Most of us can’t afford our own private gym. So we have to share with others. That means curtesy is important, as it is everywher humans gather. But in the gym there are a couple of particular things we can do to help keep the peace with our fellow gym members.
One is racking weights after you finish with an exercise. There are a couple of good reasons for this. One is that you never know where the next person to use that station is going to start. Sometimes I like to do a warm-up set with a lower weight level, about 50% of what I would lift in a working set. Sometimes I just use the bar. But it’s rare that any two people are lifting exactly the same amount of weight. Another reason is that sometimes it is difficult to tell if a station is in use. This can also be caused if a person abandons towels or water bottles, which I have also seen. If the weights are racked and the debris is cleared, it’s a good bet the station is available.
Don’t drop weights unnecessarily. It can be harmful to the equipment and floor, and maybe people as well. And it’s just obnoxious. Sometimes a person may need to drop the bar, but it shouldn’t be a regular intentional act. And, if you can’t handle the weight without dropping it, you probably are attempting to lift too much weight.
Some people like to do what is called a cycle. A cycle is a group of exercises done in successive sets. One completes a set at station one, then proceeds immediately to station two to do the next set, and so forth, eventually returning to station one for the second set. For those who don’t believe in resting between sets, it saves time for the person doing the cycle, but because they take up multiple stations at once, it costs others time who might want to use one of those stations. Don’t do cycles, unless it is clear that no one else is around.
On a different topic, I have noticed a trend in equipment that is being acquired in my gym. Some plates have been brought in that are bigger in bulk than the previous models, but the same weight. I can think of no good reason for this except to make it look like more weight is being moved around. Similarly, machines have been brought in, which I generally like. It is pretty sturdy, and often makes it easire to add resistance safely. But most of them have more leverage, which means to get the same resistance, I have to stack on more plates. Again, this makes it look like I am lifting more, when it is just easier to lift because of the leverage. If you never had a physics class, you’ll have to trust me on this. So overall, management is bringing in equipment to provide a psychological benefit as much as a physical one. Something to think about.
Weight 7-day Avg. (change since Jan 2018): 211 (-57)
Workout time: 107 Minutes
Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 4.68 Miles (533.73)
Steps: 17,517
Muscle Mass 7-day Avg. (change since Aug 2018): 163.74 (+21)
Body Fat 7-day Avg.: 25%
Daily Sleep Duration 7-day Avg: 6 hours
2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat