Alison Post's Lessons in Gym Etiquette

The talker, the sweater, the fanny pack wearer.

The gym already is a sweaty place, but for some reason coming to the gym and getting your sweat on also makes people lose their MINDS.  I thought this blog post could focus on etiquette at the house of body worship.

1. Thou shalt not sweat all over the equipment without toweling it off after you are finished.  Sweat is diluted URINE, people.  That is gross.  Get a towel when you walk in the gym and use it!  And on that note. . .
2. Thou shalt not use an excessive amount of towels.  This is more an environmental request.  I think a one to three towel limit seems appropriate, but over three?  Are you REALLY working that hard?
3. Thou only needs to be watching one television at a time.  Unless you are Elvis and you have five televisions in your Jungle Room, the average person watches one TV at a time.  I don't know what it is about the gym, but some folks like to listen to one television but also have two or three TV's set to their other favorite shows so they can switch back and forth.  If the gym is empty, that is an alright request, but if there are many people on the cardio equipment, please be polite and stay with one television.  Besides, if you are working really hard, you shouldn't be watching TV anyway!
4. Thou needs to make up your mind.  If you ask a gym employee to change the TV for you, know what you want to watch and then don't change your mind. The gym employees are people, not remote controls.
5. Thou should return a greeting when you receive one.  This seems like common courtesy, but if someone says, "Good Morning!" or "Hi!", please acknowledge with the same greeting or a simple head nod.  Even better, A SMILE goes a long way.  Nothing feels worse than somebody obviously ignoring you.  If you are wearing headphones, that is another issue entirely.
6. Thou shalt put away whatever you took out.  This seems like a no-brainer.  When you were little, remember how your parents or teachers would tell you to put away your toys after you were finished playing with them?  This rule still applies in adulthood!  I can't tell you how many big burly guys leave three 45-pound plates on the bench press racks (on each side- 270 pounds, folks!) and then my sweet, demure self has to unrack the weights and put them away.  Or people leave their towels everywhere, their wrappers and water bottles, the BOSU, their dumbbells.  Trainers on the floor are there to offer safety and assistance, not to work as your maid.  It is RUDE.  By the end of my shift, I sometimes lift over 3,000 pounds.  I am thinking of changing my name to Arnold.  PUT AWAY YOUR TOYS!!!

I believe these simple steps lead to a positive and productive time at the gym!  I think the gym is an awesome miracle producing building and want it to stay awesome.  THE END.