“Don’t slouch.”
“Say please and thank you.”
"Don't talk with food in your mouth."
How many times have you heard those commands? How many more have you heard your mother or grandmother say? Did you know that manners don’t stop just because you walk into the gym? There are certain rules that carry over from regular life to gym life, and there are some that were created just for the gym. There are enough to fill a book but for the sake of brevity I’ll keep it to a few basic, but important ones.
1.)
Sharing equipment and weights: This can actually go both ways. First, if you are using equipment and notice someone wants to use it as well ask him or her if they’d like to work in a set while you rest. On the flip side, if you want to use a weight or piece of equipment that another person is using, ask if you can work in a set while he or she rests. If you’d prefer to wait, you can also ask if that person if finished with what he/she is using before hopping right in and taking over. Take turns. It’s basic kindergarten manners. I actually had an instance where I shared the leg extension machine with a woman while I rested and when I asked to get back on it after she did her set, her response was “I still have two more sets.” So she rested on the machine until she was ready to continue.Don’t be that woman. Please. Pretty please. Pretty please with sugar-free sprinkles on top. (On a side note: don’t hover over equipment while you have a twenty-minute chat with a friend, on the phone or in the gym.)
2.)
Wipe off equipment: If you leave the gym without breaking a sweat, you probably haven’t exercised hard enough. With that being said, I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to go over to a piece of cardio equipment literally dripping with the sweat of its last user or a bench still bearing the imprint of the last member’s sweaty back. This is extremely unhealthy(and disgusting) because certain illnesses are passed that way (i.e. MRSA). If you ever find yourself leaving your mark on any piece of gym equipment,please spray disinfectant on a paper towel and wipe it off. Don’t spray the equipment or bench directly, as it can be bad for the material/equipment.
3.)
Re-rack your weights: For the love of all that is holy, put things back where they are supposed to go. As a small child you are taught that you are to put your toys away after you are finished playing. The same rule applies here. Don’t leave your weights out for people to trip over or cause them to go on a crusade to find them. If you are old enough to work out at a gym, you are old enough to put away your own weights.
4.)
Wear deodorant: You’d think this one would be a no-brainer but, alas, the use of deodorant still eludes some out there. I don’t know if people consistently forget to apply it or what. Please wear deodorant people. If not for your sake, then for the dozens of noses around you.
I can assure you, the list goes on for etiquette in the gym. For starters, however, stick to these three and learn as you go. Just be thoughtful and know that the “Golden Rule” is definitely one of those that crosses over into the gym.
