8 gym etiquette tips

Here are 8 'gym etiquette' tips to help you get your Health life started at your local health and fitness center.

1) Guys: Don’t flirt with girls!

Picture this: there is a crowd 25 men in the free weights area, and one courageous woman finds her way in. Obviously that woman is going to stick out. Just because she ventured into the free weights area doesn’t mean she wants you to hit on her. You should be thinking about your next ‘set’, not next ‘sex’. The gym can be a very sexual place; men are grunting, women are flicking back their hair, hips are swaying on the ellipticals and everyone is wearing less clothes... try to keep your hormones down. The last thing you want is to drop a 200 pound barbell on your face because you were checking someone out. "No to Flirt, Yes the Fit!"

2) Know your fitness goals.

Whether you want to lose weight, get fit, tone-up, or just feel good, the gym is the place for you. Before you start your Health journey, make sure you know exactly why you are there and what you are trying to accomplish. Have a clear and focused goal, and plan to set it into action with a weekly workout regimen. Make sure you have small goals for each day and week. But also have longer goals, monthly, yearly, or lifelong. Take baby steps, but make sure you know exactly the direction your headed.

3) Get the right help.

Just because someone looks fit, doesn’t mean he or she is a good teacher. The 'lunks' at the gym may not be the best source for advice tailored to your personal goals. Seek out the right help, so you can understand what you need to do to achieve your goals. Talk to a nutritionist about your diet, consult your physician before beginning an exercise regimen, and talk to a personal trainer to get familiarized with the equipment in the gym. There is no shame in asking for help.

4) Safety first.

Don’t immediately hit the free weights. The last thing you want to happen is ripping a tendon, spraining your ankle, or straining your muscles. If you are just beginning, stick to the selectorized equipment and keep the weight low. As you progress, begin to incorporate more challenging exercises. Remember that this process is for the long-term, and hopefully life long. Keep injuries at bay so you can maintain your healthy lifestyle.

5) Don’t care about image! Maybe, just your own.

The guy working out next to you has 6-pack abs and all you have is the lingering bloatedness of last night's 6-pack of beer. Don’t let this discourage you; the gym is not about feeling inadequate. You are there to reach your own personal fitness goals. Not someone else's. If billboards of sexy supermodels got you feeling down, look it at it as something to aspire to. Remember that your fitness goals are your own.

6) Keep positive.

Starting the journey of Health is a lifelong process of nutrition and exercise. Health can be physical, mental, spiritual, sexual and even… recreational! The most important thing you can do is, keep focused and positive. Your goals may take a long time to achieve, so enjoy the journey. Keeping positive means having a positive self-image. We are not all born with the perfect nose or perfect waistline, but in reality you are the only person who can really decide what perfect is. Don't judge yourself. You are here for you, so don't put yourself down and don't let anyone else put you down either!

7) No Cell Phones and No Chatter!

Some people take their fitness goals really seriously. Keep your cell phone off and your chatter down. If you see that someone is focusing, don’t be so persistent in engaging them in conversation or distracting them with your over-the-phone argument with your Brother. You may want to keep the extra chatter down to a minimum. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help if you need it, or take a quick phone call. Just be mindful that some people are 'on their way' to health, and you may be distracting them! Try to make the gym, your cell-phone-free time and concentrate on your own efforts. Think about your body and focus on your muscles.

8) Don’t stare!

Yes, she looks beautiful and she’s wearing next to nothing, that doesn’t mean you shoud drool. Focus on yourself. You are at the gym for you. If you see someone flexing their stuff, or showing off their abs... instead of staring, ask them for a tip.

As if 8 tips weren't enough, here are a couple more etiquette insights: clean up after yourself, stack your weights when you are done, and share equipment.

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WE should really have discipline and behave properly in our workouts at gyms!