Going to gym is for me not only to workout, get motivated and getting new workout ideas, it is also a place full of blog content.
There is a large variety of people in the gym; male, female, athletes, beginners, bodybuilders, etc. Everyone has his own style whether it is about the workout itself or the clothing sense.
BUT!! There are just some general, not rules, more like unsaid agreements that some behaviours/dressing styles that are not done in a gym.
Let's talk about a few pointers considering behaviour in the gym first.
1. Seriousness
If you don't do it for yourself, then please do it for your gym colleagues. Not taking your workout serious is your own choice, though then you also don't have to be surprised that you're not getting the results that you want. Either way. You not being serious is totally fine, but it should not disturb someone else's workout/motivation/seriousness. Nothing is as annoying as someone using all spaces without doing anything, someone continuously taking selfies, someone continuously talking or talking/laughing loud. So please don't disturb the other gymmers with this type of behaviour.
2. Show off
I think that is even clear before talking about it. You don't proof yourself anything plus you don't proof anything to anyone else with it. The most harm you can do to others is that they'll just be annoyed with you, so not that much harmful. The harm you can do yourself is much much bigger and much more dangerous. I'm not talking about your ego being hurt if someone starts laughing or ignores you because of your show off. What I am talking about is the injuries you can get with overdoing it. Mostly show off happens with the heaviness of the weights. Sorry guys, but it are mostly the guys that do this kind of show off amongst each other. Result is, you'll start doing the exercise wrong as your body can't handle the weight you have put and doing the exercise wrong can result in serious muscle, joints or ligament fractures.
3. Flirting
I have seen both sides, male and female trying to flirt with someone. Come on people!! You are in a gym for crying out loud, where everyone is sweaty and gasping and having a red head because of the blood circulation. If there is one place where you don't start flirting or go to to find a date, then it is the gym.
What I've seen mostly in Europe is that the guys try to flirt with the girls. They start showing some alpha male behaviour by showing off their muscles or think that they can convince the girl by giving her a creepy wink.
Here in India it is the other way around, mostly, girls trying to flirt with the guys. Literally some girls have told me that there is no fun in coming to gym coz there are no cute guys and if there are then they're not interested in the girl.
Let's put it on an agreement... The gym isn't the place to flirt. Keep it to your workout please.
Then now, maybe my favourite one, dressing codes for gym. I don't care if girls are wearing only a sports bra/top and a skintight legging or if guys wear an inner and shorts. BUT! Really nobody is interested in seeing your ass through the transparant leggings or the string you are wearing or the bush of chest hair that is showing. I might sound conservative, but you are not on a beach plus nobody likes any type of body sweat of someone else on the seats, dumbbells or other machinery. If you wear proper cloths you will not leave your sweat on everything that extensively. Furthermore, you are in the gym to workout not to walk the catwalk or do a sexy photoshoot.
1. Girls
Girls it is sad to say but you are on the first place when it comes to physical appearance. If you want to look good at work, at a party, for a date, ... all fine, go ahead nobody is stopping you! But really nobody cares about how you look in the gym, as everybody looks as sweaty as can be. Yes, there are many pictures of women doing gym and it looks very sexy. Ladies, those girls are models and it is a photo shoot.
I see girls coming to gym in full makeup and if they have done some exercise and they sweat they go checking if all the makeup is still at place. They even have, no kidding, their makeup with them. Girls, you disappoint me. Those girls with their makeup sets are also the ones that try to find a date in gym. Let's make it clear and honest. Guys don't care about your makeup, already not in general, so why would they start caring while in gym? Please girls, leave the makeup at home.
2. Girls 2
Well, it is the least to say that the female part here has the upper-hand when it comes to "don'ts" in gym. Many girls don't wear a proper supportive sports bra. Believe me it will help you a lot. There are quite some girls at the gym here that come to gym because they are overweight. They do aerobics and that includes a lot of jumping and hopping. I, being a girl myself, know how annoying it is to not be wearing a proper sports bra. Especially with exercises that include jumping or running or any type of bouncing even squats for that matter. Girls, don't you ever feel awkward when your breasts are jumping up and down in a not so simultaneous and coordinated way? It hurts, you are the point of attraction (and no not in a good way).
I really don't understand girls that keep working out without a proper sports bra it should not be allowed as well. Sorry to say but, if guys get comments and gym expulsions when they are wearing shorts that avail to much of their lower assets then girls should also get restrictions.
If you don't see the indecency of this, then at least think about the harm you can do to your body. Mostly girls who have a rather big upper, if you don't wear a proper sports bra you can hurt yourself in so many ways. During running, jumping, aerobics and all other intensive workout which includes jumping and running and hopping etc., the possibility that you will torn your skin around your breast is very high. During the intensity your breast are smacked up and down coz of the gravity difference you go through every time when you hop up and down. Wearing a proper sports bra (with high intensity level) prevents this and it also prevents having back, neck and lower back problems. So please girls, if you don't do it for the comfort and looks then please do it for your skin, muscles and bones.
3. Boys & GIrls
Not that much in Europe, though it is becoming a trend also as everyone rather looks good then think about the harm they can put themselves in to. Mostly here in India I come across people work out, that don't wear proper shoes. They come in slippers, crocks, loofers or sandals. Peeps! that is not a proper footwear for your workout. Weightlifting, aerobics, running, zumba, etc they all need a proper shoe. You don't like to wear sport shoes because "it doesn't look good"? Well too bad, you are not doing exercise to be discovered as a model. Those "hideous" sport shoes, are specially designed so the risk of getting injuries in your feet, ankles, knees, legs, spine and neck is minimal. Not only that, it also gives protection against objects that might hurt you from the outside.
Eg.
- You are lifting weights and one of the weights falls on your foot. How much is your sandal or loofer going to protect your food from wounds or bruises?
- You go running in the park with slippers. How many times you will twist your ankle because you every time lose your slipper?
To conclude all in one sentence: "Wear proper clothes and shoes to prevent inner and outer injuries and leave your ego at home."
