The year is new and so is your gym membership. You’ve signed the terms & conditions - locked in a contract month to month, yearly.. Daily whatever that’s not important. What’s important is the contract you unknowingly signed, the unwritten rules. The way you are to conduct yourself as an upstanding member of a fitness club.
New to the gym, a known gym veteran here to agree with everything I’m about to say (wink), or a different type of gym veteran that has been in violation and would like to make a change. This one is for all of us.
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40 Unwritten Rules Of The Gym
Jacks and Jills go to workout facilities for variable reasons. More muscle, fat loss, increased stamina, stress release, health, to pass the time, love of exercise, to be in a social environment, to find a date, for better sleep, a mental and physical challenge - I could continue, but you get it. Arraying reasons.
We all have a reason or more so we all have a goal or more. You don’t want to be a parasite.. You want to be in the society as a contributor or at worst neutral, not taking away nor adding to another’s experience. These unwritten laws of gym goers will help you stay out of the way of everyone else’s aim as you lock onto your target.
The rules are in no particular order, but broadly fall into these categories:
Sharing equipment: every gym has a limit on space and equipment. There’s a way to go about how you use what is also to be used by others.
Personal interaction: we’re all in this box together. There are certain customs to abide by and manners in which to apply them.
Safety: no one wants to be injured. We just want to get it in.. That goes for yourself and harming another.
Execution of exercise: there are ways to actually do the work that aren’t mentioned verbally, yet good to know.
1. Rack your weights: we might need to start tattooing this on the head of every newborn at birth. Please put your weights back when finished.. You instantly become a gym nemesis when you start developing a reputation as a non-racker. You inconvenience others and ultimately inconvenience yourself if the staff isn’t so diligent about rectifying your lack of courtesy.
2. Give your neighbor some elbow room. Keep your personal space, covid or no covid. Not only do I need space to operate - I don’t want you and your unpleasant aroma gusting into my nasal cavity. Unless we’re mid-conversion.. Back up my love.
3. Wipe down whatever you plant yourself on. This goes double if you’re a profusive sweater, as myself. I’m aware only a small percentage of the population wants to get cozy with my sweat residue. That goes the same for you.. Clean it up.
4. Again - rack weights. Can’t emphasize this enough.
5. I said rack your weights, but also in the right spot. Putting them back takes you from a 0 to a 60%, yet in the right spot earns you a star on your term paper.
6. Don’t hog the weights. If you’re actively doing your do then cool, but don’t have a buffet of dumbbells collecting dust around you. Have some couth.
7. It’s okay to do supersets, but don’t throw a fit if someone works in on one of the stations during your absence. A superset is when you do two separate exercises back to back. This could involve two different set ups so sometimes you’ll have to take that l - equipment is limited. A tip is to superset with equipment pretty close in proximity, but again.. Taking this risk will give you a chance of taking that l. Don’t be a pest.
8. Limit your on the phone time. Not only is it a distraction from your personal workout success.. It extends how long you’re using what another person may want to hop on.
9. Don’t stare. Whether you’re admiring the incredible form on that guy’s deadlift or think the girl doing dumbbell curls is cute, quit gawking. Go ask for her number or get on with life, which brings me to the next rule.
10. Keep chatter short and sweet. People tend to be nice and won’t tell you to kick rocks, but.. Kick rocks. We’re all there for a reason and making a friend isn’t even bad, still pick your spots. I’m trying to get a muscle pump and so is the girl you’re eyeing.
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11. Collar, clip, clamp - whatever is available use it. It’s not the best idea to throw barbell weight around without security. A little off-centering and you’re the next viral gym fail. Not to mention the safety of you and the person next to you is jeopardized. Clip up.
12. Don’t curl in the squat rack.. Unless, yes there’s an unless, the amount you are to curl is only available with that barbell, for your gym isn’t sufficiently supplied. Power rack curling is accepted in this hypothetical, but if other options exist - don’t take up the rack. Racks are always short in supply, which leads me to the next point.
13. Use each gizmo for its intended purpose unless absolutely no other alternative is obtainable. You don’t want to damage equipment, injure yourself, or create a line of members waiting while you’re being fancy for no true benefit.
14. Don’t block the mirror. The more seasoned you become the more important the mirror becomes. It’s a mind-muscle connection helper and monitoring your form is to be done whenever possible. So don’t stand in front of someone mid-set and obstruct their view, it’s disrespectful.
15. To branch off the previous point.. Don’t walk in front of the mirror while someone is in action unless no other route is available. Walk around - fellow lifters will love you for it.
16. Don’t stand in the way of the rack too long. People need to get in, you’re in the way my guy. Stop standing right in front of the dumbbell rack doing curls. Stop holding onto the dumbbell rack doing lawn mowers. Step back.
17. It’s okay to flex. People have their insecurities and it’s true there is a person or two that may judge, but two things. One most could care less and two.. The ones that care? 🤬 ‘em. You want to flex between sets? Do it. Helps your mind-muscle connection and gets you a pump faster.
18. Use a little social awareness when asking for a spot. Be polite and strategic. Look for someone capable, yet available. They didn’t punch the gym clock for the purpose of spotting you, but most people are friendly enough to take the time to do so.
19. When asking for a spot don’t be overzealous. The spotter shouldn’t be doing most of the work; they’re not at the gym for you. They aren’t trying to get “extra work in” by doing upright rows when you’re supposed to be benching. Use weight you more than likely can handle for the desired rep range and tell them how many reps you’re shooting for.
20. Be ready when the spotter shows up. Don’t make me sit 4 minutes watching you do your “this is how I get hyped” routine. Spare me, because I will walk away if my time is wasted.
21. On the other side when you’re spotting - don’t jump in too early. With experience you become a little more cognizant of a rep someone can or can not finish without assistance, but neeever ruin a clean rep.. It’s heartbreaking. If unsure just wait until the resistance starts going in reverse.
22. While one is lifting is not the time to pick their brain. The brains you want to pick are usually limiting their time between sets. Again people tend to be polite and will give you the chat, yet know that you are in the way of their workout. Have questions? Catch them before or after the lift - you can even get their social media real quick and shoot a dm, but when the lift has begun it’s game time.
23. Don’t run around giving unsolicited advice. S o c i a l a w a r e n e s s. Your advice may be trash first of all, but more importantly it may be unwelcomed. Gauge the situation first, unless there is imminent danger.
24. We’re silently competing, but it’s really love. Competition is fun and motivational. I compete daily in the gym with my focus and intensity not exactly with the amount I decide to throw on a barbell. It helps push me to be better so i may look a little angry - I’m not, just in the moment. You’ll see many lifters that are cut from this cloth, however it’s all love. Find your motivation wherever you can.
25. Have a specific workout planned, but the tools are in use? Try asking if you can work in. Only if no other option is available and you absolutely need it. It is a little off-putting - still if you can do so without taking away from the current user’s experience, have at it.
26. While working in be courteous enough to return the resistance to where the initial user had it. They’re being kind enough to share so be kind in response. If they were doing leg extensions with 95 pounds and you use 120 - put it back on 95 when you finish the set.
27. Lift for your success, not your ego. It may be tempting to throw as much weight as possible on.. This isn’t always the best move. One you aren’t impressing a soul by moving massive weight with poor form, that includes other meatheads and it includes potential dating partners. Two you aren’t providing your muscles with the best environment for growth. Form over everything.
28. As a courtesy ask before you begin. Sometimes a station will be completely empty, however someone is near and it’s unclear if they’re using or just got there so ask. “you using this?” Quick and easy. You can even just make friendly eye contact while pointing as a check.
29. Don’t hang in front of the locker you’re not using. Pet peeve of mine. I always use the locker and sparingly I get back to folks hanging and exchanging words all in the way. Don’t be that person, especially if you see a lock on there or at minimum have awareness of when someone is trying to get to the locker.
30. Treat the equipment like it’s yours ‘cause it is. You may have no home training, but put that to the side for now. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot. You break one of the gym’s supplies and now it’s not available for you to use. Be smart.
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31. No reserving equipment. If you’re not using it, it’s fair game. You don’t get to sit your bag on the bench and expect the bench to remain vacant until you return 20 minutes later. The wolves are lurking 😆.
32. Refrain from throwing or slamming weights unless they’re designed to be treated in such a manner IE bumper plates. Noise isn’t the issue, the issue is damage. Nothing worse than a gym with half-broken or non-matching dumbbells due to mistreatment.
33. Load an Olympic (45 LBs) bar properly. I learned this the hard way early on.. I threw a little too much weight on one side without balancing it on the other (I know I know) and *kablowee*.. A nice experiment with gravity took place. The loaded side of the bar started its descension before I could even place a clamp. When your bar is elevated place no more than two 45 pound plates on a particular side before matching it on the other side, or prepare to be startled.
34. Nobody wants to ask how many sets you have left, but they’re planning a workout just like you. So if they ask and you give a number, stick to it. Even if they go to the other side of the gym 9 times out of 10 they’re still waiting for you to vacate the premises.
35. When you finish your set on a requested machine give them the head nod that says “I’m done”. You don’t have to go all the way over, just look for eye contact then nod or point to the now empty station and move on. If you can’t get eye contact at least you tried.
36. On that same token, don’t stalk the person you’re waiting on to finish. Give them some space.. Play on your phone, anything. Don’t stand there impatiently like you’re waiting on your wife because she’s late for dinner.
37. Put on deodorant. It’s more likely than not you’ll work up some unappealing aroma, but don’t come in with it already in existence. Roll a stick of antiperspirant on those ‘pits.
38. In the same ballpark is to not put on too much cologne. Really don’t need any at all, still I know this is a lot to ask from experience. Too much cologne is as bad as no deodorant. It’s a nozzle assault.
39. Unsure if a station is in use? Use the crossing a street rule. Unfortunately people can make it difficult to gauge, since all won’t rack their weights, but if a station is loaded it may be in use even if no one is present. Look left right and left. They could’ve hit the latrine, then there’s still that chance they didn’t put the weights up so do a couple scans of the gym. If in use you’ll catch someone’s attention - trust me someone is always watching “their” station. Indicators that what you want is being used are personal water bottles, bags, phones, etc.. On that note towels aren’t good indicators, they always get left and a disposable water bottle like Dasani or Aquafina isn’t a good indicator either, because people looove to leave these in perpetuity, which is a perfect segue.
40. Throw your trash in the trash receptacle. For some reason gyms, especially the 24/7 access gyms, become waste baskets. Act like your parents raised you with manners and place trash where it belongs.
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So, It’s About That Time
There you have it. These rules are how you contribute satisfactorily to an ever growing, not so secret society of gym goers. The more you abide by and encourage others to abide by these rules, the better all of our experiences become. The gym is a beautiful place, enjoy it while leading by example. Did i miss any rules? If you think of more leave a comment and sign up to never miss a tip. We’re a week into the new year - make everyday count by putting those muscles to use. Be Great.