Are You Irritating People at the Gym? 8 Rules of Public Exercise Etiquette
hear a lot about ways to keep our sanity. We kind of sort of know that we should be eating balanced meals, taking our women's essential vitamins, finding healthy ways to unwind and taking time for ourselves blah blah blah. I'm not saying we shouldn't be doing all that but just thinking about all the things I should be doing for me stresses me out! Honestly, I could use a break from "taking care of myself."
The thing I find that helps me the most is to prioritize what is the most important to my mental and physical health. I know I am just not myself unless I can have a little bad TV (Bachelor, American Idol or any of the Real Housewives do the trick) at the end of the night coupled with a pomegranate for antioxidants. Followed closely behind TV for me is the gym. I feel so much better if I'm getting regular workouts. I like to spend thirty minutes on the Precor machine, do some arm weight nautilus machines (I'm not sure if they're still called nautilus or not but I'm too lazy to Google it -I may be stuck in the 80's -although I'm not wearing a fucia neon sweatband on my head or any legwarmers) and then do as many sit-ups on the ab bench as my energy level will allow.
Related: 12 ways to sneak workout time into your day
The only problem with the gym is that you are forced to engage in what I feel should be a private activity among a lot of people. And a lot of those people have no manners. So here now is a list I've compiled of good gym etiquette in the hopes that it might inspire people to be aware that they may be ruining someone's workout.
1. Don't talk on your phone loudly while you're next to me on the Precor. Wait, don't talk on your phone at all. You're at the gym, not a business meeting or coffee with your girlfriend.
2. Please please wear real workout clothes. It's disconcerting to see a dude in Seven jeans and loafers doing a shoulder press. It's disconcerting to see a dude in Seven jeans period.
Related: 10 ways to break out of your exercise rut
3. Don't leave your workout towel on a machine and go do something else. I don't want to touch your towel. Touching your towel means I will have to go wash my hands and my gym doesn't have any paper towels which leads me to my next one…
4. (This is to LA Fitness) GET SOME PAPER TOWELS. I RESENT HAVING TO USE THAT STUPID HAND DRYER MACHINE THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK.
5. Please try not to make loud grunting noises when you are doing your reps. If you have to sound like a gorilla being strangled by a vine, mayhaps your weight is too heavy.
Related: 10 surprising benefits of taking a walk
6. Don't decide to do your stretching directly in the middle of foot traffic. I shouldn't need to step over your downward dog pose to get to the exercise bike.
I truly believe if we could all follow some of these tips we might actually feel relaxed and refreshed when we leave the gym hence leaving our evenings open to engage in some REALITY TV.
For 2 more must-know gym etiquette tips, visit Babble
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