Gym Etiquette

When you go to the gym you need to remember that there are other people there too. While you’re there to work on your body and for your health, there are certain rules of conduct that you should adhere too.

In this article, I want to talk about some proper gym etiquette rules that you should maintain in each and everyone of your workouts. This will not only make other people’s workout more pleasant, but yours as well.

Dress appropriately

While no one expects you to wear a suit and tie to the gym, you should still maintain a certain decorum. This means that you should make sure that you’re covering all private parts and that nothing can mistakenly slip out during your workout. I’ve seen guys who had no idea how exposed they were and this is something that can make others uncomfortable.

Keep your sweat to yourself

A gym is a closed room with a lot of sweaty people going back and forth. While you can’t be expected to not sweat you should do your best to keep it to yourself. This is done by placing a towel on any exercise machine or bench that you use and by wiping them clean of your sweat when you’re done with them.

Keep the grunting down

I’ve had people in my gym who grunt during their workout as if they’re trying to lift a mountain and not a pair of dumbbells. In my opinion, these grunts are more for show and are not really a sign of exertion. Other people don’t need to hear you grunt. Keep it down and to yourself.

Stash your cellphone

Another leading cause of noise in gyms are cellphones. People think they need to be constantly available. Having your phone with you doesn’t just damage the effectiveness of your workout but it also adds noise your workout environment. Unless you’re a doctor on call or you’re expecting a super-important call, there’s no reason to bring your cellphone with you into the gym.

Return the weights

Coming into the gym at later hours is like walking into a bombed out city. It’s a total mess with weights strewn everywhere. Why is it that people feel like it’s someone else’s job to tidy up after them? Do you like it when you need to search for a particular weight when it should be on the stand where it belongs? Respect the other people who train with you and place the weights back where they belong.

Keep your opinions to yourself

You may be the greatest expert on fitness and weight lifting that’s ever lived. People don’t appreciate it when you disturb them while they’re working out with advice and corrections to their technique. They expect this kind of thing from the instructors, not you. I know that you think you’re doing them a favor but you’re just making them angry with you.

Learn to share

I love having a bench or a fitness machine all to myself. It’s much easier to workout like that. However, I don’t own the gym and neither do you. We have to share with others. Don’t try to monopolize any weights, fitness machines, or other equipment. Be a good sport about sharing them with other people.

Don’t over socialize

A gym is a great place to meet people. However, not everyone is there to speak with you or get to know you. This is especially for you guys who use the gym as a pickup place. Most women are there to train, not to look for a mate. Be sure that when you do talk to someone that they’re actually in a talking mood.

In Conclusion

Follow these gym etiquette tips and you will be a lot more fun to workout with and may actually make some true friends at the gym. Don’t be that person who everyone hates to be around in the gym. Behave properly.