{"id":47072,"date":"2016-01-20T11:15:43","date_gmt":"2016-01-20T16:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=47072"},"modified":"2021-09-18T07:58:58","modified_gmt":"2021-09-18T11:58:58","slug":"gym-etiquette-advice-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/gym-etiquette-advice-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Ways to Not Be “That Guy” at the Gym"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With January in full swing, there\u2019s one infallible truth: everyone\u2019s at the gym. With health club memberships reaching an all-time high of 54.1 million in 2015<\/a>, and with another 9.3 million new people taking over your favorite gyms across the country every year, things are bound to feel a little cramped. Whether you\u2019re annoyed or welcoming of newbies and begrudgingly returning members, you\u2019ve got no choice: You\u2019re just going to have to make room for them.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 20 Worst People at the Gym, According to Trainers<\/a><\/p>\n

And while, yes, the gym tends to slow down by mid-February, when many resolutioners lose steam, it\u2019ll still be plenty busy well into summer. So don\u2019t let the lack of space cramp your style: in fact, you can slip in and out without being noticed if you follow these trainer-backed tips. (And if you\u2019re still set on staying home, Daily Burn has you covered<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

11 Ways\u00a0to Stay Cool at a Really Crowded\u00a0Gym<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. Don\u2019t take someone else\u2019s mirror space. \u00a0<\/strong>If someone is positioned directly in front of the mirror it’s probably because, um, they\u2019re using it.\u00a0 Maybe they want to check themselves out (and catch you checking them out!), but it\u2019s likely because using a mirror helps with form. \u201cWhen I work out facing the mirror, I’m looking for alignment, positioning and range of motion,\u201d says Holly Rilinger, a certified personal trainer, master instructor at Flywheel Sports<\/a> and star of the Bravo show Work Out New York<\/em>. When you park yourself in front of someone else, you’re probably wrecking their workout to get yours in.\u00a0So just like inside a gym class, stagger yourself behind whoever is in front, so you\u2019re not directly in their view.<\/p>\n

2. Limit the amount of equipment you use. <\/strong>We all know high-intensity training will give you the most bang for your buck, but don\u2019t be that person who monopolizes the dumbbells, kettlebells and resistance bands all at the same time. “Everyone is annoyed; it kind of looks like you don’t know what you’re doing if you’re using so much at once,” says Rilinger. Follow her strategy to make the most of your session and use as little equipment as possible. Pick 5 to 10 exercises where you can use the same piece of equipment for different moves. For one day of the week, use the TRX<\/a> and mix in some bodyweight moves<\/a>, then try the kettlebell or dumbbells during your next visits. You\u2019re getting the same workout, minus all the confusion of what equipment is up next \u2014 and you\u2019re spreading the wealth of equipment to everyone else, too.<\/p>\n

3. Equate headphones with \u201cDo Not Disturb<\/strong>.\u201d<\/strong>People wear headphones at the gym for more reasons than getting pumped up with a solid playlist (here are seven playlists<\/a> we swear keep us going when we need the extra boost most). \u201cOften times, wearing headphones is like hanging a sign around your neck that says CLOSED,\u201d says Rilinger. \u00a0\u201cSo you’re going to piss someone else if you start tapping them on the shoulder to chat or ask questions.\u201d Unless a headphoned gym buddy chats with you first, best to keep any conversation to yourself \u2014 or with someone who\u2019s willing to talk about their form.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The 9 Best Headphones for Fitness Buffs<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Only use one <\/em>locker.<\/strong> Trainer Hannah Davis, founder of <\/span>Gotham Personal Training<\/a> in New York City, gripes when she sees someone take up multiple lockers. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing more annoying when the gym gets busy and you decide to take several lockers. It can be a real pain in the butt for the rest of us [who then] have to carry our stuff around the gym floor,\u201d she says. Cue another pet peeve of Davis\u2019s: Don\u2019t carry all of your belongings around with you. Square footage matters, take up as little space as you can.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t be a know-it-all.<\/strong>You might be up to date on the latest <\/span>study on strength versus cardio<\/a>, but that doesn\u2019t make you an authority on working out, Chicago personal trainer Joey Thurman gently points out. And while you may appreciate any bit of advice given to you while at the gym, not all people share the same sentiment. \u201cDo not offer help or advice unless someone asks you because this only makes the other person feel like you\u2019re [following] them,\u201d Thurman says.\u00a0Instead, if you see someone doing something dangerous, let a trainer or gym employee know ASAP.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Chill with the Instagrams.<\/strong> If you didn\u2019t take a picture, did it really happen? Yes, it definitely did \u2014 and let your body be all the proof you need, says celebrity trainer Derek Degrazio, who teaches at Barry\u2019s Bootcamp<\/a> in Miami. \u201cIf you\u2019re spending time after every set to try to get the perfect post-workout shot you\u2019re not devoting the time you need to your routine \u2014 and worse than that, you\u2019re distracting everyone else around you, too,\u201d says Degrazio.\u00a0\u2018Gramming that #sweatyselfie from the gym may put you at the scene of the crime and show your accountability, but 62 percent of people believe the social trend puts unrealistic pressure on Millenials alone, according to research<\/a> from Technogym, a health\u00a0and wellness company.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 30 Best Fit Instagrammers to Follow<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Don\u2019t cramp someone else\u2019s personal training session. <\/strong>Not everyone can afford a personal trainer, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s cool to look in (and follow along with) another trainer\u2019s exercises while they’re mid-session. “When you’re watching a trainer over his or her shoulder and imitating their client’s workout, you’re not only technically stealing \u2014 since you didn\u2019t pay for the session \u2014 but you’re also doing moves that could potentially be detrimental to your own body or may not just be right for you,” says trainer Marc Megna, co-owner of <\/span>Anatomy at 1220<\/a>, a performance fitness center in Miami. Need assistance? Splurge just once on a private session and you’ll walk away with moves to mix into your next trip to the gym.<\/span><\/p>\n

8. Don\u2019t try to be the<\/em> star in a class.<\/strong> When you come to a group fitness class, you\u2019re there to be part of the chorus \u2014 not the choreographer. So keep those silver-screen dreams on hold for just a sec.\u00a0“Just do what the instructor says, and don’t make your own moves or modify in such a way that it looks like you’re a different workout,”says Joey Gonzalez, CEO of Barry’s Bootcamp. Since classes can be just as packed as gym floors, remember your manners and be a good team player. If you must get some time in the spotlight, take a place in the front row. On the flip side, if you\u2019re a first-timer, grab a spot in the middle or back<\/a> of the room to avoid any unwanted attention.<\/p>\n

9. Do your laundry on the reg. Please.<\/strong> We feel your pain: Laundry day sucks. And yes, you may love those customized Adidas leggings you got for the holidays<\/a>, but try to avoid wearing gym gear you\u2019ve already sweat in once. “Refrain from keeping your sweaty clothes in your gym bag or locker, then using them again, and again<\/em> without washing,” says Kira Stokes, a trainer at BFX<\/a> in New York City and a trainer for booyafitness.com<\/a>. “You want to make friends in the gym, not enemies, and the easiest way to become the unofficial gym jerk is to be known as \u2018the smelly one,\u2019” she says. If you\u2019re not sure if something stinks, play it safe: Assume it does and throw it in the wash.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Are You Washing Your Workout Gear All Wrong?<\/a><\/p>\n

10. Keep your lips zipped. <\/strong>“The two girls \u2014 or guys \u2014 who audibly carry on a convo while an instructor is trying to explain a move or circuit to the class are inevitably the folks who end up doing the circuit or exercise wrong,” says Dara Theodore, an instructor at the Fhitting Room in New York City and one of Daily Burn\u2019s own DB365<\/a> trainers. Likewise, put the cell phone away \u2014 above-mentioned selfie-snapping included. Instead of talking biz on your iPhone, channel your energy in other ways: Can you eke out just a few more reps? Maybe one more mile on the treadmill? Your cell (and your job!) will be there when your sweat session is over, promise.<\/p>\n

11. No PDA<\/strong>. <\/span>Just no.<\/strong> Working out with your significant other may improve your relationship, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants a front-row view of your lovefest. “I love love as much as the next person, but I don’t love when it takes up my bench press, treadmill, yoga mat and especially my stretching station,” says Katie Mack, a trainer at Remorca Fitness Studio in New York City. “Please leave the PDA for your post-workout high at home, or outside or wherever love takes you,\u201d she adds. Don\u2019t you wanna wait ’til you\u2019ve gotten your endorphin high to go on a date anyway?<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The gym in January is no joke \u2014 between the long lines for machines, overcrowded locker rooms and countless sweaty bodies. Here’s how to play your cards right when space is tight. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6,14],"tags":[314,76,341,343,160,100],"class_list":["post-47072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-etiquette","tag-personal-trainer","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-trainer","tag-workout"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47072\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}