Don’t sit on a machine or bench that you’re not actually using.
Between sets, allow others to work in. And don’t block the aisles between
machines, either.
Don’t drop your weights from 3 feet in the air. Always place them
gently on the ground so as not to simulate an earthquake or crush
toes. Now and again, Liz sees a guy who performs a bizarre lift: He sets a
very heavy dumbbell on the floor, bends over with locked knees, and
snatches the barbell into the air while screaming at the top of his lungs.
When the dumbbell is above his head, he lets go of the weight. Needless
to say, this is very dangerous and distracting behavior.Don’t interrupt a staff member who is obviously helping or spotting
someone else. You’d want the trainer’s full attention if you were the one
being helped.
Don’t spit or deposit gum in the water fountain. Many people don’t
quite grasp this concept.Don’t violate anyone else’s personal space.If someone seems to be
jamming through a workout, that’s not the time to tap him on the shoul-
der and ask his opinion on school prayer. This rule applies to the locker
room, too.
Don’t carry around your gym bag. That’s what lockers are for!
Although most gyms post signs prohibiting gym bags on the weight-
room floor, many people ignore this rule.Don’t “borrow” a gym’s equipment for use at home.Nothing is more
aggravating to gym members than looking for a jump rope or weight
collar that has mysteriously disappeared.
Don’t hog the cardio machines if you’ve exceeded the posted time
limit. We’ve seen people surreptitiously cover the console with a towel
while they reprogram the machine, hoping that other people won’t
notice their time is up. That’s what we consider the definition of rude.Locker-room rules .............................................................................
The stories we could tell about bathroom misbehavior could fill an entire
book. We’ve seen a guy get naked and blow-dry his private parts. We’ve seen
people cut themselves shaving and leave a pool of blood for the next person
who comes to the sink. We’ve seen people mistake the shower for a restroom.
Remember that you’re sharing this space with a lot of other people, so have
some consideration! Here are a few rules that should be obvious but, based
on our experience, seem to bear mentioning anyway:280 Part VI: Conquering the Gym (Even at Home)