The internet is filled with videos of people behaving like buffoons in the globo gym setting. Despite what you may have experienced or witnessed, there is such a thing as gym etiquette and today, we make that crystal clear through a sort of 10 commandments of public gym use. This blog gives you valuable info on gym etiquette for beginners.

Click on the video below if you’d rather watch and learn!

I’m Annie Miller and I help you learn as you train and enjoy your lifts again.

This one goes out to all my newbs – women who are training in a public gym setting and want to know gym etiquette for beginners:

1 – Be sure you’re behaving right and not breaking any unwritten rules

2 – Know what is, and what is not acceptable behavior from others in a gym setting.

You might think a lot of this is common sense…and you may be correct in thinking that…

…but also, common sense is hard to come by.

Before we dive into number one, if you’re a newb in the gym be sure to check out my beginners guide to free weights video 

And download my free 3 days of mobility and core to implement directly into your programming.

The first of the Globo Gym Ten Commandments on etiquette for beginners is….

1. Put your weights away 

What’s the worst part of weight lifting and why is it unloading and re-racking your weights?

I know, it can be tempting for some of you to leave your squat bar loaded, or not haul your dumbbells back to the rack. BUT DO IT.

Other people won’t. 

And it will undoubtedly piss you off. 

So, don’t be the person whose decisions lead to other angry members. 

It’s super disrespectful to leave your equipment out. Whether it was where it belonged before you used it or not, put it back in it’s rightful place after use.

This is just a part of being an adult and using the gym.

2. Wipe down equipment – particularly if you’re a sweater

For this one especially, don’t depend on others to do this. 

It is ENRAGING when you go to use a bench and the last member left their bodily fluids to dry on the leather…EW.

Protect yourself and carry your own towel and cleaner if you can. Otherwise, use whatever your gym provides. 

But absolutely be prepared to clean up other people’s messes.

3. Working in with others – what’s the deal?

Yes, you can (and I believe you should) be open to sharing equipment. 

Most people take rest between sets or are super-setting. 

So, while it may not be your first choice to share, it is absolutely proper gym etiquette TO SHARE.

Please feel free to ASK to work in with others…

AND be open to letting others work in with you if you’re using a piece or multiple pieces of equipment. 

They’re not, and you’re not, being an asshole for asking.

You want to complete your program as designed, and so do they.

4. Supersets and using more than one piece of equipment

How much space is acceptable to take up?

I encourage people to just be courteous and use your brain. 

When I program for clients and I am aware that I might be programming a superset that requires the client to use two pieces of equipment that are NOT in close proximity…

I always let them know they can do single sets vs superset if it’s not appropriate to “hold” both stations.

You can totally set your belongings next to or on a piece of equipment and generally that’s an acceptable form of communication that this piece is currently occupied.

But don’t be surprised if someone asks to work in. Especially during peak busy hours.

That brings us to one of my favorites on the list of my “gym etiquette for beginners dont’s” and why I love my home gym…

5. Limit speaking to others as much as possible and NEVER attempt to speak to someone WHILE they’re exercising

This is one of those – DUH? Gym etiquette for beginner’s rules, that doesn’t seem to be so obvious to others.

I cannot tell you the amount of times I have literally been UNDER the barbell doing squats or deadlift or bench and someone has literally come up to me to ask how many sets I have, if they can work in or to offer unsolicited advice. 

The internal rage…there’s nothing like it.

You’re often dumbfounded and don’t know how to respond when this happens…because you’re in slight disbelief that it is in fact, happening.

And when it does happen if you’re in a globo gym setting, you have every right to fully ignore the person until you’re done, ask them to move, or TELL them to move.

They’re in the wrong. Period.

Generally, you want other people to respect YOUR SPACE within the public setting, and it’s expected that you respect other people’s space.

If you do need to speak to someone or get their attention, wait until they are in a rest period or between sets, and be respectful in your delivery.

That leads to another favorite…

6. LEAVE SPACE IF AVAILABLE 

This applies to so many scenarios…

Treadmill use, bench use, and my favorite…when the benches or hip thrusts are set up directly across from a front facing machine. LORD…

In my old Golds Gym, I hip thrusted off the end of the bench press.

And they did not stagger the equipment like they should have in my opinion. 

So whether hip thrusting or benching, if someone sat on the seated chest fly, they were staring directly at you, or your crotch. Truly so awkward for both parties.

Let me know in the comments below what gym where you are currently working out or plan to. Gold’s gym has been my favorite for my style of training thus far.

When possible, keep your eyes to yourself and create space if it’s available.

Obviously if the gym is packed, it is what it is, and you’re going to be close to people.

In which case I’d keep your belongings very near to you and out of people’s way.

In the cardio station or when there is more than one type of machine for the same exercise, it’s common courtesy to leave one treadmill / machine between you and another member if you can.

Whenever someone comes up and uses the treadmill right next to you or does standing curls right off your shoulder when you’re doing seated presses in the free weights area….like, come on? What are we doing here? 

Again, common sense. It’s VERY hard not to think the person has ulterior motives. Could just be a complete and utter lack of spatial awareness but that’s really hard for me to buy.

7. Practice time management

Most gyms have limits on cardio equipment use but also, be aware of two things:

1- amount of traffic – is it a busy time or not?

2- How many of this machine does the gym have?

These two factors should help you determine how quick you need to be in your use of them.

By all means, take your full rest, but try not to get distracted on your phone, letting 5 minutes pass by between quad extension sets.

8. Limit phone use that affects others

Have you ever been in the gym and someone takes a phone call via bluetooth headphones…

And it’s like just because we can’t hear the other party in the conversation the gym member thinks we can’t hear THEM either? 

It baffles me.

Get off your phone. Text them, or answer quietly and say hey, I am at the gym, I’ll call you after. 

Jeezus I feel like I am talking to middle schoolers. People are really out here acting like they’re in a private home gym. 

3-DONT’S for you…

-Don’t listen to music so loud that others can hear.

-Don’t watch freaking tiktok with sound.

-Don’t facetime.

It’s not hard. Go to the gym, put on your headphones, lift. Go home.

9. Follow your gyms rules

As someone who follows rules….only if they’re not stupid…I can understand the struggle here.

When my Gold’s Gym started putting up signage requiring shoes be worn at all times, I understood why…

But also, like, I need to deadlift in socks…

Most gyms have noise restrictions of some kind.

And listen, I get it – grunting to get out a max effort squat or bench press…

OR letting out a sigh after a hard set – these are totally expected I think.

But again, the gym does not revolve around YOU. 

Your truth might be grunting with every rep of flat bench chest flies….but that’s NOT the objective truth for the rest of the gym, mmmk?

Don’t do it… It’s not necessary.

10. Practice base level hygiene

I know we all make our own decisions, but you’re not working out in your garage. 

You’re in a public space, sharing equipment with others, and you may be required to be in close proximity to one another.

Don’t crop dust people – handle your gas, go to the bathroom or create enough space that you’re not impairing other people’s ability to breathe.

Wear deodorant or some essential oil that limits body odor if that’s your thing.

I don’t know if this falls under hygiene but like…chewing gym, spitting, generally a no go.

 It’s just best to keep as much of your bodily fluids in your body and on your person as possible.

BONUS FOR MY INFLUENCERS

Kidding – this is not just for influencers.

But what’s the tea with filming lifts?

In my opinion, and as someone who LITERALLY built her online presence via filming lifts in public settings, you need to remember, it’s not your gym. IT’S NOT YOUR GYM. It’s not your gym. 

There’s some give and take here. 

I get that it’s frustrating when someone walks in front of your phone. It pisses me off too. But…

BUT ALSO, oh well, you’re in a public gym and most people aren’t looking out for phones propped up against water bottles sitting on the floor.

While you may be aware of this, and therefore courteous of others who are filming, not everyone is a gen z or millennial. Not everyone films their lifts – though I do encourage you to do so no matter what.

Not to post online, but to improve form, function and awareness.

I digress.

I hope this blog on gym etiquette for beginners (or actually anyone) provided:…

1- permission to take up *just enough* space in the gym, and…

2- to hold others accountable for their behavior in a public setting as well.

3-Tips on gym etiquette for beginners (and everyone) and filming your lifts…

Would you add anything else? Drop it in the comments