The Code of the Gym Home -> The Library -> Code of the Gym 1 Introduction The gym is a unique environment in our world. People come there to improve their bodies and feel better about themselves. Most gyms have a written set of rules to govern our behavior while working out. ALL gyms, however, have an unwritten code of behavior that is not always readily apparent to sometimes even the most advanced of us. The aim of this report is to tell you the written as well as the unwritten rules of behavior in The Gym. The Written Code The written rules of the gym are usually few and designed to ensure members safety, convenience and equipment care. You are probably familiar with the majority of them. These rules are all fairly straightforward and come out of common sense. These written rules are also grossly outnumbered by the unwritten rules of the gym. 1. Don't drop weights Dropping weights on the floor can cause injury to yourself or others and can also damage the equipment itself. Always set it down as gently as you can. 2. Return or remove weights when you are finished with them This is a simple matter of courtesy to whoever is using the equipment after you. Not everybody can or wants to unload ten 45-pound plates off the leg press machine. Place dumbells back on the rack in the slots where they belong and always remove your weights from the machines unless the next person specifically asks you to leave them on. 3. Wear proper attire Wear appropriate clothing for exercise. This mainly refers to shoes but can include things such as wearing jeans in the gym. 4. Sweat hogs Wipe benches off if you sweat all over them. It's even better to put down a towel before you use the bench. You don’t want to lie in other peoples sweat so extend them the same courtesy. 5. No Swearing This is a very common sense rule. Profanity can be offensive to others. If you have to scream in the middle of a tough set, make it unintelligible. 6. No Smoking If your gym doesn't have ashtrays on the stair-machines, chances are it doesn't allow smoking in the gym area. If you need to smoke, go to a designated smoking area. Go to The Unwritten Code of the Gym