How to Behave in Gyms

Even though gyms have been popular for decades now, and a majority of people today use them, it is still amazing how many people walk into a gym and attend gyms frequently without understanding basic gym etiquette.

Whether you're a new to a gym, or a seasoned veteran it might pay to review this list of common gym etiquette to ensure that you are not inadvertently becoming "that guy" or "that gal" that everyone points to and complains about in the gym.

Common Gym Courtesies 

• Cell Phone Use. There is nothing more annoying than someone yapping on the phone rather than using the equipment. If you need to make a call, get off the gym floor and make your call.  Unless you're waiting for an important call, it's recommended that you turn off your cell phone at the gym. If you are expecting an important call keep your phone on or put it on vibration mode. Others are trying to focus, so be considerate and remember why you are at the gym...to work out. Bringing your phone into the locker room and using is also bad etiquette. Why? Because the latest cell phone models have integrated cameras and video recorders and, well, nobody wants their naked butt being blasted across the web.

• No Foul Language. The gym is a public place. People of all ages, genders, religions and cultures might be present on the premises. Be respectful of the people around you and don't use foul language.

• Do not Bring Young Children to the Gym. Unless the gym has child care services do not bring your young children to the gym. The gym is not a playground and can be extremely dangerous.

• Grunting. Occasional natural grunting under extremely lifting conditions may be acceptable in some hardcore gyms, but loud habitual or sudden outbursts are never acceptable. They are seen as rude, juvenile and egotistical. What it really says is "look at me" I am a rude, inconsiderate novice.  Remember that the others around you are concentrating on their own work out and don't need to hear "the loud guy" screaming for attention.

• Pick up after yourself. Unless you own the gym, you are guest. This means you are one of many using the gym. So be courteous to others and don't leave any water bottles, cans, food wrappers, towels, or any other items behind. The same goes for the locker room. Keep your locker clean, orderly, and don't leave anything lying around for the next guy. Your membership fee is for use of the apparatus; it is not for maid service.

• Be Aware of the Workout Area. Do not exercise where others need to walk, high traffic paths, area entries, in front of water stations, etc.  Do not stand in front of the dumbbell rack or weight trees since other exercisers will need clearance to get and put away their dumbbells and weight plates.

• Water Fountains Use. A water fountain's purpose is to drink, not spit or throw away your gum. Moreover, if there's a huge lineup at the water fountain, don't be disrespectful of others by filling your water bottle. If you need to fill your water bottle allow others behind you to use water fountain first. Finish filling up your container after they are finished drinking.

• Music. There's absolutely no problem with listening to music while working out, but don't have it blasting so loudly through your headphones that (1) those around you can hear the noise and (2) that you cannot answer others when they need to ask you if you are using a piece of equipment. Also unless you are have a few Platinum albums under your belt, no karaoke, please!

• Gym TV or Music Systems. If you do not like the choice of music or what is playing on TV ask others working out if they would mind if you request a change. A safe choice is to bring your own headset and portable music or video player. 

• Mirrors. There are two things to know about mirrors. In most modern gyms, mirrors are everywhere. Mirrors are there for more than just vanity. Mirrors are there to help make sure you are using proper technique, so unless you are pressed up against one fixing your hair or checking yourself out, don't be afraid to use the mirrors. Secondly, respect others who are also using them and try to avoid walking in front as they are performing their set. If you want to use a mirror, it's better to stand close to it so that your actions are unambiguous to the rest of the crowd. If you're looking at yourself in a mirror from across the room, don't get mad if someone passes in front of you

• Minimize What You Bring on the Gym Floor. Keep your stuff off the Equipment and areas were people need to walk - even if you are exercising right next to it. Leaving stuff around is rude, creates confusion (people do not know if equipment is taken) and can also create a safety issue if left on the floor. Your stuff may also get stolen to!

• Do Not Be Late. For gym group classes, be it Yoga, Boxing, Pilates, be on time.  Coming to class late disturbs others.

Gym Couture

• Dress Appropriately. In some gyms fashion may be the rule, but in most gyms clean, clean workout clothes and gym shoes are all that is required. Note the emphasis on CLEAN. Leave the cutoff jean shorts, tor clothing, biker boots, stripper clothes, daisy duke shorts, ball huggers' shorts, and pajama pants at home. Wearing non workout clothes, dirty, ripped, or smelly clothes is poor gym etiquette.

Hygiene

• Use Towels. Always have a towel handy, especially if you wear tank tops, or sweat a lot.  Some gyms provide towel service and others don't. If your gym doesn't, have towel service ALWAYS bring a towel with you. Towels help you keep your sweat to yourself, and they help you avoid the sweat of others. There is nothing worse than lying on a piece of gym equipment with someone else's sweat all over it. Most gyms have cleaning supplies located in the cardio area to wipe down your machine-use them!

• Control Offensive Body Odor. Exercising makes you sweat and perspiration causes body odor. Additionally many gyms are crowded and you in many cases will be working out in close proximity with others. Do everyone a favor and come to the gym showered and wear effective deodorant. Smelling god is great however don't take this to an extreme. You are not going out to a club, so do NOT douse yourself with cologne; overcompensation can be just as unpleasant for fellow members.

• Germs. Wash hands to decrease spread of germs after (1) using rest room (2) after sneezing or coughing on your hand and (3) after workouts  Also wipe machines off before and after use.

Equipment Use

• Observe Posted Equipment Instructions and Warnings. Posted equipment instructions and warnings are there for your safety and also to protect the equipment from misuse. In many gyms when equipment breaks, parts must be ordered and this means downtime. If you misuse the equipment and the equipment breaks you are performing a disservice to the gym and to all the patrons that frequent the gym.

• Use Equipment Correctly. Failure to use equipment correctly can (1) Damage the equipment (2) compromise your safety (3) annoy others by creating noise.  Examples: Do not slap feet on treadmill, Do not bottom or top out on stair climber, Do Not Bounce the bar in the Smith machine, or slam the pads on the pec dec, or bounce stacks on weight machines.  

• Don't Hog Equipment. Unless you are the sole member of the gym, sharing is mandatory. Let others work in with you between sets-you should be taking a quick rest anyway. Always do your sets the way you have them planned, training efficiently. Rest, repeat, and move on. Also do not leave your towel on the machine and walk away to take an extended water break. You do not own the equipment and remember, everyone is on a schedule, not just you.

• Sharing Equipment. If you would like to use a piece of equipment someone is using ask if you can "work in between their sets". If the person says no, be patient. There are some acceptable reasons for denying "working in". Although everyone has different opinions as to what is "acceptable" for not allowing someone to "work in" (share), the following reasons are considered acceptable (1) two or more individuals already exercising on equipment (2) a large number of free weights are already loaded on the equipment and user is nearly finished after each set allow the other person to use the equipment. If someone does allow you to work in: (1) try to set the apparatus adjustments back where the other person had set them.  If someone begins exercising on a weight apparatus while you were resting between your sets:  you should say "I only have X number of sets left on this machine, you may work in with me if you would like"

• Refrain from Supersetting in Prime Time. Should you want to do supersets, arrive early or late enough so that you can do them without impacting others. If you want to do supersets during while others are present it is good etiquette to notify the others so that they know. It is even better etiquette to let them use the equipment while you're busy elsewhere so they can work in. Note: Supersets is a term that refers to performing multiple exercises back to back without minimal rest.

• Don't Bang the Weights. Do not slam the weights onto the equipment. This just makes you look inconsiderate and like a "Class A" idiot. Just do not do it. Enough said.

• Don't Drop the Weights. As with grunting, just don't. Weights make a loud noise when dropped, which can throw others off their workouts. Not only is dropping weights disrespectful to others but dropping the weights can (1) damage the equipment and (2) they can roll or bounce and injure passerby's.

• Do Not be a Chatty Cathy. The gym is a place to work out. Do not be a tool and sit on a piece of machine and read the paper, or chit chat.  This inconsiderate behavior will only irritate other gym patrons who actually give a (expletive) about their workout

• Don't be Clingy. Nothing annoys me more is someone that wants to work in with me, when there are 5 other pieces of the same equipment unattended. If you are looking for a spot or need a spot ask, but do not ask to use equipment that others are using if there are other identical pieces not being used. This is poor gym etiquette, and also seen as ‘a bit weird" too!

• Do "Claim" Equipment.  It is not proper gym etiquette to "claim a piece of equipment" by setting a towel or water bottle on or next to it.

• Return the Equipment when Done. Whenever you use gym equipment be considerate enough to put the equipment back where it belongs when you're done. The other gym members are here to train, not to participate in a scavenger hunt looking for plates, bars and other needed equipment. Additionally, it is not the attendants or other member's responsibility to put away your equipment.

• Re-rack Weights and Dumbbells Correctly. Sometimes the racks are full and disorganized so you can't place your weights in their proper spot, but you can at least place them somewhere on the rack or on the floor in front of where they should go. Leaving dumbbell and plates unracked in the middle of the room is unacceptable. This behavior is rude and may also create a tripping hazard for others. Failure to re-rack weights also creates other issues: it leaves others uncertain if they are being used. So, be courteous and return all dumbbells and plates to their proper place; or as close as possible to their proper place.  

• More on Rack Etiquette.  Put plates back according to their weight (e.g., 45lb, 35lb, 25lb, 10lb, 5LF, 2.5LF).  Do not mix plates on same storage bar. Replace dumbbells placed in order on rack, where they were intended to be stored.

• Wipe the Machines After Use. Nothing is worse than walking to a machine and finding it covered with sweat.  If you happen to sweat all over a piece of equipment, wipe it down, preferably using the disinfectant provided by the gym.

• Observe Cardio Times. Most gyms usually set a 20 to 30-minute time limit to the cardio machines. Some gyms may even limit cardio times to 15-minute if someone is waiting. If your gym is not busy, stay on that machine as long as you like. But if people are waiting, respect the rules. Do NOT drape a towel over the timer or wear headphone or look straight forward and act like you do not know that someone is waiting for the equipment. If you really want to have an extended cardio workout, avoid the gym during the busiest hours, like the 5:00 pm - 7:00 weekdays. If you are waiting for a machine, let others know but be courteous about it. Do not crowd the person. Where applicable, put your name on a reservation list.

• Track Use. Walk in inside lanes. Pass on outside lanes.

• Basketball or Racquetball Court Use. Follow posted rules. Any questions ask gym management.

• Personal Trainers. Many gyms have rules against personal training clients (if you do not work for the particular gym) in their establishments. There may be good reason for it too, like insurances purposes. Proper gym etiquette is to speak to the club manager and get his or her approval if you wish to train others (as a business) in the gym.

Social Skills 

Once you know how to handle the equipment, you need to hone your social skills. There are things you need to understand so you are not labeled as someone other gym patrons want to avoid.

• Noise. Do not create excessive noise (e.g., chatter, whistling, singing, smacking your gum, grunting, etc.). Excessive noise can be distracting to others and can also be the cause injury. 

• Talk Sparingly. The gym is a place to work out and not a social club, as much as some people may think to the contrary. Conversations should be kept brief and limited to resting periods in between sets. Short discussions should be held out of the way so people can train without interruption. In addition, NEVER initiate conversations with people wearing headphones unless necessary (like asking them if they are on a particular piece of equipment). If people are wearing headphones there is a good chance they are wearing them so they are not disturbed.

• Interruptions. Do not interrupt a fitness instructor if he is conducting a personal training session or equipment orientation. Do not interrupt someone while they are performing their set or spotting someone else.

• Do Not Initiate Conversation with Someone while they are Engaged in Resistance Training. The worst time to initiate a conversation is while someone is performing an exercise with weights. Not only can this be distracting and irritating to people who are serious about their training but this inconsiderate behavior can also distract them and increase risk of injury.

• Don't Pressure Users. One thing you don't want to do is constantly ask people if they've finished using a machine when they're obviously still exercising on it. Wait for them to stop before asking. Ask only once. Do not tap your foot impatiently while waiting either or give them dirty looks if they still have a few more sets to go.  On the flip side if someone is asking you how many sets, do not respond in a rude way. Do not be an idiot and respond with "10 sets" or reply "I do not know". Be kind.   Always quantify how many sets you have left and try to remember if the shoe was on the other foot what type of response you would prefer to hear.

• Do Not Crowd Other Exercisers.  Understand that some exercises require space (e.g., flyes, cable crossover machines, etc.).

• Staring.  It is understood that at times the gym can be one big meat market. There is nothing wrong with noticing that beautiful physique walking by, but don't make it a staring contest. Next time, use the mirrors at a 45 degree angle to check out that person that may have caught your eye.

• Giving Unsolicited Advice. Proper gym etiquette is to assume that NO ONE wants unsolicited advice. The advice you give should be limited to when you notice someone who's going to hurt himself. This does not mean however to ignore people whose body language indicate that they want assistance. Feel free to ask to assist anyone that appears to be struggling to figure out how to use an exercise machine.

• Spotting. Limit the frequency you ask others for a spot.  Utilize fitness staff before approaching a member you do not know for a spot. Only ask for a spot when you need one. Do not expect the spotter to assist you beyond one assisted repetition. The purpose of the spotter is not to do the work for you. If you cannot handle the weight by yourself lighten the load to a weight what you can handle. Nothing spells "amateur" and "clueless" more than someone asking for a spot and then requiring the spotter to lift most of the weight for you.  Additionally, if you're not strong enough to lift the weight, you are risking injury to the spotter and to yourself. . On the flip side, if you see someone who is clearly lifting too much weight (this may become apparent when the barbell lands on his chest or when his face turns blue) please, give him a hand.

• Locker Room Etiquette.  Proper locker room etiquette includes: (1) putting toiletries back where they belong immediately after you have used them so others may use them. (2) Wearing a towel in all public areas (3) not monopolizing mirror space, hair dryers, or other accessories intended to be available for everyone's use. (4) Making bench space for others who come in. (5) wiping up water you spilt around sink counter top. (6) Leaving the shower the way you found it. (7) Throwing towels in designated bins after use. (7) Remembering that naked persons always have the right of way!

About the Author

Jeff Behar, MS, MBA