14 Things You SHOULDN’T DO At The Gym!

14 Things You Shouldn’t Do At The Gym 14. Don’t train through the pain- Even though
this sounds obvious, you might be surprised as to how many people work out at the gym
when they’re feeling under the weather or hurt themselves. It’s important to listen to what your body
is telling you! If you sprained an ankle or threw out your
back during your routine, immediately stop what you’re doing, identify the pain and
treat it. Working out when you’re in pain does more
damage than good. This includes working out when you have a
cold or have a fever. You might think hitting the gym might be a
good remedy to help yourself feel better, but in fact, it might have the opposite effect. Working out can deplete the little energy
you already have. Plus you don’t want to spread your cold
or any germs on the exercise equipment either. Your best option is to stay at home and wait
until you’re feeling better to tackle any workouts. There’s nothing wrong with missing a day
or two, especially since your body needs time to recover. 13. Don’t leave weights behind- Alright let’s
get to the rules of re-racking! Most gyms might have signs visible near the
free weights asking that when you’re done to put stuff back in their proper place. Of course, your mom taught you that but just
because there is an attendant present doesn’t mean it’s their job to put it away for you. Not only is this a safety hazard, since someone
can trip on the free weights. But this makes it twice as hard for other
to find the same pounds of weights when exercising! The most popular weights seem always to be
missing, or one might be on the rack while the other is across the room. It’s down right frustrating! This same rule also goes for plates as well. Just like weights, it’s important to put
the plates back where you found it. This saves a lot of time and hassle for everyone
in the gym. 12. Don’t talk to someone during a set- There’s
nothing wrong with socializing with others at a gym. You might run into a co worker or an old friend
from school that you haven’t seen in ages, but this doesn’t mean that it’s okay to
suddenly start chatting it up with them if they’re in the middle of their set. Talking while lifting can be a big distraction,
the same goes if they’re sprinting on the treadmill. Most likely they’re trying to concentrate
or trying to focus on their form. Plus if they have headphones in, then most
likely they’re trying to power through their workout and get in the zone. The best thing to do is try catching up with
them after their workout at the juice bar or locker room. This gives you more time to talk to them after
they’re finished and maybe you might have found yourself a new gym buddy too. 11. Don’t use exercise equipment without cleaning
it- This also includes stretching mats and exercise benches. In a gym, you can count on everyone sweating,
and with everyone sharing the machines, there can be bacteria, fungi, and viruses lingering. If you have a scrape or cut that comes in
contact with these germ-infested surfaces, you could get a severe infection. Between standing and prone exercises, we move
our feets and bodies all throughout the mats, and at one point you’ve probably put your
face near where your feet once were. Now if you’re borrowing mats provided by
the gym, think about how many people have used those mats. Pretty gross right? The good part is most commercial gyms offer
towels and some sanitizers, sprays, and wipes for your convenience to wipe down surfaces
before using. 10. Don’t leave the equipment sweaty- Nothing
ruins an excellent workout quite like smelling the aroma of someone else’s sweat. It would be awful to smell someone’s lingering
sweat, and chances are other people don’t want to smell your sweat either. Plus, other people are also going to use that
same equipment as well, and there’s nothing worst than leaning back on a machine feeling
a sweat puddle! It only takes ten seconds to wipe everything
down when you’re finished with your workout, just grab a paper towel and spray some sanitizer
on the seating area, and you’re ready to go! Not only is this common courtesy but others
will appreciate you doing this too! 9. Don’t invade other’s space- Remember the
concept of personal space. Chances are there will be people coming in
and out and using the machines consistently, so it’s important to give everyone their
own exercise space. Exercising, in general, requires a ton of
movement, so you can avoid those silly accidents by keeping the proper distance. By giving yourself a nice cushion of a few
feet, you can save yourself the trouble of getting banged in the head with a dumbbell. Furthermore, if you’re waiting in line to
use a machine, be patient and don’t groan or moan. In addition, if you spot someone doing a heavy
lift like a deadlift, squat or overhead sight, it’s crucial to never walk in front of their
line of view. Not only will this throw them off, but it’s
rude and distracting. 8. Don’t drop weights- This is a big part of
gym etiquette! You probably heard some people drop the weights
on their last and scream all wildly and strut their arms, thinking they’re a big shot. Not only does this attract unnecessary attention,
but others will think you’re trying to show off and will just end up making you look like
a jerk! If you drop weights, you can also seriously
injure yourself and those around you. Letting the weights down slowly, requires
more of a workout too and that’s why you’re at the gym right? The only exception to dropping the weights
is when someone is lifting a lot of weight, and they let it go due to exhaustion or injury. But for pure strength training, eccentric
lowering movements should be avoided. 7. Don’t linger on the equipment- For all you
gym newbies, this on is for you and it’s especially important when it comes to machines. There are only so many machines available
at the gym, meaning that you need to share. On busy days, there will be a least a few
people waiting for their turn and some might even ask you if you guys can alternate between
sets. So have some common courtesy for those around
you who are waiting to use the machines. Once you’ve finished your routine, cool
down, head to the locker room or grab a protein shake. Don’t linger or even worse, sit in the machines
and text on your phone. Even though you might be waiting for your
friend to finish up, find another place to sit down where people aren’t waiting on
you. 6. Don’t talk (loudly) on your cell phone-
Those who speak loudly on a cell phone probably don’t even realize that they’re doing
it and you may even be one of them. It’s okay to pick up a phone call; maybe
it’s an urgent phone call from work or an emergency call about a family member. But what’s not okay is loudly chatting away
on your phone throughout your whole workout. Not only is this a huge distraction to others,
but it can throw off people’s concentration. If you get a phone call during yoga or Zumba
class, excuse yourself out, so you don’t interrupt the session. Remember that you’re not the only one in
the gym, so it’s important to be mindful of others. 5. Don’t show up late to aerobics class- Jumping
from solo workouts to group aerobics may take some time to get used to. On your own time, you’re free to come and
go anytime you please but when once you enter a class space, the whole dynamic changes. It’s crucial to come to class on time because
showing up late disrupts the entire class and your instructor. Plus, you’re missing out on warm up exercises,
and there might not be any space left for you if you show up late. Not only will everyone’s eyes be on you when
you show up late at the door, but it’ll give the impression that you’re not committed
especially if it’s your first day. Remember that since there’s a start time,
there’s also an end time. So, this means staying until the class ends. You’ll learn beneficial cool down stretches,
and it shows respect to the teacher and your fellow team mates. 4. Don’t exercise in a heavily trafficked area-
There will be those days when the gym is jam packed with people, and there might not be
a lot of room for you to workout. But areas like aisles, entrances, exits, and
walkways are reserved for walking. You might have observed some people doing
kettlebell swings, jumping rope or conducting walking lunges in these spaces but it’s
in fact extremely dangerous. Not only can you injure yourself but others
too, especially if you smack someone in the face with a kettlebell, you might have a lawsuit
on your hands. Reserve these areas for foot traffic only
and allow others to pass by safely. 3. Don’t hang out in your workout clothes-
Chances are if you had an excellent workout, you’re more than likely to be covered in
sweat. So you’ll need to get those gross sweaty
clothes off before they dry up and emit an odor. This is what locker rooms are for! Yes, it might be embarrassing to change in
front of dozens of people, and it can even bring back memories of being in high school
p.e. But honestly, people don’t care and won’t
judge you. Changing out of your workout clothes is crucial
for proper hygiene, and you’d be surprised as to how many people don’t change out of
their workout clothes at all! According to Men’s Fitness, not changing
from your workout clothes can result in acne, skin and yeast infections! So change, shower and allow your skin your
breathe! 2. Don’t hit on girls- Yes, the gym might be
a great place to meet new friends and other people to socialize with but save the cheesy
pickup lines and annoying catcalls for the bar or a blind date. Doing so can have you labeled as a creep and
people come to the gym to workout not get hit on. Be courteous and don’t harass someone who
doesn’t want attention. You could also end up earning a bad reputation
at the gym and words spreads quickly! Don’t make wide-eyed stares either, this
leaves most people feeling uncomfortable, and it could lead to a lot of awkwardness. Even if you pretend to give a girl some phone
advice in hopes that she’ll give you shot, chances are she’ll see right through you. So keep your romantic advances for your post-gym
hours instead. 1. Don’t give someone unsolicited advice- Giving
unsolicited advice is awkward in any situation and generally not a good idea. Even if you think that person is doing something
wrong, it is best to just keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself. First off, people usually hate being advised
because it can feel that they’re being attacked and won’t listen. Also, you might be wrong in the advice you
give them as well. We all have different body types and workouts,
so what might work for you, might not necessarily work out for them. Advice should only be given if you’re friends
with that person or if they asked for your input. Now unless you’re a trainer, fitness coach
or work at the facility, then it might be okay, but otherwise, it’s best to leave it
up to the gym instructors.