If you have ever climbed onto the treadmill at your gym and found yourself grasping wet handles, then you realize how important gym etiquette really is. Ask yourself: is it too much to ask to grab a wipe from one of the gym wipe dispensers and clean up the equipment once you have finished with it?
Anytime sweaty people get in close proximity to one another there are going to be problems. Gyms rarely post rules because they assume that people who use the gym are civilized enough to be aware of the “unspoken” rules, so whether you are a seasoned veteran at the gym or a new comer, here are a few rules that you should bear in mind.
You go to the gym to sweat, groan, grunt and make faces. This is perfectly acceptable but there are a few rules that make for better relationships with others in the gym.
Clean up when you are finished. Don’t use the machine and simply get off and walk away to your next challenge. Nobody wants to sit in your sweat. When you are in the gym always carry a towel with you, use it to clean up the sweat puddles and then grab a wipe from any gym equipment wipes dispenser that is handy and give the equipment a quick wipe down to kill germs.
Share: If your routine calls for multiple sets on a machine, it is only common courtesy to allow others to use the machine between your sets.
Return your weights. Not everyone can deal with a ton of weight on a leg press machine. Always put your weights back after you have finished, let the next guy load it for his session.
Keep it to a dull roar. There is nothing that aggravates people more than having to put up with somebody hammering it out on a treadmill and at the same time screaming into a cell phone. If you have an emergency deal with it respectfully.
If you consider others they will consider you. A gym is a busy place and the visit can be much nicer if you use equipment that is clean and the place is free from egregious noise pollution.
