A Lesson in Etiquette… at the Gym

The topic of gym etiquette is one that has been close to my heart for some time. Although I am no longer close to the gym rat that I once was, I still go regularly and like to think that I at least have the basics of both training and manners well in hand. With that being said, I’d like to offer some tips to assist people who are unfamiliar with proper gym etiquette. These tips can be applied at most non-meathead-dense gyms, and even some of the meathead gyms. However, I should state that, as with any sort of advice pertaining to manners or common courtesy, these tips should be applied with discretion, based on the personality and customs of the gym you attend, consideration of others, and common sense. Generally, however, these concepts will be applicable – for example, playing catch with 2.5 pound weights = never a good idea.

GYM ETIQUETTE TIPS

1. Do not drop weights. I think this one is pretty basic. Now, I think that most people who lift can understand that there will frequently be some kind of noise when a weight is placed down. Nobody expects you to gently place your dumbbell onto the ground as if you’re trying not to disturb someone ten feet away from you attempting a winning putt at the Masters. There will be noise in a weight room and we can accept this. And on occasion, there is cause for even more extra noise after that last rep, if and only if the lifter does not have the requisite strength remaining to prevent such clang-age. BUT – this is important – it is quite impolite to let your weight(s) clang onto the ground, machine, rack, or whatever after every freaking set, or dare I say it, every rep. This sort of thing can damage the floors at your gym. And when you let your weights slam down, the message you send is “I AM APE WHO WANT ATTENTION! ME NEED LET PEOPLE KNOW, ME STRONG!!! LOOK AT ME!!!” Don’t be that guy.
2. Dress properly for the occasion. Ladies and gentlemen, this includes both of you.
   
   Some basics that apply to both sexes: Common sense should be the key to your choice of attire in the gymnasium. Consider, for a moment, what sort of clothing you imagine a random person wearing to the gym. This should be a t-shirt of suitable size, athletic shorts of suitable length, and either running or cross training shoes. There are some variations of the theme, of course. Some people prefer different colors or patterns, for example. There are even variations on the specific clothing items that are acceptable. Some folks, for instance, prefer to work out without any sleeves. Others prefer track pants instead of shorts. These are each acceptable substitutes. This may seem like an obvious point to be making, yet there are some gym attendees who do not quite understand where the limits on gym attire lie. Some quick guidelines for sending the proper visual message to your peers in the gym: Pajama pants are never acceptable ever, no type of sandal shall be worn in the gym, jeans are unacceptable attire (even if in “jorts” form), no make up shall be worn, and jewelry shall be judged on a case by case basis.
   
   For the gentlemen: Although sleeveless shirts are acceptable, your nipples should never be exposed. This means that you must not cut your sleeves at any point below the armpit, or risk looking like a tool bag. And although this final point might also apply to women, men are the more frequent perpetrators and I will note a guideline on caps and hats, specifically pertaining to guys: If you wear a baseball cap, it had better be old and grubby or have the insignia of a team you actually play for. Nice new hats with plaid patterns and sparkles that read “G-Unit” have no place in the gym.
   
   For the ladies: If your attire communicates to others that you show up to the gym for male attention, rather than a workout, you will not be taken seriously. In combination with going slowly on the elliptical while watching VH1 reality television, you could potentially lose all credibility as a bright, capable individual. Similarly, if your appearance sends the message that you’re not there to actually exercise, you will be judged in a manner similar to the individuals who show up wearing sandals. Be forewarned.

3. Do not space out on an elliptical at 20 RPMs and 0 resistance. Especially when all of the cardio machines are occupied. Just don’t. This is impolite in a crowded gym because it sends the message that, even though you aren’t getting very much of a workout, you aren’t considerate enough to make room for someone who will. And yes, it’s much worse if you’re watching TV or talking on your cellular phone at the same time.
4. Do not cruise the locker rooms naked for a period of time longer than two minutes. Just don’t. No one wants to see that. Exception: In the shower area, nudity is acceptable.
5. Do not scream in the gym. Yes, we know it is difficult to finish a rep sometimes. And yes, you just might get a boost to finish that last rep from your primal roaring. That does not make it okay. It is, for lack of more precise terminology, annoying as s**t. Furthermore, since it is generally not the ladies that are partaking in this sort of behavior, I also would like to point out to the gentlemen that it is exactly this type of behavior that alienates women from the free weights area of the gym. And while some may like their free weights area to be a center of testosterone, most gyms are co-ed, and thus consideration for others – male and female – should be applied to one’s manners. Essentially, good manners dictate that you’re going to want to (a) generally not behave like an ape, in as well as out of the gym, and (b) show consideration for others in the gym my doing your best to allow everyone to work out comfortably, without annoying sounds. And screaming qualifies as an annoying sound. So don’t do it. That’s pretty much the gist of it.
6. Do not bother people while they are in the midst of a set. Gentle readers, it is quite impolite to bother or interrupt others who are politely going about their own business. For example, if one is in the middle of a set of dead lifts, it would be impolite to place your arm on their shoulder and say something like “Hey bro, wanna spot me?” Generally, most people placed in that situation would probably think something along the lines of “No, moron, I don’t want to spot you – I want to finish my dead lifts.” A more polite, considerate approach would be to wait quietly in the background until the person finishing their set finishes their set, and then to use a sentence more along the lines of “Excuse me, would you mind spotting for me?” Corollary Personal Request (by me): Please do not use the word “bro.”
7. Wipe the equipment down. Perhaps the only thing more annoying than falling weights or primal scream in a gym setting, is the feeling one gets when they get under a barbell, onto one of the cardio machines, or onto a bench only to discover that they will have the inglorious choice of wiping up someone else’s sweat mess or swimming in the other person’s sweat for the remainder of the particular exercise. So, gentle readers, even if you are in the middle of a circuit (your heart rate is not going to drop that fast, seriously – you aren’t that fit), please take the time to wipe down equipment after you use it. And here is a pro tip for good measure: if you carry a gym towel around, you can cut down on the time spent searching for one!
8. Re-rack your weights. I think that the concept of manners and the idea of putting things back when one is finished using them have probably been linked in the minds of most folks since they were two years old and their mothers yelled at them to “put that s**t back when you’re done with it.” Gentle readers, things do not change once you reach adulthood. We still must put things back in their proper places when we are done, rather than leaving them all over the floor. Not only is leaving weights on the floor impolite, but it also results in disorganization and dangerous conditions within the weight room. To further explain, good manners include putting weight plates back onto their proper rack, and moreover, the weights should be placed in sensible places on the rack. For example, on a weight tree, different types of plates should never be intermingled on the same bar. Thus, a five pound weight should never be placed on the same bar as a ten pound weight. It is incredibly aggravating to need a certain weight, and to discover that to get to one, three forty-five pound plates must be moved out of the way and then placed back where they were. A corrolary to this rule applies the rule to things in the gym that are not weights – a polite gymgoer will put everything he uses in the gym back in its proper place, including but not limited to: grips, pads, body bars, strength bands, swiss balls, medicine balls, benches, boxes, boxing gloves, and Zumba skirts.
9. Do not abuse the lat pulldown machine. You’re going to hurt yourself. Ask a trainer or a trusted friend how to do it properly. Your back will thank you later. Corollary: This rule can be applied to any machine you don’t know how to use.
10. Mind the personal space of others. If you see a person who happens to be in your path, in the middle of a set of, say, upright rows, do not try to squeeze between the person and an adjacent piece of equipment to get by. It is impolite to invade the personal space of others, more so in the middle of an exercise where it is quite possible that a bump followed by an injury will occur. Furthermore, many people in the gym have overinflated or underinflated egos. A bump has an outside chance of hurting feelings or causing a fight. A more prudent choice of action would be to simply avoid the person’s personal space by choosing another route, or, if you absolutely must squeeze by for some reason, using the simple phrase “excuse me.” Do not add the word “bro” to the end of that phrase, as well, because doing so will negate the good manners you have demonstrated with the use of “excuse me,” and you will simply be viewed as obnoxious. Separately, the polite gymgoer should not perform their exercises too close to other patrons, or interfere with (or, as some have done, take away) the weights or equipment that are being used by others.
11. Excessive cologne is frowned upon. Use your best judgment. Using deodorant is considered polite and considerate of your fellow gymgoers. However, do not abuse cologne prior to visiting the gym, as this would be considered bad manners. While there are many other, more offensive smells (e.g. farts, dirty clothes, sweaty towels, etc.) that can easily crop up in a gym, none are as easily preventable as the excessive cologne smell. By applying excessive cologne prior to a workout, you are sending the message that you do not care about others’ olfactory senses, and this, naturally, is considered impolite.
12. Unsolicited advice should be given only after the most careful deliberation and reflection. Respect people’s egos and levels of knowledge. Especially if you are a n00b. However, if you find yourself in a situation where it would be polite to give advice, or if your advice is a matter of safety or actually solicited, please do not hesitate to give it out freely. Most people who are regularly in the gym would welcome more information, as long as it is not being given without proper tact.
13. Do not take up multiple machines in a crowded gym. You physically cannot be on more than one machine at a time. For this reason, there is no rational basis for laying claim to two free weight areas, three pairs of dumbbells, and four weight machines at once, all while not allowing others to use any of the equipment. Which brings me back to another lesson that our mothers probably told us all in our youth: “Share with your friends, you spoiled brat.” If there is, somehow, a magical need for occupying all of this equipment, you need to either go to the gym during a slow part of the day when no one else will want to use the equipment you need or buy your own home gym.
14. Competing with others in the gym is silly. Yes, your max-with-bad-technique easily is more than what the other guy who is warming up is lifting, and yes, you can run faster on the treadmill than the slightly overweight girl trying to lose weight. Nobody cares.
15. Work hard. This is important. You’ll get better results and earn the respect of your peers. Laziness is unproductive and lazy people waste precious gym space.

Anyway, I’m sure there are more things out there that I have not yet addressed. Let me know by using the comments section if you would like something addressed.