Most gyms are well kept and contain fancy cardio machines and various weight training machines. There are free weights, stability balls, and other equipment at your disposal. Yet with all of these amenities, some people fail at good gym etiquette.
The equipment in the gym is to be shared by hundreds of people on a daily basis. When you have hundreds of people sharing the same equipment, you are bound to run into someone else’s sweat along the way. No one likes to hop onto an exercise machine only to find it drenched with sweat! I have experienced this all too often. The number one rule of most gyms is to have a towel. Remember to be considerate of the next person to use the piece of equipment you are using. Wipe down any areas that you know you have left sweat on.
Another area of gym etiquette is putting back loose equipment where it belongs. Many times, the free weights are left all over the place. Sure, the gym employees go around and put things back every now and then, but we can do our part as well. It isn’t hard to put things back in their proper place.
When you attend the gym at a peak time (usually between 5pm and 8pm) everyone is fighting to get on machines. If you’re on a cardio machine, try not to hog it for an hour if you know people are wandering around waiting for an opening. If you are on a weight machine and someone politely asks you if they can “work in”, try to be considerate and let them. “Working in” means sharing a weight training machine between your sets. It is a great way to make a new friend and who knows, maybe a new workout buddy.
A little consideration can go a long way and make your gym time an even better one. Now, not everyone will practice gym etiquette but maybe by your doing so, a little good karma will come your way the next time you workout.
Eartha Haines is an editor for Trying Fitness [http://www.tryingfitness.com]. Trying Fitness [http://www.tryingfitness.com] is an almost daily journal of adding more fitness and better nutrition to her daily schedule. Visit [http://www.tryingfitness.com] for more information.
