Most people who go to the gym to work out on a regular basis have had the experience of witnessing that one occasional big, burly, clumsy, noisy jerk that has absolutely no manners at all. This person will clang weights while exercising, drop weights on the floor then leave them there for someone else to put away and disregard the fact that anyone else is in the gym. In other words, this person has no courtesy for anyone who might be there.
Most of us however would not want to be the person described above. Most people just want to go and get in a good workout without being a nuisance to anyone, and then go about their business afterwards. Here are some things to remember when you go to the gym to insure that you are exercising the proper conduct that will make your gym time more pleasurable.
1) Dress properly: when you are at the gym you are there to exercise, nothing more. Overly reveling or offensive clothing should not be worn. Women should wear outfits that do not portray a swimsuit photo session and men should always wear at least proper length shorts and a tank top. Some people may not want to see that much of you.
2) Do not monopolize exercise machines: try not to spend too much time on any one machine or piece of equipment. Remember that you are not the only one there and others may be waiting to use the equipment too.
3) Clean off any sweat: always bring a towel with you and when you are finished with each piece of equipment, wipe it down. It only takes a few seconds to do and it is basic hygiene and courtesy. Would you want to get on equipment with someone else’s sweat on it?
4) Put away what you use: when you use free weights, an exercise ball, a medicine ball or any such equipment, always put them back in their proper storage place. Re-rack dumbbells, re-stack weight plates, put barbells away, place exercise balls and medicine balls in their holders or at least out of the way. Random equipment lying around can pose a safety hazard to others plus you would be leaving it up to someone else to put up your stuff.
5) Do not use your cell phone or sing out loud: if you bring a set of earphones with you, avoid singing any songs so others can hear you. You are not auditioning for American Idle, and there are other people there who may not think you sound like who you are trying to sing to. Cell phones can be distracting also so leave them in the locker room or in the car.
6) Do not grunt loudly or yell when lifting weights: it is easy to keep grunting noises to a minimum and yelling is not necessary at all. Loud grunting or yelling is rude and only serves to distract others, and no one is impressed by it either.
7) Avoid too much socializing: it is fine to make friends in the gym, but try not to spend too much time talking. There are some gym members who are not looking to converse with anyone. Too much socializing can distract and disrupt other people’s workouts.
The general rule of thumb when in the gym is simply this; use common sense and remember that a little courtesy goes a long way. Think about how you would like to be treated and how you would feel about having to put someone else’s equipment away and how you feel when that rude, inconsiderate jerk is making enough noise to wake the dead right next to where you are exercising.