Health and Fitness SA

Gym Pet Peeves

There is such a thing as proper gym etiquette or protocol. And while we would like to think of the gym as our own, we must realize that we share this place with literally hundreds of others therefore we should really think about how our actions impact those around us.

Below is a list of my Top 10 pet peeves.

1. People who refuse to wipe down the equipment after use. In a time when bacteria and viruses are running amok it is just common courtesy to wipe down any cardio equipment as well as weight benches.
2. Men grunting when lifting heavy weights. A few weeks ago this scenario happened and one of the young ladies behind me on the stairmaster mill shouted out loud, “Is that really necessary.” Her comment made me snicker and drew applause from the others around her because this grunting lasted for a good 10 minutes.
3. Leaving dirty towels on the equipment!
4. People who refuse to allow others to work-in on the weight machines. While I understand one cannot do 3 sets of 15 rep leg presses back to back to back without rest, I do believe when the gym is busy, allowing others to work in is a win-win situation for everyone.
5. People who refuse to put back the free weights in the rack. I can’t tell you how many times I have spent searching the gym floor for the 20 pound dumbbells because someone was too lazy to put back the weights into the rack.
6. Leaving gum or dirty Kleenex in the cup holder on the cardio machine!!!!
7. People who lift heavy weights and allow them to crash to the floor causing a reverberation across the gym.
8. Allowing children access to the gym floor without adult supervision. A few months ago there was a young man around 13 or so running so fast on the treadmill that he lost control and flew off the back of the machine. I think every mom in the joint was surrounding this young man to make sure he was OK, but his parents were nowhere to be found.
9. People who have their iPod or MP3 player so loud you can hardly hear your own tunes coming from your own iPod!!!
10. Being disrespectful to others in the gym. We are all there for a common goal and that is to get fit and healthy. There is no room for egos or disrespect.

While many of these points may seem common sense, I do have to remind myself from time to time as well that the gym is shared by many, not just a few. We should be so kind as to leave the gym as we found it so that everyone can have an enjoyable experience.

Original article by Nancy Howard (republished and edited by the HFSA Team)