Checking out a new gym is a bittersweet experience for me. On the one hand, I enjoy walking the gym floor, seeking out the latest equipment as well as old favorites. On the other hand, I despise the used car salesman approach to membership. I’ve learned to consider unreliable any promises other than what I…
I worked out in a gym last week that had on display the biggest indoor sign I’d ever seen. It was more like a billboard, in 2000 point font, hanging above the dumbbell rack: DO NOT DROP WEIGHTS. The dropping of weights, dumbbells in particular, seems to be one of the top etiquette issues at…
I’ve often wondered whether asking a stranger for a spot is a violation of gym etiquette. I know that when I’m asked for a spot, I’m irritated by the disruption in the pace of my workout and the break in concentration. I also resent channeling my precious energy into someone else’s workout, and, considering the…
Judging from comments on the web, unsolicited exercise advice is a chronic problem at the gym. To be fair, I’ve often had the urge to run up to people and ask what in the world they are thinking. However, I respect people’s space. I’m open to at least the possibility that a person is working…
Today at the gym I watched a personal trainer and his beginner client spend a good 10 minutes exploring the all-important torso twist machine. Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for a well-defined set of internal obliques. But I have to believe there are better places in the gym for this novice to spend…