Angry Coach's Gym Etiquette

The Angry Coach Dishes Out Gym Etiquette 101

Put your WEIGHTS away. You’re NOT strong enough for anyone to clean up after you.

I’ve been in gyms for over 25 years…yes I can get cranky in my old age!  And rest assured I’m not taking plates off the bar for a sixteen year old kid or anyone else for that matter!

Don’t leave your wrist straps on and then walk around with them dangling off your arms like you’re some kind of “athlete". Nobody gives a continental, dude…and you can’t possibly be using them for every exercise.

Along similar lines…there is no logical reason to wear a lifting belt for your entire session.  Squats, Deadlifts, Olympic lifts and their hybrids may require a belt and generally when the weight is 80% or greater.  Curls, Flyes and other non-axial loaded movements DO NOT require the use of a belt.  Concrete milkshake dude…and stop prancing ‘round like a peacock. 

Don’t stand on stuff if you don’t need to. I can’t imagine a single reason for a guy to stand on top of a Box Squat box to do BB Shrugs unless he’s under 4 feet tall and can’t reach the J-hooks where the bar is…in which case he should just fricken deadlift and be done with it!

If there are half dozen different spots to do a particular exercise and there’s only one guy using a particular area, don’t use the area right next to him. Learn some fricken spatial awareness.

Shut up…AND LIFT!  People are not the least bit interested in your social escapades on a Friday Nite.

Stop posturing. There are 20 people in the gym who can whip your sorry $%& in a knuckle.

DO NOT perform Barbell Curls in the Squat Rack.  If you’re wannabe gun master, do it in front of the Dumbbell Rack like every other dumbbell.

While I’m at it, if you’re walking (with your gym buddies) in a crowded gym thoroughfare, keep left and in single file and stop walking with your lats…your NOT that big!

When you train in pairs DON'T hog the SAME 2 machines or benches & sit side by side chatting for 5 minutes between sets. Ideally, even if there's 5 or 6 in the group there is only need for ONE bench, ONE SQ rack, ONE lat pulldown, etc.  How long does it take to perfrom 5-10 reps? 

When "chalking up" don't walk away from the bowl with a handful of chalk and start clapping.  Keep your hands in/over the bowl to get rid of excess.  I'll bet you're the first to complain when there's non left! 

And finally, if in doubt...ASK.