To Gym, Or Not to Gym

So you finally signed up to the gym and are ready to get buff. Congratulations!

But, did you know there are some do's and don'ts when it comes to gym etiquette? Habits that are formed as you frequent your local fitness facility?

Yeah, really!

If nobody has told you how to behave and what to say (or not say) when trying to get that Dwayne Johnson or Ronda Rousey physique, have no fear. I'm here to drop a few pointers.

Don'ts

1. No Talking During Sets

You can't get any clearer than this. If you see someone doing a set of curls and you have to—have to—ask them how they got their arms all muscly, wait until they are done before you run up to them all star struck. Not only will they be polite, but they won't get injured or lose their focus and in turn, take their wrath out on you.

2. Throw Not Your Weights

So you see a gym bro going hard on his incline dumbell press, no problem, except what follows next is the BOOM sound of said gym bro throwing his weights on the floor. Do me (and everyone else) a favour: don't imitate that clown. Just because he thinks he's CT Fletcher or Braun fucking Stroman, doesn't mean you have to play monkey see-monkey do. It's annoying and also disrespectful; slamming the weights on the machines will damage the equipment for other members.

When you do your repetitions, you have to control the start as well as the end of each rep. My philosophy in regards to someone slamming their weights: if it's too heavy for you, go lighter on your load.

3. Step away from the dumbbell rack!

This should really be a no-brainer: if you grab a pair of dumbbells, find a place away from the rack to do your bicep curls so others can grab their weights. Don't be that inconsiderate ass wipe who couldn't be bothered to take a few extra steps back, just so he could see his veins pop out.

4. Thou Shalt Not Harass

A fine young woman walks into the weights area and begins her workout. Yes, she is attractive. No, it does not mean drool all over her like some perv; she's not there to look for a man. Now I'm not saying don't ever talk to women at the gym, These things do eventually happen. But what I am telling you is that do not try to "give advice." She most likely knows what she's doing (more than you) and doesn't need you to be her "personal trainer." Don't stare at her while she's working out; you'll end up looking like a Creepo and turn a productive time at the gym into an awkward one.

5. No Jeans for You!

Why this needs to be addressed is beyond me. This shit happens quite a bit. There's always those few idiots who go to the gym and workout with their jeans and street clothes; they should have kept walking to the park or the bar. Bring proper workout attire: gym shoes, shorts, track pants, workout shirt, hoodie, etc.

Now, you're probably thinking: With these gym don'ts, how hard is it to do your thang and not piss anybody off?

Do's

1. Beast mode is in effect.

One of the most precious things in this world is time. Once it's gone, there's no getting it back. The same applies when going to the gym. Give it your 100 percent, even if you've had a long day. You'll be glad that you did.

2. I like it when a plan comes together.

Just showing up to the gym isn't enough. You have to do this thing called exercise. With all the YouTube channels and Istagram fitness accounts posting their videos, there is no excuse to not put a simple workout routine together. But if you have your doubts and your gym employs personal trainers, paying for a few sessions would be worth it; they would be able to sort you out with a proper routine and how to set your goals. If you're on a budget and can't make heads or tails of the countless training videos, by all means ask someone you know who trains; they can give you the pointers you need to make your workouts (and time at the gym) more effective.

3. Clean your equipment.

Another point to bring up would be something we should all be doing after our workouts but seem to forget: wiping down your equipment once you're done. It's not only a courtesy but it's also respectful to your fellow gym members. I don't know about you, but the thought of someone's sweat still visible on the machines is fucking gross (and just as gross, someone using said machine without wiping it down). If you have to wipe down the bench or machine before use, then by all means do so.

4. Politeness and Friendliness go hand-in-hand.

If you forget anything you've read here, remember to be polite; it goes a long way. It's perfectly normal to be focused on pumping your weights, as long as you treat your fellow gym members with R-E-S-P-E-C-T!