When I first started the Many Rules of Gym Etiquette I knew that it was going to be an endless topic. So many people join the gym every day that you are bound to run into some people that don’t yet know gym etiquette. But we shouldn’t ridicule these people for not knowing the rules yet, instead, we should educate them on what is right and wrong. Today I plan to cover some more of the most common gym etiquette rules I see broken every day.
On the last post, we focused on the most common rules that every gym members should follow. It just so happens that most of those rules are already printed on the wall of the gym you are a member of. Today I want to talk about the lesser known rules of gym etiquette and how you can avoid being that guy or girl.
Look for Headphones
If you see another member of the gym wearing gym headphones, that’s basically a “Do Not Disturb” sign. I can’t tell you how annoyed I get when people look at me and mimic the motion to take out my headphones so they can ask me some annoying question. Ninety-nine percent of the time it is a question about if I’m using a certain piece of gym equipment or not. A simple point to a machine and I will tell you if I’m using it. No need to ask me to take out my gym headphones and break up my workout flow.
On the other hand, I understand that some people like to meet other people at the gym. If you are one of those people, the first step is to look for gym headphones. If a person is not wearing gym headphones, they are much more likely to be interested in a conversation with their fellow gym member.
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There is a reason that the gym installed gym mirrors. Gym mirrors are there for members to watch their own form to ensure they are executing the exercise properly. One of the most annoying things a gym member can do is to stand right in front of another member while they are working out. Gym mirrors can be very helpful in learning how to use proper form and are ultimately there for safety. Don’t be the guy/girl hogging the gym mirrors by staring at yourself all day. Find a section of the gym mirrors that isn’t being used and work on your form.
There are some people that have no clue why the gym mirrors are even in the gym. You’ve seen them a hundred times, checking themselves out, or simply watching themselves talk on a cell phone. These people seem to think they are the only person on the planet. The next time you see this person, you should politely ask them to move out of your way to get a better workout.
Put Away Your Phone!
Now I personally take my cell phone to the gym because I listen to music on it. I have a gym cell phone holder that makes it very easy to change songs or stations at any time without having to fumble with getting my phone out of my pocket. I have noticed that more and more people have begun to use gym cell phone holder’s and that’s a great start towards stopping this horrible gym etiquette faux pas.
There is nothing worse than having to listen to people talk on their cell phones in the gym. These people seem to have absolutely no respect for the gym members around them when they are screaming on their cell phones in front of people. It can be very distracting to have to deal with these people and it always breaks up the flow of your workout.
I often see people running on the treadmill and talking on their cell phones. I have also seen more than one of these types of people trip over their own feet and badly hurt themselves falling off of the treadmill while talking on the phone. To these people I say, do yourself a favor and buy a gym cell phone holder and listen to music with your headphones on. It will save you time in the gym and time out of the hospital.
Don’t Take Pictures
This rule should be pretty self-explanatory, but you shouldn’t be taking pictures of yourself or other gym members in the gym. A lot of gyms actually state that taking pictures inside the gym is prohibited and for good reason. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people taking gym pictures of themselves in the mirror. It’s distracting to other members and often times this person is trying to expose certain body parts to document in their pictures. I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to see is people lifting up their shirts and snapping gym pictures in the mirror.
Taking pictures of yourself and documenting your progress is a great idea in the privacy of your own home. Taking gym pictures is most likely prohibited in your gym so I would advise against doing it. People did not come to the gym to get their picture taken and they do not want to end up in one of your gym pictures.
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The gym can be a very strange place sometimes. For some reason, people seem to think that they can wear anything and everything to the gym. More often than not, people wear gym clothes that are extremely revealing to other gym members. I would say it is pretty much even between inappropriate gym clothes for men and inappropriate gym clothes for women.
Guys, please stop wearing the spaghetti string tank tops that show your entire chest. No one is going to be impressed by this type of gym clothes. In fact, most people are hoping that you will put on a sweatshirt so they do not have to see your entire sweaty upper body.
Women, please stop wearing gym clothes that are designed for the club instead of the gym. There are plenty of fashionable gym clothes out there that are not extremely revealing. Just like the men, we do not want to see your entire body exposed for everyone to see.
Keep It Private
I can only speak about the men’s rooms for this topic so I will keep it short. Men, please do not expose yourself in the public gym bathroom. We did not all grow up in a naked home and would prefer that everyone respect each other’s boundaries. Having full conversations with other gym members in the gym bathroom while completely nude is not ok. Do that type of thing at home if you must.
I’m assuming women might feel the same way about their gym bathroom.
So as I mentioned in the first post the rules of gym etiquette will always continue to grow. Now that you know some of the most common issues of gym etiquette please feel free to spread the word to other gym members. Once everyone is on board we can ensure that we all will have a much more pleasant gym experience.
