Remember golden rule during workout
Don’t forget to mind your gym manners
There’s a certain etiquette associated with exercise, whether you’re working out in the gym, running with a buddy, swimming at the local pool or riding with a pack. Yet there are those who don’t pick up on some of the more subtle dos and don’ts of the exercise world.
So for the sake of those not in the know, and for anyone who’s had to deal with the boorish manners of their fellow exercise enthusiasts, here are 15 previously unwritten exercise rules to live by: 1. Put down the phone With more and more people using phone apps to monitor their workout or play their workout tunes, it’s no longer an option to ban phones from the gym. But that doesn’t mean you can interrupt everyone else’s workout with a loudly shared conversation about last night’s bad date.
It’s also not cool to answer the phone while working out alongside a training partner. If you’re expecting an important call, let your workout buddy know ahead of time that you may have to take a time out to answer the phone, and let him or her choose whether or not to join you. Otherwise, put your ringer on silent before your workout.
2. Wipe down your machine and gym mats
Nobody likes sharing your germs or your sweat, so wipe down your machine and/or mat after you’re done. And don’t be stingy about where to clean. Wipe down every place you’ve touched, sat and sweat on.
3. Lay off the perfume and aftershave Smells are more acute when you’re in the middle of a workout, making it particularly unpleasant to inhale lungfuls of perfume-y air. No one expects you to smell like roses at the gym anyway, so pass on using scented products on days when you are scheduled to work out.
4. Go easy on the bodily functions
Outdoor workouts don’t give you licence to blow snot-rockets, spit or indulge in any other nasty bodily function while in the presence of your workout partner. That goes double, maybe even triple, if you’re on a group ride or in a swimming pool. 5. Keep your kit clean Funky-smelling clothing is never OK if you’re working out within smelling distance of someone else. Give your kit the sniff test before pulling on your gear and be sure to have fresh substitutes handy just in case.
6. Keep your eye on your own machine
Checking out the workout details of the person beside you is downright rude. Keep your eyes forward and concentrate on your own workout stats. 7. Remember your towel There are plenty of good reasons why most gyms insist exercisers have a towel with them at all times. You can use it to wipe off excess sweat between sets, drape it over the weight bench and lay it on the stretching mat after a tough workout. Not only does it keep you drier, it also protects the mat and lessens the chance of laying down in a puddle of someone else’s sweat. 8. Swim in the right lane When the lifeguards designate swimming lanes as slow, medium and fast, don’t ignore the signs just so you can have a lane to yourself.
Separating swimmers by speed allows everyone to get in a good workout while minimizing the possibility of swimmers running into each other.
9. It’s not your personal shower
You’re not that close with anyone in the locker-room, so keep your towel on except for when you’re standing in the shower. Limit your shower activities to washing your body and hair and leave all other personal grooming to the privacy of home.
10. Don’t be a Chatty Cathy Group exercise classes aren’t social events. If you want to chat with your girlfriend or catch up on the latest gossip, save it for after your yoga, Pilates or fitness class.
11. Wear a shirt No matter how hot you are, keep your shirt on. There’s a time and place for showing off your six-pack and the gym isn’t it. This rule applies to women as well.
12. Let other cyclists and cars know what you’re doing
Don’t ride like you’re the only one on the road. Use hand signals to let others know when you’re turning, slowing down or stopping.
13. Turn down your music Most people exercise with earbuds, but out of respect for those who prefer working out to the sound of their own effort, keep your tunes to yourself.
14. Don’t grunt It may be OK on the tennis court, but if everyone let loose with their own series of guttural noises every time they added an extra rep, the gym would sound more like a zoo than a place to work out.
15. Avoid giving advice There’s no shortage of weird workouts going on at any given time in any given gym. But trust me on this: These guys and gals go their own way on purpose.
No amount of well-intended advice will make them follow a more traditional approach to getting in shape, so don’t waste your breath.