My time at the gym is more than just a session with free-weights, bouts of treadmill runs and access to all fitness gear. Its my personal time. Its me time.
My morning workout is the only time of the day that I have to myself. Free of traffic jams, emails, calls and other obligations. The only goal I’m focused on is getting through my workout.
All suited up, headphones on and log book in hand I’d enter my Fortress of Solitude to focus on nothing but me, physically and mentally. But now I need find a different venue and not for the reasons you’d expect.
Price is not an issue, the membership is actually affordable. The gym is clean, so no issues there. All standard equipment – yup it’s all there. Was it too far – nope! I could walk there in 15 mins or drive in 2. Operating hours? Open 24/7.
Here comes the rant.
I am cancelling my membership because there’s no common courtesy, common sense or a shred of etiquette.
Most members lack the knowledge of proper gym etiquette, or maybe they just don’t care. If I’m using something, people would just cut in as soon as I’d complete a set. I don’t mind sharing at all, but I wish people would just ask, may I work in? Do you have more sets remaining? I don’t hear any of it. They just cut in.
Most of the time I’d be doing supersets. Two or three exercises back-to-back without taking a break. My space and equipment is clearly designated with a water bottle, towel, or a phone. And whoever is in the gym can clearly see what and where I’m working on. For example, I’d do some seated back rows, followed by pushups right next to the back row bench. Guess what happens? As soon as I get going, finish a set of rows, drop down to the floor just two feet away for pushups someone will just cut in and start doing back rows.
Back up, slow down. Give me some space. At the very least ask if I’m done.
First, you’re just two feet away from me. You’re invading my space, and second of all, I’m not done. You’ve interrupted my workflow. Now I have to wait for you to finish your sloppy reps and wipe down the bench.
Headphones in. Do you know what that means? It means I don’t want to be interrupted. Yet, some members have the need to talk to me about stuff that doesn’t matter and I don’t care about. Even when I clearly ignore them, they still persist. Ok, to be fair, not everyone is like that. There’s just one member who constantly interrupts. I dread going to the gym at certain times.
Lastly, most people don’t take care of of equipment after use. I’m stuck wiping up their sweat stains.
I just wish gym operators would give a brief course on gym etiquette to all new members and monitor for compliance. Here’s a blog post I wrote on gym etiquette. Anyway, this doesn’t mean that I’ll stop going to gyms. I just have to find a new one.
I was going to hang on to the membership, just in case. But I’ve been spending way more time in my basement working with Kettlebells and doing HIIT workouts, then actually going to the gym. So, there’s no point of paying for something I don’t use.