A gym is a shared space, and a handful of simple courtesies make it work better for everyone in it. Here are 10 gym etiquette rules worth keeping in mind at Hammers Gym in Nunawading, covering hygiene, safety and just being a good training partner to those around you.
1. Always bring a towel
Shared equipment can carry bacteria and viruses, including things as simple as the common cold. Using a towel on benches and machines, and wiping equipment down after use, protects both you and everyone training after you.
2. Put your weights away
Clean up after yourself, both your sweat and your equipment. If you can lift it, you can put it back. It also helps to unrack a reasonable amount of weight rather than loading a machine or bar to the maximum and leaving it there for the next person to strip down.
3. Be mindful of others
Save a long, equipment-hogging set for a quieter time rather than peak hours, and try not to camp on the bench press during the busiest evening of the week. Never do anything that could put people nearby at risk, like dropping weights in a walkway.
4. Use progressive overload
Not strictly an etiquette rule, but a training principle worth living by: gradually increasing your workload over time, week to week and month to month, is the surest path to real results. Learn it and use it.
5. Help others when they genuinely need it
If someone asks for a spot or to work in on a piece of equipment, oblige where you can. A bit of goodwill goes a long way in a gym community.
6. Skip the unsolicited advice
Being more experienced does not mean everyone wants your input. Let people train their own way unless they look like they are at real risk of injury. You rarely know someone’s full fitness history, injuries or goals, and plenty of people simply want to put their headphones in and get on with their workout.
7. Keep the noise down
This covers loud grunting or screaming during sets, slamming weights onto the floor, and music leaking out of your headphones loud enough for others to hear.
8. Do not interrupt someone mid-set
If you need to ask how many sets someone has left, it can wait until they finish. Nobody enjoys being interrupted in the middle of a heavy or intense set, so extend the same courtesy to others.
9. Respect personal space
Hovering close to someone’s equipment while they finish their set puts pressure on them and puts you at risk. Wait until their set is genuinely done, then move in calmly and safely to grab what you need.
10. Train for yourself
Go at your own pace. Getting drawn into an unofficial strength or volume competition with someone else in the gym rarely ends well. Focus on your own goals and your own progress, and the results will come.
A better gym for everyone
These small habits are what keep a gym feeling welcoming, safe and hygienic for every member. If you are ever unsure about etiquette, equipment or anything else on the floor, our staff at Hammers Gym are always happy to help.
Hammers Gym is a 24/7 gym in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster. New here? Try a free trial, read our new member guide, or view our membership options.