Five Things You Shouldn't Do in the Gym - Learn Gym Etiquette

If you've been to a gym before, you've probably seen people doing some pretty weird and obnoxious things. You'll have guys dropping weight when deadlifting for reps or making a scene every time they lift weight. This is a list of the five worst things you can do in the gym.

Curl in the squat rack: Most gyms only have a few squat racks, maybe two or three depending on their size. Really large or hardcore gyms may have more, but most people don't attend them. Even with the relative scarcity of racks, you'll see people using them for completely irrelevant things like curling or pressing. This is probably the worst thing you can do in the gym, as it makes you look like a complete tool. There is weight that you'll be curling that you can't pick up off the ground like a normal person.

Drop weight when doing non-Olympic lifts: When in the gym you'll often see people dropping weight when deadlifting for reps or doing power cleans. There is no reason to do this, as it's just as easy to put the weight down like a normal person. The only lifts where it is acceptable to drop the weight is the snatch and the clean and jerk, especially when doing more than 80% of your max. Otherwise, there's really no reason to do it as you're just causing a ruckus and potentially injuring someone that might be stepping near you.

Wear inappropriate attire: Some people like to wear weird things to the gym. I'm not sure why, but I've seen guys in just Under Armour, including wearing only compression shorts, people in spandex, and people wearing wife beaters. None of these are really appropriate gym attire, at least not alone. It's okay to wear Under Armour or a tank top under your normal clothing, but there's no reason to wear just that if you want to be taken seriously. I recommend wearing an old t-shirt or sweat shirt and a pair of shorts. Wearing new clothes isn't advisable as it's pretty easy to dirty them up without realizing it. Also, you shouldn't wear normal sneakers in the weight room as the cushioning can mess up your lifts or hurt your ankles. I suggest wearing hard-soled shoes, wrestling shoes, or weightlifting shoes. It's usually best to lift barefoot, but you can't really do that in a gym.

Try to pick up girls: Most people go to the gym to socialize and to get into shape. It's not a place to try to hit on girls, so I don't suggest trying it. Most will respond unfavorably, and while you might get lucky sometimes, you'll end up looking like a tool for the most part. If you want to talk to a girl you see in the gym, do it after you leave and not while you're there; you'll likely see better results this way.

Flex in the mirror after every workout: A lot of really small guys like to flex in the mirror after doing their dumbbell curls because they think they look jacked. Flexing will cause more blood to pool in the limb, which'll make it stiffer and reduce recovery inbetween sets. The time you spend flexing in the mirror would be better spent doing some dynamic stretches, like arm circles or leg kicks. These will help improve your performance and reduce the risk of injury while flexing is completely pointless.