Gym Etiquette – Things You Should Know
I workout in a variety of different gyms – huge commercial gyms and small neighborhood gyms, and aside from the physique, you can usually tell who has spent time in the gym by their etiquette. Of course, there are jerks everywhere that think the gym is theirs and will not show the least bit of courtesy.
I also own my own personal training studio here in San Antonio. THAT has a lot of advantages, because I not only have a little bit of a say-so about what is going on, but I also am in a position to teach my clients about proper gym etiquette. I completely understand that there are things that many people simply do not know.
When I workout, I’m extremely focused. Today, however, it just seemed that all hell was breaking lose in the gym I was working out in (and for the record, it was one of the high end gyms in town). It was actually fascinating, and inspired me to write this post. While I may put a comical twist to it, there’s actually a bit of truth to everything I’m saying. I realize that many of things may seem like common sense to many of you – I would hope so. But for whatever reason, there are members of gyms all across this country that simply DO NOT GET IT.
Feel free to pass this “Guide to Gym Etiquette” to anyone that regularly exercises in a public fitness center. I will try to walk through a typical gym visit chronologically (home before you leave, parking lot) and work my way through a visit to the gym, the workout and after your workout is complete. Enjoy – there’s a good chance you’ve seen these gym violations (probably more than once)!
-Don’t take on the mentality “I’m going to sweat anyway”. If you stink, shower. Don’t come to the gym dirty. Nothing inhibits another person’s workout more than your body odor. Deodorant is your friend, however, go light on fragrance.
-You are going to workout, do not drive around for hours looking for a parking spot. It will not hurt you to walk an extra 50 feet.
-Smoking up until the gym doors is unacceptable. 99.9% of gym patrons don’t want anything to do with cigarette smoke, and you’re an idiot for smoking anyway. Plus, you’re probably not very serious about your body anyway, so just stay home.
-The locker room should not double as a nudist colony. Wear a towel on your way to and from the shower. Don’t sit on the bench naked. Don’t sit on the furniture naked. I am not a bit ashamed of my body, yet, I don’t stand in the mirror buck naked at home and shave, so why on earth are you doing it at the gym?
-If you warm up, be conscious of space. If it can be helped, put a piece of cardio equipment between you and the person beside you. It’s kind of creepy when there are 90 other empty machines, and someone jumps up right beside you.
-Now you’re probably sweating. Do not be afraid to use a towel. Better yet, bring your own just in case. When you sit, put the towel under your ass. Laying down? Under your back. Most (all) gyms have equipment cleaner and paper towels – use it. I can guarantee you that nobody wants to lay in your puddle of sweat. WIPE DOWN ALL EQUIPMENT AFTER YOU USE IT, PERIOD.
I am a competitive power lifter. I lift heavier than a good portion of gym members. However, I am not noisy, I do not let the weights crash down, and I remove the weights after every exercise. Let me break this down further for you…
-Do not grunt. It is not impressive, it is not necessary. An occasional “UH” is okay. Screaming is not.
-Weights are heavy, but if you can’t control it, it’s too heavy, and the loud crash does not impress anyone.
-Take your damn weights off of the bar and put them back on the plate holders. No, don’t leave one plate on it. Maybe the lady behind you can lift it and doesn’t want to, or maybe she’d like to warm up with a lighter amount. Don’t assume. That makes an ass out of YOU. Put your dumbbells up as well.
-Gawking at a woman’s ass is not acceptable. The biggest reason most women hate gyms is because they’re intimidated, they’re accosted, and they’re stared at. She wants to workout and get the hell out. If you REALLY want to assist her, leave her alone. IF she needs a spot, she’ll ask you for it.
-Other people would like to use that equipment. Don’t sit for hours on a machine answering texts, doing a set every 10 minutes. You do not need to use 8 different machines at a time. I know you pay a membership, but everyone else does.
-It is a gym, not a bar and not social hour. The only reason you should spend more than 90 minutes in a gym at a time is if you work there. Do not hold other people up from getting on with their business.
-I would never drink out of a gym water fountain (germ haven) but some people have no problem with it. Do not spit in the water fountain.
-If you don’t care about being injured, that is fine. However, do not do things that lead to others being hurt. You’ll know this guy when you see him.
-It is called a “SQUAT” rack. Not a curl rack. Not a stretch rack. Not a shrug rack. When in doubt, someone who wants to perform squats has the right of way.
-If you cannot perform a full range of motion, use less weight. You are not impressing everyone with a 1″ movement, no matter if it’s 800lbs or not.
-If you don’t join cardio classes, don’t sit and watch it. You look like an idiot, and she doesn’t think you are cute.
-Pieces of equipment are for training purposes. The bench beside the one you are using is not a coffee table, an end table, a night stand or a dresser. Keep your belongings in your bag or on the floor, not on the equipment.
-If you spend more time writing in your journal than you do working out, you are missing the point.
-I can promise you this: not one person in the gym wants to hear your conversation on your phone. IF you stop any set to answer your cell phone, you’re not serious about what you’re doing.
-Flush.
-The only people that are posing should be those who are preparing for a bodybuilding show. Of course, that can still be performed at home or in more of a private location. Checking out your biceps or calves after every set looks as ridiculous as it sounds when you’re reading this.
-If you aren’t breathing hard, get off of the cardio equipment and let someone else take a stab at making it go a little faster/harder.
-Guys, a Hanes ribbed Wife Beater is not acceptable workout attire. Ever.
-It’s tough to breathe when you’re gasping for air and only coming up with perfume/cologne fumes. While you should be clean, you should not smell like you are on your way out to the dance club.
-Speaking of going out to the club, dressing up, doing your hair and makeup JUST to go to the gym is not sexy, ladies.
-If a fly thinks you’re too nasty to land on, it’s time to get a new workout shirt.
-If you’re a personal trainer and you smell like Wendy’s, quit your job. If you are not a competitor, you cannot use “I’m bulking” as an excuse to be fat. No, a man does not bloat enough to look pregnant. Practice what you preach.
-If it appears that someone is using a machine but has just gone to get a drink or use the bathroom, maybe you should ask them before you move all of their belongings and begin removing their weights (if they’ve been gone for a while, it’s their fault).
-If you absolutely need to use a piece of equipment that is occupied, “Working in” is fine. However, you only get 2 of those per workout. Every set you do should not involve you “working in” with someone else. That may land a restraining order on you.
These are but a few of the many things you should know when going to the gym. Learning these things will make you a better gym member, and will make everyone’s visit much more enjoyable.
Feel free to add other guidelines in the comments!
Boyd Myers
Personal Trainer in San Antonio
Owner, San Antonio’s Top Personal Training Studio
16613 Huebner Rd (corner of Huebner and Bitters)
210.391.1454
on June 3rd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
This guide is excellent, and so many gym goers need to read this, I even noticed some etiquette things I was doing wrong; needless to say I’ll never workout in a wife beater again.
I do think the squat rack advice is a bit tough though because certain gyms only have one squat rack/station for many exercises, including bent over barbell rows and various explosive exercises.
I just think limiting the squat rack to just squats would be too limiting for MANY gyms and MANY people.
Again this guide is excellent, but I just thought I would point that out.
Thanks for this
Stephen Yenika (@StephenYenika)
on June 3rd, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Stephen – I agree. In some gyms, the squat rack is pretty much the only free weight area. I think I was more targeting the group that has a 5 guy rotation and they’re taking their time doing rack curls. If you’re doing a heavy compound lift, I have NO problem with it (esp rack deads, bent rows, SLDL because it’s much easier to load, etc). Anyway, I appreciate the post and the re-tweet!
on June 3rd, 2010 at 6:18 pm
People who sing or rap out loud with their headphones on are usually bothersome. I understand it gets that person pumped, but it is bothersome to everyone else since that person can’t sing or rap if their life depended on it. It’s funny to see some rap so hard then go and lift some relatively light weights and grunt at the same time.
The tag teams should also be on this list. They usually roll in around groups of 2-3 or more. I understand workout partner can motivate you to push harder and further, but these guys usually just bs at the gym. Once the heavy lifting starts they are working out together. Example, partner A bench presses while partner B does up right rows. Partner C is probably either on the phone or screaming “PUSH, PUSH!”. They then get all stoked about after because Partner A benched so much. They are just cheating themselves. haha
on June 3rd, 2010 at 7:24 pm
People do some ridiculous things and they really need to be slapped for it. In my gym setting right now, which is highly corporate (as it’s in the basement of the office building), I think it raises the level of dumb.
I’ve seen about every one of these offenses, and a few more, in the past 2 months in the corporate gym. The big one is the “gawking at the women” – because the guys don’t get to see them “dressed down” in short shorts and tight tank tops and the ones that are hot – everyone but me stops when they show up.
The other big violator is the phone and texting. My phone is in my locker – nothing is that damn important that someone can’t come find me because people know where I am every day at around 5PM. But we’ve got a ton of people kissing up to upper management that just HAVE to be in full contact all the time and sending texts, emails, and making calls while working out. I don’t get it. If you want to work, go to your office. If you want to work out, leave the phone behind and get to it!
And I can’t believe how many people have to be reminded to flush.
on June 3rd, 2010 at 10:17 pm
I agree with the watching of the cardio classes. It is so annoying to see people gawking through the glass. If they are so interested, they should join in. I never used to take my phone with me. With a baby now, I take it with me, and if I see it is the sitter, I stop what I am doing, walk away and answer away from everyone. I do not stand there and text or talk.
on June 4th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Excellent advice on everything, squat rack right on, but my gym only has one too so i give them a slight pass. Besides all the ones listed my biggest “piss me off” is when I’m in front of the 100′s+ db’s and doing my thing when someone comes all the way over from the 20′s to work out right where I have to rerack the 110′s. theres at least 40+ feet of space and suddenly I’m dancing around somebody trying to rack heavy weight after repping out to failure. then i’m the ass for making them move back down. Should be a mandatory gym class before they give out memberships. Get the hell out of the way…Thank you for the vent.