Gym Etiquette 101
There are no written rules of the gym, sure every gym harps on specific rules but a lot of these rules are hard to enforce and leave the serious gym go-er at a bypass when it comes to getting in a good workout due to the negligence of people with bad gym etiquette. In this article I’ll break down a few unwritten rules of the gym to follow that will make your workout experience better.
Rule #1 Re-rack your weights
For some reason this seems to be the most prevalent issue when it comes to gyms. Depending on the gym you go to, this could be an instant move that will get you hated. Most gyms care more about their bottom line than they do about their employees which is why this has become a problem. This rule has been posted at every commercial gym I have ever been to but is rarely enforced by the staff due to them not wanting to upset their customer. The Staff or the other gym members don’t want to pick up your weights. Your 20 dollars a month doesn’t reverse the common courtesy we learn at the age of 8 of “picking up your mess”. So Please re-rack your weights or you’ll be forcing the 18 year old girl at the front desk to show you up.
Rule #2 Wear deodorant
If anyone wanted to smell something that would truly make them gag they would go to a local strip club in my home town of Eugene. This is probably the easiest out of our gym rules to follow. If you have to question whether you smell like shit or not I’d probably take the bet and 5 second action of putting on some deodorant. If you really want to be an over achiever then I would go snag a 50 dollar bottle of cologne from your local department store, worst case scenario is you’ll smell like an 80’s nightclub, best case scenario you’ll seduce the hot gym milf who appreciates your gym etiquette and rustic smell.
Rule #3 Wear athletic shoes
Nothing makes you look more serious than good gym attire. When I see someone wearing a pair of crocs to the gym I patiently wait for them to have the form of a schizophrenic panda bear trying to juggle. Wearing open toed shoes is usually a big indicator you have no idea what you are doing, because anyone who’s spent more than a few years in the gym will know how much it sucks to drop a dumbbell on your toe. So do yourself a favor and wear athletic shoes to the gym to avoid broken toes!
Rule #4 Don’t text and workout
It’s 2020 and the average person is going to have an aneurism unless they can text every 15 minutes. You’ve already done all of the hard work, you’ve paid your gym membership and shown up, don’t hinder your workout by texting. Not only can you avoid serious gym injuries by paying attention but you’ll be able to get your workout done faster.
Rule #5 Wipe down your gym equipment
Most gyms will provide wipes and sanitization spray for its members. I would say about 30% of the people at my gym (Lifetime Fitness) utilize this feature. No random person wants to bathe in your gym sweat… and if they do, it might be best to change gyms. So in my mind, following this gym rule is multi functional, you can ensure your gym stays nice and clean and put a serious roadblock between you and your local serial killer at the gym.
Rule #6 Camping should be done in the wild, not the gym
We’ve all ran into the person who spends about 20 minutes on one machine and completes 4 sets. This becomes extremely frustrating when you frequent a smaller gym. After you’ve done this a few times you’ll start to get a bad reputation. For example, I have been living in Vegas for about 7 years now. When I initially moved here I lived on the strip and would frequent a gym called LVAC Sahara, this gym had an awesome leg workout room. Unfortunately a group of 4-5 “powerlifters” would frequent this gym as well and hog all of the equipment. Needless to say it left a bad taste in my mouth, so when I moved to the other side of town I switched gyms as well. A few years later these clowns had popped back up at my new gym (which was much smaller) and within a few weeks everyone wanted them out. Save the camping for the annual family camping trip your fellow gym peeps will thank you for it.
Rule #7 Be mindful of personal space
Again most of these rules are things we all should have learned in grade school. No one appreciates when someone starts doing jumping jacks in the designated dumbbell area. It’s awkward and frustrating. Sometimes people try to follow their workout plan to the T, feeling as though they need to do a specific exercise at a particular time, regardless if that part of the gym is packed. While I admire the focus to get your workout done its not with injuring yourself or someone else.
Rule #8 Makeup at the gym
Girls wearing makeup at the gym is something I have found to be extremely common here in Vegas. I’m not sure if most of these girls just got off their shift at crazy horse 3 or just looking for attention from someone other than their husband. Personally I find this to be a minor gym rule, not a serious offense. At the end of the day you are at the gym to get a workout in and one of the many benefits of physical exercise is sweating and clearing your pores, it’s hard to do that if you’re looking like you’re ready for your junior prom.
Rule #9 The hottest girl at the gym isn’t interested
Chances are the fit chick in the gym everyone stares at already has a sugar daddy and has already heard about 2-3 pick up lines before you get to vomit out your own. Unfortunately most woman dread going into the free weight sections of gyms because of this dynamic. If you really want to pull a girl from your gym its probably best to ignore them. This will have your local instagram celebrity wondering why you’re not interested and give you the best chance of a future failed date at olive garden.
Conclusion
Well hopefully these tips to not have everyone hate your guts at the gym was helpful. I promise you that if you follow these rules, you are on your way to making more friends at your local gym and more efficient workouts!