What are some unwritten rules at the gym?
This is the eighteenth question that I’m answering this month of the 24 most commonly asked questions Mark and I receive.
5 Simple Rules
My answer here is in response to the typical commercial gym (VASA, Gold’s, Planet Fitness, etc.), not RxFIT.
- Don’t spend more than 15 minutes inside of a rig. Warm-up before you mark your territory and stay off your phone while lifting. Rigs are usually limited at commercial gyms, so be efficient when you get one.
- Don’t bench press or deadlift inside of a rig. Commercial gyms usually have twice as many benches and lifting racks set up around the rig for you to use. If you can perform the movement somewhere else, don’t use the rig.
- When approaching near max loads on the bench press, always have a spotter. Ask a stranger if you are alone.
- If you’re doing crossfit and have to do it inside of a commercial gym, take up as little space as possible while using minimal equipment. Spacing is appreciated at commercial gyms, and using multiple pieces of equipment at once is generally frowned upon.
- Wipe down everything you use before moving on to the next part of your workout.
Takeaway
A small percentage of the membership at a commercial gym actually shows up to the gym — many of which say because they don’t know what to do or feel uncomfortable when they show up.
These five simple rules will help you feel a bit more comfortable (and not feel like everyone else is staring at you).
Tyler