A trip to the gym generally revolves around a good workout, but good gym etiquette can make the experience that much more enjoyable! Ever run into one of these offenders?
1. Chatty Kathy, Just Stop...Please. It's one thing to take a quick call while working out, but it's another thing to have a full-on conversation about last night's date or what you're planning to do on your week-long vacation...all from the comfort of a busy cardio room or locker room. You may think that your voice is lost in all noise around you, but people can and do hear what you're saying. Take or make your call in an area of the gym that's designated as cell phone friendly - typically the lobby area.
2. Done Yet? Have you ever started using a piece of unused equipment only to be stopped by someone who was nearby and told, "I'm still using that. I was just resting." or "I was in between sets. I'll be done in a few minutes." It's always a good idea to rest in between sets of strength exercises, but if your downtime is more like a mini-vacation, don't be surprised if someone else wants to use the equipment you're working on. If you run into someone who is the offender in this case, ask to 'work in.' They'll probably get the point, and you'll get your workout in.
3. Keep it Clean Nothing is better than a good, sweaty workout! Nothing is worse than using a piece of equipment after someone who left a pool of sweat, making no attempt to clean it up. Some of us sweat more than others, but all of us should make some show of cleanliness by wiping down the equipment we were working on. A lot of gyms have sanitary wipes or sprays available. Use them. If wipes or sprays are not available, use your towel.
4. This is a Locker Room, Not Your Bedroom Every now and then someone does something in the locker room that leaves you wondering, did that just really happen? Whether it's as benign as spreading out all of your belongings on a counter space that could otherwise be used by several people, to using a blow dryer in places that make me never want to use that blow dryer again - it's important to remember that locker room behavior requires some degree of situational awareness. (Go to Confessions from the Locker Room for other odd habits).
5. Do I Look Like Your Maid? This goes out to the person who requires multiple pieces of small equipment to do their workout (dumbbells, bands, medicine balls), only to leave them in a pile for someone else to pick up after they're done using them. It' not uncommon to forget to put away a piece of equipment every now and then...no one is perfect, but if you're going to make the effort to pull out all the equipment, take the time to return it to its home. Someone else may want to use it.
What bugs you when you're working out? Maybe it's at the park, on the running path or in the pool? Share it here, or on my Facebook page.
