Perhaps it is the rush of testosterone and the feeling of primal power that accompanies working out, but many men seem to check their manners at the door to the gym. But just because you’re getting in touch with your inner man beast, doesn’t mean you should turn into an inconsiderate boob. Gyms should give new members a course on etiquette, but they don’t, leaving many men wholly ignorant of how to act civilly while pumping iron. Here are the rules of etiquette every man should know and keep. Feel free to tape them up in your gym’s locker room.
1. Rack your weights. Would you whip up a meal in the kitchen and then leave the dirty dishes from someone else to do? Well maybe you would, but then your roommates are currently plotting how to get you kicked out of the house. Show some respect to your fellow gym patrons and rack your weights. And rack them correctly. Nothing pisses me off more then when there’s a 25 lb plate racked behind three 45 lbs plates. Take those few extra steps to put the same weight with the same weight.
2. Don’t hog the machines. Get in, get your work done, and leave. A gym is a community, so sharing is required. And no, you can’t lay claim to a machine by simply laying your towel on it. Not being a hog on a machine can get difficult when you’re doing super circuits. Before you move to the next machine, tell the person who’s using the machine after you that you’ll be coming back shortly to finish up your circuit.
3. Use a spotter. If you’re throwing around heavy weight, make sure you have someone spotting you. First, it’s a safety concern. Second, you’ll look like an idiot struggling with a bar over your chest.
4. Don’t hover. While hogging machines at the gym is a faux pas, what irks me more is when people start hovering over a machine that you’re in the middle of using. These hoverers passive-aggressively lurk by the machine to give you the signal that they want you to leave. If you want to use the machine, wait until the person has finished their set to approach them. Then politely ask if you can get a set in.
5. Wipe down the equipment. I am convinced that many men feel that their gyms’ “please wipe down your equipment” sign applies to everyone but themselves. How else to explain why a man who has soaked his shirt through with sweat would walk away from a machine he’s coated with perspiration? Nobody wants to sit in a pool of a guy’s sweat, much less a layer of it composed of an afternoon of inconsiderate gym goers. If you moisten a piece of equipment, wipe it down with your towel. If you are sweating profusely, also use the disinfectant spray that the gym provides.
6. Don’t drop the weights. When you’re finished cranking out a set of dumbbell presses, lay them down like a normal person. Don’t just drop them off your shoulders. First, it’s dangerous to do so. You don’t know if there are any feet or hands that the weight can land on. Second, it’s bad for the weights and the floor. Even if your gym has those rubber floors, dropping the weights from great heights will eventually cause some wear and tear. Finally, it’s distracting. Dropping weights creates a bunch of ruckus that can distract other gym patrons.
7. Don’t hit on women. The gym is not a bar. You’re there to work, and so are the women. Don’t bother them. Most women feel sweaty and messy when they’re working out, and are not in the mood for love. If the woman is not sweaty and messy, and instead has perfectly coiffed hair and a full face of make-up, you should still steer clear; you don’t want to date the kind of woman who gets guzzied up for the gym.
8. Don’t give unsolicited advice. So what if you got your college degree in sports nutrition and exercise? No one cares what you have to say about how to get chiseled abs. Only if someone asks for some advice, or is in serious danger of hurting themselves, should you step in and let loose a river of all the workout knowledge that’s stored in that big cranium of yours.
9. Leave the cell phone in the car. One of the most obnoxious things to see at a gym is a person yapping away on their cell phone while walking on the treadmill. Usually the culprits of this gym crime are snooty soccer moms, but I’ve seen men do this as well. Nothing is unmanlier than a man whose focus is somewhere else and not on developing and strengthening his body.
10. Don’t use the girly machines. No man should ever be caught on that machine that works your inner and outer thighs.
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#11. Don’t dress like a creep and/or a douche bag.
Great list and number 10 is the best out of the bunch!
Note to the guys from a lady’s perspective: Sometimes when I go to the gym all the barbells and machines are loaded up with 45 lb plates. Perhaps guys leave these plates on with the idea that any man worth his salt is going to use them as well. But many women also use these machines, even the squat rack. I’m not a weakling, but it’s tough to remove and re-rack those big 45 lb plates. So be kind to the ladies, gents, always re-rack your weights.
On #10, I know (I think) youre kidding, realizing that hip abductors and adductors are some of the most important stability muscles in your body, helping in everything from running, martial arts, etc. And since I’m not in a gym, I didnt break rule #8!
Re: #10: Uh, yeah… ’cause manly men are born without adductors and abductors. Silly.
@Kevin and Cameron-Using machines that target one small muscle at a time and make you do movements you would never do in real life are a total waste of time. While I called out the hip abductor machine for special criticism, the leg extension and leg curl machines are also silly. The hip machines are especially dumb because they don’t really even work the muscles they are supposed to and can cause overuse injuries of the piriformis muscle.There are other ways to work the same muscles using exercises that strengthen the whole area and supporting muscle groups.
I agree with the hip adductor/abductor machines. Instead of using those, you can usually fit your foot into a cable handle and use one of the cable machines for the same movement. Or just do squats and deads…
There is a time and place for direct isolation work, just not very often.
What an utterly chauvanist cowardly opinion
~inside/outside thigh machines are girly~
TRY FREESTYLING A MOTOCROSS BIKE WITHOUT THOSE MUSCLES, m*r*n.
How utterly offensive:
since the mere *suggestion* that you might be feminine is so profoundly *demeaning* to you,
you can’t value woman as person,
can you?
Your balls disappear when someone holds
slightly-pink/magenta cloth near you?
Many women have commented on this, and finally I “get” it,
and see it, when “my kind” are doing it:
Grow Up.
If *I* can, *anyone* can.
Try reading “Counting for nothing”
a book about just what men really value woman as…
Try reading “Women’s Ways of Knowing”
by 4 psychologist women with both brains & guts.
And TRY freestyling a 250lb-400lb bike with weak thigh muscles,
and see if having it land on your head more frequently
makes *you* feel more manly, or more idiotic.
( & if you are offended by “practice” and “training” and “study” as too girly, then maybe get a Darwin Award doing a loop wrong?
.. at least it’d be *earned* )
–
Posted under a Nom de Plume, because it is the ISSUE that matters, not the “names”.
(c) 2008 Captain Obvious
( yes, copyright still applies with a Nom de Plume )
Squat and deadlift will give you very strong thighs. The point is not that the abductor machine is girly it is that both men and women would benefit more from free weights. Since men tend to focus on strength more than women in their workouts (men and women in general this doesn’t apply to everyone) they are more responsible for doing things the right way.
@Captain Obvious-You may want to spend less time toning those thighs and more time learning how to put together a coherent comment.
As Jeff said, it’s not that there is something intrinsically girly about the abductor machine. But the fact is that I’ve never, ever seen a really fit man using it, and the only ones I have seen using it are female. Most are operating under the erroneous assumption that you can “spot reduce” your trouble spots. No man should labor under this delusion. But hey if it helps you with motocross then more power to you.
Well done, now that’s what I like to see! I try to pass these principles on to others. I’m going to mention this list in a blog post sometime this week.
Gentlemen should squat and dead lift, not use hip machines. My two cents. Machines are way overrated. People need to realize that machines will never, ever replace lifting barbells and dumbbells. Machines are safer during the exercise, but they are not better. Machines are better at bodybuilding, yes, but getting strong? Improving athletic performance? No they aren’t better.
Brett is right on with his comments. Captain obvious is insane.
Brett, don’t get pulled into the gutter. Your list is great, but cut some slack of the folks who have cell phones. Us men nowadays have plenty of multi-tasking efforts going on and sometimes we need to take a call. It’s how you handle the call and respect others around you that matters most. Leave the area of others and DON’T do it on the treadmill unless something is massively urgent and then the good man would get off the phone and apologize to the folks around him for goofing up their workouts.
1,2 6 and 8 all should be punishable by cutting off a pinky or something. I know it sounds harsh but so are the offenses. The same ones doing this are the same ones that think #7 is a sport. I like to look at the talent like any other guy, but “get in, get out, and go home” should be the mantra.
*Don’t give unsolicited advice*
in the gym, and everywhere else!
*Leave the cell phone in the car*
who are these arseholes who walk around with bluetooth headsets all the time? idiots who dont want phone waves affecting their brain, so put the phone in their pocket next to their testicles!
Nice article
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#11 DON’T WORK OUT IN FRONT OF THE DUMBBELLS!
Caption Obivous sound girl enough. Whining like that.
perfect. Just #10 honestly makes no sense, there aren’t male or female muscles and abductors can be a great boost for leg press. I don’t use those machines often actually, and I do agree they look girlish – yet they are a great leg complement anyway. I’d drop #10, or why not add #11: don’t train gluteus unless you’re gay? lol
But from 1 to 9, tyhey are just perfect!
Most of you a fully in love with your own opinions.
Okay, I added number 10 primarily for some comic relief, but people seem to be taking it super seriously. I didn’t know people are so uptight about the hip abductor machine.
I like your list but #10 is complete nonsense
@ Markus- Come back when you have a sense of humor.
No singing online with your ipod.
yea as for #7
it’s the number one reason I stopped going to the gym, and it’s absolutely right. We’re there to work out, not to pick up gross sweaty guys. Oh, and your bacne from the rhoids? yea, we can spot that a mile away and we know exactly what it is and what it’s from.
Plus, we wear spandex because it’s comfortable. It’s not an invite to follow us all over the gym and stare constantly.
And, the girly machines stereotype is very ignorant. I’m a girl, and I use mostly freeweights when I workout. I don’t use “girly” machines, because most of them are useless for me, it’s not like i’m obligated to use them because i’m a woman and it’s not like you shouldn’t use them because your men.
Love the list!
BTW, I laughed at #10. I thought it was funny.
I’m going to have to agree with the other people and say that the “girly machines” are not girly. Personally I think a more prominent unmanly issue I see at the gym is those awful short shorts guys are wearing. Some guys at the gym also seem to think it’s the 80’s.
I’m not surprised that the SoyNinja doesn’t think those machines are girly.There’s nothing more girly than eating estrogen producing soy. Stick with whey protein boys.
Ignore rule #7. Women initiate flirting with me all the time at the gym, so fair is fair. There’s nothing wrong with a friendly “hello”. You can tell by her response whether she’s interested or not. I’ll agree that you shouldn’t treat the gym like a meat market, but a real man meets women wherever he finds them.
By the way, I wrote a similar article on Arthur’s Hall in May. I won’t go so far as to claim plagiarism, but this article is remarkably similar to mine. Judge for yourself:
[url]http://cybermessageboard.fatcow.com/arthurshall/viewtopic.php?t=8479[/url]
Be a real man, visit [url]http://www.arthurshall.com[/url]
a weight machine is “girly” to a man who is insecure in his own manhood.
@Smacky- First, I’ve never been to your forum. Second, I don’t see the similarity. Third, I find it laughable that you presume we copied you just because we created a list of common sense gym etiquette rules. Google “gym etiquette.” You’re not the only one who has created such a list. Did these people copy you, too? Probably not because your list doesn’t even show up in the search results.
My Cali workout tip of the week – cycle and run outdoors, instead of hitting the gym. Vitamin D is good for you! Plus, if you find a good running trail, there are hottie women galore. It’s totally fine chatting up another runner or cyclist. 10K races and half-marathons are great places to meet fit women.
Great list. Here are some I would add.
11. Don’t start shouting “C’mon harder man, push harder!” when spotting another guy… in fact don’t say anything.
12. Don’t take your shirt off and sweat all over the equipment while leaving your chest and back hairs everywhere. (I’ve seen guys do this while I was college.)
13. Do not wear flip flops in the gym. I saw a guy wearing crocs one time and that would count as flip flops. In fact no man should ever be wearing crocs.
14. Keep profanity on the down low. I don’t care how much you can or can’t lift. Swearing won’t make you lift more.
15. Wash your gym clothes regularly. Working out next to Mr. Armpit Odor is not fun.
I hope the joke regarding #10 extended to your comment regarding leg extension/leg curl. While you shouldn’t only do those, they hit the muscle differently than other exercises. Follow squats or leg press with leg extensions to emphasize different heads of the quad. Follow good mornings or deadlift which use the hamstring help straighten the body with leg curls that work the hamstring by bending the leg.
Not trying to break rule #8, but its important to distinguish between using only leg extension/leg curl and using them to completely work the muscle
No ‘MAN’ has to bother himself with listing such an idiotic reference to ‘girlie’ machines. If a person wants to use a particular machine for a particular purpose, and has reason to do so, then those who are chastising him for it are childish and not ‘MEN’.
Who are all these guys passionately defending the hip abductor machine? I have never in my life (and I’ve belonged to a gym for years) seen a man use one. Do they come in really late or early so no one sees them? I mean it’s just one point among many good ones, stop getting so hung up on it.
Just wanted to tell Captain Obvious he is:
1) Taking the internet too seriously
2) Probably gay
3) In terrible need of a good set of squats and then a good, old fashioned closed-fist beating
4) Taking HIM(her?)SELF wayyyyy too seriously.
Cool post, sorry the internet is full of jack asses.
11. Don’t wear spandex.
No one likes the giant d-bags at the gym who break these rules.
I would add to this list, please don’t grunt and scream as if giving birth or being backed over by a 1972 Buick. I understand that sometimes a little vocal “oomph” helps and that’s fine, but really shouting/screaming/yodeling like you’ve just been set on fire is not and it’s very annoying to other people.
As far as hip abductors/adductors, yes, I do work them. Being a trail ultramarathon runner, they’re necessary and useful (trails are definitely not flat, and definitely not smooth.) Explain to me how doing squats and deadlifts (which I also do) works the adductors and abductors sufficiently?
Captain Obvious: Um, a COPYRIGHT? Are you serious?
I don’t know what screams “FAIL” more: your “copyright” or the idea that someone would want to claim your spastic, incoherent ideas as their own.
To the author of this post: A-friggin’-Men. Thanks for making my day.
@ Captain Obvious: We know you are either a woman or you own and work out with one of those Suzanne Summers ThighMasters. By the way, what kind of man reads those books you mentioned? Did Oprah recommend those to you?
DaveC, widen your stance and lower the bar on your back to do a powerlifting squat. This will work adductors as it shifts focus towards the hips and inner leg. Otherwise, try side lunges.
My previous comments weren’t directed towards the adductor/abductor discussion. Only the leg extension/curl commentary.
Captain obvious = douche
yes . .men have abductors . .no you don’t need to use those machines to work them. in fact you don’t need the machines for ANYTHING unless you’re rehabbing an injury.
#11: If free weights work for you and you think that everyone else should use them too, see #8.
No, REALLY–see #8.
Ok. so if we’re going to go with number 8 as the default rule, even in an outside-of-the-gym discussion of exercise/gym behavior .. .well, then . . this whole list is pretty much BS, unsolicited advice. But then again, by clicking on the link you are soliciting advice (or at least conversation) regarding exercise/gym behavior. I was speaking to ‘need’. You can do anything you want in the gym. But you flat-out don’t need to use weight machines (specifically weight machines, I’m not talking about stationary bikes, treadmills, rowing machines, etc) to train for any activity or sport.
@BK-
Yeah #8 was supposed to mean “don’t give me unsolicited advice while I’m working out,” not “don’t give advice ever.” I just don’t want to be interrupted when I’m at the gym, in the zone, and already have a plan. But a blog, which is designed for giving one’s opinion and having discussion/debate, is a perfectly good place to dispense one’s advice. Especially advice like yours, which I wholeheartedly agree with.
Haha…i’m guilty of #10. But I really just skipped over all the others, I mean, they just seem like common sense.
Great website though…I love it.
Of course one should speak their opinions in the comments, I just object to people using this comment thread as an opportunity to ride their hobby horses about how to work out or what to use. Bottom line–if it works for you and is healthy, then it’s good enough no matter what anyone else thinks.
Besides, weight training is just one of those areas where there are 1,000 different ways to get results and 1,000 different opinions on each way. A “for instance” here: just about every day I see some truly buffed guys exhibiting crappy form, jerking weights around, completely violating warnings against using momentum in their reps. And yet they are getting results. Bully for them. So is it right for me to say here that EVERYONE SHOULD do a 3-count or a 5-count in their positive and negative reps, applying constant effort and not using body momentum? Whatever. Plenty don’t and get results.
Ahh yes! The Hip Abductor machine, well gentlemen this “Girlie Machine” is actually one of the best machines to train for Snow Skiing. Anything to strengthen the hips will go a long way toward endurance on the slopes.