by cody18

Created on: January 30, 2007   Last Updated: March 18, 2009

The gym is often mistaken for people's own private workout center. It is a public place, but this often gets overlooked and people treat the gym like they own it and can do whatever they please there with no consideration for anyone else using the facility. You do have to share the gym with others, it is not your own space.

Here are some of the annoying behaviors I observe frequently at the gym:

1) Loud talking - I do not mind you having a conversation with another gym member or on your cell phone, but if I can hear you across the gym you are not having a conversation you are broadcasting. Not everyone wants to hear all the details of your life. Keep your voice at a respectable level.

2) Prolonged and unnecessary nakedness - I understand seeing some skin for brief periods in the locker room, we are usually in there to change clothes, shower etc... all of which require some nakedness. But I do not want to stare at your body as you wander around the locker room, talk on your cell phone or put in your contacts. Put on some clothes or at least wrap a towel around you, then perform those tasks. I'm sure the other side of this is just don't look at the naked person but it's hard to avoid it.

3) Machine hogging - The gym equipment is not there for your use alone. Other people would like to use the same machine and do not want to wait an hour to do so. Keep your time on equipment to a resonable amount of time. Many gyms have signs posted, especially on cardio machines, with a time limit (usually around 30 minutes), but people will act like they do not see the sign, no matter how obvious it is, or can not read.

4) Not wiping off machines after use - Many gyms have signs posted or have a rule that you should wipe down all machines after you are done using them. However, again many people ignore this and will leave a machine drenched in their sweat. There is nothing worse than sitting down on a machine reaching for the handles or some other part of the machine and discovernig a wet spot. Ewww!

5) Inappropriate dress - It's the gym not the beach, be decent. Some people walk around in outfits more suited for going clubbing than working out. I understand the desire to be cute, even when working out, but do not subject us all to your flesh baring ensambles. In addition to the outfits seeming out of place, many of them are not practical for working out. They offer no suport (unfortunately it's usually the women that are doning these outfits) and the person spends the majority of their workout time adjusting themselves.

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