Manifesto of Ettiquette

[quadancer]

I was asked to give my perception of gym rules that should be, as our local yuppieclub is sort of out of control, and I came up with this, primarily for the newbies:

- MANIFESTO of ETTIQUETTE -
The mystery of gym ettiquette often eludes even some who attend regularly, so here is a collection of known behaviors that make life pleasant (or not) for all members of any gym! Written by Gary, a 56 year old gym rat and powerlifter.

Sharing:
- One cannot "own" a machine, bench or station, but consideration is expected when you want to share. Between sets it is acceptable to ask if one may work in or how many more sets will be done before finishing (preferred).
- It is difficult to share freeweights or plate loaded machines due to the excessive reloading of plates, so usually is not done. Machines have numbers and simple pegs for instant switching. The idea is to try and accomodate one another.
- You may be asked to wait when someone is either lifting heavy, near the end of their sets, or training with others in a team.
- If weights are on a station or bar, it is considerate to ask those nearby if they are using it before you barge in and begin removing things. The member may just be getting a quick drink.
- Expect strength trainees to take 1 to 3 minutes between sets; others less.
- Single set circuit training is an old and broken gym myth that does nothing for your training and ties up machines.
-Muscles and abs give no special rights over the little guys just starting out. Gym fees are equal.

Socializing:
- No ogling. Fellas, it is just downright rude to gals who are here to work on their health. You may pick up girls elsewhere. It's doubtful that she was ogling you first.
- If you must talk on cellphones, please consider those nearby and the usage of equipment. The machines are not chairs.
- NEVER touch someone, their equipment, or talk to them when they are in the middle of a set unless invited.
- Some are very focused on technique, weights and their game plan. This doesn't mean that they are unfriendly if they don't want to chitchat with you. You have the same right.

Using Freeweights:
Some just don't know what to do with plates, so a guideline is as follows:
- Benches, squat racks, smith machines and the like are best left with 2 plates of each poundage and multiple 45's. This leaves a complete adjustment range for the next lifter!
- Putting larger plates in front of smaller plates on the pegs is newbie, inconsiderate, and generally bad form. Leaving them on the bars or floor is even worse. If you can lift them; you can put them back.
- Dropping dumbells often bends the grip and makes them unbalanced. It also loosens the bolts. Learn how to unload safely or use a spotter.
- If you are a spotter, pay attention and communicate with the lifter. He/she depends on you if you are there, even if it is just subconsciously.

General:
- Be clean, or if you just got off work, use the deodorants, pleeease!
- Keep your belongings close to your machine/bench. No one wants to be tripped into steel frames.
- Wipe up your sweat. Do you want to lay in mine?
- We can't hear your ipod. You sound silly singing to it! No law against it though.
- Asking advice of others is actually complimentary when done at the right time, but it can be bothersome when they are actively working.
- Expect a little noise. It is a gym, not a spa. Make a little yourself and have some fun!
- Most of us encourage young lifters, but the gym isn't a playground, so keep your young ones focused.

[imnotbncre8ive]

Very nice, I think this is great.

A question: putting the larger plates on the outside of the smaller ones definitely looks really silly, but is it bad for the equipment in any way? Im wondering why you say that it's 'newb'.

[Gary Gibson]

Very nice, I think this is great.

A question: putting the larger plates on the outside of the smaller ones definitely looks really silly, but is it bad for the equipment in any way? Im wondering why you say that it's 'newb'.

I think he means on the plate racks.

I have often wondered while fuming what sort of hateful stupidity it takes to bury the tens and fives under several 45-lb plates. I've also spent way too much of my own time rearranging plates on racks just because I'm already there and I'm ethically compelled to undo the evil.

[Sami]

I think that anyone that removes plates from one side of a loaded barbell on a squat rack, whilst the lifter is resting between sets and didn't see the culprit do it, should be shot. Or at least banned from the gym.

[hbriem]

That happened to me the other day. I was squatting with 150kg. I wandered off to fill my water bottle and someone removed a 15kg plate from one side, even though I had left my belt and wraps hanging on the loaded bar!

I didn't notice when I returned and started my next set, but when I went down I almost tipped over sideways and wrenched my back a little. I was lucky to escape without major injury.

That's what happens when most people in the gym leave loaded bars when they stop. I never ever do that, not even when someone else is waiting for the equipment. I unload and rerack everything.

[Sami]

That happened to me the other day. I was squatting with 150kg. I wandered off to fill my water bottle and someone removed a 15kg plate from one side, even though I had left my belt and wraps hanging on the loaded bar!

I didn't notice when I returned and started my next set, but when I went down I almost tipped over sideways and wrenched my back a little. I was lucky to escape without major injury.

That's what happens when most people in the gym leave loaded bars when they stop. I never ever do that, not even when someone else is waiting for the equipment. I unload and rerack everything.

They took the plate while I was still sitting there. I was sitting on the safety bars and they took right from behind my back. Luckily it was only a 5kg plate, but I still could've been hurt. That's probably the angriest I've ever been in the gym.

[quadancer]

It is as Gary said, the racks. OTOH, I'd scrounged up enough plates to do a bench one day, and after getting it set up and while proceeding with my warmup sets, some guy takes my only two 25's off the bench rack and walks off, completely without asking. I'm like, "HEY, YOU'RE WELCOME JACK!"
Just ONCE, I'd like to walk up to a bench with two nickels, two dimes, two quarters, two 35's, and six plates properly loaded on the pins they belong on...just the way I leave the bench EVERY TIME.
But I only get that at home.

[misspelledgeoff]

that's grounds for throat-slitting right there. at least in texas...just sayin'...


They took the plate while I was still sitting there. I was sitting on the safety bars and they took right from behind my back. Luckily it was only a 5kg plate, but I still could've been hurt. That's probably the angriest I've ever been in the gym.

[Sami]

that's grounds for throat-slitting right there. at least in texas...just sayin'...

Next time I'm back home, I'm finding Travis Ortmayer's gym, "The Unit", and I'm training there. We're both from Cypress Texas.

I'm not sure how he's set up. I've read that "The Unit" is where he trains and it's basically a warehouse. But then I know he does personal training at at least 2 other commercial establishments in the Cypress area. I want to go to The Unit.

It'll be in the summer when I go and his place is probably 115 degrees in there.

[toddmr]

Two suggested additions:

a) Power racks are reserved for exercises that can only be done safely, or done at all, in power racks. This means no curling in the squat racks.

b) If you see a barbell loaded with 400# or more sitting on the ground, leave it alone. Anyone who deadlifts or cleans 400# or more should know well enough to unload their bar after they are finished. And you don't want to piss of the guy or girl who deadlifts 400# or more.

[Gary Gibson]

Two suggested additions:

a) Power racks are reserved for exercises that can only be done safely, or done at all, in power racks. This means no curling in the squat racks.

b) If you see a barbell loaded with 400# or more sitting on the ground, leave it alone. Anyone who deadlifts or cleans 400# or more should know well enough to unload their bar after they are finished. And you don't want to piss of the guy or girl who deadlifts 400# or more.

Moreso the one who cleans 400 lbs.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Bumper plates should only be used for excersizes that are likely to be dropped (snatch, clean, jerk and technique drills involving those excersizes) or squats.

[elVarouza]

- Expect strength trainees to take 1 to 3 minutes between sets; others less.

Am I the only one who feels like a dick when I'm resting 5+ minutes between heavy sets of squats while someone is waiting? I don't really have a choice...I always tell people to work in and they never do. =/

[Marotta]

Am I the only one who feels like a dick when I'm resting 5+ minutes between heavy sets of squats while someone is waiting? I don't really have a choice...I always tell people to work in and they never do. =/

Only when there is people waiting to train properly, if the person waiting is someone I've seen doing 1/2 squats before I don't care that much.

[Gary Gibson]

Only when there is people waiting to train properly, if the person waiting is someone I've seen doing 1/2 squats before I don't care that much.

This may have been a dick move on my part, but when people would ask me if I was going to be long on the squat rack (and I usually was because at least half my cycle usually involves volume on the order of ten sets) I would ask them what they were planning to do with the rack. If it was something that could be done elsewhere (and it always was), I would point them in the direction where that activity could be done without me unloading all my plates and without them defiling The Rack.

There was one guy who was amazingly persistent. Used to hang around the squat rack till I was done and then hop in there and load up to 135 lbs (after sets with the bar, then 65, then 95) and do 1/8 squats (I'm not saying this for effect; his knee angle really didn't go more than 10 degrees or so) in his running shoes with five-pound plates under his heels.

[Magnetotail]

If you are a spotter, pay attention and communicate with the lifter. He/she depends on you if you are there, even if it is just subconsciously.

Do people agree with this? Obviously you want to be paying attention, but personally I hate it when they say anything to me during the set. The typical "PUSH PUSH, DRIVE DRIVE" and so on, as if before this revelation I was completely at a loss about what I was supposed to be doing with the bar. Here was me thinking I was going scratch my balls with it.

Maybe people normally don't mind, but I like to take a big breath at the top and fully concentrate on what I'm doing until the end of the rep, anybody communicating with me during that just disrupts me.

[WKen]

- Expect strength trainees to take 1 to 3 minutes between sets; others less.

I'd be careful on this, and think some rewriting might be required. Three minutes is no where near enough time for the major lifts. If you're going to bring it up, tell the whole truth of what can be expected.

Adjusting that though, you will then have folks claiming they aren't hogging a station when they're sitting on the benches, they are just resting between sets and utilizing all of their alloted time.

And then on the flip side, I could also see this leading to a percieved 1 to 3 minute time limit for sets.

Not sure how I would approach it, but just something that caught my eye.

[Gary Gibson]

I'd be careful on this, and think some rewriting might be required. Three minutes is no where near enough time for the major lifts. If you're going to bring it up, tell the whole truth of what can be expected.

Adjusting that though, you will then have folks claiming they aren't hogging a station when they're sitting on the benches, they are just resting between sets and utilizing all of their alloted time.

And then on the flip side, I could also see this leading to a percieved 1 to 3 minute time limit for sets.

Not sure how I would approach it, but just something that caught my eye.

Last week of Smolov cycles, I take about 30 minutes between the four sets of nine with 70%+30 because I have to.

(Right now at the beginning of Pins-to-Pillars I'm doing ten sets of five, but starting with 50% so rest times are more like 90 seconds.)

[elVarouza]

Last week of Smolov cycles, I take about 30 minutes between the four sets of nine with 70%+30 because I have to.

(Right now at the beginning of Pins-to-Pillars I'm doing ten sets of five, but starting with 50% so rest times are more like 90 seconds.)

30 minutes rest between each set or 30 minutes to complete 4 sets? The latter doesn't sound too ridiculous, but the former...wow!

[Gary Gibson]

30 minutes rest between each set or 30 minutes to complete 4 sets? The latter doesn't sound too ridiculous, but the former...wow!

You've clearly never completed a Smolov cycle.

[Polynomial]

No squatting in the curl racks. :D

[quadancer]

Good points, fellas, I didn't write it perfectly. I had to make it fit one printed page.
Our power cage has 3 sets of chinning handles in it, inviting others to join your space - I hate that.
400+ BB...I REALLY hate it when I see a big lifter leave equipment behind; that's worse than the noobs.
Spotter communication-I meant before the lift. I tell guys that if I fail for a full second; it ain't coming up, otherwise don't touch.
1-3 minutes- this should have been 1-5 minutes to be accurate.
elVarouza- hey, I feel exactly the same way. I try to accomodate within reason and most usually go work somewhere else. People do get intimidated a bit when you have 360 on the bar and say, "Sure man, just work on in!"