10 Gym Etiquette Rules Every Body Builder Needs To Know!

It may sound like a silly point but there is a reason the disinfectant wipes and anti-bacterial sprays are put out on the gym floor. Please get into the good habit of taking the time to wipe down the equipment after you have used it. The truth is gyms are breeding grounds for all sorts of nasty bugs, like bacteria and viruses.

There is nothing nastier than hopping on to a piece of equipment and seeing your sweat all over the place. Remember, gym-members see everything and wait patiently to use that bench or Stairmaster you are using. Do you really want them to think you are an animal? If not, wipe up after yourself.

And can you bring towel with you so when you sweat like pig you have more than your shirt to mop it up? Gym Jerk, we're tired of dealing with your sweat.

One of the worst gym etiquette offenses is hogging up the equipment. This is the jerk who comes in and sets up camp for 30-45 minutes on the cable machines or barbell stack. This same idiot will use two pieces of equipment at once and toggle between the two forever and a day. It really pisses off your fellow gym members off when a person does this. Please, just use one piece of equipment at a time and within a reasonable time frame. I am not saying you should rush through the set you are doing but by the same token, please don’t just sit there and run your trap while others are patiently waiting. It would help if you looked around sometimes and stop being so narcissistic. And would you mind re-racking the weights?

Also, if you want to sit on Facebook or text your buddies or have a conversation on your smartphone, please go somewhere else and get off that bench of Hammer Strength Machine.

Finally, take your water bottle, towel or training journal with you as you move about the stations. Otherwise, people will think that piece of equipment is still in use. Do you understand this Gym Jerk?

We are tired of your loud grunting, yelling and moaning. Why do you have to to be so loud when executing a rep, like a bench press? What the hell dude, it is ridiculous. Nobody wants to hear that crap and it is a major distraction to your fellow gym members.

It is OK to grunt a little but here and there but keep it to a low level. If nobody has told you this before I will – you sound like a complete moron and it just freaks people out. Maybe you do this because you need the attention. Maybe you grunt because you think it intimidates people. I have honestly have no idea. I do know it is annoying and it pisses a lot of people off. Can you comprehend this point Gym Jerk?

The gym is supposed to be a place for exercise, like strength training and conditioning. The problem is too many people like you gym jerk come in looking for your next girlfriend/boyfriend or to keep it real ... “hookup”. If you are looking to mine the gym for dates and sex, please find some other resource for your needs. It’s cool if you say hi to someone and flirt a little but if you are looking to do more than that, take it outside of the gym.

Sometimes people workout together and help spot one another. That is cool however, please stop the continual yakking in between sets. Just spot your buddy, make some minor small talk and move about your business. We don’t want to hear about your weekend plans, who you scored with during one of your alleged sexual conquests or what football team you think is the most awesome of all time. Stop running your trap – we don’t care gym jerk!

The truth is Gym Jerk, you stink! This may sound like a silly point but there are just way too many people like you who come into the gym and have super bad body odor (aka BO). Take a few minutes to use deodorant and mask the stink coming from your pits. Also, please wash your gym clothes on a regular basis. You may not realize this but after a few days, they reek of funk and it is the most awful thing for your fellow gym members to smell in the world. Your wicked stench intensifies when you hop on that piece of cardio equipment.

And if you keep your clothes in the gym locker, remind yourself to take them home once in a while and throw them into the washing machine. Are we clear on this gym jerk?

For some reason, people like you think it is OK to fart on the gym floor. Not sure if this is an animistic way of marking territory or what but please, go to the bathroom and let out that bean burrito.

It is really inconsiderate to your fellow gym members when you fart and it’s not funny – even though you think it is. You are suck a jerk!

The music you have pulsating through your head may keep you motivated but that does not mean your fellow gym members like it. In fact, we probably don’t. If you want to listen to music while doing a set, good on you but please keep the sound level down to a minimum.

Believe it or not other people can hear what you are listening to and it can be a major distraction, particularly if the noise level is high and you have the base cranked up. Turn that crap down Gym Jerk.

One of the most annoying things a person can do at the gym is butt into somebody else’s workout by jumping onto a piece of equipment that a fellow gym member is using. It is cool if you ask, “How many more sets do you have?” or “Can I work in with you” but please, don’t just take it upon yourself to get on that equipment when it is already in use.

Just because somebody is taking a 60-second break in between reps does not mean you can just stick your ass in there and do your workout. Just ask. Your fellow members will appreciate it and think more highly of you.Understand that Gym Jerk?

You are one of those people who think it is OK to come into the gym with a head cold or the beginnings of the flu, please think again. The gym is already a breeding ground for bugs and your being sick and spreading the contagion around is not helpful. You may feel guilty because you missed a workout but it’s like this – you are sick! You should not be at the gym in the first place.

On this particular note, all of us cough and sneeze from time to time when working out. Please do yourself and others a favor and cover your mouth. It is just good manners

And one another request to you Gym Jerk...

Wash Your Hands After Crapping

Please wash your hands after you have taken a crap or used the urinal. There is nothing worse than seeing someone leave the toilette after taking a dump and then heading out to the gym floor to use the free weights - without washing your hands. Yeah, we know who you are and it is disgusting. And could you please flush when you are done ...ya jerk!

One of the most annoying and narcissistic things you can do is stare at yourself in the mirror. This includes doing possess, flexing your muscles repeatedly, lifting your shirt to look at your abs and so forth. You seriously look like a jerk to everyone else around you. If you think people don't notice, think again.

On a final note, people who go to the gym on a regular basis recognize there is a community that exists within that establishment. If you are one of those people who cannot muster up the inner-strength to say hello to someone after seeing them day in and day out for months, you need to know that you look like an arrogant a-hole and people at your gym don’t think much of you. Yes, some people are shy and it’s cool – but every so often say hello. This is particularly true if your fellow gym-members greet you in some way.

Take a moment to say hello back. You may think they are trying to get down your pants gym jerk but they aren't – they are just being civil.

Dude you are just not that hot.

Thanks for reading and hopefully some of what was shared here will absorb into that thick skull of yours.

Best Regards,

Your fellow gym members