9 Rules On Gym Etiquette

Etiquette isn't just for dinner anymore.

What if there was something more you could add to your routine at the gym, something that isn't taught in classes or in videos? What if there were instructions on how to be tactful at the gym, simple suggestions that would help you mesh with all other gym-goers? What if you could learn how to NOT be the meat-head bothering people by overdoing it and showing off? Well maybe there is.

Exercise writer Paige Waehner recently wrote, 'anytime you smush a group of sweaty people together in small spaces, there are bound to be some problems'' She goes on to note that although there aren't always rules posted, there are certainly 'unspoken rules that all of us should be familiar with.' Abiding by these rules and being friendly will keep you popular with others at your gym longer than if you simply strut about not paying attention to anyone but yourself.

Here are some quick suggestions on how to make yourself popular at the gym:

1. Put away your phone! Nothing is more irritating than listening to someone ramble inanely on a phone beside you as you are trying to focus. Leave it in the locker, or 'if you absolutely must' put it on vibrate and excuse yourself before talking.

2. Dishing advice. Sure, you may think you know more than someone else about a certain exercise, but would you want someone telling you your doing it wrong?

3. Think about your body odor. Working out makes you sweat, that's why you do it. But sweating makes you smell. Be considerate and wear deodorant.

4. Play nice. If you see someone waiting for a machine, don't rest on it between sets.

5. Wipe it down. Germs are everywhere, especially at the gym! Sweating, coughing, heavy breathing, and water bottles ' they are all notorious for breeding germs. Sanitize your machine when you are done each set.

6. Don't be a hog. If a gym posts a 30-minute limit on a cardio machine, do as they ask. If you are alone in and nobody is waiting, then pump it out until you're satisfied, but if it's peak time think about others.

7. Put things back where you found them. Sound like advice from you mother? Well, it's wisdom that some people didn't pick up. It's a simple courtesy that helps everyone.

8. Don't be creepy. Gyms are not singles clubs. When a person is sweating hard and focusing on his or her workout, the last thing they want to deal with is somebody eyeing them up. Think about it ' would there be 'Women Only' gyms if this wasn't a problem?

9. Don't be spiteful. Just because someone didn't put back his weights or wipe down her machine, doesn't mean you should do the same to exact revenge. Be the bigger person.

Rules at the gym come down to basic courtesies and common sense. Be kind and treat others how you would like to be treated, and remember that you are there to work in order to create a healthier life outside the walls.