FRESNO,
Calif. - Have you ever hopped on an exercise bench at the
gym and had your head land in a puddle of sweat?
Fresno,
Calif., bodybuilder Jim Reyes has.
Ever spent
most of a workout removing weights from machines so you can
put yours on? Or searched high and low for weight plates and
dumbbells that weren't where they're supposed to be?
If you belong
to a gym, chances are you answered yes to one - or all - of
these questions. And that raises another question: Why can't
people at gyms mind their manners?
When you and
hundreds of other people exercise in the same place,
following an unwritten etiquette plan is key to making
everyone's workout rewarding.
"Think
of the old golden rule: Treat others as you would have them
treat you," says Deb Whitney-Johnson, owner of Fresno's
Pro-Cor Sports and Fitness. "Show respect and
consideration."
And don't be
afraid to let staff know if someone repeatedly fails to
follow gym etiquette, she adds.
That said,
here are some dos and don'ts of gym etiquette provided by
Whitney-Johnson; Marrissa Ramirez, a personal trainer at
Gold's Gym North in Fresno; Conny Gordeau, area general
manager for two local Bally Total Fitness facilities; Marie
Garringer, assistant manager at Fresno's Centerpoint
Athletic Club; and Azbai Arreguin, who works at the Central
Valley YMCA in Fresno.
Be friendly,
but not a social butterfly: Most people go to the gym to
work out, not socialize. Keep conversations brief and out of
the way of others.
Don't disturb
those who are reading, watching TV or listening to their
iPod. They're obviously not feeling chatty.
"Everyone
is there for the same reason - because they care about their
health," Ramirez says. "Be courteous of someone
else's workout. If you see people you do business with,
respect that they are on their workout time, and don't talk
business."
Keep your
sweat to yourself: Wipe down equipment when you're done.
Reyes, a
competitive bodybuilder who trains six days a week at Bally
Total Fitness and Gb3, carries a towel to "wipe up my
messes but not someone else's because I also use that towel
to wipe my face. Sometimes I use my sweatpants or the bottom
of my gym bag to wipe up other people's sweat."
Some gyms
offer sanitizing wipes. Others, like Bally Total Fitness,
ask gymgoers to bring a towel. If people don't, they're
given paper towels and are reminded to bring a towel next
time. Bally also sells towels for $2.99, Gordeau says.
Pick up after
yourself, Garringer adds. Don't leave behind food wrappers,
water bottles or other trash.
Rerack your
weights: Once you're done with weight plates, dumbbells or
barbells, put them back in their proper spot.
"If you
have a big, huge guy using the leg press and he puts
45-pound weights on and then you have a lady who comes up
and has to remove them ... that just isn't good,"
Gordeau says.
Quiet,
please: Loud grunting, playing your iPod so loud others can
hear the music and singing along are big no-nos.
"Keep
your personal noise level down," Whitney-Johnson says.
"Screaming, grunting and yelling are not necessary to
get a good workout, and it is actually offensive to most
others in the gym."
Turn off your
cell phone. But if you simply can't miss a call, take your
conversation outside.
Don't drop
weights: Dumbbells bouncing on the floor and weight stacks
crashing down distract others working out.
Also,
"dropping weights is going to ruin the floor, and it
ruins the equipment," Garringer says. "We've had
dumbbells break because they've been dropped too many
times."
If you can't
place weights on the ground or return the stack to its
starting position properly, you might need to lighten the
load.
Don't hog the
equipment: Many gyms have a 30-minute limit on cardio
equipment that's enforced only when people are waiting,
Ramirez says. If the gym isn't busy, stay on that treadmill
as long as you want. If it's packed, respect the rules.
When working
with weights, alternate sets with people who want to use the
same equipment.
Better yet,
avoid peak hours, which at some gyms can be 5-8:30 p.m. and
at others, noon-2 p.m. Ask staff members what are the
busiest times at your gym.
And don't sit
on any equipment if you're resting, talking or reading a
magazine. That's just rude, Whitney-Johnson says.
Clothes call:
Clothing and footwear designed for exercise are good
options. Don't forget undergarments that provide support and
cover areas others don't want to see.
Don't wear
pajamas and torn clothing. Also avoid jeans, whose rivets
can harm equipment.
And if you're
going to lounge in the sauna or steam rooms, bathing suits
are required.