Exercising Etiquette
Words by Katherine C. Eustaquio
Published in Action & Fitness Magazine 2009 Issue
Let’s face it. There are just some people who can hardly spell good manners and right conduct. And they are everywhere—at the malls, restaurants, public comfort rooms, and even the gym. Isn’t it annoying when you’re next in line to a sweaty cardio machine? Or sitting next to a muscle-bound moron who grunts a very audible, very exaggerated “ugh” with each lift? Or perhaps doing time on the treadmill next to a preppy teenager who’s trying to outsing Beyoncé with her iPod?
If you’re guilty of the following gym crimes, here are a few reminders to make your workout session a more rejuvenating experience, not only for yourself but for the entire gym as well.
Tidiness is next to sexiness. Seriously, even if you’re sporting the best-sculpted torso or the sexiest bum, if you leave the gym equipment all sweaty and sticky, or if you leave your personal effects anywhere unattended, people will still think of you as a slob.
• Carry an extra towel to wipe off your residue.
• Keep your things safe and secured inside your lockers.
• Return gym equipment at their respected places after use.
Stop hoarding. Sure, it’s annoying when someone keeps asking if you’re done with the equipment, but it’s also wrong to hoard them. Learn to follow the prescribed length of time you can use the equipment, and as a courtesy to the next user, return them properly.
Observe silence. Some people enjoy working out while listening to music while some prefer watching movies. Despite the preferences, it’s quite obvious that gym time is a time for introspection. Knock off the exaggerated grunts or keep them to a minimum. Not everyone is interested in your personal torture.
Conserve water. The gym water dispensers provide hydration for its members. It’s not your personal water station. Leave some water for others.
“Listen” to music. The operative word here is “listen”, not “sing” or “sing-along.” If belting out with Mariah Carey helps you train more, try to keep it down. Some gyms provide overhead music for all its members. You don’t need to compete with the speakers.
Knock off the Prima Donna Attitude. Just because it’s been a bad day and you’re so stressed, that doesn’t give you a right to turn diva on your gym instructor or your fellow exercisers. Gym time is a great way to de-stress after hectic and long day. Stop doubling the stress level in the air with the unnecessary tantrums.
The shower room is not a hotel bathroom. That means you don’t have the luxury of time to spend one hour in the shower room. There are people next in line itching to hit the road. So do your stuff, all neat and fast, and try to do your 30-minute primping somewhere else…your own bathroom perhaps.
Watch the inappropriate behavior. The gym is a place where people work out. Nothing more, nothing less. It may be a haven of beautifully-sculpted mortals but it’s not a venue for pinning down a love interest. Social interaction can go as far as swapping digits or eye-to-eye contacts, but for anything more blood-pumping than that, the gym is not the place for it. Take your hormones somewhere else.
Published in Action & Fitness Magazine 2009 Issue
Let’s face it. There are just some people who can hardly spell good manners and right conduct. And they are everywhere—at the malls, restaurants, public comfort rooms, and even the gym. Isn’t it annoying when you’re next in line to a sweaty cardio machine? Or sitting next to a muscle-bound moron who grunts a very audible, very exaggerated “ugh” with each lift? Or perhaps doing time on the treadmill next to a preppy teenager who’s trying to outsing Beyoncé with her iPod?
If you’re guilty of the following gym crimes, here are a few reminders to make your workout session a more rejuvenating experience, not only for yourself but for the entire gym as well.
Tidiness is next to sexiness. Seriously, even if you’re sporting the best-sculpted torso or the sexiest bum, if you leave the gym equipment all sweaty and sticky, or if you leave your personal effects anywhere unattended, people will still think of you as a slob.
• Carry an extra towel to wipe off your residue.
• Keep your things safe and secured inside your lockers.
• Return gym equipment at their respected places after use.
Stop hoarding. Sure, it’s annoying when someone keeps asking if you’re done with the equipment, but it’s also wrong to hoard them. Learn to follow the prescribed length of time you can use the equipment, and as a courtesy to the next user, return them properly.
Observe silence. Some people enjoy working out while listening to music while some prefer watching movies. Despite the preferences, it’s quite obvious that gym time is a time for introspection. Knock off the exaggerated grunts or keep them to a minimum. Not everyone is interested in your personal torture.
Conserve water. The gym water dispensers provide hydration for its members. It’s not your personal water station. Leave some water for others.
“Listen” to music. The operative word here is “listen”, not “sing” or “sing-along.” If belting out with Mariah Carey helps you train more, try to keep it down. Some gyms provide overhead music for all its members. You don’t need to compete with the speakers.
Knock off the Prima Donna Attitude. Just because it’s been a bad day and you’re so stressed, that doesn’t give you a right to turn diva on your gym instructor or your fellow exercisers. Gym time is a great way to de-stress after hectic and long day. Stop doubling the stress level in the air with the unnecessary tantrums.
The shower room is not a hotel bathroom. That means you don’t have the luxury of time to spend one hour in the shower room. There are people next in line itching to hit the road. So do your stuff, all neat and fast, and try to do your 30-minute primping somewhere else…your own bathroom perhaps.
Watch the inappropriate behavior. The gym is a place where people work out. Nothing more, nothing less. It may be a haven of beautifully-sculpted mortals but it’s not a venue for pinning down a love interest. Social interaction can go as far as swapping digits or eye-to-eye contacts, but for anything more blood-pumping than that, the gym is not the place for it. Take your hormones somewhere else.
