More Gym Etiquette

Yet again I have found things that annoy me about people at the gym. Your towel does not represent you being the sole owner of a machine. I fully understand putting your towel on the bench, or back-rest, or whatever to keep the sweat off. I also understand you leaving your towel to grab a quick drink at the water fountain (although this can be alleviated by simply bringing a water bottle). But if you place your towel on a piece of equipment to 'reserve' it and walk off to do whatever else, that's not acceptable.

At the gym today I experienced just this scenario. I approached a piece of equipment I was planning on using, and seeing nobody sitting at it (or in the close vicinity for that matter) I figured it was free. Upon getting to the machine I noticed a small, green towel on the top portion of the back-rest where one's head may be while using the machine. Naturally I stood there a second looking around, trying to find the person who had placed their towel on the machine. I was looking for someone walking back from the fountain, or maybe standing behind me and I didn't notice, but nothing. After about a minute of standing at the machine I removed the towel and started my sets. After a couple sets the owner of the towel surfaced. He walked up with an angered look on his face. "Hey bro I was using this machine," were his exact words. I then politely informed him that I had stood here for almost a minute and he was nowhere in sight, so I took the liberty of moving his towel and beginning my set. I told him we could alternate sets since I wasn't done yet, but he didn't want to. His exact words were, "didn't you see my towel here bro? I was using this machine. I don't want to work in man I'll just wait until you're done." With that I finished my remaining sets, in no rush, and went on my way.

Do some people honestly think they can monopolize a piece of equipment by placing their towel on it and walking off? Some people bewilder me when they say the things they say and act the way they act towards others. Granted this man didn't look like the type who regularly comes to the gym, and also looked like the type who does his hair (gel and all) to go to the gym. Jersey Shore anyone?!

Gym Etiquette (Getiquette?)

My post yesterday got me thinking about things which bug me, my pet peeves if you will, and sure enough today at the gym someone pointed one out for me. I think on a larger scale you can derive it as ignorance, or maybe even selfishness; singing while at the gym. As anyone who's been to a large generally knows, some people choose to wear their own headphones and listen to their own music. I have no problem with this at all. In fact, I too usually wear my own headphones for some "pump-up" music. However, I have a problem when someone wearing headphones decides to vocalize the song their currently listening to. Nobody else wants to hear your sorry attempt at singing your favorite song. It's rather annoying and, as stated previously, ignorant. While I'm working out I do not want to hear you sing. Furthermore, the guy singing at the gym yesterday wasn't singing the correct words. He was making up his own "remix" and it was atrocious. I hope this guy isn't a rapper or any other type of lyricist for his day job, or he's in need of a career change.

Improper Gym Attire?

What is it with some people and how they dress at the gym? I understand it's a large gym with multiple locations so they don't have strict guidelines on such matters, but maybe they should. I work out regularly at LVAC (Las Vegas Athletic Club), and sometimes at the UNLV student gym. Whenever I work out at the UNLV gym it's generally in the early morning, when only avid gym users are present. Because of this, I never see people at the UNLV gym wearing what you may call 'inappropriate' gym attire. However, when I workout at LVAC I always see people wearing what I would consider to be "inappropriate' gym attire.

I regularly see people wearing clothing I would never wear while working out. Things like; jeans, flip-flops, skin-tight long-sleeve shirts, and other items like these. I don't understand how people can work out in clothes like this. How are you supposed to workout wearing clothes that don't allow you freely move in any direction? How hard is it to go buy a cheap pair of basketball shorts from Walmart? Of course the same people who come dressed like this to the gym are usually the ones who spend most of their time talking with friends or walking around the track. I can understand why the LVAC management doesn't enforce strict dress code, because it would make some people drop their membership. Ultimately, they are a business and work in mass amounts of members rather than quality of members. But if I had my own gym, I would definitely enforce a dress code.

I wouldn't allow people to work out in jeans, but would sell cheap basketball shorts for their convenience. Flip-flops would not be allowed in the gym area, period. First, it's a safety concern. Second, it's a safety concern. And finally, it's a safety concern. Not only are your feet exposed to things being dropped on them, but flip-flops offer little traction on any surface. I won't go into detail about other inappropriate wear people wear in the gym, because these are the two which bug me the most.

Some people may say I should mind my own business and what they wear to the gym is their own decision, but I beg to differ. I'm paying to be there and use the facility to get a quality work out in, everyone should be required to abide by, at least, a minimal dress code requirement.