Here are some tips to help you be more respectful and courteous while working out!
It’s normal for gyms to be pretty intimidating when you’re just getting started out with your fitness journey, and there are several unwritten gym etiquette rules that a lot of people aren’t fully aware of.
Gym etiquette helps create positive workout experiences for everyone, so it’s important to understand the parameters of gym etiquette when you’re new to exercising in public places.
Below is our comprehensive overview detailing some of the gym etiquette tips that you should know about!
1. Know Your Gym’s Specific Rules
Following proper gym etiquette always starts with fully understanding the specific rules that pertain to your gym or workout facility. These types of rules usually change between gyms, so there might be some slight variations that you’re not accustomed to.
A common example of a gym rule would be whether or not a gym allows barefoot training. It’s also a good idea to ask for a copy of your gym’s rules if they’re not clearly displayed, because this will be an easy way for you to brush up on the rules that you should know.
2. Dressing For The Workout Occasion
Proper workout attire can often make or break the success of your exercises, and it’s a more subtle part of gym etiquette. It’s usually best to wear breathable, comfortable fitness clothes that stay in place while you’re exercising. This is because baggy or tight clothes can pose hazards while working out. You should also leave your jewelry or accessories at home, and you should bring supportive sneakers with you to the gym.
Practicing good personal hygiene is also a big part of gym etiquette. Everyone is sweating at the gym, so you should be conscious of your hygiene and maybe even shower before heading to the gym—instead of waiting till afterwards. You should also go very easy on colognes, perfumes or other fragranced body products. It’s also very important to make sure that you’re frequently cleaning your gym clothes.
3. Pre-Planning Your Workouts
When you’re working out on your own and not participating in personal training sessions, it’ll be in your best interest to create a workout plan well in advance. This means that you should do some research about the type of equipment you’ll want to use at the gym, as well as the specific routines you’ll end up doing.
Just a little bit of planning can go a long way to help you avoid wasting time and wandering around the gym not knowing what you should do next. This not only will save you time during your workouts, but it’ll also make exercising more efficient for everyone else as well.
4. Don’t be an Equipment Hog
Gyms are shared public spaces, so you’ll need to be mindful about what other people are doing while you’re choosing and using your workout equipment. Although it’s perfectly fine to use the machines and equipment that you need to use for your regimen, you should try to make sure that you’re not spending too much time on one specific piece of equipment.
This means that if someone seems to be waiting to use the equipment that you’ve been using, you should try to finish up as quickly as you can and move on to your next exercise. However, you can take as much time as you want when your gym appears to be relatively empty. This type of etiquette mainly pertains to busier times when gyms start to fill up, and it’s also important to be flexible with your routine during these high-traffic times.
Draped towels over gym equipment are essentially reserved signs that should be respected. You can always reserve a piece of equipment for yourself when you need to step away for a quick moment, but you shouldn’t overdo these types of breaks.
5. Giving Plenty of Personal Space
Another aspect of gym etiquette is leaving plenty of personal space for those around you. This means that you need to be mindful of your surroundings while you’re working out, and you should never hover around other people while waiting to use certain equipment.
If there are plenty of machines available, you don’t need to choose a machine that’s right next to someone. You should also be polite and focus on your equipment and exercises, and not watch over someone else’s shoulder.
6. Don’t Disturb Other Gym Members
A lot of workout enthusiasts go to the gym and want to focus on their own exercises without being disturbed or distracted. This is why keeping your voice down is considered to be proper gym etiquette, as well as avoiding profanity or cell phone usage in workout areas.
If you enjoy listening to your own music while working out, you’ll need to bring headphones.
7. Cleaning After Yourself
By far one of the most important aspects of gym etiquette is cleaning up after yourself. A lot of gyms provide antibacterial wipes and towels that you can utilize to clean equipment after you’re done using it. It’s also a good idea to wipe down your equipment prior to using it, just in case the person before you didn’t clean up.
Neglecting equipment cleaning is not only disrespectful to your gym’s employees and your peers, but it’s also an inconvenience on other people as well. You should also make sure that you’re putting equipment back where it belongs once you’re done using it.
8. Arrive On Time For Group Fitness Classes
Most gyms offer many great group fitness classes to choose between, and you should always be sure to arrive on time when you participate in these classes. Arriving late is an inconvenience for your instructor, and it can also potentially disrupt the class.
Although arriving late isn’t always a deal breaker for every group class, it’s important to use your best judgment in terms of whether or not you should arrive late or participate another day.
9. Always Be Respectful
Every aspect of gym etiquette is oriented around being respectful of other people. A lot of gym-goers are strictly focused on their workouts and don’t want to talk, so be sure to find the right moments to spark conversations when you have something to say.
You should also avoid offering workout advice, unless someone asks you for it. You should also ask first before using a piece of equipment that might be being used by someone else. Using common sense is important everywhere, and it also pertains to working out at the gym when it comes to how you respect your peers.
The Rising Legends Team Can Help You Learn More About Gym Etiquette!
Understanding the above gym etiquette tips is just one tiny step forward for your personal fitness journey, and joining the right gym in your area is another huge factor to keep in mind.
The Rising Legends Academy of Fitness is one of the leading fitness facilities in the Nyack, NY area, and we’ve helped countless people reach their fitness goals through our personal training, group training and gym membership programs.
Our team is here to help you fully understand gym etiquette and many other aspects of fitness knowledge, and we look forward to seeing you at the gym!