Proper gym decorum

It used to be that the workout season peaked only after Christmas, the first weeks of January, to be more specific. This is when everyone has to melt away all those calories accumulated during the holiday break. Boracay-bound beach lovers also sweat it out around this period in preparation for the Holy Week.

I noticed, however, that there is not just one season anymore for workouts. Most people have embraced working out as a lifestyle and this is good news. A lot of us are now more health-conscious  a cheap and wise investment because, trite as it may sound, health is wealth.

Although I work out most often at Gold’s Gym (and occasionally at Slimmers’ World), I also try out other fitness centers even if only for a single session. I do this when I am on location for work and there is no Gold’s Gym in the area (although Gold’s keeps expanding  with the newest branch in Timog).

Gold’s is undeniably the gym of the stars because this is where you see them all: Gold’s latest poster boy Christian Bautista (his transformation from near tubercular  he was so reed-thin before  to that of a hunk is a marvel), Sam Milby, Luke Jickain, Marco Alcaraz, Polo Ravales, Kris Lawrence, etc. My favorite gym buddy, however, is Kiko Rustia, who is the most fit among male celebrities today and is perfect for his Born to Be Wild show that he co-hosts with Dr. Ferds Recio.

I would like to give pieces of advice, however, to these celebrities on proper gym decorum because most eyes are trained on them and they could be talked about. Some people exaggerate stories about these personalities and, worse, can invent tales about how they are inconsiderate and rude to co-gym members and the staff.

The celebrity names I mentioned above are doing fine and I have no issues with them. But I caught one movie actor who once talked on his mobile phone for what must have been 20 minutes while straddled on a leg machine  with other clients cooling their heels, waiting for him to get off it so that they can do their leg exercises.

That to me was inconsiderate. For the benefit of these celebrity clients  and other gym members, as well  let me point out some basic courtesies we should observe while in the gym.

Don’t monopolize a piece of equipment or a machine. I’ve noticed that some take five-minute breaks in between sets. Remember that the gym is not exclusively yours and that there are others waiting to use the bench or a dumbbell. Five minutes is also too long a rest period. That’s not the way to build muscles. Your rest should never be longer than one minute because your muscles tend to relax after that and you waste your previous sets.

Don’t use machines as a towel rack. If you are not using the bench or any of the equipment, don’t park your towel, water bottle and cell phone there because that is like posting a “Reserved” sign. Other clients may want to use those and you are wasting their time waiting for the availability of a piece of equipment that is actually not being used for the purpose of exercising.

Avoid buddy-buddy exercises. Although it’s more fun to exercise with friends, you tend to deprive other members of the use of a particular machine this way because no one else can use that aside from the two of you since you end up alternating and when else can other people come in? It’s worse when it’s a group that hogs a machine  and that happens in all gyms.

Don’t use the equipment as a park bench. If you accept or make a call on your mobile phone and you expect that to last longer than a minute, get up and give the machine to other members who may be waiting for you to finish your turn. Never sit on a bench if you are not going to use it for exercise. This is one bad habit of some gym members. They sit beside their buddy who is exercising to talk and find it most convenient to take the nearest bench. Bear in mind that gyms have limited benches (especially the inclined ones)  and so stay away if you are not using those to exercise.

Don’t use the gym for social gatherings. I know of a group of gym buddies who meet up at the fitness center even if only one or two are actually working out. The rest just hang around and occupy space. Unfortunately, not all gyms are spacious and during peak hours, these places really get crowded. If you are not working out, you will be doing the gym population a favor by being one less person there. To the horror of other clients, however, there are some members who drop by the gym only to pay their friends a visit  in office attire  and turn those exercise benches into couches where they merrily chat. Most gyms have lounges  so stay there if you want to socialize with others.

Observe silence. Although it is unavoidable for some clients to grunt and groan when they lift heavy equipment, try not to make a spectacle of yourself. That can be annoying to those around you. (You may think you look impressive, but we actually think you’re pathetic.) And if you have to talk to your friends, lower your voice because you don’t own the place. More importantly, no horseplay in the gym, please. What may be fun for you can be irritating to others. If you work out as a group, avoid boisterous laughter that can unnerve clients who are there to wipe away their day’s stress.

If you have concerns regarding the gym, voice these out. Any fitness center management will be willing to listen if you talk to them. It may take time for the gym to provide solutions to your problem, but it is important that the operators are aware of the situation. Trust me  they will appreciate that you aired your concerns because most establishments actually aim to please clients to generate more sales and build a good name in the business.