Six Annoying Gym Behaviors to Break
Julie Bitely
| 3 min read
As an active gym member, I avoid going during crowded times. To me, it seems the more people there are, the more bad gym behaviors tend to surface.
Following proper etiquette might seem like a no-brainier when sharing a big workout room with a lot of strangers. But surprisingly, it’s not uncommon for people to forget their manners at the gym.
Here’s a look at some common behaviors I’ve found that tend to annoy others at the gym:
- Not wiping a machine down. It’s rather common for someone to forget to wipe down their machine after they are finished using it. Remember to disinfect your area after you are done. It’s gross when someone sweats all over a machine and doesn’t clean it up. This is also important to help avoid spreading germs.
- Going over the time limit for cardio machines. There are only so many treadmills and elliptical machines to go around, especially during crowded times. It’s a courtesy to follow your gym’s guidelines for how long you should use these machines. Generally, try to stick to a 20 or 30 minute workout if you see others are waiting.
- Hovering over someone during their reps. It’s hard to be patient when someone may be taking too long, but hovering can be distracting. If you’re waiting to use a weight machine, try asking the person if you can switch between reps, or if they are almost done. This helps avoid awkwardly standing and waiting, which puts pressure on the other person to speed up their workout.
- Talking loudly on your phone. Fitting the gym into a hectic schedule can be hard, so taking a phone call while working out may happen from time to time. But try not to be that person who’s talking really loudly on their cell phone. This could be distracting to those who are trying to focus on their workout. If you have to take a call, step to the side or go to the locker room.
- Showing up late for a class. I’m a very on-time person, so when a class starts at a specific time, I usually get there five minutes before. This isn’t the case for everyone. Try and be respectful of those who are in the class if you arrive after it has already started. Everyone’s late from time to time, but if you are, try to be respectful of others. Quietly sneak in and pick up where the class is at.
- Leaving weights out. Not only is this inconvenient for others, but could be dangerous as well. Be sure to put away weights back in their proper order when finished as a courteous gesture for those around you. Putting equipment back in it’s proper place helps make sure everyone gets the
What tips do you have to help people follow proper gym etiquette? Let us know in the comment section.
If you like this blog, you might like these:
Photo credit: Ms. Phoenix
