Gym Etiquette 101 - My controversial Opinions

Do you agree with these gym etiquette tiktoks and my controversial opinions? Let me know in the comments!

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[elizabethdorton]

The landmine example is a little different, but re racking your weights is really important imo. Particularly in commercial gyms, you shouldn’t even leave one plate on the machine. If someone is new, it could be super hard for them to even lift that plate off and they may want to just practice with no weight. Your last set isn’t done until the weights are back on the rack.

[EmilyFaithR]

Probably one of my top gym etiquette rules is WIPE DOWN the bench/machine you use. Especially if you’re sweating buckets!

[sbessmaster]

Really good points and I completely agree with you! I also don’t think it’s OK to claim multiple pieces of equipment/machines at one time. There’s a girl at my gym who was using a squat rack for back squats and supersetting with the leg press. Another girl went to use the leg press thinking it was open, and she ran over from the squat rack and said “oh no I’m using this machine!” Idk to me that’s kinda rude… especially when the gym is busy.

[InitialDL]

I don't mind folks walking in front of me when I'm doing a set in front of the mirror, but it does irritate when they just jump in front of me and stand there while doing their set. That and people on their phone for 10-15 mins while using a machine that I'm waiting to use. I just learn to deal with it, but those are just a few of my so-called pet peeves.

[amygreen]

I used to go to a gym with 2 identical leg presses. One stayed loaded with 100 pound plates always. People could use that one or add. Less than 200 went to the other one. Unwritten rule but it made so much sense. Who wants to load and unload 100 pounders?

[dr.fragrance]

When I went for PRs and heavy bench presses for 2 rep max and things, I used the squat rack and you can't convince me it was wrong. If I failed the lift, or the weight slipped, it was heavy enough to do serious damage. So, I had the rack set up so the safeties were right below where my chest would be with a slight arch in my back. Safety first!!!

[hefferonjoe]

Agreed 100%. One pet peeve of mine is when people grab dumbbells and do their set w/out stepping back from the rack. A few steps back is all that's needed to make space for others to re-rack or get the dumbbells they want to use. Thanks for letting me vent 😁

[OtakuBoxeador-tl]

Your point about using equipment properly really hit home. I've seen so many people hogging machines without knowing how to use them.

[easilystartled]

I wish we didn't live in a time where people felt the need to video absolutely everything. Like I get taking video to maybe watch your own form or if it's something really monumental in your growth, but I'm so tired of everywhere turning into a film studio. It used to be if you wanted to film, >you< were the imposition and had to find a time no one else was around or book out your own space. Now every public space is open game and if you're using it as designed, you shouldn't be needing to worry about phone setups and people getting their shot. You shouldn't have to worry about being filmed by somebody even accidentally. But we threw that out the window and I think we're worse off for it.

[RooHue]

I genuinely believe, if you need the bar, weights and safety measures that a rack provides you have every right to use it.

[amypatrick]

Everything I see online about people making fun of or calling out other people in the gym just makes me happy to have a small gym built in our barn. I used a commercial gym while traveling and I was worried about not knowing the etiquette and accidentally pissing someone off while just trying to keep on my training program. I just want to lift heavy and not have to worry about making other people mad.

[roguephoenix]

i just had this exact same "conversation" with a karen and kevin on monday. they went to use the barbell with no weights on it so they put some on. as they were leaving, i asked if they were done and they said yes. i asked if they could put the weights back where they needed to go. karen asks me why like she literally had no clue. kevin chimes in with everyone else does it. they proceed to walk away when i said it's just common courtesy. he walks back all huffy saying it's not about courtesy. clearly not for him cause his parents never taught him what courtesy was. they were mad that i had the audacity to ask them to put away the things they used. even a child knows how to do that. how much of a failure are you as an adult if you don't even know how to put things away and why you should do it?

[carrieann]

Oh my word... people getting mad about accidentally getting in front of their video drive me nuts. I was attending a CrossFit gym where someone in class wanted to record every workout and expected others to stay out of frame.

[dinotink]

I overhead press & bench press in the squat rack for safety. I never understood that pet peeve since the rack is adjustable for a reason. Also, there are handles for pull ups on the squat rack for a reason! I pay to use the gym like everyone else so I should be allowed to do whatever I need to as long as I'm not hurting anyone.

[HairyKnees]

The gym I use puts all the dumbbell racks right against the mirrors, so there are always people walking in front, temporarily blocking my ability to keep an eye on my form.

[hinetimes]

I get it, people are trying to make a living but its a public gym. Its getting out of control, tripods in the general path of travel or in front of other equipment just to get the shot is not acceptable.

[rachaelangelina]

I went from an expensive fancy gym, to more of a local chain gym and it’s honestly been tough. At the more expensive gym EVERYONE helped to clean up afterwards, everything went back where it was supposed to. While I understand some people don’t realize that you’re not supposed to leave things racked, I’ve cleaned up rarely used equipment, had to unrack 500lb+ from the leg press left in the tall person safety (I’m 5’1”). That stuff, to me, isn’t excusable. Another huge pet peeve - someone walks right up to the dumb bell rack, picks up the ones they want, and just starts doing their sets standing right in front of all the dumb bells so no one else can get to them in that area. Why i don’t put my dumb bells back between sets - I might not be able to get to them because some dude (and it’s always a dude) has to stand 3 inches from the rack to do his shrugs.

[mackenzieschroeder]

I agree with you about the grunting, but this one time when I was at the gym the way across the on the other side with a large wall and staircase between me and this dude, dude was literally SCREAMING so loudly he drowned out my music in my headphones. This was at a Gold's btw, so not a powerlifting or body building specific gym, just an average gym and it was a bigger two story Gold's so there was a lot of space between us. I completely understand the need to let out some noise when you're pushing weight, but screaming like that was way unnecessary imo 🤣idk tho maybe he was celebrating a PR? 🤷‍♀

[lisenormann]

After years in the gym, there's only two things I speak up about, one is harassment the other is hygiene.

[JimmyBoots]

The one that's for sure a no-no when walking in front of people, is walking through their platform while they're lifting. It's happened a few times when someone will literally walk over the bar in the middle of my deadlift set because I took 2 seconds between reps.