Gym etiquette, part two

Due to the massive amount of e-mail responses I received regarding my last column, I have decided to print a second installment of gym etiquette. I hope this time I finish covering all the bases.



I am a newbie to the gym scene, and I really enjoyed your column last week on the fitness etiquette (I read the column on the Daily website). I realized that I was guilty of a few of the etiquette transgressions. However, I definitely felt that one important topic you missed was body odor. What about the people who don't wear deodorant when they workout? They always take away from my workouts.

Kristen "Always Smellin Fresh" Neufeld, Penn State University



First and foremost, before you go to workout, smell yourself. There is nothing worse than walking by someone and being hit by a wave of body odor so thick you feel like you are swimming through it. It's distracting, and it also stigmatizes you as "the stinky kid," a title that may even be worse than "the sweaty kid." A simple swipe of deodorant right before you leave your room will ensure that you remain as odorless as possible during your workout.

Keep rest periods between sets as short as possible. While it is acceptable to rest several minutes between really heavy sets, it is not acceptable to get a drink, have a conversation, go to the bathroom, and run to your car between sets. It is incredibly frustrating to go over to an empty bench only to have some dude run over to you in a huff and say in his deepest, most "I am diesel" voice: "Yo, I got two more sets." So you acknowledge him, and you wait... and wait... and wait. Ten minutes later, the asshole finally comes back over to do another set. Then he goes back to chatting. Be cognizant of other people. If someone is waiting for the piece of equipment you are on, be polite. Offer to let them work in, or finish your sets in a timely fashion. Taking forever between sets is extremely discourteous.

On the other side of the issue, if you are waiting for a piece of equipment, don't stand in front of the person using the equipment and grill her (or him) until she feels so uncomfortable that she would rather cut her workout in half than face being the subject of your glare for any longer. I use females as an example here because I most often see this happen with girls on cardio machines. If you want to use a machine, politely ask how much longer the current user has. Once you find out, go away. Take a walk around the gym, get a drink, or chat for a few minutes. Staring at the person will not make you any friends. When you become the subject of the "Get off my machine" gaze, you will know what I am talking about.

Please dress appropriately. Sure, your body is probably God's gift to the opposite sex. However, you are going to the gym, not a fashion show. If it takes you more than three minutes to get dressed for the gym, your outfit is probably not appropriate. Ladies, let me give you a hint: try leaving something to the imagination; I swear, guys like it. Guys, if you are more worried about scuffing your new sneakers or getting pit stains on your new Diesel cut-off than you are about the workout, it's time to re-evaluate. Gym attire should be functional. Sure, everyone wants to look good, but don't do it at the expense of a decent workout.

If you are doing abs on one of the mats, be considerate and lie across the width of the mat. This way you leave room for other people to use it. Too often I see a person doing crunches lengthwise while visibly disgruntled gym patrons stand around waiting for the person to finish.

Only lift weight you can handle. It is both inconsiderate and irresponsible to rely on a spotter to lift the weight for you. If you can't lift the weight off the rack by yourself, it is too heavy. Also, if the weight is so high that your range of motion is a fraction of what it should be, guess what... it is too heavy. You may (and probably will) seriously injure yourself.

E-mail questions to fitness@tuftsdaily.com