesy and manners.

But there are some unspoken rules of gym etiquette that everyone should be aware of. Most of the rules are based on just being aware that other people are there to use the gym too.

1. Pick up after yourself. Put your plates and dumbbells back where they belong when you?re done using them. This is kind of a pet peeve of mine. My thinking is if you?re too lazy to unload the leg press machine when you?re done, you probably shouldn?t be using it. When I?m training I don?t want to spend 5 minutes looking for the dumbbell I need, only to find out someone carried it half way across the gym and left it on the floor. I consider the equipment and weights to be my tools and when I need a certain tool; I want to know where to find it. Why should someone else have to follow you around and pick up after you? They shouldn?t. (My Mom would be so stunned to hear that coming from me.) When you get done using a bar, unload the plates and put them back where you got them.  Why should the next person that wants to use that bar unload your plates for you? Show a little consideration for the next person that will use that equipment.
    
2. Wipe up after yourself. Who wants to use a piece of equipment that?s covered in someone else?s sweat and body fluids? Not me! It?s not sanitary and it?s not respectful to others. If you look around any gym there are bottles of disinfectant and towels everywhere for wiping down equipment. Use them. Same goes for the cardio equipment like treadmills, wipe down the displays and handles when you?re done.
    
3. Share. There are always certain machines that get more use than others in a gym. Don?t hog them if it looks like others might want to use them. It?s called ?working in?. If someone asks if they can ?work in? with you, allow them to use the equipment in between your sets. It?s generally ?not? considered rude if you only have 1 more set to do and let the other person know. Most people won?t be offended by waiting a minute or two for you to get done. Naturally, remove your plates and wipe down the equipment before turning over the equipment. (Some people will just tell you to leave the plates there when you?re done, then it?s their responsibility to remove them.) I?ve actually seen people fall asleep between sets while sitting or laying on machines. Don?t be that person. Once a group of teenage girls decided to gather around the leg press machine at the local Y, sitting all over the machine, nobody using it, but still monopolizing the machine. To me, this is rude and inconsiderate behavior in a crowded gym. Use it or get off it. There are a lot of places to go where you can sit and talk to your friends that are designed for that purpose. Most gyms also post time limits for the cardio machines like treadmills. If the gym is crowded, please be courteous and observe any time limits the gym has set. It?s generally understood, if there are only 2 people using the treadmills and they have 20 treadmills, stay on it all day if you want, but if almost every machine is being used, watch your time.
    
4. Lend a hand. If someone asks you for a ?spot?, take a minute and help them out. If you don?t know how to ?spot? a particular exercise, just let them know and they?ll generally tell you what they need. Spotting someone is usually just standing by in case they can?t complete a repetition and assisting them in getting the bar back in the rack. Mostly it?s just standing there and being their safety net. Sometimes it?s just putting a hand on the bar and applying a little pressure to help them complete the lift. You never know when you might need a spot some day and they can return the favor. Now, if it?s some 400 pound powerlifter that?s trying to bench press a house asks you for a spot and you weigh in at 140 pounds soaking wet, then maybe you might want to suggest he get some more help, so he doesn?t die.
    
5. Give me my space. Everyone has their own definition of what they consider their personal space. But in a gym it could be a safety issue. Make sure you have room and clearance before starting an exercise. You don?t want to hit someone in the head with a dumbbell because you weren?t paying attention. Try not to walk in front of someone as they?re performing an exercise or walking between them and the mirror. Wait until they?re done with their exercise or walk around. Breaking someone?s concentration while they?re performing an exercise can potentially cause an injury.
    
6. Keep it down. It?s ok to chat a little, but does the whole gym have to be in on the conversation? Once while I was doing some bench pressing, three guys decided to camp out next to me and talk about whatever game was on that weekend. Not a quick 30 second chat, it went on for a good 15 minutes. Just the noise was breaking my concentration, which isn?t a good thing when a heavy bar is hovering over your head. But then one guy started leaning on my bar like I wasn?t even there. I finally had to get a little rude and ask them to go somewhere else and chat. Not that I have a problem being rude to someone that?s not respecting me or my space. Keep the grunting and screaming down too. It has its place in a gym, but it?s not while you?re doing curls with 20 pounds or crunches on a rubber ball.

Well, that covers some of the basics. There are a few others that vary from gym to gym, like no dropping the weights or spitting on the personal trainers. Basically, just be safe, aware of your surroundings, use some common sense, be courteous to others and mind your manners. All the stuff Mom used to tell you.

January 15, 2007