A Few Gym Etiquette Tips for the Uninformed

We have all experienced impolite people in the gym.  It seems that we have to get used to the fact that many gym and health club members don’t understand proper gym etiquette or just don’t care.   Improper behavior within the walls of the health club often extends beyond the weight room or aerobics studio.  Some individuals find it perfectly acceptable to walk around the locker room completely naked for extended periods of time and groom themselves in full view of other members.

Here are a few tips for the gym etiquette ignorant among us:

Get a Towel

A message to those who feel the need to stand in front of the full length mirror totally naked and style the hair on the top of your head: Get a Towel.  Nobody wants to see you in your birthday suit no matter how good you think your abs look.   If you must primp in front of the mirror in the gym locker room, do everybody a favor and get a big ‘ol beach towel and wrap it around your trifling body. 

Mop Your Sweat

There is almost nothing more disgusting and unsanitary than using a piece of gym equipment after a person who has perspired all over it.  A reasonable person expects there to be at least a little bit of sweat involved in exercise, but it is only common courtesy to wipe your perspiration from the equipment after you sweat all over it.  Maybe you could use the beach towel that you will be donning in the locker room later to mop up your nastiness. 

Don’t Hog the Equipment

It can be infuriating to stand by and watch as a gym member insists on performing every single set of their exercise without ever getting up, even if there is a line forming.  Clearly these people have never heard of the concept of “working in”, the practice of allowing others to perform a set while you are resting between yours.  Some members are too timid or don’t want to get in an altercation by confronting these selfish exercisers. 

The descriptions presented above are among the many reasons I ditched my commercial gym membership and purchased my own home gym.  In the article How My Home Gym Saves Me Money, Time and Energy I explained the process involved in researching and selecting the most appropriate gym equipment for my home’s two car garage. 

Whether the decision is made to purchase a home gym or not, it is important to be courteous to your fellow exercisers.  A little gym etiquette can make the health club experience a bit more enjoyable for all.  

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