1 Respect Shared Equipment

The number one rule is to never hog equipment or leave it sweaty or lying around. 

Give Everyone a Chance

First, don’t carry weights around the gym with you unless you’re actively using them. Likewise, don’t leave your supplies by a machine to claim it unless you’re in the middle of a set.

Disinfect What You Use

When you finish using a machine or weights, wipe them down with the provided cleaning supplies. Your sweat might not bother you, but the next person shouldn’t have to deal with it. On top of being gross, it’s unsanitary.

Tidy Up

Always rerack your weights when you’re done. Leaving plates scattered around forces others to clean up after you (it’s also a tripping hazard!). You should also return dumbbells to their designated spots in the correct order. This simple act shows respect for other gym members and the staff who work hard to maintain the facility.

2 Practice Good Personal Hygiene

No one wants to exercise in a facility with pungent sweat drenching the air. Just be mindful of how you show up; maybe you wipe your armpits or reapply deodorant. Some people like to use natural remedies like honey to eliminate body odor before workouts. In addition, wear clean clothing, make sure your hands are washed, and avoid being gross (i.e., spitting).

3 Mind Your Volume

Gyms aren’t libraries, but that doesn’t mean you can yell to your buddy across the facility and blast personal tunes without headphones. Unnecessarily loud noises can distract others trying to concentrate on their routines.

Again, you don’t have to be as quiet as a mouse; just be respectful of the shared space and the atmosphere other gym-goers might appreciate.

4 Follow Proper Spotting Protocol

If someone asks for a spot, help if you’re comfortable and capable. However, don’t offer unsolicited advice or corrections unless someone specifically asks for guidance. Unsurprisingly, most people prefer to work out without commentary from strangers.

Also, when you’re spotting, perhaps communicate clearly about what type of assistance they want. Some people need help with the initial lift-off, while others want intervention only if they’re failing a rep.

5 Respect Different Fitness Levels

Gyms welcome people at all stages of their fitness journey. Regardless of where you are in your fitness, you must contribute to this welcoming atmosphere. Avoid staring, commenting, or making assumptions about others’ abilities or goals. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable while exercising, regardless of their current strength, size, or experience level.

Following these important gym etiquette rules is how you can contribute to a motivating fitness facility where everyone can focus on their health goals.

Good gym manners aren’t complicated—they simply require awareness of how your actions affect others. By being respectful, clean, and considerate, you support a welcoming environment that benefits the entire gym community.

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You know that exercise is important for your health and fitness, but actually squeezing it into an already busy routine is another thing. Maybe on a good week, you’ll get a few workouts in, but if you want to get more serious about those fitness goals, something is going to have to change. It’s time to get determined, and by following some of these tips, you can hopefully make it happen. 

Determine the Reason Why You Want to Take Working Out to a New Level

Why do you want to get more serious about working out? The “why” is what will energize you to push forward continuously to hit your goals. Take time to think about why you want to do this, what the benefits will be for doing so, and what the consequences might be if you don’t.

Studies, including one published in the Medicine in Science and Sports and Exercise, have found that internal motivators are particularly powerful, such as enjoying exercise because it feels good, perhaps getting that runner’s “high.” You might have an external motivator, too, like having a leaner physique so that you can look great in that bikini or fit into slimmer jeans. If you can figure out your “why” and remind yourself of it when you’re lacking motivation, it can help you get over that hump.

Create a Plan

Don’t just throw yourself into a new workout routine without creating clear, specific goals and a plan to achieve them. First, you need to know what you hope to achieve specifically, whether it’s to improve endurance, build muscle, or simply get leaner. Then you can work on the best route to get there.

You’ll want to challenge yourself through milestones along the way, such as training for a 10K run, followed by a half-marathon on your way to finishing that ultimate goal, running a marathon. Get specific about numbers and progress, aiming high enough that it’s a challenge but one that motivates you to keep going.

Write down your goals and review them regularly to stay committed and motivated to sticking to them. The more specific they are, the easier it will be to take the right actions towards achieving them.

Have a Designated Space

In addition to a plan of what you need to do to achieve your goals, you’ll want to be sure you have a designated space that allows you to take action easily. It will encourage you to stick to the routine and not let distractions interrupt your efforts.

If there isn’t a gym conveniently near your home or office, or the monthly fees aren’t in your budget, consider setting up a home gym. It can be in any room in your home that you aren’t using, a basement, or even a garage. 

Of course, you’ll need the necessary equipment, like a treadmill for cardio, dumbbells for weight training, and perhaps something for recovery too. Many don’t think about recovery, but it’s the most important part of any exercise program, allowing for improved performance and time for the body to heal itself, which can help you attain new, bigger goals. That includes a cool down with stretching post-exercise, but to take it up a notch and recover faster, you might find an ice bath for sale to add to your home exercise space. As you sit in the cold water, it constricts blood vessels and then opens them when you get out, a process that is known to reduce inflammation, help flush away metabolic waste, and improve recovery.

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The goal of the handstand is to be completely straight, from your toes all the way to your fingertips. The two most common shortfalls people face when learning and doing handstands is:

1. Not pointing their toes and tensing their glutes and core to become tight.
2. Arching their back far too much instead of being straight.

Now don’t worry if you already make these two mistakes, you can always relearn the technique the right way. Just make a conscious effort of what needs to be corrected and incorporate them every single time you do a handstand.

Below is a very good video (one of the best handstand tutorials online) detailing the right way to do a handstand and what you need to look out for and practice.

Watch this video on YouTube.

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If you improve 1% a day, then in 100 days, guess what? You’re 100% better. ~ Coach Carter

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