Going to the gym is always exciting. It keeps your body active and gives you a healthy dose of serotonin. But what if a bad gym experience ruins your whole day? The inconvenience: most of the time, it’s because of a nosy or disrespectful person, right? We all avoid such people. But have you ever wondered if you might be one of them? Sounds awkward, right?
Let’s clear the air with this one. Sure, you don’t want to be annoying at the gym, but being mindful of how you share space is just as important. For this reason, many gyms have established rules and encourage members to follow them. It doesn’t matter whether you are a newcomer or a regular gymgoer; following the gym etiquette is very important. Here’s a complete list of gym do’s and don’ts to help you respect the facility and fellow gymgoers.
Essential Do’s of Gym Etiquette
First up, you should know what practices and rules you must follow in the gym to be respectful. So, keep in mind the following things:
Wipe Equipment After Its Use
When you work out, your sweat will leave its mark on the equipment. Awareness of this factor and keeping the space clean is essential. We all take care of our hygiene seriously, so we should do the same in the gym. Always wipe down equipment after use to maintain hygiene and respect others.
Put The Weights In Their Place
Leaving weight plates and dumbbells on the floor is a bad habit and a big safety hazard. This is basic gym etiquette.. So, don’t be careless and always put the weights and other small pieces of equipment back in their own place after use. This ensures both safety and good manners.
Take Gym Classes On Time
If you are a part of a gym class or a bootcamp, taking care of your arrival time is very important. Some gyms wait for all participants before starting group classes. In that case, don’t be a latecomer and always be on time. Before your group class starts, the instructor asks the class to do a warmup. It is also the time when you can talk to your instructor about the workout routine. By arriving early, you can utilise this time for more workout tips and socialise with your gym fellows.
Follow The Time Limit For Machines
Some gyms have specific time limits on their equipment usage. Respect machine time limits, especially during peak hours, to ensure fair use for everyone. You can ask the gym staff to tell you about the equipment rules, and you must follow them to create a positive environment.
Always Use Headphones For Music
It is an unspoken rule. Keep your music to yourself only. You are at the gym, so wear headphones and peacefully enjoy your workout with music. Don’t put the music on speakers for everyone. Be considerate.
Respect Everyone’s Personal Space
Gyms are shared spaces, and in this kind of environment, we must always be respectful of others. During workouts, especially in the weight area, you could be standing really close to the other person. Your movements might disrupt someone’s workout flow. Don’t do that. Always leave personal space while training, waiting, and walking between the gym sections.
Ask Nearby Before Taking Equipment
At the gym, the equipment is shared by everyone. You could be thinking of using one, and then somebody has to remind you that it was occupied. This is a bad practice. It is just basic manners to always ask about the equipment before using it. In this way, you would always use the machines and weights that are free and not occupied by anyone.
Encourage And Share Positivity
At the gym, you will find some people struggling or not being able to perform their training properly. If you see something like this, be positive and try to encourage that person. Everyone has their own fitness journey and sometimes needs encouragement to stay motivated.
Gym Don’ts: What to Avoid
Now, we come to those situations and practices that you should avoid at the gym. So, make sure that you don’t do the following:
Never Hog Equipment
During workouts, taking a break is normal. But keeping the equipment to yourself while scrolling through the phone or taking pictures is a wrong practice. In the gym, you can’t hog the machines for long and waste someone else’s time. So, if you need to take a long break from using the equipment, leave it so others can use it.
Don’t Drop Weights Carelessly
Many people use the weights and then leave them on the floor. This is the worst thing to do at the gym. Remember that leaving weights carelessly is very harmful and can cause injuries. Therefore, always rerack the weights from their designated area and don’t make trouble for other people.
Avoid Doing Circuits During Busy Gym Hours
Circuit training is a complicated and longer form of body training. It involves using multiple machines and doing many reps of the exercises. This kind of training is long and requires a longer duration of equipment usage for only one person. This should not be done during busy gym hours. So, for complex training, choose quiet gym hours.
Take Care Of Your Belongings
In shared spaces, we are responsible for taking care of our stuff on our own. In gyms, your personal stuff should not be left on the floor for people to trip over or get injured. You have locker rooms, so use them to keep your personal items over there. Keep your workout area tidy and store belongings properly..
Don’t Offer Unnecessary Advice
Nobody is perfect at the gym. You might spot someone using the machines wrong or struggling with their workout. It feels great to jump in and help others. But in gyms, the first rule is to be respectful and then help others. So, your uninvited advice might not be taken positively. In that case, keep your advice to yourself and just ask the gym staff to intervene at the time of help.
Be Respectful In The Mirror Area
In the room, people use mirrors to check their body form. First of all, you always have to leave the space while using the mirrors. Secondly, don’t stand still and occupy the area to take endless selfies. This is a wrong practice and very uncomfortable for everyone.
Don’t Use Equipment As A Resting Spot
It is common to take breaks between your workouts. For resting, you must use the locker room as it has a proper sitting area to sit and relax. But other areas, like benches, squat racks, and machines, are not made for resting. Don’t use the active gym area for rest, as it halts other people’s workout rhythm.
Avoid Wearing Strong Fragrances
It is a good practice to wear deodorant and body spray to combat body odour. But wearing too much perfume can be irritating for other people. So, avoid wearing strong fragrances in the gym. Instead, carry your fragrance and apply it after your workout if needed.
Wear Proper Gym Clothing
Gyms have their own rules to be respectful, and one of them is proper clothing. Avoid wearing cotton or thin clothes that can’t absorb sweat well and can be revealing to the body. Always wear polyester and nylon clothing to resist sweat and properly cover your body.
Keep Your Shoes Always Clean
How would you feel if you found dirt on the machines? Disgusted and annoyed, right? This happens when people are unaware that their shoes are carrying dirt everywhere, even on the equipment. So avoid this at all costs. Keep your shoes clean. For a more careful approach, keep a separate pair of shoes in your gym locker in case of bad weather days.
Take Your Phone Calls Outside
At the gym, it is very disrespectful if you get a phone call and start talking on the phone. At some point, your voice will get louder, too. Avoid this at all costs. Keep your phone calls outside the gym and return to the workout.
Don’t Be A Distraction
It is disrespectful to become an object of distraction in the gym. Bad manners like dropping weights, making grunting sounds, talking loudly on the phone, taking selfies and recording yourself all of these things are all very uncomfortable for other people. At the gym, your activities should never distract or disturb other people.
Take The Best Approach: Ask For Gym Rules First
Now you know the gym etiquette and the reason for following it. These rules exist to create a positive and welcoming gym environment for everyone. For a more careful approach, you can also go one step ahead and ask the gym staff to explain to you all of their gym rules. In this way, you play your part in creating a positive atmosphere in the gym.
Wrapping Up
Practicing good gym etiquette is a responsibility. As a shared member of the gym, it is important to play your part and contribute to maintaining a positive environment. It makes your workout more pleasant and effective. So, as an active part of the gym, be an advocate of good practices and promote a healthy and positive environment for everyone.
