What's bugging you: Gym Etiquette
Friday October 3, 2008
Nothing gets people going like the topic of gym etiquette - namely, how other people don't seem to have any. Just the other day, a client of mine threw out her back while unloading huge weights from a leg press machine...weights the previous user simply left there. She mentioned the idea of taking fingerprints to find the offender and then punishing them by making them load every machine for every gym member for one entire day. Not a bad idea, actually.
We've talked about this before here on the blog, so I know my readers have similar complaints and now we have a new way for you to express yourself, called User Answers. I want to know what your experience is. What breaches of gym etiquette burn you up? Leave a reader's response or leave a comment below...whatever floats your boat.
Comments
It doesn’t really bother me to unload someone else’s bar but I understand that each person should unload his or her own bar. I can see where someone who is older or new to working out could find it difficult to unload heavy weights not to mention saving time. I work out in the mornings prior to going to work and time is usually of the upmost importance.
I see so many selfish and lazy people (mostly the younger crowd) at the gym who must think staff and trainers are “equipment butlers”. I consistently strip and rack plates when I’m finished with a bar or machine. I consider it a common courtesy; common courtesy seems to be growing more uncommon everyday. As an added benefit, racking your weights is a really practical way to get just a little more effort into your workout. What really puts me off are the disgusting people who don’t think it’s necessary to wipe up their sweat after they’ve gushed all over a piece of equipment. And it’s not limited to guys…there was a young woman who literally rained all over the StairMaster the other night (there were puddles!) and walked off like a maid was just waiting behind her to mop down the machine. Unbelievably thoughtless and G-R-O-S-S!!
People don’t get the concept of “working in” between sets. People will do a set on a machine, and then just sit there for two minutes until they get around to set #2. If you ask to work in they usually give you a look as though you just spit on their mother! People! If the gym is crowded, do a set, then stand up, allow someone else to do a set, then you get the machine back! Same lessons we learned in the sandbox still apply!
Jay – Some of these people never learned those lessons in the sandbox.
Gym ettiquette is mostly simple common courtesy the problem I see is that in this world right now, most people are being taught common courtesy. As a parent I see it with the parents teaching the kids, they allow them to climb on furniture in public places, my favorite was at an ice skating party for the school the parents were standing on the ice in shoes, not even skates, chatting, OMG. Those same people translate those bad habits and lack of courtesy to the gym. Its almost as if the rules apply to everyone but them. Even posting signs doesn’t appear to help. Personally I try to bring a towel so that I don’t sweat all over the machines that bad in the first place. I put a towel on the bench, etc. Besides keeping the equipment from getting extra gross, I don’t know the last person really did wipe up, so I avoid their gross.
I mostly work out in the gym at home and the worst problem there, people change the channel on TV without asking if anyone was watching. Open or close windows, turn on or off fans without asking others there. The older people using the gym are the worst, they think they are “entitled” to have it their way since they are old. Its like you get to a certain age and you no longer have to be polite, what’s up with that?
The other thing, how about shutting things off if you are the last to leave? Not using the equipment beyond the 30 minute rule if its crowded (some people cover the timer to prevent others from knowing how long they were on it), older people using treadmills in regular shoes not sneakers. Leaving weights out in the middle of the floor so you practically trip over them. And my favorite, someone lets the air out of the fitballs, so they are 1/2 the size they should be (its not a leak, cause it were it would get smaller and smaller it goes to a specific size and stops). The 8lb hand weights were stolen, what? I know one woman who put in a home gym so she wouldn’t have to go down anymore in the morning it got so bad. People fighting over the TV, etc. When did we all forget to be polite and considerate of others?
1) Members who sit on a machine and reads.
2) Members who tells you there using the machine,when they are using another one.
3) Members who leave the towels and water botlles at the macines.
I to get annoyed with those that dont put back the weight every time I go to use the leg press they have about 400lbs on each side and that is just to much for me to lift. Also there is a particular guy at my gym that when he is lifting blows his nose in his hands then continues to work out touching everything. And I dont mean once he does it through his whole workout without a tissue. It is disgusting. I did talk to the owner of the gym and they told to clean the machines when he was done and the part that really gets me is he don’t think he did anything wrong. GROSSS!!
1. Grunters
2. Perfume/cologne
3. people on the phone, especially blu-tooth
4. Inappropriate attire; no camel toes or wedgie wear
5. BO
6. Chatterboxes, let’s work out…chat somewhere else
7. Serial nudist in the locker room
My main annoyance are the high school boys that come in to workout. They walk in with an attitude that hits you at the door and they all seem to have a mouth like a sailor. They hog the weight area and if you try to go where they are you get really dirty looks. They all seem to think its cool to use vulgar language in front of their elders.
I have to agree with another person that commented, our youth is not being taught manners. It is very disturbing to see this and witness it. They don’t have any respect for anyone or anything.
When you are in a gym class, please don’t talk. People need to hear the instructor give directions.
There is this one woman at my gym who will go into the ladies room and strip..then just stands and looks at herself in the mirror, I am no prude by any stretch, but c’mon..and please stop wearing perfume to the gym..I am so allergic to it and when you come in wearing it, I have to leave, I pay for my membership just like you, have some curtesy.
My biggest pet peeve is people who don’t know what they’re doing but won’t ask for help. There was a Curves right next to my gym that recently closed, so we’ve gained a couple of those members. Those ladies have no clue how to work the weight equipment, but when you offer help, they don’t want it. What they ended up doing was breaking 2 machines in the process. I’m more than willing to help someone out who is new to the gym because I know someone had to help me when I started. Most gyms offer a free training session to get started, so they need to take advantage of that.
My other pet peeve is people with gum. There is a guy who walks on the treadmill and pops his gum constantly. It annoys me. I have to turn my music up very loud to cover up the sound.
I agree with most comments. Least offensive is leaving plates.
Most is leaving crotch sweat on seats or head prints on backrests.
We should all use a towel during and after exercise.
Jay and Fanny – I see this same “Tool” at my gym who has no idea how to workout. His idea of a routine is to do “ONE” set on each machine in the order that they are arranged in the gym. My problems with this guy are as follows:
1. He does NOT carry a towel to wipe down the equipment.
2. He taps me to ask me if he can work in even when the gym is NOT crowded.
3. Did I mention that he DOES NOT carry a towel, but wants to work in with me?
4. Most importantly…He wears Sunglasses inside the gym while he’s being a tool at the gym.
I attend a very popular spinning class during my lunch break. You have to sign up at the front desk and the class fills up 20 minutes before the class starts. I come 30 minutes ahead of time and wait outside the room. You can pay $1 to sign up for the class ahead of time. A few people pay the $1 fee and then repeatedly show up 10 minutes late and disrupt the class to kick someone off “their reserved bike”. Just because you paid $1 doesn’t mean you can show up late! Please don’t be rude and interrupt group exercise classes because you’re late!
I have to agree that the sweat is one big thing that bugs me the most at the gym. It seems kind of like it is a badge of honor for some. It’s sweat. We all do it.However, bring a towel! If you sweat a lot bring a big towel. Nothing grosses me out more than seeing someones bodily fluids all over the gym floor or a machine I would like to use. it literally make me gag.
Another thing that bothers me is loud chatters. We have a few guys that come into my spin class and whoop it up with each other in the middle of the class. When I work out I need to focus. These guys act like they’re at a frat party.
After reading all of these comments I see that it really all goes back to common courtesy. How sad that we lack such a wonderful thing in our society.
99% of the populace are selfish, self-center brats… America The Beautiful.
What happened?
In response to Jay’s point about working in, I agree in principle, however, to be fair, a few things are worth noting: I use a watch to time the rest periods between my sets. Some of us who put up heavy weights on certain exercises, need up to 2 minutes recovery between sets. That’s why I’m just “sitting there” as you put it. I’m happy to let you work in as long as you met the following criteria:
(1) Ask politely to work in, I’m a nice guy and will have absolutely no problem as long as you are down with items #2 and #3 below:
(2) Don’t stink – if you don’t bathe regular, don’t use deordorant, or have some volcanic bad breath – I don’t think so!
(3) Have a sweat towel with you.
The one thing I forgot to mention earlier was the ultimate gym oxymoron: the cigarette smoking members. Why do you bother coming to the gym when you’re working so hard to get cancer? I find it absolutely extraordinary that you try to force your bodies into health and disease simultaneously. But here’s the real newsflash for you: Y O U S T I N K! The stale cigarette stench follows you everywhere you go and can even rub it off on the equipment. If you really feel you have to come to the gym, take a shower, brush your teeth, and don’t work out in clothes you smoke in.
My biggest pet peeve is definitely not wiping off the machines. It’s just grotesque.
Another pet peeve are the chatters–there’s one gentleman at my gym who comes with his buddy, and one of them will sit at a machine, do a set, and then they’ll sit there and chit-chat for ten minutes before he decides to do another set. So frustrating.
And just as an aside–I’m 24 years old, and have been using local and/or university fitness centers since I was in high school. Gym etiquette offenders come from all age groups. Not every young person is disrespectful; likewise, not every older adult follows simple gym etiquette, either. It’s a mixed bag, indeed.
I want to clarify on the older people comments, its not all older people that are offenders. What I do find though is that if you say something to an older person about changing channels or doing something rude, they act like those people act like because they have reached a ripe old age that they have a right to be rude. I don’t get that.
Jenn – Your right about age, its all ages. And like I said in my post, its not the kids only its the parents setting the bad example.
T-money – Yea I think if gym not crowded, then go to different machine. Really won’t kill you to switch the order, LOL. I do that a lot, just use something else and come back to that machine after.
Oh and I don’t know who said it about the teen boys at their gym, teen boys curse to impress each other and to annoy adults. At least most of the time when they are doing it, I find its a game to attract attention, etc. They want you to avoid them, etc and be intimidated. The best thing you can do is go into their area and pretend they aren’t there.
i can’t stand people that come to the gym with there i-pods on and turned up. maybe if people would talk more and not be in there own little worlds there would be more courtesy in the gym
There is this annoying guy who comes to the gym and sprays off the machine and then does a half-ace d job of wiping it after. When I watch him do it the only reason I can come up with is laziness, because he barely even looks in the direction he’s wiping. I will some times sit down and my back or neck will get wet. I have not said anything to him yet but I do purposely wipe the machine again when he is watching hoping that he will get the hint. I hope that someday I don’t lose it and yell at him because I might get banned. Come to think of it, just writing this has made me more angry.
I also am annoyed by the people who don’t clean up after themselves, whether it’s the weights or the sweat. My gym now provides towels and towelletes to prevent spread of S. aureus. I used to work out at Bally’s and their staff were among the worst at hogging the machines and not putting the weights back.
WHEN I FOCUSED ON MY LIFTING; ITS REALLY IRRITATING WHEN SOMEONE LIFTS A BARBELL AND JUST DROPS IT FROM A HIGH HEIGHT. YOUR THERE TO LIFT FINISH THE WHOLE JOB!
The base of the problem is that the current generations of children are not disciplined at home. Children are not raised to assume a level of accountability and to observe common courtesy.
They are not taught not to spit out their bubble gum for someone else to pick up with his shoe and spread all over his car mat. They will drop the container and bag for their Carl’s Jr burger right on the spot on the Metrolink or simply on the ground.
It’s no surprise that this complacent and irresponsible behavior carries over into the workout gym.
The people who strip the weights off the machine okay but then place them on which ever pin is closest. 25s go over 10s; 45s go over 25s. When the next person needs a particular weight they have to unstack them to get to the ones they need. Keep the same size weight in the same pin. When I watch this happening I wonder if the person is stupid, lazy, or just oblivious.
My biggest “pet peve” is people that join a gym and think it is a social club. They complain about everything that the SERIOUS weight trainers do. You know who you are, complain about grunting, sweat on the machines (do you really think that wiping sweat off with a towel makes it clean LOL), the guys (and women weight trainers) don’t smell good, and the list goes on. You cry babies need to get it in your head that being a sucessful weight lifter, bodybuilder, or fitness competitor is tough training. I think that most of you are jelous of the fact that your not at the higher level of these athletes and so you cry. Just shut up and train.
Charlie, thank you for your insightful opinion about us “cry babies”. Most serious competitors and trainers I know, not only seem to bathe regularly, but they actually have good manners and display courteous behavior both in and out of the gym. Based on your comments, one of those self-entitled, legend-in-their-own-mind fellows who believes his gym membership is what keeps the doors open for the rest of us. Good luck with that buddy. And everyone knows that wiping down the equipment when your done won’t sterilize the stuff, but I bet wiping makes it at least 75% cleaner and it’s certainly 100% less gross looking than when it was drenched in your sweat.
most of my pet peeves are the same as most. sweat on machines, despite one persons comment, wiping using the disinfectant most gyms provide does make a difference. maybe he’ll feel different once that serious weightlifter gets a serious staph infection. plates, if you can put them on you can take them off. and bad smell, it’s one thing if i’m lifting and can move away, it’s another if i’m in the middle of a five miler and you foul up the air so bad it chokes me. yes, people working out have odor, but if i can smell you from four treadmills down the line it’s excessive.
I have a couple of beefs. One of which has already been expressed several times, and that has to do with people not racking their own weights. It’s not just the elderly and the new. A man may leave 90+ pounds on each side of a leg press. As a female, I can remove 5 or 6 45 pound weights before I start my own workout, but is it really necessary to make me do so? If I want to add extra to my workout, let me do it in my own way! Another annoyance is the ones who stand around in groups of 3 or 4 talking loudly and using foul language. Typically, they are so loud that even with my MP3 turned all the way up, it still gets through. And finally, please, pick up your own towels and empty water bottles. I agree wholeheartedly with the comment that the gym staff are not your butlers! other peoples’ children!
Brad is on the right track. I also do not understand the theory of working out after having a cigarette (why bother). The odor is so prevalent when they are just roaming around the gym and when they do decide to workout the vague odor of cigarettes permeates the machine or area.
I also agree that I time my sets and try to go when the gym is least crowded so that I don’t have to break the set. If someone is on a machine I would like to use, I just utilize another on my regime and come back when that individual has finished.
I do not understand why one contributor indicated that they did not like the idea of individuals using IPODS or MP3 players. Working out doesn’t have to be social (I’m not their for social hour), but why not accentuate my personal experience with some of the your favorite music.
Perfume/Colonge, phones, and not wiping off the machines.
While all of these comments are valid and I agree one million percent, I don’t think the “Violators” read these comments nor do they care. I guess I just look at it as a few more exercises for me. As far as the BO, I don’t think we have a prayer, they can’t smell themselves so they don’t know who they are. Do we tell them?? Why waste valuable gym time. I just move as far away as possible and I ALWAYS clean my machines before and after I use them. I don’t trust the person before to have cleaned it properly anyway. With cold and flu season starting, I clean them twice.
I resent gym management insisting on playing music overhead at a loud volume, rendering one’s choice to listen to one’s own music via earphones useless.
Wow!! I have never been to a gym (68 yr.old female)because of the issue of sweat/germs and all the above behaviors. I get these urges at times to go because of the different equipment, then I read your complaints. Guess I’ll stick to my treadmill, free weights, power walking, etc.
It’s a mistake to generalize the rudeness of one older or younger person to the entire group.Children learn to behave the way their parents behave. You can tell them about good manners ,but what they will remember is how you behave or interact with others. Any person might be uncooperative if someone with an attitude communicates that to them. If you want your kids to learn good manners, courtesy and kindness,practice offering that to people who irritate you. Some parents apparently feel they pay for a membership that entitles them to use the gym for babysitting. Staff is fearful they will be fired if they make a customer unhappy by correcting the children of members. We have a very nice childcare center but preteens and young teens are too old to go there and end up on the floor unsupervised. We have young teen boys “playing” with heavy free weights and expensive machines without supervision.I’ve run a few kids out myself after staff failed to respond. A baby should not be crawling down the aisle between treadmills,but it happens. Petite pre-teen girls have no business loading up a lat machine so that they are literally yanked out of the seat by the weights. The sound of uncontrolled weights crashing down annoys me. Teens playing with equipment and goofing around is a troublesome distraction.A gym is a dangerous place for those who are uneducated. Learn the proper use of equipment, supervise children/teens ,wash hands and clean up the equipment you use, please.
The thing that bothers me most is when I see these women (mostly) using cardio equipment while their face is planted in “celebrity gossip” magazines, burning a whole 10 calories an hour. On top of that, they have all the TV’s tuned to “The Food Channel”… For God’s Sake, can you not think about food for a measly 30 or so minutes while you are wasting an Elliptical trainer, going 2 RPM, while people who are serious and willing to actually workout and better themselves, have to wait on you.
People who sit on (monopolize) machines between sets and those that leave a towel or drink by a machine and expect that to ‘reserve’ the machine while they go do whatever. If you’re not actually moving the weights get up off the machine and let someone work in!
Biggest pet peeve of them all for me: Walking on the only good treadmills, so those who need to run can’t because the remaining treadmills will not go fast enough or they do not incline enough, etc. If you walk, use the cheaper treadmills… simple as that.
I’ve worked out all my life, plus ten years ago was a personal trainer. There are many annoyances as a gym-goer that I’ve experienced, but I think the worst is people on their cell phones or the chattering twosome that go to the gym together and yak it up outloud while the gym-goer is trying to focus on the muscle they’re working and their concentration on their count. I’m serious, however, about exercise and many women, especially older ones, seem to think of the gym as a “recreational outlet”. I wish they’d get the message, but even a stern or exasperated remark to them won’t get them to stop; it’s as if they want the serious gym-goer to be annoyed.
Doctor Spocks kids are now having kids, what did you expect would happen? They been taught they are the center of the universe, they have been pampered and told what good little boys and girls they are, reguardless of the crap they pull.
Germaphobes in the gym are ridiculous sometimes. I’ve had one approach and berate me for not wiping down the treadmill after a 5 minute warm up jog. Things are gonna get sweaty and dirty, it’s a gym after all. You’ll notice in the free weights section where you find the actual athletes no one could really care less about a little sweat. Honestly, it’s the least of your sanitary conerns. A well balanced diet, a progressive exercise program, and adequate sleep is your best bet in preventing illness. Your prone to so many risks throughout the day in terms of bacteria and viral infection that are generally ignored; why one would devote so much focus in avoiding exposure to some sweat is beyond me. Just go in there, do your thing, take a shower afterwards, and have the staff wipe everything down a couple times a day and you should be golden. Your attempts to make the gym clean and sterile are futile.
What bothers me more than anything are guys (it is always men) who have to ask you if they can work in with you on a certain machine. This is rude and inconvenient. In the first place, I have to re-adjust the weights and seat height constantly, as does the other person. It also breaks my rhythm and concentration. I am forced to work on somebody else’s time frame. Another rude thing is to say “how many more sets you have?” This is just a way to put people on the spot and get them to finish quicker. It is VERY rude!
Why can’t people just calmly be quiet and wait for a person to finish, or go off and do another exercise, waiting for the machine to become free? That is what I do.
1. Coughers and grunters. It is obnoxious. Why does a person have to cough or grunt every 30 seconds.
2. Not cleaning the sweat off the machines.
3. Redneck types working out in jeans and plaid shirts.
1. Cell Phones, cell phones, cell phones
2. Cardio room as “social hour”, or two, or three.
3. Not respecting other members desire for a focused workout without having to listen to them.
4. Complaining to management if you ask them to keep it down or to take their cell conversations outside.
5. Management/fitness trainers encouraging the social behaviour because they want to maximize membership by having friends join and workout together
Pathetic weakling cry babies like the above that moan about a little bit of sweat. For godsake, do you really think wiping down with a towel is gonna lesson your chances of catching germs?? All you do is make people paranoid about getting on with the real job in hand at the gym.
when the music is on and someone comes in and turns on the tv …….. saying , i like tv better. not wiping off machines. talking loud and endlessly across the room to another person .playing the music and the tv together. tv’s in gyms.