We love that you GO to the gym, but let’s face it … not all gym-goers are polite. Let’s see who’s using basic courtesies and who’s not.
1. Talking on the phone. A quickie to confirm dinner plans or make sure your wife picked up the kids is fine. But an all-out gabfest is annoying to everyone around you.
2. Scoping out your neighbors screen. This isn’t the SAT’s, keep your eyes on your own elliptical!
3. Not cleaning up after yourself. No one wants to sit or lie down in your sweat. If you’re a dripper or even fairly sweaty … bring a towel and wipe your machines and benches off!
4. Snapping Pics. A quick selfie for Instagram is fairly acceptable at this point, but snapping pics of anyone else is NOT. And definitely do not take any pics in the locker room. Folks should feel comfy feeling nude and not worried about YOU sharing their private parts. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal anyway.
5. OD-ing on fragrance. We all know you think your “Perfume de Taylor Swift” is sexy, but those who are inhaling 10 times harder than normal do not. In fact, many people are scent-sensitive, so you make actually be causing headaches or breathing problems in others. Show up clean and wear deodorant, but save your Cologne de Justin Bieber for Friday night.
6. Dropping your weights. If you can’t put them down properly, don’t pick them up.
7. Hogging equipment without using it. If you’re not actually using a machine to exercise, get off of it and leave it for someone else. If you just bumped in to a super exciting old friend, take that conversation to neutral territory somewhere out of the way.
8. Wearing TONS of makeup. You’re really the only loser with this, but it does seem out of place. Nude skin is best for sweating, which will help prevent your pores from getting clogged up. Bonus Tip** A full face also looks silly at the beach.
9. Making unnecessary and creepy noises. This is mostly a guy issue. Yelling and grunting loudly just makes you look desperate for attention and strange, not strong and interesting. Mild grunts and squeaks come along with working hard and pushing your body. Super loud roars are just sad. Please stop.
10. Putting weights in the wrong spot. Put the 20lb dumbbells in in the 20lb slot. It’s not rocket science!
11. Correcting your form without asking. It tears me up to see someone using terrible form, but even with all of my big credentials … I know that unless someone has specifically hired me to train them – they likely don’t want my advice. If the situation looks dire and you DO have legit credentials, ask if you can share a pointer. If they accept, keep it brief and move on. If you don’t have legit creds, I suggest you stay out of it or request help from a gym employee.
12. Treadmill Hugging: Nothing is worse than enjoying a bit of privacy on the treadmill as the only one person using the entire row of 20 … and then someone gets on one of the treadmills right next me!! Argh! Yes, it’s legal for you to use the treadmill next to me, but why not go eight machines down? They’re ALL open and you got on RIGHT NEXT TO ME?? So weird.
13. Being late or leaving a fitness class early with PIZZAZZ. You can enter or leave a class as you wish, but please don’t make a scene while doing it. Plan to sneak in or out instead, so you’re not a distraction.
14. Skipping on deodorant. The gym is not the place to skip on that. In fact, exercisers should shower frequently and wear deodorant as to avoid nauseating everyone around them. Seriously.
15. Not putting away equipment. Didn’t your parents tell you to put things back where you found them? Please don’t be a slob and leave your weights, mats, foam rollers, tubing or other fitness equipment all over the place. These are communal fitness tools and they should be returned to their proper place so everyone can find them, and nobody trips over them.
16: Class Conversations: If you’re taking a class, it’s okay to say “that was hard” or “I love this song” to your workout buddy. It’s not okay to rehash your entire weekend. Having a conversation mid-Zumba or Pilates is really disrespectful to the instructor trying to teach 60 people, and definitely distracting to those around you. Save it for after class.
***What behaviors drive YOU nuts at the gym? Use our comment section below to share!
I choose to be a member of a 24 hour gym because of my obvious comment above. I am as serious at midnight as the other people might be at 5 p.m. To the ones who try to bring in their “friends” for a night of “play” at the gym, please kiss my toned ass. Fortunately the gym does stay on top of it, but how about we all just keep it classy and do what is right. You listed the best ones I think.
You hit almost all my big peeves, but here’s one more. If I’m two machines over and your music is drowning out my music and I have on headphones, turn it down!!! Not only is the death rock screaming screwing with my concentration, you’re going to be deaf. So basically I’m saying this for the metal head’s good as well as my piece of mind.
my BIGGEST pet peeve is taking pictures in the gym. The one I go to occasionally has a ban on electronic image capturing… no selfies, no pics of your treadmill readouts… NONE… and I like that.
l.Hogging a machine by leaving your towel or water bottle on it while using another machine and switching back and forth.
2. Sitting on a machine or using a spot in the mat area while using your cell for whatever reason for 5 or more minutes without actually using the machine or the mat.
3. Unsolicited advise about how to do something.
4. Every gym I’ve ever been to has music that is way too loud. Most people listen to their own music or watch TV.