Gym Etiquette 101

With January on the horizon, the gym will soon be packed to the sweaty brim with new members (and current members showing up more often) fulfilling their New Year’s Resolutions!

The more, the merrier! Let’s welcome them and show them that we know how to be courteous to our fellow members, the gym staff and the gym itself!

Here are a few tips to heed so that you’re not ‘that guy’ or ‘that gal’ at the gym:

1. Return Equipment to its Proper Place. – Using free weights? Awesome. Don’t forget to put them back where they belong so the next person doesn’t have to go on a wild goose chase to find them, and so nobody trips over a dumbbell left in the middle of the floor. 
2. Clean Up After Yourself! – This tip is twofold. Wipe down the equipment after using it to A. clean off the sweat, and B. to stop the spread of germs during cold and flu season.
3. Be On Top of Your Personal Hygiene – If you haven’t showered in a while before heading to the gym, maybe consider a quick one prior to your workout so the person using the treadmill next to yours doesn’t hightail it out of there when you show up. Also, gym clothes can get pretty funky if you don’t wash them within a reasonable amount of time after your gym session. Don’t forget about them in your gym bag till three days from now!
4. Sick? Come Back When You Feel Better! – Don’t risk the spread of germs to the other members. Get some rest and get better!
5. Hang Up Your Phone. – We don’t want/need to hear your conversation with your bff or your mom. Need to keep your phone on for work? That’s cool – just answer it in an isolated area to avoid distracting other members.
6. Stop the Gym Selfies! – Especially the ones that seem to require clothing removal of any kind. It can be annoying to other members, and they don’t want to inadvertently photobomb you and end up on your Insta feed.
7. Avoid Grunting/Dropping Weights. – We get it. It’s heavy! No need to announce it to the world. Also, dropping weights can be dangerous and can damage the floors. 
8. Follow the Gym Rules. – Every gym has their own set of rules. Be sure you are familiar with them!

Can’t get enough of these gym etiquette tips? Don’t fret. Here are some links to other gym etiquette articles that get into even more detail:

• We especially like the mansplaining tip in this one from My Fitness Pal.
• This list from Nerd Fitness it EXTENSIVE and we are digging the extra dose of snark!
• Need a good laugh? Check out this one from The Daily Burn.
• Here’s one more specific to lifting and body building.