Going to the gym is a regular part of many peopleâs routines, and as with any public activity, it comes with many opportunities for rude behavior.
âBecause a gym is a shared space, one where adrenaline is in ample supply, members must be particularly mindful of how their behavior can adversely affect the experiences of others,â said Thomas P. Farley, an etiquette expert also known as âMister Manners.â âWhether their commitment entails a once-a-week treadmill run or a daily heavy-lifting regimen, all members should remember they are part of a community and therefore need to follow common-sense guidelines to ensure everyone hits their goals.â
Of course, people are often not aware of the consequences of their actions in shared spaces â gym or otherwise. To help make working out an enjoyable experience for everyone, HuffPost asked Farley and other etiquette experts to identify the faux pas they often see people committing at the gym. Read on for 11 examples.
Not Wiping Down Equipment
After you sweat all over a piece of equipment, itâs important to wipe it down before moving onto the next machine.
âNobody wants to sit in your sweat,â said April Masini, an etiquette expert and fitness advocate. âSo grab a towel or wipe to clean it.â
If you notice someone else failing to do this, thereâs a polite way to confront them, said Jodi R.R. Smith, president of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting.
âYou can say, âOh excuse me, I donât think you realized it, but there are paper towels over there so you can wipe down the machine,â Smith said. âMost people are well-intentioned and will do that. But donât engage further if they disagree. Just go tell some staff members.â
Failing To Return Weights
If you use the free weights at the gym, be sure to put them away when youâre finished. Leaving them on the floor is not only rude but can pose a safety hazard, as people may trip over them.
âThis is a kindergarten skill,â Smith said. âOnce youâre done playing with your toys, put them away.â
Masini said itâs important to re-rack weight plates because you donât know who will be using the equipment after you.
âThese big guys are working out with multiple 45-pound plates on each side of a leg press, and then someone like me has to put them back â itâs like having a workout before even getting to my workout,â she said.
Be mindful when youâre using or returning your weights, as well. Farley noted that âdropping heavy weights rather than placing them gentlyâ on the ground is âamong the biggest etiquette lapses at the gym.â
Hogging Machines
In the age of iPhones, people often sit on equipment texting without realizing that people are waiting to use it. Other times, they use a particular machine for a long time and prevent others from completing their workouts.
âIf Iâve been waiting for a long time, I may say something like, âI hate to trouble you because it looks like youâre training for something, but I need two minutes on this machine. Do you mind getting off, so I can work through my circuit?ââ Smith suggested. âOften people say, âOh, I had no idea you were waiting!â or, âYes, I was just finished!ââ
Playing Your Music Loudly
Itâs common to listen to music while working out, but be sure to keep it in your earbuds.
âSome people have their music playing so loudly that others nearby can hear it â which is annoying to those people and also really bad for your ears,â said Smith. âPeople shouldnât be able to stand by you and know what music youâre listening to. And be respectful about singing along. Even if youâre a Broadway star, donât assume people in a confined space want to hear you singing.â
Laughing At Other People Working Out
âItâs disheartening when people are mean-spirited and stare or laugh at people who are somewhat out of shape,â Masini noted. âIf youâre someone who hasnât spent much time at the gym, you probably feel intimidated, so it takes a lot of courage to get there.â
Rather than encouraging inexperienced gymgoers, many people make them feel embarrassed, insecure and less inclined to return.
âThatâs why a lot of people quit,â Masini added. âThey donât feel confident, especially after feeling people staring and laughing at them.â
Talking On The Phone
Farley advised against âtalking on oneâs cell phone while others are nearby.â
Smith echoed this advice, noting that it can be OK to have a chat with the person on the machine next to you, but phone calls in the gym push the boundaries of etiquette.
âIt is infinitely more annoying to listen to half a conversation than it is to listen to a whole conversation, so donât subject people to listening to you talk on the phone,â she said. She added that you can make an exception with something quick like an appointment confirmation.
Leaving A Mess In The Locker Room
The locker room is another shared space that gymgoers should respect.
âAmong the missteps gym members might make here include leaving towels on the floor and benches rather than dropping them in a laundry bin,â Farley said.
âDonât take forever in the shower and then leave your shampoo bottle or wrapping from the soap or hair in the drain,â Smith said. âIf youâre shaving at the sink, rinse and wipe down the sink at the end. Nobody wants to see the evidence of your grooming regimen.â
Masini highlighted another unhygienic locker room behavior. âDonât sit on a bench or sofa or chair completely nude,â she said. âNow the next personâs got to go and sit there.â
Showing Up Smelly
Itâs natural to sweat and produce an odor while exercising, but you shouldnât show up to the gym in dirty workout clothes you havenât washed since your last visit.
âThereâs a difference between fresh sweat and old sweat,â Smith said. âPeople should wash their workout clothes in-betweenâ
Mentioning another way people fail to be considerate in the gym-odor category, Masini said, âYouâd be surprised how many people donât shower and donât wear antiperspirant.â.
Treating It Like Social Hour
Although it can be OK to chat with the person exercising next to you, you should be mindful of your conversationâs volume level and whether you might be distracting others.
âDonât act like itâs social hour,â Masini said. âSure, some gyms are more socially inclined, but others, like the one where I go, are very serious. People there donât want to be interrupted for chat time. And itâs a bad habit to go up and start talking to someone when theyâre in the middle of a set.â
Going Overboard With Selfies
If you want to take a mirror selfie at the gym, donât make a big production of it or expose others.
âDonât take pictures in the locker room. Itâs disrespectful of othersâ privacy,â Smith said, noting that people walk around in various states of undress. âEven if you arenât trying to include other people in the photo, someone could walk by. People should be able to walk through the locker room with the expectation that they wonât be photographed.â
As for the gym floor, itâs best to take up minimal space and be quick with your selfie-taking.
âYou want to be careful. Minimize the number of other people you capture in the background,â Smith said. âAnd donât use the guise of taking a selfie to get a picture of someone else working out to body-shame them. If someone else is doing something rude, donât selfie-shame them, either. Speak with them directly and politely, and get the staff involved if that doesnât work.â
Staring At People
Overall, gymgoers should be respectful of each othersâ personal space, whether thatâs space in the locker room, at a fitness class or on the gym floor. And itâs not just physical space.
âNo creepy staring,â said Smith. âHuman beings are notoriously accurate at being able to tell when someone is staring at them, even from behind. And if somebody is more private about their body, donât stare at them as you walk by in the locker room. Give them the space they need to change.â